Sharing more about Project Nova

[rjacob]

Hello everyone!

Many of you have noticed some of the design updates appearing in certain Firefox configurations over the past few months. Internally, we’ve been calling this work Project Nova, and today we’re excited to share a deeper look at what we’ve been building and where we’re heading next.

The goal of this work is to create a more cohesive foundation for Firefox: making the browser feel cleaner, warmer, faster, and more adaptable.

Some of the areas we’re working on include:

• Simpler navigation and a redesigned Settings experience
• Easier access to features like tab groups, split view, and vertical tabs
• The return of Compact Mode
• Refreshed visual updates across tabs, icons, spacing, and browser surfaces
• More customization options, including new themes and wallpapers

The redesign work also focuses heavily on cohesiveness, accessibility, and making Firefox feel more consistent across desktop and mobile experiences.

This work is still evolving, and we want to continue building this in the open with all of you.

As always, let us know what you think below. We’re listening.

[SDS67]

Well Project Nova erased everything overnight. Bookmarks, extensions, scripts...years of stuff gone. I've just spent three hours this morning trying to recover my old profile to no avail. Been using Firefox for over 20 years but I'm done. This is a colossal **bleep** up that keeps happening to your users (as evidenced by numerous unanswered complaints here by people who had the same thing happen to them). Enough. Enjoy your 3% market share.

[s_hentzschel]

Sorry, but this is not possible at all. Nova is the internal code name of the design. It's neither enabled by default, nor it's possible that it affects your bookmarks or extensions. Whatever you problem is, it is not related to Nova at all …

[SwordOfWar]

My main UI complaint on mobile is the weird UI bug where the password bank is collapsed at the bottom of the screen and won't go away even with no input box selected, often times overlaying on webpage elements I need to click on and can't. You REALLY need to work on that.

[Kvin]

Just bring back the icons to the menu and add them to the context menus, and let users adjust the tab rounding, the Mica blur effect, and the new browser icon and everything will be great...

[tom25519]

In my opinion, rounded corner is really awful. I like square corner, like old version Firefox. In fact, some users select Firefox, just because they don't like Chrome's rounded corner, they feel it really ugly. 

I strongly suggest add an option to opt-in - not opt-out - the new design, and give user selection to fallback to old design! 

Don't simply imitate Chrome, not all Chrome selection is correct.

[Hraes]

Hi! Please make the tabs clickable on the very top of the screenin nova design. In the "old" (current) design I can click on opened tabs just by pushing the cursor to the top of the screen. With the nova design there is a few pixel high border on which the tabs are not clickable so it takes more effort to click on tabs. It doesnt sound that huge but it is for productivity. Thanks.

[higher_def]

I'm down for the refresh. I just want to know that it supports the native Windows 11 Mica effects. I currently use the Mica flags to make my Firefox blend seamlessly into the Windows UI. This UI looks nice but I would hate to lose that native integration after finally getting it. 

[TrekBec82]

All of Firefox's support pages have a glaring white background that extensions such as Dark Reader can't compensate for. You say that some of the changes to the browser itself are for accessibility, yet your own support pages are completely inaccessible for anyone with light sensitivity. PLEASE fix this!

Furthermore, it'd be great if you'd remember that the southern hemisphere doesn't share seasons with the northern hemisphere. Saying a month rather than a season for the expected release really isn't that difficult, and is far more inclusive.

[KnightRid]

Please keep my bookmark dock on the left and don't make me look at the same horrible android version on my pc's. I use chrome on my android because of this and I hate chrome but it is better than what you all did to my beloved firefox on there. I don't need pretty just usable. Pretty can be added by themes, mods, add-ons, etc. 

[cephirosx]

Just curious why not brave or vivaldi instead of chrome on android?

[KnightRid]

I am old. I never heard of vivaldi. Brave was for privacy I thought and I just have no concern for that on my phone as I do nothing on it that would need it. I figured chrome was already there so no need to install anything else 😁

[wutongtaiwan]

I turned on Nova in Firefox Nightly. Then I noticed that when I hide the bookmarks toolbar, it gets hidden on every tab. But before, I could show the bookmarks toolbar on new tabs and hide it on other tabs. When I open a website, I want to hide the bookmarks toolbar so I can see more of the site, and when I open a new tab, I want to show the bookmarks toolbar so I can easily access my bookmarks.

[wutongtaiwan]

I suggest that the Firefox shortcut feature be limited to shortcuts for my bookmarked sites and exclude sites I have simply visited, as including the latter would compromise my privacy. I want to add shortcuts manually one by one, rather than having Firefox automatically add them.

[JZoria]

I am very happy to see that the Compact Mode is returning in Project Nova! If you want people to use the browser on desktop, it must look aesthetically pleasing and not steal valuable screen space. A compact interface is essential for PC users. Please keep it fully supported and easily accessible. Thank you for listening to the community!

[JZoria]

As a follow-up to my previous comment: For 80% of users, design is a crucial factor when choosing a browser. If the design is unaesthetic, outdated, and cluttered with large, absolutely unnecessary panels on laptops, large monitors, or even tablets, it simply becomes unpleasant to use. Please, make it beautiful!

I also want to add that I am very grateful that there is a real, independent alternative to Chrome. Thank you for your work!

[I-R-MaNu]

Please you have to add a better Tab dragging, i (and lots of others) want to see the tab while dragging it around (every other browser already does this)

[Tony2077]

I thank the Firefox team for the relentless eagerness to experiment and improve. Well done! 💝

The new design seems like change for the sake of it. That's not necessarily bad. The new round-everything approach isn't an improvement, but neither a downgrade.

I like the new light purple and orange palette. I'm biased, I like warm colours.

However, don't spoil the usability simply for the looks. As of Firefox 152, the Nova design "frames" or split into two "islands" the Navigation toolbox and the viewport (Edge also "frames" the viewport).

This has a big impact in the usability. Now you cannot select tabs or the scrolling bar by simply moving the cursor to the edges because there is a new small non-active gap (these wrapping margins).

Please make these margins clickable before launching Nova live. 🙏

ℹ️ More info:
Nova: Modify how dead space on sides of the window acts (not design issue) - Mozilla Connect

[christopher_sco]

 Project Nova is perfect for me

[at2]

Explain. What makes it "perfect"?  Functionally not much new.