/Betterfox

Firefox speed, privacy, and security: a user.js template for configuration. Your favorite browser, but better.

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Betterfox 🦊

about:config tweaks to enhance Mozilla Firefox. Files are updated as needed for your user.js.

Made for everyday browsing

A secure, blazing fast browsing experience. Without breakage.

Betterfox is an opinionated preference list inspired by the law of diminishing returns and the minimum effective dose.

Simple goals

  1. Minimalism: get what isn't needed out of the way
  2. Efficiency: unleash Firefox's ability to be fast and performant
  3. Privacy: protect your data without causing site breakage

Simple configs

List Description
Fastfox Immensely increase Firefox's browsing speed. Give Chrome a run for its money!
Securefox Global Privacy Control. HTTPS-by-Default. Total Cookie Protection with site isolation. Enhanced state and network partitioning. Telemetry disabled.
Peskyfox Unclutter the new tab page. Remove Pocket. Restore compact mode as an option. Stop webpage notifications, pop-ups, and other annoyances.
Smoothfox Get Edge-like smooth scrolling on your favorite browser — or choose something more your style.
user.js All the essentials. None of the breakage. This is your user.js.

💡 Fastfox, Securefox, Peskyfox, and Smoothfox are guides to relevant prefs in Firefox. The user.js is curated from the options located in these documents. Please read the guides to understand the various options hidden in Firefox.

While Betterfox is designed to set-and-forget, it contains plenty of options for those who like to tinker.

about:Defaults

Easily adjust features by copying + pasting prefs to your personal file 👍

Check out Common Overrides to customize your setup.

about:Privacy

Betterfox is already a great balance of privacy and convenience. However, you can still play with a few settings.

See Optional Hardening for suggestions.

Getting started

If you don't have it already: Get Firefox

  1. Download the user.js file here (Right click > Save Link As…).
  2. Open Firefox. In the URL bar, type about:profiles and press Enter.
  3. For the profile you want to use (or default), click Open Folder in the Root Directory section.
  4. Close Firefox. With the folder open, move the user.js file into the folder.

After restarting Firefox:

  1. Get an ad blocker like uBlock Origin with our recommended filters. For a simple solution, use Ghostery.
  2. Enable DNS-level protection with NextDNS, and check out our configuration guide.

Recognition

Browser Integration

YouTube

Podcasts

Articles

Guides

Reviews

  • “I use this one ... The performance is absolutely amazing. There’s definitely a huge difference when it comes to loading sites.” - DIRIKtv
  • "BetterFox ... will provide good-enough privacy and help with performance." - Qdoit12Super
  • "...drastically changed the experience with Firefox for me. Improved speed, security, smoothness, and removed clutter." - AppDate
  • "FF is now much snappier! Thanks a lot for the suggestions!" - whotheff
  • "...a good balance between privacy and convenience." - Radplay
  • "The best collection of tweaks available ... doesn't go crazy with privacy/security hardening that completely breaks the usability of Firefox for most users." - AuRiMaS
  • "...the experience is so good now I don’t think I’ll go back to any of the chromium based browsers." - Mr_Compromise

Support

If you like the project and benefit from it, leave a ⭐ (top right) and become a stargazer!

Stargazers repo roster for @yokoffing/Betterfox

Credit

  • This repository benefits from the ongoing research provided by arkenfox.
  • Appreciation goes to the Firefox team and the developers working on Bugzilla, fighting for the open web.
  • A special thanks to Alex Kontos of Waterfox for his collaboration in v.116.
  • Many thanks to the 2021 Ghostery team for testing Betterfox at scale in its early days.
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since 23 July 2022