Firefox Gains Speed and Retina Display

Not only is Firefox for your desktop now 25%* faster (*based on the data we’ve compiled from testing), it’s also 100%* better looking (*based on just our eyeballs)!

We put a little spring in the Firefox step with a recent upgrade, which you’ll notice both if you play games and use Web apps, thanks to some new JavaScript magic in our code. Sites like Gmail will perform better as well. Plus, if you’re a big user of the tabs feature, you can now switch back and forth like a smooth operator.

Mac fans will especially love the much-requested support for the high-definition Retina display. All those movies you download will look more awesome in Firefox. And high-def game playing? Wowza. High-def Web browsing? The Internet never looked so good. Look at the difference!

firefox18-retina

If you’re on a recent version of Firefox, you’ll be automatically upgraded. But if you have auto updates turned off or haven’t seen an update yet, here’s how to take control of those updates!

Firefox Tip – How to Select a File for Your Downloads

Ever download a file and then wonder – where do I find it now? Did you know that you can choose what folder your downloads are saved in so you can find them easier?

Click on the Firefox button (Tools menu in Windows XP) and then click Options (Preferences on a Mac) to access the options window. Then make sure you’re on the General tab. In the middle of that screen, you’ll see the Downloads section. Select the “Save files to” box (or radio button) and then click “Browse” to search your computer for the file you’d like to use. Or, you can slect “Always ask me where to save files” and each time you download, you can be asked to select a specific folder for that download. See our support site for more information on managing your downloads.

download options
If you have a tip you’d like to share with other Firefox users, please post it on our Facebook page with #FirefoxTips and tag us, or post on Twitter with #FirefoxTips. You can also view more tips in our archive.

If you found this tip useful, be sure to share it with the Facebook and Twitter buttons in the share drop-down below, and help tell the world about Firefox.

Free Firefox for Android Wallpaper

Everyone loves something for nothing! And we like to give you things for free, because we so enjoy our fans! We got such a great response from our last wallpaper giveaway, we thought we’d do it again. This time, the theme is Firefox for Android – enjoy!

Firefox for Android WallpaperInstructions for Mobile:
Open the mobile wallpaper
When the image opens, tap and hold to save the image
Update your wallpaper using your device’s settings.

Instructions for Desktop:
Open desktop wallpaper
Right-click on the image to save it
Update your wallpaper using your computer’s settings.

Enjoy!

Firefox Tip – Choose Your Search Engines on Firefox for Android

Did you know that you can choose your search engine on Firefox for Android, just like you can on your computer’s Firefox browser?

Android SearchFirefox for Android includes built-in search for Google, Amazon, Twitter and Wikipedia. To start your search, tap the Title bar or + at the top of any screen. Type your search keyword and the list of built-in search engines appears. Now, choose the one you want and you’re off and running!

For more information on searching with Firefox for Android, visit our Support site.

If you have a tip you’d like to share with other Firefox users, please post it on our Facebook page with #FirefoxTips and tag us, or post on Twitter with #FirefoxTips. You can also view more tips in our archive.

If you found this tip useful, be sure to share it with the Facebook and Twitter buttons in the share drop-down below, and help tell the world about Firefox.

Firefox for Android Gets Faster, Safer

Faster. Safer. Those are two things everyone wants their mobile browser to be. With each update to Firefox for Android, you get a faster, safer (and smarter!) mobile Web experience, but we just added two new features that take it to a whole new level. Now, there are even more reasons to love Firefox for Android.

Do you love to get to what you want on the mobile Web, faster? Done.

With our new Search Suggestions, Firefox for Android analyzes what you’re typing and suggests terms you may be searching for. That makes navigating a whole lot easier and faster. Yay! This used to be a feature you had to seek out and enable, but now, it’s enabled by default (but you can always turn it off.) Read more on how to manage this feature.

Do you love to get what you want on the mobile Web, safer? Done.

To protect you from malicious websites, Firefox for Android gives a warning when you stumble upon websites that may have ulterior motives, like malware or phishing. With the improved Phishing and Malware Protection feature, allows you to decide not to go any further before loading a potentially malicious website. Read more about this feature here.

So if you’re currently a Firefox for Android fan, you have more reasons to love it. If you’re not on Firefox for Android, head to the Google Play store to get it today!

Firefox Tip – How to Find Your Recent Downloads

When you start a download, the Firefox Downloads window automatically opens to help you keep track of files you download while using Firefox, including files you open and save to your computer. But sometimes you close that window (by mistake or on purpose) and then you wonder – how do I get that window back?

There are two ways to get that Downloads window back. You can access it through the menu, Click on the Firefox button (Tools menu in Windows XP and on a Mac), and then click Downloads. Or, you can add another shortcut to your collection, which is Ctrl + J. (Cmd + J on a Mac.) Learn more about managing your downloads on our support site.

Downloads Window
If you have a tip you’d like to share with other Firefox users, please post it on our Facebook page with #FirefoxTips and tag us, or post on Twitter with #FirefoxTips. You can also view more tips in our archive.

