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.

[syntastic]

Hey Firefox, I know you must get sick of people constantly hating on attempts to make things better, but I really feel like this redesign is suite for some an not all.  I don't know what UI guru started demanding rounded/pill shaped stuff, but I absolutely hate it.  You see it everywhere these days.  When MacOS did it, it almost killed me.  All I'm asking is that you make it easier to customize the UI, I know it's more work and there is maintenance costs, but many things are not a one size fits all.  At bare minimum, make the ergonomics of using the userChrome better, I know it's not supported, but it's a great option for some people like me.  I like many on this thread will resort to disabling Nova for now.

[Tuhkapoika]

I saw the disgusting bubbles that replaced all the squareness and went "Ah. So they too suck at design and hate their user base."

[AnnoyedAndarta]

how does an update break navigation?

A dialog box pop up is not a 'new page'. how does this escape QA? Running bare firefox shouldn't mean basic CSS and HTML break

[MelleeBeans]

I really don't like the look of the new tab group icons. They're too large. one of the main reasons I use tab groups in the first place is so I can discretely keep tabs for different purposes (i.e. work vs. personal-related tabs) out of the way while doing other tasks; right now the tab groups are very visually loud on my taskbar and honestly distracting, and I would appreciate a setting or way to turn the old tab group icons back on.

[shinobi272]

I really dont like the bookmarks tab being part of a larger family of tabs thing.  Just leave stuff alone.  I hate that I have to click the sidebar button in the address bar to shut it off now instead of just clicking the X or the address bar icon to make it go TF away.  That is stupid and annoying.  No one wants that.  Stop touching things.  Also stop with the ghay ass minimalist design shid no one likes that either.  And why did you add a fade from gray to brownish red to the entire browser?  Can you please stop forcing your art degree bullshid on us with forced updates now?  No one likes you anymore.  Thats why youve fallen from 30% of the install base to less than 7%.  Just stop it.  Get some help. If you wanna be all artsy fartsy open a gallery where that type of crap is encouraged.  You're coding software for use in an office setting not playskool. 

(and grow up about language... this isnt a website for children you dont have to LITERALLY bleep people's speech... child)

[Keiry]

Thanks, that's absolutely awful. 😕 How do I get my square tabs back? It seems you mutilated all existing themes including custom ones.

[dftf]

In the web-address bar type about:config then press ENTER
Accept any warning
In the search-box, type nova
Double-click on the line with "browser.nova.enabled" in it to change "true" to "false"

That should undo most of it

[Keiry]

Thank god. Go about:config -> "browser.nova.enabled" -> change to "false". Thanks @dftf!

[ff1138]

Ok this latest UI appearance change is absolute dog feces. I hate it so much! It's so ugly! How do I change it back? I did not consent for my eyeballs to be assaulted like this. Did I mention it sucks? How do I change it back?

[dftf]

In the web-address bar type about:config then press ENTER
Accept any warning
In the search-box, type nova
Double-click on the line with "browser.nova.enabled" in it to change "true" to "false"

That should undo most of it

[ff1138]

Thanks. I changed everything nova to false. Much better.

[ff1138]

Ok this latest UI appearance change is absolute dog feces. I hate it so much! It's so ugly! How do I change it back? I did not consent for my eyeballs to be assaulted like this. Did I mention it sucks? How do I change it back? 157.0.0.11

[JustStopOil]

Thanks for the compact mode, I wish it was more compact still: 

- space between website and address bar

- space between address bar and window border (while using vertical tabs)

- space between window border and vertical tabs, and vertical tabs and website

Also, I really don't like the round buttons at all.

I feel like they just waste an enormous amounts of space (except the adddress bar) and are quite ugly. 

This is my first feedback to a design change and the round buttons are the worst design change I have ever experienced in Firefox.

Please consider changing it back to rectangles (feel free to use rounded corners)

[dftf]

To undo the rounded tabs:

In the web-address bar type about:config then press ENTER
Accept any warning
In the search-box, type nova
Double-click on the line with "browser.nova.enabled" in it to change "true" to "false"

[JustStopOil]

it appears the compact mode is less compact than the old design ... (browser.nova.enabled = false)

...

[dftf]

Yes, things like the spacing between bookmarks in the menus are more-padded than before, even when compact mode is enabled

I'd suggest checking on Reddit to see if anyone posts steps on how to change this, which will likely involve editing the "userChrome.css" file.  This lets you change some of the spacing and sizing of parts of the Firefox UI beyond the settings exposed normally, or in about:config

[Tykero]

This is a moderate visual and functional downgrade. The rounded edges and unnecessary padding everywhere reduce visual clarity for zero benefit and actually hurt my eyes. What were you thinking? 

Disabled browser.nova.enabled with zero remorse. This update is bad enough that it would provoke me to change browsers if I couldn't revert it. 

[RenoxDashin]

Even after reverting, i'm thinking about moving to a different browser tbh.  If they can see all this negative feedback and ignore it, screw em.

