Mozilla Firefox 92.0 was released today with new features and various security fixes.
The release will use HTTPS resource record (HTTPS RR) as Alt-Svc headers to make connections more secure.
The full-range color (0-255) levels are now supported for video playback. Though the limited color range (16-235) is ideal for movies and TV, the source can be switched to full-range color to match PC monitor.
For Mac, users can now access the macOS share options from the Firefox File menu. And it enables support for images containing ICC v4 profiles.
Other changes include:
Firefox performance with screen readers and other accessibility tools is no longer severely degraded if Mozilla Thunderbird is installed or updated after Firefox.
macOS VoiceOver now correctly reports buttons and links marked as ‘expanded’ using the aria-expanded attribute.
An open alert in a tab no longer causes performance issues in other tabs using the same process.
The bookmark toolbar menus on macOS now follow Firefox visual styles.
Certificate error pages have been redesigned for a better user experience.
How to Install Firefox 92:
Usually, Ubuntu will publish the new Firefox package in next few days. The best choice is just wait!
You’ll see the packages in Software Updater once published:
Or see the release note & download the Linux portable package from this page.
This tutorial shows how to enable hardware video acceleration (VA-API) for Firefox, so it uses the video card to decode/encode video to save power.
Hardware video acceleration is a computer technology to make the graphics card to encode and decode video, thus offloading the CPU to save power. And compared to CPU, GPU are normally more efficient at the job.
UPDATE 2024: VA-API SHOULD BE ENABLED BY DEFAULT (if available) IN RECENT FIREFOX RELESES! SO, JUST GO TO BOTTOM TO VERIFY.
There are a few ways to achieve this on Ubuntu Linux, including:
Video Acceleration API (VA-API) – an open source API developed by Intel.
Video Decode and Presentation API for Unix (VDPAU) – open source API developed by NVIDIA.
NVENC/NVDEC – NVIDIA’s proprietary API.
The VA-API supports Intel, AMD, and NVIDIA (via open-source Nouveau drivers) GPUs. And it is widely supported by software, such as MPV uses va-api hardware acceleration for video playback by default if available.
The VDPAU API supports both AMD and NVIDIA, but has no support in Firefox or Chromium. And while NVENC/NVDEC is used for NVIDIA GPU only, we usually use VA-API for hardware video acceleration.
Firefox pop-up video encoding/decoding via Intel GPU
Verify VA-API:
NOTE: VA-API does not work on NVIDIA via proprietary drivers as mentioned above. If you installed NVIDIA proprietary driver via ‘Additional Drivers’ utility, this will only work when you choose ‘Intel (Power Saving)’ mode in NVIDIA Prime settings.
The VA-API may work out-of-the-box in Ubuntu. You can firstly open terminal from start menu (click ‘Activities’ and search terminal).
Next install vainfo package via command:
sudo apt install vainfo
And run it to check VA-API info:
vainfo
It outputs the driver as well as supported profile. VAEntrypointVLD means decoding support for this format, VAEntrypointEncSlice means encoding support.
If the command outputs an error, you can try to install drivers via command:
For NVIDIA nouveau and AMD, run command:
sudo apt install mesa-va-drivers
For Gen 8+ Intel hardware, install via command:
sudo apt install intel-media-va-driver
And for old Intel hardware, install i965-va-driver instead via apt install command.
By setting the environment variable, you can choose which driver to use. For example, set “export LIBVA_DRIVER_NAME=i965” to use i965 driver. The value can also set to “nouveau” for NVIDIA, or “radeonsi” for AMDGPU.
Enable VA-API in Firefox:
Firefox added VA-API support since version 80, though it’s not enabled by default. You can enabled it manually by doing following steps one by one.
Firstly, open Firefox and go to about:config in url bar. Click on “Accept the Risk and Continue”. Then search for following keys, enable or disable them one by one:
media.ffmpeg.vaapi.enabled set to true
media.ffvpx.enabled set to false.
media.rdd-vpx.enabled set to false.
media.navigator.mediadatadecoder_vpx_enabled set to true.
If you experience page crashes, try setting security.sandbox.content.level to 0.
Secondly, set environment variable (for current user only). Open terminal and run command to edit profile file:
gedit ~/.profile
When file opens, add following lines to the end:
(Optional) Specify va-api driver as mentioned above (replace iHD accordingly):
export LIBVA_DRIVER_NAME=iHD
You can SKIP this if vainfo outputs without error!
