Feedback welcome for New Tab widgets, now available via Firefox Labs

[AmberMeryman]

Update as of December 8 - we are un-pausing this feature in Firefox Labs, as we've resolved an issue where Lists were disappearing. It's important they persist! 

Hi! I’m Amber from the Firefox team.

We’re testing a new idea: simple, built-in productivity widgets on your New Tab page. They’ll be there on every new tab to keep you on-task, or on a break. (Previously available in Nightly & Beta, they are now available in Firefox Labs in Release!)

This early experiment includes:
✅ Lists - jot down your reminders, errands, or priorities for your browsing activities
⏰ Focus Timer - track your study session, deep work research, or quiet break time

And everything stays local, is never shared with Mozilla, and it’s easy to turn on and off.

Feedback is welcome to inform our next steps! Would you like to see more widgets? Which ones? Notes, Quotes, fun ones or helpful ones? Sync for optional backup? Drop your thoughts below.

- Amber & the Firefox team

[rohankh]

Got it — sounds like you’re troubleshooting some odd Firefox behavior (the “disappearing list items” issue), and you’ve already done some smart detective work by checking about:config and confirming it isn’t related to browser.ml.linkPreview.enabled.

Here’s a focused rundown of what could be going on and what to try next:

---

🧭 Likely Causes

• Custom background image: Even though it seems unrelated, custom images on the New Tab Page can sometimes trigger UI bugs, especially after recent Firefox updates.

• Corrupted cache or profile data: UI elements (like list items or shortcuts) disappearing can happen if the Firefox profile cache or storage for about:newtab gets corrupted.

• Experimental flags: Turning on/off browser.ml.linkPreview.enabled shouldn’t directly affect list items—but other experimental flags could indirectly cause layout shifts.

• Extensions or themes: Even visual-only extensions can interfere with Firefox Home’s rendering.

---

🔧 Steps to Try

1. Test in Troubleshoot Mode

   • Go to Help → Troubleshoot Mode (or type about:support → “Restart with Add-ons Disabled”).

   • If the list items behave normally there, it’s an extension or theme conflict.

2. Reset Firefox Home settings

   • Open a new tab → ⚙️ (Customize) → click Restore Defaults.

   • See if your lists return and stay visible.

3. Clear site data for about:home

   • In the address bar, type about:config → search for browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.improvesearch.topSiteRows

   • If it exists, reset it to default.

   • Then go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data → Clear Data → Cached Web Content (only).

4. Test without custom background

   • Temporarily remove your PNG background and restart Firefox.

   • If the issue disappears, the image or rendering layer might be causing the glitch.

5. Create a fresh profile

   • Visit about:profiles → “Create a New Profile.”

   • Launch it and check if the bug persists.

   • If it doesn’t, your current profile has a corrupted storage-sync or activity-stream config.

[mnaonmf]

I figured the quickest way to run the tests you mentioned was to open the default profile—I’ve never touched that one; my custom daily profile is entirely separate. That original profile is bare, no add-ons, and I’m running it on a fresh Firefox install. Oddly enough, I don’t even see the option to add widgets in that original profile.

[mGeza]

Hi,

maybe open the widgets for Extension Developers?

[vincentj]

The only change I want on the New Tab page is for searches to STAY in the search box, not be handed off to the URL bar.  The Search box should ALWAYS perform searches (even if I enter a URL or IP address.)  The URL bar should ALWAYS attempt to navigate to the address entered, even if it's not a valid URL.  As a developer, I consider the current behavior a massive security risk.

I have disabled the handoff setting in about:config but it does not work in private windows.  This has resulted in accidentally navigating to malicious URLs that I was trying to search for, and has resulted in accidentally sending sensitive internal URLs to search engines that I was trying to navigate to.  Please give us a way to separate searches and navigating to URLs.

https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/ideas/please-use-the-searchbox-but-not-the-address-bar-in-new-tabs/id...

I don't want widgets, or weather, or recommendations, or wallpaper on my New Tab page.  Just a search box that works as a search box, and some pinned sites.

Adding widgets just sounds like more bloat.  Who is asking for this?  I don't see "new tab widgets" in the top 10 pages of ideas.  PLEASE focus on addressing long-standing issues instead of adding features that people are not asking for.

