Mozilla has released Firefox 136, introducing features that may help rebuild user trust following recent controversies regarding privacy policies. This release incorporates multiple enhancements, notably the much-anticipated vertical tabs feature.
To activate vertical tabs, users can right-click on an empty space in the tab bar and select “Turn on Vertical Tabs” from the context menu. This change allows tabs to appear as a vertical list on the left side of the browser. By default, these tabs are displayed as icons, but hovering over an icon reveals a close button and a thumbnail preview of the webpage. Users can toggle the view to expand tab titles and adjust the width of the tab sidebar to their preference.
Another significant update is the redesigned sidebar, which provides streamlined access to Firefox’s built-in tools, including AI chatbots, bookmarks, browsing history, and device tabs. The sidebar is automatically enabled alongside the vertical tabs, although users can also activate it in the settings menu.
Firefox 136 also brings various smaller improvements, such as:
- Enhanced Tracking Protection (ETP) that allows selective unblocking of certain social media embeds.
- Default video hardware decoding for AMD users on Linux with Mesa 24.2 or higher.
- Clear separation for saving and clearing saved form information from browsing history.
- New options for copying images in PNG format to maintain transparency.
- Introduction of HTTPS-First mode, which defaults to secure connections.
- Various updates related to regional features, including a weather widget for new regions in South America.
Overall, Firefox 136 aims to enhance user experience with these updates while also improving performance and addressing prior user concerns.
How to Get Firefox 136
If you are using Ubuntu, Firefox will be automatically updated to version 136 in the background. If it is open during this process, you will be prompted to close it for the update to proceed. For those who do not have Firefox installed on Ubuntu, options include the official Snap package, Flatpak, or DEB from the Mozilla APT repository. Users on Linux Mint will receive the update as a DEB-based installation via the Mint Update tool.
For those on macOS and Windows, the update will also occur silently in the background. New users can download the installer from Mozilla’s website.
For more details, visit the official release notes.