topic Re: Nova UI Config in Discussions

Nova UI Config

bnray53 — Fri, 02 Oct 2026 12:51:26 GMT

The new Firefox UI with heavily rounded tabs/buttons and gradient coloring is a significant downgrade for me. I strongly prefer the previous flatter, more rectangular interface. Please keep an official setting to disable the Nova redesign or offer a “classic” appearance option. I should not need about:config or userChrome.css just to retain the previous Firefox appearance.

Re: Nova UI Config

dftf — Fri, 02 Oct 2026 13:11:07 GMT

To reverse most of the recent UI change:
URL bar -> about:config -> ENTER -> accept warning -> search nova ->
double-click line "browser.nova.enabled" to change to "false"

You can also install the previous theme here:
https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/firefox-proton/

⚠ The ability to reverse Nova may end in Firefox v161, expected Nov 24, 2026
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=2071454

Re: Nova UI Config

SHARKstudio — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 11:15:16 GMT

I think mozilla should strongly consider making nova disabled by default.. I almost uninstalled firefox when that new update came out. And the day we cannot use the Proton UI anymore, I'm quitting firefox for good.

Re: Nova UI Config

benalvi — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 14:31:54 GMT

Honestly I felt the same way when Nova first showed up. I played around with the UI density settings for a bit and it grew on me, so maybe give it a week before deciding you hate it.

Re: Nova UI Config

dftf — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 09:45:28 GMT

People could learn to live with it, sure... it's not like the most radical redesign ever.

But maybe instead of UI refreshes they could, like... actually fix stuff? I'm sick and tired now of YouTube videos not working on virtually any site I go on, despite enabling the settings to allow whatever cookies, trackers or fingerprinting is required to let them:

People would be less-hostile to UI changes if it felt attention was also being spent elsewhere, too.

Re: Nova UI Config

dftf — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 09:49:41 GMT

Your two choices are:

1. Look into a Firefox fork, such as "Floorp", "LibreFox" or "WaterFox". Some of those have adopted the new "Nova" UI, but allow easy-undoing of it within their normal settings.

2. Move to the "ESR" version of Firefox; that gets security-updates only, but no new features or major UI changes between releases. You'll need to backup your current Firefox data (Menu -> Settings -> Accounts and Synchronisation -> Backup), uninstall Firefox 157.0, reboot your PC, then install the ESR version. Then go back to the screen where Backup was, but use "Restore your data" to bring it back in. You'll avoid the new UI in the ESR for about a year from now.

The latest ESR, 153.4.0, can be download here:
https://www.firefox.com/download/all/desktop-esr/

Re: Nova UI Config

AslanYavrusu — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 10:03:41 GMT

What did you choose in the density settings? The "normal" setting resulted into an awefully cramped UI, and any other setting resulted into an even more awefully cramped UI.

Re: Nova UI Config

dftf — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 10:43:56 GMT

Have you definitely changed it to "compact"?

Right-click an empty area on the tab-bar (e.g. after the "+" icon) or on the toolbar (such as the space between the refresh button, then the shield) and choose "Customise Toolbar". Then change the "Density" option at the bottom to "Compact".

If you don't see it there, go into Menu > Settings and search compact in the search-box

Re: Nova UI Config

AslanYavrusu — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 11:47:27 GMT

I've tried each setting and yet the one you saw - Normal - gave the results you can see in my screenshot.

Re: Nova UI Config

dftf — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 11:53:45 GMT

Setting "Density" on that screen to "Touch" would be the least-cramped, as it adds the most padding as that setting is designed for touch-devices, like iPhone and iPad.

If you find it's still not good-enough, revert the recent UI change:

URL bar -> type about:config -> press ENTER / Return -> accept any warning ->
search for nova on the next screen -> change "browser.nova.enabled" from "true" to "false"

Re: Nova UI Config

AslanYavrusu — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 11:59:16 GMT

Like I said, I've tried each of them. Normal IS the least cramped.

Edit: I've followed your instructions, I've recovered the normal tabs (thank god), but unfortunately the bar is still cramped just as before.

Re: Nova UI Config

dftf — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 12:20:12 GMT

Must be a limitation specific to the macOS version.

Here on Windows, doing the "browser.nova.enabled" to "false" pretty-much restores the previous Firefox 156 look, except in "Compact" mode, there is more-spacing now between some items, such as drop-down menus, or bookmark lists

But otherwise the sizing and padding of the main browser UI seem to revert fully

Re: Nova UI Config

AslanYavrusu — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 12:23:49 GMT

Well, hopefully it's addressed eventually. I don't use Firefox as much as I should but such an issue is a real killer for me.

Thanks for the help anyway 👌

Re: Nova UI Config

dftf — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 12:40:14 GMT

If you don't use it often, and don't care about new features, you could consider moving to the "ESR" release (which is what some old macOS versions are only able to use):

https://www.firefox.com/en-GB/download/all/desktop-esr/

Backup your current Firefox data first
Menu -> Settings -> Accounts and Synchronisation -> Backup

Then you can uninstall (drag to the trash) your current 157 install

Then install the ESR 153.4.0 version you downloaded earlier

Then, if when you open it your data isn't there, get it back from the earlier backup:
Menu -> Settings -> Accounts and Synchronisation -> Restore your data

The ESR release still gets security-updates, but you won't see any major UI changes or new features until around a year from now, when you get moved to the latest ESR then

Re: Nova UI Config

Ammonium — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 17:02:43 GMT

Those are the two choices they are giving you, but should they be the only two choices?

That's what this post is asking, for a way to disable it in the official settings. I don't think that's an unreasonable suggestion

Re: Nova UI Config

Agentvirtuel — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 18:05:06 GMT

Bonsoir

Those articles
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/understanding-depth-profile-installation
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/dedicated-profiles-firefox-installation#w_what-happens-to-my-profile-if-i-downgrade-to-a-previous-version-of-firefox

What happens to my profile if I downgrade to a previous version of Firefox?
For illustration https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCwy5fouQ6A