If you found this tip useful, be sure to share it with the Facebook and Twitter buttons in the share drop-down below, and help tell the world about Firefox.

3 Ways to Keep Your Firefox Healthy

According to the U.S. Government Web site, three of the most popular New Year’s resolutions are about getting trim and slim and shedding the pounds to get healthy. And we can see why — everyone wants to look and perform at their best.

With every Firefox update, we aim to make Firefox trim and slim and perform at its peak as well. But there are some things that you can do to to keep your browser healthy and running at its best as well.

It only takes a few minutes to keep your Firefox in top shape.

1. Always make sure you have the newest version for the latest speed improvements. There’s even a feature that updates things in the background, with little to no effort needed from you. For that feature to work, however, you need to be on a more recent version. Here are instructions for how to check to see if your browser is updated. You can also run a “speed check”  to see if the version you are on is quick on its feet.

2. Delete old add-ons or extensions. Even if you don’t use that add-on you downloaded a year ago, it could still be running in the background. It doesn’t hurt, every so often, to take a look and delete any add-ons or extensions that you’re not using. If you find that you really need it, you can download it again. Here’s how to manage your extensions.

3. Check your plugins. Checking your plugins (those pieces of software built outside of Firefox that power games, videos and animations) should become a routine — just like checking your smoke alarms. Not only does this keep your Firefox running smoothly, but also running safer.

We can check your plugins and stuff

https://www.mozilla.org/plugincheck/

Consider making these action items part of a habit that you do every few months. Make it a New Year’s resolution that you’ll keep. You’ll thank yourself for it!

Valentine’s Day Themes for Your Firefox

February 14 is Valentine’s Day in the U.S. It’s a day where expressions of love are everywhere! (And can we add one more? We love our Firefox fans!)

Did you know that you can dress up your Firefox browser to celebrate Valentine’s Day? (Or any occasion, really.) With themes, you can pick from thousands of designs to customize the look of your Firefox. This support article tells you all about how to install and manage your themes.

Here’s our theme pick to celebrate love. Below you can see the theme and then what it might look like in your browser.

Heart in Hand theme

Theme in browser
Don’t like this one? You can also search for your own favorite here.

Never Update Firefox Manually Again?

One of our favorite recently-added features is our silent update. We listened to our fans feedback and made it a priority for you.

That’s why, if you’re on Firefox 16 or later, you never have to manually check for updates again, or be bothered with approvals or progress bars! Now, when Firefox launches a great new feature, you don’t have to lift a finger. We roll them out automatically, like clockwork, in the background.

Of course, if you want to lift a finger, you can. Firefox always wants to give you control over your Web experience. If you know a new release is coming, and you want to check for it on your own, you can. Here are instructions on how to manually update your Firefox, set your update settings and more.

The key is to be on a more recent version of Firefox. Any Firefox below version 16 doesn’t have this new feature. So if you’re unsure of your version, click the link above to see how do check.

3 Sneak Peeks for Firefox for Android in 2013

Who doesn’t love a sneak peek? It’s a way to be “in the know” before everyone else, to be on the cutting edge and have lots of knowledge to show off at parties!

We want our loyal fans to always feel like they’ve got the inside information. So here’s what’s in store for Firefox for Android.

In a previous blog post we recapped all the great features we brought you last year. And you responded with terrific ratings and outstanding comments. Boy, are you going to be psyched about what this year holds!

Sneak peek #1

Private browsing. We take comments from you — the ones who use our products — very seriously. Lots of you have requested private browsing on your Android phone and we’re working to deliver! It’s a much-loved feature on Firefox for your computer and we always wanted to include it on Android — and now it’s coming! Yay!

Sneak peek #2

More customization. You’ve become accustomed to it with Firefox for your computer. Why shouldn’t you want it on your Android phone?

  • We’re working to bring you themes for your Android browser, so when you’re browsing the Web on your mobile device, you can display a bit of your personality.
  • The team is also working hard on a way to give you the ability to control the Firefox for Android start page content. No matter how you browse with Firefox for Android — for news, the most useful sites, the funniest pages — we’ll never stop trying to give you the best and fastest experience.

Sneak peek #3

More devices. Each and every day, we hear from people who want Firefox for Android on their phone, but it’s not supported yet. The good news is that we want everyone to have Firefox for Android, so we’re bringing support for more devices all the time. And 2013 will be no different. Plus, we’re adding support for more languages, so no matter if you “parle Francais” or “habla Espanol” or “说中国” you’ll be able to use Firefox for Android.

These three sneak peeks don’t represent all of what we’re working on for Firefox for Android — because our brains are always working and we’re always listening to what you want. But they’re a good start and enough to keep you on the edge of your seat for more!

To quote a great movie (Spaceballs), we’re sure you’re all wondering, “when will then be now?” And the answer, just as in the movie, is “soooooooon!” We’ll keep you informed as these features become available. In the meantime, if you haven’t downloaded Firefox for Android, you can get it now with all of the current great features.