[rohankh]

Thanks for opening this discussion — I feel the same way. Two concrete points that make this a security and privacy issue:

1. Search vs navigation must be separated. A New Tab search box should always do a search; entering what looks like a URL (or IP) in that box should be treated as a search query unless the user explicitly switches to the address bar.

2. Private windows behave differently. A setting I changed in about:config stopped the handoff — but it still happens in private windows. That inconsistent behavior has caused me to accidentally navigate to potentially malicious or internal URLs I only meant to search for.

If it helps the devs, I put a short analysis and a reproducible example on my site (this is my website): https://inatbixindir.tr — the page summarizes steps to reproduce and a suggested UI change: keep search-box results contained to search and only let the address bar handle navigation.

Please consider adding an explicit, persistent “Search box only” mode for New Tabs (with a clear toggle), and make sure it applies in private windows too. Thanks!

[Agentvirtuel]

Hello

About, widgets.
For information purposes.
https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/ideas/get-weather-and-clock-built-into-the-home-screen/idc-p/110609/h...

About, browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.improvesearch.handoffToAwesomebar.
Yes, under, about:privatebrowsing, it doesn't work.
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/private-browsing-use-firefox-without-history
Always use private browsing mode or to Never remember history, it works.

[Agentvirtuel]

Hello

Ever wish you could peek at a page before you click?

Preview webpages in Firefox with link preview.
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/use-link-previews-firefox

On-device AI models in Firefox.
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/on-device-models

Preview link

Link preview

Ever wish you could peek at a page before you click?

[KutayX7]

I got to try this feature today, and immediately tried to break it. 🙂

Here's what I found:
- While this is likely to be intentional, these widgets have a mouse hover effect while the search bar doesn't.
- List items can overflow to the right when there are very long words/numbers.
- When opening the (···) menu on the lists widget, the list quickly flickers up and down.
- You can copy paste large numbers into the minutes part of the timer. But it goes back to 98 after seconds hit 0.
- When using keyboard navigation and selecting timer minutes/seconds, they remain visually selected until you switch to another text input on the page.

OS: Kubuntu 25.10
Firefox version: 146 (flatpak)

[hilirosi]

great release

[nerdbird93]

Hey

i do really like the Todo List, Because i use another Task app, i will use this for Browser specific short term tasks or Project based. I dont know if a simple journaling Widget, that saves date and some infos could be a nice idea. But i am not advanced in the topic of journaling.
Thank you for your work!

[寒冰_一只草履虫]

I hope the current time can be displayed on this homepage. Then Firefox is gonna be my next screensaver! 

[MattFyrm]

It would be really great if you could sync these with external tasks services like Todoist and Google Tasks

[hippilessrich]

1#      i hate all widgets all they do is piss me off ! more garbage that is not wanted on my computer ! i have my menu at the top of my screen and start menu thats all i want it has everything i need and use ! stop adding a bunch of crap that only clutter up my computer , you people need to leave **bleep** alone !!!

2# focus      i cant stand this app at all , if you have that much trouble focus go see a doctor ! i dont need to see this **bleep** anywhere on my computer ever !

3#         lists why what is the point of this garbage more crap to fill up my computer i will never use so dont put this garbage on my computer !

[Kallocain]

This has promise. Many others have already recommended other useful widgets that could be added and I have nothing more new to add there (my ideas would no doubt be costly - streaming Deezer, RSS integration with various aggregators, etc.).

My only suggestion for now is to make them drag-able so I can put them where I want them. For example, I prefer shortcuts, then stories and then widgets at the bottom for now - until I learn how useful widgets truly are in this context. Perhaps shorter, wider widgets to drag to the top of the page to the left of the weather box would be good as well should the content fit the design.

Other than that, this feature does indeed have promise. That is especially true as the options for widgets are hopefully expanded over time.

Thanks for the good work!

[BCodec]

very good feature, saved me having to open a notepad online or google timer

[wreckognize]

.

[VictorC]

I'd like to see widgets movable around the home screen. Maybe I want something in the top-left or bottom-right, not in the center

[maricarmenmg]

Hi, I think it's a great idea. I've been testing the focus timer. It would be great if the widget could be moved and integrated into the page.

[Lako]

Hi, I currenlty use the lists and really like them! Some things I noticed: It is not visible if there are more points after the end without scrolling, maybe just always display the sroll bar? Second if you dont use the timer (like me) there is no reason to not use that space for the lists either showing two or makeing long names still be one line and third currently new options are added at the top but if you add multiple todo in order of deadline the one with the longest deadline will be on top. Maybe either add an push to top / bottom options for each item or an reverse list option?

