Firefox to become first mobile browser to support desktop extensions later this year
In the coming months Mozilla will launch support for an open ecosystem of extensions on Firefox for Android on addons.mozilla.org (AMO). We’ll announce a definite ...
Cool! So many useful extensions that I couldn't use on android.
Mobile FF is already awesome with UBlock Origin and YT background playback extensions. I wish to install an auto redirect extension. (Twitter to Nitter) I know it is doable on beta w/ extensions etc. but I want to see them on normal Firefox.
I used to have an app to do the redirection on several sites automically but afair the Nitter thing was just so unstable that I removed the app.
You can install tamper monkey and use a userscript to redirect. That's what I do.
That's nice, maybe they can finally re-enable about:config in the damn thing too. They removed it from mobile Firefox years ago and the lack of it aggravates the hell out of me.
It's available in nightly (and I think dev) builds
If you don't want to use the potentially unstable Nightly, Dev or Beta, you can use Fennec (stable builds with dev features).
probably in normal Firefox too, it's just hidden in all of them
Fennec still supports it, just as it supports add-ons from the official Mozilla store. Don't see any reason why I should go back to the official app.
Doesn't it already support them ?
edit: yes it already supports them, but it seems that now there will be more focus on mobile
edit2: also they forgot about kiwi, but then it's not a major browser (and is it still maintained ?). still would've been cool if they corrected this
Nightly versions and Fennec.
Mull too
This article was weird for me also I have all my extension already installed like bitwarden for passwords and all kind of adblockers and scriptblockers
Everyone forgets Kiwi Browser :(
Have been using it for years.
Kiwi is a mobile only browser if I'm not mistaken. This article is about DESKTOP extensions working on mobile. Firefox already supported a limited set of (mobile) extensions for a while.
Edit. Sorry. I stand corrected. Might try kiwi even.
Well yes, Kiwi supports Chromium extensions, it's the same concept
They already support uBlock origin and that's all I need.
On android I find its also a good idea to have a system wide ad blocker solution because android and all their apps are so inundated by ads, so I recommend dns66 (which can be found on fdroid) which has multiple blocklists you can subscribe to. This will cover some ads thats are built directly into apps and almost all ads that would appear in websites on a browser. This helps a lot since some apps will open a browser window for -reasons- and they sometimes have their own internal browser or they will just use chrome by default, not respecting your default browser choice, and in those cases you cant have ublock installed to protect you and those pages are so ad-overloaded that finding what you are looking for is next to impossible.
Dark Reader too
Whoa 🤯. Never realized this somehow. That's awesome. No ads on mobile.
On iOS or just Android?
Oh on Android for me.
No, no, no! It was supporting all the desktop extensions. For years. Until the damn buggy rewrite for no good reason. And then we were suddenly left with like 5 of them.
For a year after that I was still running the last stable release. But unfortunately the web evolves too fast.
It still does, experimentally, if you enable developer settings, rather unintuitively through a Firefox Add-Ons account. Developer settings are not available in the official release but the Nightly builds as well as some forks, like 🦊Fennec, include them. Of course the addon settings often look out of place on a small screen and things like uBlock's Block Element picker do not work as intended.
At least with firefox beta, you can create your own collection of extensions and use those. That's what I do and I can install any extension.
More here: https://www.androidpolice.com/install-add-on-extension-mozilla-firefox-android/
But didn't it used to support desktop extensions on mobile before the redesign about 3 years ago? Also, hasn't Kiwi had extensions for like 6 years?
That was definitely the most infuriating thing they'd done with the mobile browser. The whole project started decades ago with a simple plan: make the most bare-bones browser, and let people customize it with any extensions they wanted. Then all of a sudden, it turned into having <10 approved extensions, and fuck your customization.
It's gotten much better over time since then, but damn if there weren't a few really bad years.
you still can get them, they are just hidden
Didn't their pre-version 79 app already support extensions?
I don't know about pre-79, but their current version supports a very, very limited selection of extensions, many of which are to specifically improve the mobile version of Firefox. Currently, only a total of 22 extensions are supported, many of which share the same purposes.
yeah I'm actually disappointed when they stop doing that
Is still does, experimentally, if you enable developer settings, rather unintuitively through a Firefox Add-Ons account. Developer settings are not available in the official release but the Nightly builds as well as some forks, like 🦊Fennec, include them.
Yes. It did.
Lol what? I remember using Kiwi browser like 7 years ago and it had extension support...
I use kiwi browser now. It's still there and getting updates.
So did Dolphin....
So did Firefox, oddly enough
Wow I haven't seen this name for a long time
They're finally starting to recover from that crappy firefox 79 update 😮💨
It supported desktop extensions before, then they got rid of that and now they're going to do it again?
Kiwi broswer already does it, same with the Orion browser for iOS
That's why the article itself adds the "major browser" qualification.
Just when Google thought it could kill adblocking…
Well as far as adblocking goes, mobile FireFox already supports uBlock Origin.
Holy Fuck. Call me Ramsay, Finally some delicious fucking tech. the separation gap between mobile and pc has been going on for far too long. anything to help merge the pair. yes. all the yes.