Diable RDD sandbox:
export MOZ_DISABLE_RDD_SANDBOX=1
For Xorg session, default in Ubuntu 18.04/Ubuntu 20.04:
export MOZ_X11_EGL=1
For Wayland session, default in Ubuntu 21.04 & higher:
export MOZ_ENABLE_WAYLAND=1
Finally, log out and back in. Open Firefox and play a video and see result!
Check if Hardware Video Acceleration working:
During video playback, you can use top command to see CPU usage before and after enable VA-API. For Intel GPU, there’s intel_gpu_top command that monitor it continuously.
Open terminal and run command to install the tool first:
sudo apt install intel-gpu-tools
Next, run command:
sudo intel_gpu_top
Start playing video in Firefox and you’ll see the video bar is busy (above 0%) if VA-API starts working.
For AMD GPU, there’s another command line tool “radeontop” available to monitor GPU activity.
NOTE for YouTube videos, the video codec may sometimes not supported by your hardware. To workaround, try h264ify or enhanced-h264ify extension to make YouTube stream H.264 videos instead of VP8/VP9.
Mozilla Firefox 91.0 is available with more than 1200 bug-fixes, new major privacy enhancement, and other features.
The release introduced more comprehensive logic for clearing cookies. With Firefox Strict Mode, you can clear a site data including embed content, such as images, videos and scripts, from other websites. This “cross-site” content was previously left behind.
You can now clear cookies and site data for current page by clicking the SSL lock icon in url bar. Or by right-clicking on sites under History menu and select ‘Forgot About This Site’.
For all sites, go to Settings -> Privacy & Security -> Cookies and Site Data. There you can click on “Manage Data” to search a site or remove all sites.
Firefox 91 now https first in Private Browsing windows. Even by clicking or entering http site in url, it tries to connect https first if available.
Other changes include:
Supports logging into Microsoft, work, and school accounts using Windows single sign-on.
Add Simplified option back in print settings.
New locale: Scots (sco)
The address bar now provides Switch to Tab results also in Private Browsing windows.
Automatic High Contrast Mode when “Increase Contrast” is checked on MacOS
10-20% improvement in response time to most user interactions.
Various security fixes.
How to Install Firefox 91:
Usually, Ubuntu publishes the new Firefox packages through the security & updates repositories. So just wait and keep your system updated. It’s will be available in next few days.
Alternatively, see the release note and download the portable package from Firefox website.
Mozilla Firefox released version 90.0 today with some new features and various security fixes.
Firefox 90 introduced the 2.0 version of SmartBlock. The built-in tracker blocking mechanism now provides robust privacy protection, while ensuring you can still use third-party Facebook logins. Facebook scripts are all blocked, just as before, except the short period for the sign-in to proceed smoothly.
For HTTPS-Only Mode, there’s now an option to add exceptions. So that you can visit specified HTTP websites directly without HTTPS-only alerts.
Other changes in Firefox 90 include:
Apply updates in the background while Firefox in not running for Windows.
New about:third-party page to help identify compatibility issues
Print to PDF now produces working hyperlinks
The “Open Image in New Tab” context menu now opens images and media in a background tab
Improved software WebRender performance
Removed FTP support.
How to Get Firefox 90:
Normally, Ubuntu will publish the new Firefox packages through the security & updates repositories in next few days.
You can just wait until it being available to update in Software Updater:
Alternatively, see the release note and download the portable package from Firefox website:
Since version 89, the free and open-source Firefox web browser makes use of the new ‘Proton’ UI design.
For those who do not like the new Firefox appearance, the configuration options to re-enable the old style interface is still available in the 89 release.
Revert to old UI Design in Firefox 89:
Firstly, type about:config in the address bar and hit Enter. Click on the ‘Accept the Risk and Continue‘ button when it prompts.
Next type browser.proton in the search box. Then click on the double arrow icons to disable the values of:
browser.proton.contextmenus.enabled
browser.proton.doorhangers.enabled
browser.proton.enabled
browser.proton.modals.enabled
The Firefix UI will change immediately after the settings. And you can reset these settings to get back the new ‘Proton’ UI design.
In addition, the previous settings is going to be removed in next release according to this bug. So using a browser theme could be a good choice for long time solution.
