The first stable version of the Firefox web browser for 2023 has reached general availability, bringing with it new features, improvements, and security fixes, and as usual with every new version of Firefox, in this article, we cover the most important features of version 109 of the free and open-source web browser from Mozilla.
The first thing that catches your eye after installing or upgrading to this new version of Firefox is a new jigsaw puzzle icon in the toolbar. Similar to that found on Chromium-based browsers, it brings all your installed add-ons (or extensions) into one panel to help you get a clean navigation toolbar.
Within this panel, you can remove, report, or manage extensions and their permissions, and you can also pin them to the toolbar if desired. In addition, extensions – in the panel or pinned to the toolbar- now also show a small notification dot under their icon, if you navigate to a website that requires permissions for the extension to work.
Then, like the rest of the major browsers, support for Manifest V3 extensions is enabled by default on Firefox starting with this version, while maintaining support for older Manifest V2 extensions (for the foreseeable future, Mozilla says). However, unlike Google, Mozilla supports some functions in Manifest V3 extensions such as support for blocking Web Request functionality, which will allow content-blocking extensions such as adblockers to work at full capacity even after they have been upgraded to this new Manifest version.
Furthermore, Firefox 109 includes the following changes:
- Spanish from Spain (es-ES) and Spanish from Argentina (es-AR) versions of the browser have now a built-in dictionary for Firefox's spelling checker.
- The Recently Closed section of Firefox View lets now users manually close or remove URL links from the list.
- The "Ctrl or Cmd + trackpad or mouse wheel" behavior on macOS has also been tweaked, so it now scrolls the page instead of zooming, to avoid accidental zooming.
- Mozilla has ended support for Colorways in the browser, and therefore it is no longer available starting with this version (don't worry, if you saved or enabled a color before, it will still be there)
- The native HTML date picker for date and datetime inputs can now be used with a keyboard alone improving its accessibility for screen reader users.
- Users with limited mobility can also now use common keyboard shortcuts to navigate the calendar grid and month selection spinners.
- Fixed 10 security vulnerabilities, 4 of which are classified as high severity.
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