But overall I really like it 🙂

[AshenPaladin]

I like the idea of widgets - after all, if you don't want to use them you can just remove them, but ever since the update to 147.0.3 they've been regularly disappearing from my new tab page unless I go back in Firefox Labs and uncheck and then check again the box in question.

[AmberMeryman]

Thank you for reporting this! I can reproduce and have asked engineering to look into it. 

[AshenPaladin]

Thank you for the prompt response!

[86xsk]

I think it could be useful if there was a way to associate tab groups with the task list items. For instance, one might want to create (and close) a tab group for a certain task, add a note reminding them to resume that task, and then want to bring back the tab group and resume working on it.

(Or perhaps a separate widget for a list of closed tab groups?)

[fortiter]

Interesting and useful updates! Does it provide more possibility for add-ons?

[uerfgkuzurefb]

It's a very good feature! I love it.

It have 100% to stay!

[imCarol]

Hi, the Labs widgets keep popping up for me all the time, and every time I have to go into the settings to disable and enable them again. I would appreciate it if you could resolve this. Thank you.🙂

[AshenPaladin]

They are apparently looking into it, here's hoping that they can fix it soon.

[AmberMeryman]

This has been fixed. You may need to restart your browser to ensure the latest changes have taken effect. Let us know if it's not resolved for you!

[asdasfag2344234]

you morons are ruining a good thing.

[jimcricket]

Finicky. Once I could finally get it to appear, it suddenly disappeared. I hadn't been in any of the settings to change anything. And now I can't figure out how to get it back.

[Landonmars]

Lists and Timer widgets (on Firefox Home) don't persist, after restarting Firefox. One workaround, for making the widgets visible again for the duration of one session, is:

1. Settings.
2. Firefox Labs.
3. Uncheck, and then check, the "Lists and timer on Firefox Home" checkbox.
4. Open a new tab ("+ symbol"), which should now show the Lists and Timer widgets.

---
My system details:
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64; rv:147.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/147.0

[mindborne]

Really appreciate this feature. If possible, add an option to align it as per requirement, left, right, center, top, bottom or free flow.

[Landonmars]

Lists and Timer widgets (on Firefox Home) finally persist, (after restarting Firefox). 😍 No need for workarounds now. Thank you.

Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64; rv:148.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/148.0

[chipmunkcracker]

I'd appreciate it if we could reposition the widgets to be off to the side (instead of under the shortcuts), especially if there aren't many of them.

Widgets I'd like to see:
- RSS (with atom support?)
- Screen time tracker, for specific websites we choose (e.g. social media sites) that would refresh each day
- Quote of the day (it would be cool if we could make our own list of quotes for it to draw from!)
- Simplified habit tracker
- White noise / nature ambiance (rain, forest sounds, etc) for enhanced focus
- Tiny retro game emulator (snake, frogger, pong, etc)

Perhaps some of those would be better off as extensions!... I'm just spitballing here.

[Anonymoos]

Love it !
It would be perfect if we would be able to chose between current view and full width, it is a bit small at the moment
Also, nice features would be :
- Having the chrono displayed on the top bar
- Possibility to add a tab to the task list (=> meaning that when we would click on the task it would bring us directly to the related tab)

[andrewle8]

This is great thanks!

[Artem84UA]

Добрий день. Списки потрібно додати в бічну панель. Це буде набагато зручніше на мій погляд.

[metameta]

Is dark mode for the “Lists” widget on the cards? It would be very helpful.

[StarlingNr1]

Would be great to be able to resize, separate and move them around so they can be anywhere on the screen!

[robinmckenna]

Hiyo! I am loving both Lists and the Timer. The simple pomodoro timer is great, love that we can adjust it. 
The list is really good - I would love if we could have options for the order that tasks are entered. It currently bumps the previous one down. This option is great but for me, I like to have them appear first on top and last on the bottom, since i'm often writing down the tasks I want to do that day. I know we can re-order them after, but the option for where it's appended would be great! 

I think my only other feedback would be to keep it simple without adding *too* much. I know I just asked for an option, but I think this stuff is usually better a bit stripped back where possible. (I am a settings fiddler lol) 

There's an add-on called Momentum that I used to use but stopped. This has been helping my homepage feel much more zen and where I need to be! Thanks for the work on it. 🙂