Firefox FAQ (2024)

FAQs

What are the weaknesses of Firefox? ›

The biggest disadvantage of using Firefox is compatibility. As Chrome commands a large share of the browser market, many websites are optimized for browsers using Chromium, which Firefox doesn't use.

Firefox debate has been going on for years. Both browsers are strong contenders, and choosing one clear winner isn't easy. While Chrome is faster and offers a range of browser add-ons and extensions, Firefox focuses on user privacy, with built-in features that protect it by default.

Firefox is made by Mozilla Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of the not-for-profit Mozilla Foundation, and is guided by the principles of the Mozilla Manifesto. Learn more about the maker of Firefox here.

There's nothing new about Firefox's decline. In 2022, Firefox dropped to 2.6% from 2021's 2.7%. In 2015, when I first started using DAP's numbers, Firefox had an 11% market share. By 2016, Firefox had declined to 8.2%.

Critical Vulnerability can be used to run attacker code and install software, requiring no user interaction beyond normal browsing. High Vulnerability can be used to gather sensitive data from sites in other windows or inject data or code into those sites, requiring no more than normal browsing actions.

In terms of the total web market share, Mozilla's Firefox currently holds 3.36% across all platforms in December 2023. With only 0.52% coming from mobile devices. It's estimated that 178 million people use Firefox today.

Firefox has more organic privacy than most other browsers. It comes with additional privacy features Chrome doesn't have, like ad, tracking, and malware blockers. You don't even have to adjust the settings; you can simply open up Private Browsing while connected to a VPN and you're good to go.

If you find an extension that is not actively monitored, you'd be best served by not installing it. All of these features come together to make Firefox one of (if not the) most secure of the mainstream browsers.

The Google-Mozilla deal was last renewed in 2020 and is expected to expire in 2023. Stats show Firefox's market share has dropped around 1 percent over the course of this agreement. The company's own figures show its monthly active users have stayed stable at around 215 million.

Does Firefox hide your IP address? ›

How Does Mozilla Hide My IP Address? Mozilla VPN creates an encrypted passageway between your device and our secure servers, letting you use the server's IP address and location to mask your identity from data collectors who profile you based on your IP address. Your privacy is a priority here.

Mozilla Firefox, or simply Firefox, is a free and open source web browser developed by the Mozilla Foundation and its subsidiary, the Mozilla Corporation.

No Two-Factor Authentication: Firefox Password Manager lacks two-factor authentication (2FA) support, which is a crucial security feature offered by many standalone password managers.

Firefox includes a download protection feature to protect you from malicious or potentially harmful file downloads. If Firefox has blocked an unsafe download, you will see a warning message about the file in the Downloads panel, along with options for handling the pending download.

On websites which are supposed to be secure (the URL begins with "https://"), Firefox must verify that the certificate presented by the website is valid. If the certificate cannot be validated, Firefox will stop the connection to the website and show a "Your connection is not secure" error page instead.

Firefox is amazing for privacy, but not as quick as competitors. It was great overall - but there are better browsers out there in terms of speed such as Edge. I like how privacy focused the browser is. It's also well designed and build with nice adds on such as Pocket to store bookmarked websites nicely.

Mismatched cache and other conflicts of settings can cause Firefox to crash. When Firefox is incorrectly installed, it can also crash from time to time. Broken add-ons and extensions are also a major issue.

Third-party applications (such as antivirus software, archiving software, and other tools) may load modules into Firefox. Sometimes, these applications load harmful modules that cause Firefox crashes, reduced performance, or compatibility issues.

Firefox loads extensions when it starts up and many extensions add startup tasks. If there are too many extensions installed, this may cause Firefox to use more system resources and then slow down Firefox's speed. You can switch to a different theme.