[dftf]

Another option would be to switch to the 153.4.0 ESR release of Firefox, which does not have the UI changes, and only gets security-fixes, but no new features (it's aimed at business users who want stability, not constant changes).

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

You'll need to backup your current bookmarks, passwords and history (Menu > Settings > Account and Synchronisation > Backup), then uninstall Firefox 157.0, restart your PC, install the 153.4.0 ESR, then use Menu > Settings > Account and Synchronisation > Restore your data... to get your data back.

You should be free of the UI change then for about a year, before you're moved to a newer ESR version

[RenoxDashin]

Or just import all my settings to brave and tell firefox to f' off.   I've been with em for like 15 years and this was tonedeaf as fu**.  Screw em.

[Meganerd]

I followed your advise and indeed, Sync is very helpful here. Only had to redo a few settings and reinstall 1 extension. A few possible issues:

• On Windows I also had to completely remove Firefox folders from %appdata% before installing 153.4.0esr.
• Some local sites (like Dutch/Netherlands) still have 140.17.0esr under the Download button. Firefox.com is very persistent in sending you back to your local site, even if you use /en-us/ in the URL. More in general information about ESR is very low profile, almost hidden.
• Some banks and other financial/legal/government sites consider ESR an "outdated browser" and won't let you log in. My bank accepts 153.4.0esr though.

ESR will certainly help to be more productive. I was already on ESR with Thunderbird.

[dftf]

Some local sites (like Dutch/Netherlands) still have 140.17.0esr under the Download button.

---

Odd... the site that page sources the regionalised version of the installer from has one for The Netherlands (NL):

https://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/firefox/releases/153.4.0esr/win64/nl/ 

If you wish to install it on any friend or family member's computer who also use that language, you can also install it via the Command Prompt on Windows 11 or 10:

winget install Mozilla.Firefox.ESR.nl

(115.42 is the current ESR for Windows 7 and 8 computers; later versions aren't supported)

[Meganerd]

The URL I see is https://download.mozilla.org/?product=firefox-esr-latest-ssl&os=win64&lang=nl

Maybe some globally distributed CDN is in between and needs to be synced. Another way is to go way to the bottom of the site and use "Aangepaste downloadopties" (custom download options). That one takes me to the correct version.
It's hard to navigate Mozilla sites without accepting cookies from Google (the enemy).

[jboydgolfer1]

i see the steps to disable the nova Ui were posted by a nice user. honestly  i hope firefox loses users over this so it teaches them to STOP.   

[pigking188]

Looks awful, Ashley. We all hate the rounded tabs and the ugly forced color gradient. There is absolutely zero reason these shouldn't be readily exposed, easily user toggleable user settings.

As dftf so helpfully pointed out, Web-address bar -> about:config -> ENTER -> search for nova -> double-click the line "browser.nova.enabled" -> "true" should change to "false"

[Meganerd]

---

The Mozilla Connect community has helped shape this work from the beginning by sharing feedback on the early designs,

---

@AshleyT Has Mozilla selected a group of beta testers that is representative of all Firefox users? Or is there only feedback from fanboys for whom the browser itself matters more than the content?

[Amielle]

I do see a whole lot of negativity on the new design.
As a little reminder:
People's tastes differ.
I very much like the rounded tabs, and I also like the 'vapor-wave' aesthetic.
Regarding the apparent 'site issues':
I have yet to run into those.
Apparently, opposed to what others experience, I have never had any technical trouble with Firefox, not even when I use it for coding.

I get that users experience problems, and I'm totally with you on that those issues should be addressed/worked out, that doesn't mean you have to trash everything else for everybody else.

Feedback can be given contsructively.
90% of what I've read here was definitely not constructive.
And I'm really sorry to say this: If you came at me like that, I'd tell you to go find solutions yourself, because my time clearly isn't important to you, (That means the time put into this update by the devs clearly isn't important to you.) and you do not appreciate what I do anyway, so why would I spend even more time filling your new demands?

Just be bloody kind.
It's not hard to be decent.

[dftf]

You're right, people's taste do differ, but for people who don't like the change there is only one of two options: (1) they give honest feedback to Mozilla they don't like the change, or; (2) they say nothing at-all, but just switch browser, and Firefox continue to lose market-share.  Your preference would be...?

And as for "apparent site issues".  I cannot comment on behalf of some other people, but for me personally embedded YouTube videos are broken on nearly every site I go on: they just all say "Video player configuration error, Error 153. Watch video on YouTube".

This is despite the fact in the "Customise tracking protection" screen in Settings, I have both "Fix major site issues" and "Fix minor site issues" both enabled, which is supposed to then unblock stuff on websites (third-party cookies, trackers or fingerprinters) to allow content to be shown.

I think many people would be less-hostile to UI changes, and stuff like new themes and new icons and pictures of Kit if actual, important functionality and new feature requests were also happening.