Mozilla Firefox 89.0 was officially released today with the focus on redesigned and modernized user interface.
Firefox 89 has a simplified browser chrome and toolbar. It uses floating tab design with rounded corners for active tab. Less toolbar buttons present, and bookmarks, history and downloads are merged into single menu button.
The main menu content has been reorganized and prioritized. Menu items no longer have icons at beginning.
The new release also introduced new ‘Pocket’ icon in left side of the menu button. It allows to save any archive, video or page from Firefox. And it provides buttons to sign in/up pocket, so to view your saved content on any device any time.
Other changes in Firefox 89.0 include:
Native context menus on Mac OS with dark mode support.
Reduced number of alerts and messages, so you can browse with fewer distractions.
Update private browsing mode with even more privacy.
Smart Zoom support via double-tap with two fingers, or single finger on your Magic Mouse.
Various security and other fixes.
Event Timing API Support.
How to Get Firefox 89:
As usual, Ubuntu will publish the Firefox 89 packages through the security & updates repositories in next few days.
You can just wait until it being available to update in Software Updater:
Alternatively, see the release note and download the portable package from Firefox website:
Mozilla Firefox web browser 86.0 was released with improved pop out video support and latest privacy protection.
In Firefox 86, you can now play multiple videos at the same time in the Picture-in-Picture mode.
The new release also features new privacy protection: Total Cookie Protection. It stops cookies from tracking you around the web by creating a separate cookie jar for every website.
To enable this feature, go to about:preferences#privacy page and set Enhanced Tracking Protection to Strict mode.
Other changes in Firefox 86 include:
Improved Print functionality with a cleaner design and better integration
Enable credit card management and auto-fill feature for users in Canada.
Reader mode now works with local HTML pages.
Mitigate the stack clash attack in Linux and Android.
Remove DTLS 1.0 support.
Various security fixes.
How to get Firefox 86 in Ubuntu:
For all current Ubuntu releases, the new Firefox package will be published in Ubuntu security & updates repositories in next a few days.
At that time, you can easily update the web browser through Software Updater (Update Manager)
For those who can’t wait, go to the release page which also includes a download button:
Mozilla Firefox 85.0 was officially released today with improvements to privacy protection, bookmarks, and password manager.
Firefox 85 introduces a fundamental change in the network architecture. It now partitions network connections and caches, including HTTP cache, image cache, favicon cache, HSTS cache, OCSP cache, style sheet cache, font cache, DNS cache, HTTP Authentication cache, Alt-Svc cache, and TLS certificate cache. So it protects you from supercookies.
Since this release Adobe Flash is no longer supported, and there is no setting available to re-enable Flash support.
Other changes in Firefox 85 include:
Remember user preferred location for saved bookmarks
Display bookmarks toolbar by default in new tab.
Easy access to all of your bookmarks via a toolbar folder.
An option to remove all of saved logins.
Various security fixes.
How to get Firefox 85 in Ubuntu:
For all current Ubuntu releases, simply wait! The new Firefox package will be published in Ubuntu security & updates repositories in next a few days.
At that time, you can easily update the browser through Software Updater (Update Manager)
For those can’t wait, go to the release page which also includes a download button:
Running Ubuntu with high refresh rate monitor? You may found that the Firefox web browser does not match with your monitor’s native refresh rate.
This is a simple tip shows how to change the refresh rate of Firefox, though you have to first set the system refresh rate (Settings -> Displays) to match your monitor.
1.) Open Firefox and type about:config in address bar and hit Enter. And click the button which says ‘Accept the Risk and Continue’.
2.) Next in the filter box, type layout.frame_rate and click edit the key value to your monitor’s native refresh rate (144 in the case).
Mozilla Firefox web browser 84.0 now is available to download.
Firefox 84 is a big release. It comes with WebRender enabled by default in Linux Gnome on X for faster page rendering. For Wayland session, you can manually enable the feature in about:config page, search and enable gfx.webrender.all.
The new browser release also includes native support for Apple Silicon hardware, the M1 processor in new versions of the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini.
Ubuntu keeps publishing the latest Firefox packages through the main Ubuntu security & updates repositories. Just wait and Firefox 84.0 will be available to update for all current Ubuntu releases in next a few days.
If you can’t wait, Mozilla offers official Linux portable packages, in which you can run the executable file to launch Firefox. And you can download it from the link below:
