The new Firefox design lands in today. This is what you can expect

[AshleyT]

Firefox has evolved significantly over the past year and now, its look has evolved too. 

The design begins rolling out today, with Firefox 157, bringing a cleaner, more cohesive , and more adaptable experience. It is still the Firefox you know and trust, with the same commitment to independence, privacy, customization, and user control. 

The Mozilla Connect community has helped shape this work from the beginning by sharing feedback on the early designs, tested the experience in Nightly starting in July, filed bugs, and shared with us what worked and what didn’t.

Here’s what landed today.

A cleaner, more cohesive design

• Softer tab shapes
• Redrawn icons that hold up better across light and dark themes
• Rebalanced spacing throughout the interface
• A refreshed color palette featuring the glow of the active tab, deeper purples, and warmer light tones

The updated design brought bolder color choices to Firefox — and your feedback made clear that opinions on browser color run the full spectrum. In response, we created additional themes, accessible through add-ons and a new theme picker off Firefox Home, so you have greater control over how Firefox looks. 

More ways to make Firefox yours

Firefox is becoming more customizable, giving you more ways to shape the browser around how you browse. These options include:

• A new theme picker in the customization panel on the Firefox Home page. Additional community themes remain available through about:addons.
• New Firefox themes and wallpapers
• A dedicated space to pin and organize shortcuts so sites you use all the time stay put.
• Compact Mode for a denser browsing experience

Compact mode now officially supported!

Compact Mode is now available as its own dedicated setting. It will also switch on automatically on smaller screens, reducing the space between interface elements so more fits on the screen.

This is one of the clearest examples of how community feedback shaped Nova. Many of you told us that maintaining a denser interface was important, and we listened.

Faster performance

The refreshed experience also includes improvements to Firefox’s startup, page-loading, and scrolling speeds.

Frequently asked questions

Will my existing themes and add-ons continue to work?

Themes and add-ons should continue to work. Nova is built on the same Firefox foundation, and the extension and theming architecture has not changed.

Will my userChrome.css customizations continue to work?

Some customizations may require minor adjustments, depending on how closely they rely on element names or layout structures from the previous interface. 

But keep in mind that Mozilla does not officially support customizations made through userChrome.css. They can cause unexpected behavior or even break Firefox, and future updates may affect them as Firefox continues to evolve. If you choose to use userChrome.css, please proceed carefully.

You can learn more in Firefox advanced customization and configuration options.

Can I opt out of the update?

The new Firefox design becomes the default experience starting with Firefox 157. However, you have several ways to adjust how Firefox looks and feels, including Compact Mode, themes, wallpapers, and New Tab customization. 

Keep shaping Firefox with us

Nova may be shipping today, but the work doesn’t stop here. Many of these updates grew directly from the bugs you filed and the conversations you started while the design was being developed.

Update to Firefox 157 to try the refreshed experience, then let us know what works well and what could still be improved. Your feedback will continue to help shape what comes next.

[nopee]

This rounded corner thing feels like a cheap phone app that wants me to buy gems.

I don't know how to scream productively about it.

[darchivist]

The new design makes it harder for me to look at the tab groups. They take too much space each, whereas the previous, more rectangular, tab groups were easier to read through as they resemble a single line of text with highlighter, instead of separate bubbles with words in them.

[mhaghy]

It's not a cleaner design. rounded corners on tabs with rainbow border around the selected tab has increased cognitive load of firefox for something that didn't need improvement or fixing.

[Agentvirtuel]

Bonjour

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1608447

[orderofthetriad]

if you're not going to explain what the link you're posting is, don't post the link. whatever the f u c k you're trying to link to isn't even loading. Use words to say what you mean or STOP.

[Agentvirtuel]

Remove the gradient completely, a test with userChrome.css
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1608290#answer-1851120

(e.g.) Without userChrome.css - With userChrome.css

(e.g.) https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/discussions/the-new-firefox-design-lands-in-today-this-is-what-you-ca...

[orderofthetriad]

What's the relevance of what you're posting? Actually EXPLAIN YOURSELF or DON'T COMMENT AT ALL! What the F U C K is any of what you're posting supposed to be a response to? I see you doing this s h i t all over the forums and it's f u c k i n g annoying and helping no one. 

[Antares]

You are talking to a bot that keeps spamming random links. Do not talk to it, all that gets you is more nonsense. Why that crap hasn't been permabanned is something only Mozilla knows.

[Agentvirtuel]

Bonjour

À propos de https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/user/Agentvirtuel je suis un humain et je vous souhaite une agréable journée.

About allow users to report the spam bots clogging up this website.
https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/discussions/allow-users-to-report-the-spam-bots-clogging-up-this-webs...

(e.g.) I reported spam by clicking the drop-down arrow in a post.
https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/discussions/puzzle-piece/td-p/77667
2 spams have been deleted, remains 1 spam.
I probably forgot to make that request too.
It's done.
I reported a spam by clicking the drop-down arrow in the post.

[glaive1976]

You want feedback that is polite and constructive?

God bless the Redditor who shared browser.nova.enabled false

[EstrogenBandit]

words cannot describe my unending hatred for you and your curves and circles and 'rounded design' oh my GODDD

[dftf]

In the web-address bar type about:config
Press ENTER
Accept any warning, if shown
Search for nova
Double-click on browser.nova.enabled to change from "true" to "false"

That should reverse many of the changes

You can also double-click "pdfjs.enableNova" to remove the new UI from the screen when you view PDFs inside Firefox, though I cannot say I notice any change with that set to "false"

[nope2]

The red tint in the tabs on the right side makes you get a head ache. Remove that it should be flat grey, reinstalling proton is NOT an option. Bunch of lame **bleep** adding gradients in the tabs. 

[nope2]

also s,h,i,t is not a bleep word 

[Creek]

One of the few reasons why I always preferred Firefox over other browsers is squared tabs. This update made it look like cheap Chrome knockoff and the tab playing sound icon is also low res. Thankfully it can be disable in the config.

[grg1]

This quote does NOT reflect the reality of Firefox: "More modern. More flexible." But this part does: "Still Firefox." (That is, same old out of date browser than STILL can't open the Bookmarks Library in a tab).

Mozilla has put all kinds of effort into enhancing Profiles and the UI but still Bookmarks Library opens in a separate window. It is such a PITA to try to manage multiple windows with different Profiles when the Bookmarks Library opens in a separate window also.

I would give up the entire new UI if Firefox could open its Bookmarks Library in a tab.

Open Bookmarks Library in a tab!!! C'mon Mozilla!!!

[Nexl404]

Is there an option to switch to a “legacy” UI? I mean a Proton-like one, or better a Photon-like? Would be nice.

[Nexl404]

Oh, just found it `browser.nova.enabled` -> `false`

[BonPeak]

Yeah the update so bad i'm looking for a way to downgrade because this UI is not very good Can you guys just leave **bleep** alone and stop this bubble idea that never works.

[SodaPop]

There is no way to downgrade.  You have to back up all of your profile [everything], because you will need to delete your old FF, download an older version, reinstall, then create a new profile, and reinstall your old settings, passwords, everything.  It is a huge tedious chore.

I recommend just switching to Vivaldi, import your stuff from FF automatically, open settings to make the appearance exactly how you like it, and you're good to go.

[David_H23]

This new UI is objectively terrible. I don't like the rounded corners or how everything has multiple colors instead of simply one color across the entire UI. The new UI looks worse and is uglier and more distracting than the previous UI. What was the point of this? Why make it worse than it was before?

[BonPeak]

Yeah, my dude. I mean, I was going to say more, but I just kind of wanted to say something real quick. I don't know how they couldn't have noticed that the reaction to the UI was terrible from the testers. I installed a test build of what the next Firefox was going to be saying that there was going to be new UI, and I was like my God this is terrible It gave me a headache It genuinely made the browser slower, and I could actually feel it I went into about config to disable all the flashy BS that they added and then all of a sudden it felt snappier and more responsive so all it is bloat with no usefulness I don't know how the **bleep** they pretty much were like yeah this is good this is how it should be.

[RenoxDashin]

This update is ridiculous. I don't want rounded tabs or stupid two tone borders. I want flat black simple block tabs like I had it before. 

If i wanted to change it, i'd of changed it.  Give me back my old settings or ima uninstall this horsesh**

[Bogdan_]

The new Firefox design completely destroys the accumulated user experience without adding any meaningful value.

I hope everyone involved in forcing this change gets gently bonked on the head with a frozen tuna — such a wonderful color — for a better head user experience.

[sosasees]

“It is still the Firefox you know and trust, with the same commitment to independence, privacy, customization, and user control.”

Reality shows otherwise.

We can tell your commitment to customization is falling away because there is no official option to go back to the old design, despite many comments on Mozilla Connect making it obvious that users need it.

[LaiLaiHei]

Roll back the theme "update". Why change something people have gotten so used to. It's awful.

[Dayiz]

I've been using Firefox for over 10 years and this forced UI update just sucks, there is no nice way to say it. I just created this account to leave this feedback, thats how much i'm bothered with it. It looks so cheap, the color gradient is annoying and overall, it should be completly removed / reverted. why change something that is good and doesn't need change. just for the sake of change? i thought you were better then this mozilla. 

[tmkspm]

Same here, made an account just to tell them how terrible they performed. Maybe this is their strategy to boost forum activity? 😄 Nah, just kidding.

[Toxic_Ninja]

I just want to say I absolute cringed when I loaded firefox after the patch and disabled this nonsense immediately. I'm sure the apple users will be thrilled or something.

[e325325321]

Did you hire a junior high school graduate as a designer? How could they design such a cheap and ugly user interface?

[robotmay]

This new design is abominable. I've had to make an account here just to comment because this is so bad I might have to leave Firefox after over 25 years if you remove the old design as an option. Nobody wants this. This is Digg levels of design bull**bleep**tery.

The browser should not be visually distracting. It is a tool to browse the internet. Apple was wrong to go to this stupid rounded pill shape for buttons, as is everyone who copies them. You have mouseover states that highlight a circle when the cursor isn't in the circle because the underlying area is actually a square. It's ridiculous.

I'm turning off automatic updates and I don't care if that opens me to security issues - I'd rather get hacked than deal with the visual change.

Edit: Actually, you know what, **bleep** this. I'm swapping to Waterfox, which maintains the option to pick from the previous themes. I've been using Firefox since I was about 10, I didn't think this would be the thing that broke me, but here we are.

[Agentvirtuel]

Bonjour

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1590804

As for me, i choose my favorable moment to perform the updates
I use, DisableAppUpdate (e.g) https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1608387#answer-1851311
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSdjN13SIps

As for me, i use dedicated profiles per Firefox installation, by way of illustration.
https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/discussions/using-older-versions/m-p/52750/highlight/true#M18762

Firefox(s) est à jour.

[metadidact]

You are not going to get ANYTHING from cargo-culting Chrome's UI. Please stop and actually think instead of going down the route of clueless execs and following the easily visible shiny UI overhaul path.

[atlisd]

Long time and loyal Firefox user... I hate this new design and instantly disabled it. Such massive changes like this is dangerous and can be alianating for old farts like me. Even MacOS dialed back those absurdly large rounded corners and squircles after their liquid glass mess. Please tone down thouse huge rounded corners. At least keep the nova disable toggle around so I won't have to find an alternative browser. I havent even taken a look at the other nova updates because I instantly switched this off after those stupid corners. I hate this so much... with passion.

[slartibartifart]

Not strictly related but also old fart related - I ran macos Tahoe for less than 15 minutes and did a factory reset to 18 because of the horror 😄 Skipped that entire tahoe debacle and finally after backups went to 27, and yes they seem to have undone most of the horror YAY 😄 I hate when things that work get broken for the sake of change.

[MadFabio]

It looks more like a toy than a working tool.
Not enough professional, this is gonna be a problem.

[Redglyph]

Sorry, but I really didn't need this.

I had to spend time trying to make it look like before, which was perfectly fine and one reason I chose Firefox. It didn't need those fancy changes, at least the cosmetic ones. The only changes it requires is making it a little less sluggish; now, using Gmail has become a real problem, as previously reported.

Now, the bookmark spacing has become too big again, and the usual about:config / browser.nova.enabled doesn't work any more. So the bookmarks are now so spaced out vertically that I can't see them all and need to scroll through them.

[unjaveline]

Compact mode is good. Everything else has to go. I'm here because I don't like browsers like Chrome. Don't make Firefox into its clone.

Also, the browsing history page takes like 10 seconds to open now. Why?

[unamused]

Good work breaking basic functionality. The "ask where to save downloads" totally ignores the setting and puts everything into the default downloads folder.

Maybe check what Claude gives you before you do the commits. 

[dmss]

With all due respect, I really dislike the new style. I chose Firefox over 15 years ago precisely because it was different from other browsers, but now it’s becoming just like the rest. The rounded corners and the tab focus indicators are horrible and hard on the eyes; please bring back the square style or make the new design optional.