[Meganerd]

I would agree with you if this was some entertainment app. But we're talking about a browser. Everything is done online these days. It is THE tool millions of people need to get their daily job done. It is more important than the computer it runs on. People with different tastes have themes to choose from. But don't change my main tool while I'm working. Because that is bloody rude.

I have always been very, very constructive in miniscule reports of possible bugs I run into, crash reports  and issues with specific sites. But that attitude will need quite some time to recover.

[slartibartifart]

Very well said Sir or indeed Ma'am. I also don't think those who are presenting passionate arguments here in this tiny forum should be so easily dismissed.

[Helion]

It’s not just about tastes

I have been recommending Firefox since 2003 for its efficiency and security, but I can’t recommend to my colleagues or my boss with these arguments a browser that looks like a teenager girl’s room.

[dftf]

---

" ... but I can’t recommend to my colleagues or my boss with these arguments a browser that looks like a teenager girl’s room."

---

To be fair, in a corporate environment you should be running the ESR releases of Firefox, anyway.  The latest one, 153.4.0, predates the changes made in this latest 157.0, so the UI changes won't be seen for around a year (by which time I'd imagine based on all the feedback, they'll have improved or revised them by then anyway).

[Agentvirtuel]

To complement,

Into the enterprise, applications developed run under a particular version of the browser.
Understand that.
The final go for mass deployment can only be done with the agreement of the Director of Information Systems (DSI).
Use Esr is better.

This similar discussion thread
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1607190

https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/discussions/the-new-firefox-design-lands-in-today-this-is-what-you-ca..., a similar discussion, Firefox(s) est à jour.

[slartibartifart]

That's the breakthrough I needed thank you to explain what happened: it's been kissed by a teenager's glitter lipstick!!!

[SodaPop]

With all due respect, we are the end users, FF is a product, and this is an open mic (within reason).  People who make products, and actually expect people to voluntarily use them over competitors WANT the cold, hard truth...or they go out of business and the employees have a lot bigger worries that whether a customer hurt their feelings or not...

Regardless, I'd probably value the designers' time on the clock more if they could pass a drug test for psychedelics.

That said, it is true that people's tastes differ.  Some people prefer salad, some people prefer steak, and some people prefer getting down on all fours to smoosh their faces into dog poop.

[slartibartifart]

As a little reminder: When the overwhelming majority of opion contradicts yours, the best thing is to do is be resilient enough to accept it and make an objective assesment of your stake in the arguement. You even go as far as to say that you're so sensitive that you can't handle outside criticism and "if you came at me like that" 😄 I have sad news for you, friend, whoever you are... if you get so rattled in a feedback forum...

[orderofthetriad]

"People's tastes differ." yeah, which is why firefox should provide OPTIONS instead of shoving one ui type down people's throats with only about:config ways to fix it. But you're arguing against that?

"I get that users experience problems, and I'm totally with you on that those issues should be addressed/worked out, that doesn't mean you have to trash everything else for everybody else." Just because YOU like it doesn't mean that the complaints people have aren't legitimate and don't matter. The new ui GAVE ME A MIGRAINE BECAUSE OF THE HIGH CONTRAST SETTINGS MENU. I'm not going to be nice to people who carelessly make their tech hostile against disabled people. I'm not going to be nice when I HAVE A MIGRAINE AND IT'S DIRECTLY MOZILLA'S FAULT THAT I'M HAVING IT. 

"fEeDbaCK cAn bE gIVEn cOnsTsRUCtIVeLy" I've been on this forum for months, people have BEEN giving constructive feedback and firefox has flat out blown us off. "wahhh, you're not being NICE about how horrible you think the new UI is!" yeah, no, we're not going be nice about getting screwed over again and again and again.

You don't want me being mean on this forum? Give me a non-ai, disability-friendly, low contrast, high-options browser alternative. 

[ItsWempo]

Stop harassing people over this. You may wanna check this out but its not endorsed by mozilla: GitHub - black7375/Firefox-UI-Fix: 🦊 I respect proton UI and aim to improve it.

[orderofthetriad]

I don't know what you thought that was going to do, but those visual options are insufficient for me, I'm not some tech expert who knows how to implement github stuff, nor can I take the time to look over that website to figure it out- because it's dark theme triggers a migraine for me! Like in the comment you're responding to I literally said that high contrast elements give me a migraine, and so you send me a link to a website with a high contrast dark theme? Genuinely malicious behavior from you. 

I already made my browser theme to be sufficient through firefox color, but that doesn't change the settings menu which now triggers migraines, or the tab groups bubbles or text colors- which forced me to change my theme to a lighter one so the text in the bubbles wasn't white on dark background- which triggers migraines for me! 

I should not have to do this tech nonsense to AVOID MIGRAINE TRIGGERS. Firefox should be considering "how could this negatively impact certain disabilities" with their ui changes, but instead they f ucking ignore all criticism about it. 

[orderofthetriad]

like i'm soooooooo sorry that i'm not being nice about this update causing me physical harm. I am in f ucking pain right now.