Get started with Firefox - An overview of the main features

Welcome to Firefox! We'll show you all the basics to get you up and running. When you're ready to go beyond the basics, check out the other links for features you can explore later.

New Tab page: great content at your fingertips

By default, Firefox gives you access to great content every time you open a new tab. Customize this page by hovering over the sections and thumbnails or click the cogwheel Fx88NewTabCogwheel icon Personalize button gear Fx89Personalize-GearIcon icon at the top right corner of the New Tab page for more options.

new tab page 57 New Tab Fx89 Fx90NewTab

Search everything with the unified search/address bar

Whether you know the exact web address or you're just searching, Firefox's address bar handles it all. Firefox's unified search and address bar gives you suggestions based on your existing bookmarks and tags, history, open tabs, and popular searches. Just start typing in a search term or web address and watch the magic happen!

awesome bar 57

Private Browsing with Enhanced Tracking Protection: Browse fast and free

Browse the Internet without saving any information on your computer about which sites and pages you've visited. Firefox will also block creepy trackers that follow your behavior across the Web.

  • Click the menu button Fx57Menu and then click New Private Window. (Tip: You can also right-click control + click on a link on a web page, then click .)
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Keep your Firefox in sync

Set up Firefox Accounts, so you can take your browsing information with you wherever you go. Click the menu button Fx57Menu, choose and follow the instructions to create your account. Then sign in to the newly-created account on your other devices, and that's it!

Home is just a click away

Choose the page that opens when you start Firefox or click the Home button.

  1. Open a tab with the web page you want to use as your home page.
  2. Drag and drop that tab onto the Home button Home Button 57.

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We've streamlined the toolbar with the most popular features, but Firefox has even more features tucked away. Take a peek!

  1. Click on the menu button Fx57Menu Fx89menuButton , then click and select .
  2. Drag and drop the features you want onto your toolbar or the panel on the right.
    customize drag 57
  3. When you are done, click the Done button.

Add features to Firefox with add-ons

Add-ons are like apps that you can install to make Firefox work the way you want.

  1. Click the menu button Fx57menu Fx89menuButton , click and select .
  2. To install a recommended add-on, click the blue + Install Theme or + Add to Firefox button, depending on the type of add-on.

At the bottom of the list of recommended add-ons, there's also a Find more add-ons button you can click. It will take you to addons.mozilla.org where you can search for specific add-ons.

To learn more about add-ons, see Find and install add-ons to add features to Firefox.

Get help

If you have more questions or ever need help with Firefox, you're on the right website.

  • This site has hundreds of Firefox articles that cover many of the questions you might have.
  • You can also get help from the Mozilla community, by asking a question on the support forum. See Get community support.

These fine people helped write this article:

AliceWyman, Chris Ilias, Cheng Wang, Underpass, Tonnes, Michele Rodaro, Goofy, Michael Verdi, žełvik, Erik Rose, scoobidiver, Ibai, Swarnava Sengupta, Tito Dutta, Centinel, Manoj Mone, Ashish Namdev, Mozinet, user669794, Lan, Joni, Artist, Marcelo Ghelman, Cécile, gm455, Rashid, pranavnekkalapudi, Fabi, jjhopesam

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