Make Firefox for Android home behave like a real browser home screen

[m_sil]

Firefox for Android should make the Home screen behavior clearer and more consistent, especially when leaving Private Browsing or navigating back from open tabs.

Current behavior:
On Android, Firefox does not always feel like it has a real “Home” state. When using Private Browsing, closing private tabs may leave the user on the purple Private Browsing screen instead of returning to the normal Firefox home screen. Also, when pressing Back from a tab, Firefox may appear to return to the home screen while still keeping the previous tab state open. This makes it feel like the user did not really return home.

Expected behavior:
Firefox for Android should provide a clearer Home behavior, similar to Chrome for Android:

- Closing all private tabs should offer a clear way to return to normal browsing.
- Pressing Back from a tab should make it easier to return to the normal Firefox home screen.
- The Home screen should behave like a true start page, not just another state inside the current tab flow.
- There should be a visible Home button or “Return to normal browsing” action.
- Users should have an option to automatically return to the normal home screen after closing all private tabs.

Why this matters:
The current behavior is confusing because users may think they have returned to the browser home screen, while Firefox still keeps them in the private browsing context or preserves the previous tab state. Chrome for Android handles this more intuitively: the user can more easily leave Incognito or return to the normal start page.

This is not only about Private Browsing. It is also about making Firefox for Android feel simpler and more predictable when navigating back from tabs. A clearer Home behavior would improve everyday navigation, reduce confusion, and make Firefox feel more polished on Android.

Relevant areas:
Firefox for Android, Mobile, Tabs, Homepage, Toolbar, Private Browsing, Navigation

[Jon]

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