First? What about Kiwi browser? Edit: I just remembered even old firefox supported most desktop addons...
And many others
And yet they've turned their back on *Android tablet users and refuse to support the tab bar.
https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/fenix/issues/2344
Ridiculous. Only reason I switched to Vivaldi
It's long overdue. I've been running Nightly to get around the shockingly limited number of addons available on Firefox for Android. Hopefully Mozzila don't fumble the bag with this as its a great opportunity to steal users from Chrome.
I do find it funny when people talk about how few extensions are supported, when it has the best extension support of any mobile browser.
Like I get it, but still.
Relative to desktop, it is comparatively few.
Best on mobile, yes. The few they allow in FFfA stable is a tiny amount considering how many actually can work, but Mozilla arbitrarily decided they won't allow.
Orion Browser by the team that makes the Kagi search engine makes this possible on ios already
I would kill for this on iOS. Don’t get me wrong, I’m pretty happy with my Safari Extensions, but I’d rather have uBlock Origin, Stylish etc.
I think I read that it previously supported full blown extension and they removed it due to some under the hood changes.
It did, legacy versions of it had almost full extension support and also even allowed you to install them from storage as xpi files and poke around about:config, then they took away both of those things completely in fenix (only allowing about:config in debug versions and blocking XPI install altogether).
Nothing to do with this thread just saying hello o7
Orion supports Firefox and chrome extensions
Kudos to them for rolling out support more widely, but it's a bit misleading as Firefox nightly/Fennec has supported extensions for years (albeit via a cumbersome process), and Kiwi Browser is also a thing.
I can't understand how folks out there are just rawdogging the Internet out there without ublock or at least a DNS ad filter. Admittedly, Chrome runs a hair more smoothly, but the ability to use extensions like uBlock / DarkReader / Consent-O-Matic make the Firefox experience a tier above.
I just hope this makes it possible to install the Bypass Paywalls extension again so I don't have to hop over to Kiwi for that.
Thanks for cross-posting instead of re-posting!
About time. I'm tempted to switch back to Mull from Bromite, but I'm worried about the security of Firefox compared to Chromium (that's why I switched in the first place), I've heard that particularly Mobile Firefox has awful sandboxing and bad security, I'm pretty sure it was the GrapheneOS team saying this? I'm no security expert though...
Yes it was the GrapheneOS team who said that. See the paragraph just above Camera. I literally just skimmed their guides and saw this yesterday while considering getting a Pixel.
I use Mull and Vanadium on Graphene OS, and the experience on Vanadium is just okay by comparison. It is true that not having extensions does decrease the attack surface, and Vanadium does have a built in ad blocker, but it simply isn't as all encompassing as ublock's list.
I use Mull mainly but don't log into anything with it, and have noscript extension on by default.
I also turn off JS by default in Vanadium. Both browsers have ways of making exceptions for certain sites in this case, but NoScript has more granular control.
I remember reading on reddit a convo that basically the GrapheneOS team was much more concerned with security than privacy. This isn't to say they don't care about privacy at all, just that they will always prioritize security first.
This makes sense considering their decision to only officially support the Pixel line of devices. You still are supporting Google by giving them your money (and a bit of your data in the process of purchase). Additionally, the decision to default to using the Google Play Store and sandbox the apps, rather than use the Aurora Store, also points to these underlying values.
Bromite hasn't been updated in a while, so you should at least switch to Cromite if you're not switching to Mull. It's a fork by a previous Bromite contributor and includes some improvements, like a bottom toolbar and adblock plus (so normal block lists, not Bromite's less customizable ad blocker.
Thanks, I hadn't noticed it wasn't updating
There's a good comparison here.
Kiwi Browser
Yep.
What about Kiwi and Iceraven (Iceraven is a Firefox fork which has more extensions)
I've been using the nightly build, using the desktop extensions for a while now. It's SO worth it. In particular, the YouTube "SponsorBlock" is super convenient.
Why not just install revanced youtube?
I have other tweaks and scripts that I have written for personal usage. Using nightly Firefox makes it so I can use those tweaks universally on desktop and phone.
While I get it, sponsors are what enable the content you watch to even exist. It's one thing if it's youtube ads, but those sponsors are directly partnered with and paying content creators. On the other hand, Patreon is really the best way to go for content you truly care about.
I find this take amusing. Blocking the ads means the content creator doesn't get paid for those ads since they won't get seen by those end users, but sponsor's have already paid the creator for that part. Whether you watch it or not the money has already changed hands, all it does is automate you skipping those segments.
I'm 100% not going to buy anything from those sponsored segments.
Also, there is a white list option for your favorite creators
I'm sure parent is totally fine being subsidized by all the people not running it.
As an iOS user and long time Firefox user (never switched to chrome in my life) I feel jealous. But one can only hope that we too in the APPLE walled garden won't be left behind. Though I understand that it would be a long shot. :(
Apple doesn't allow extensions to be distributed outside of the AppStore and Firefox on Android is based on WebKit anyway because neither do they allow third-party browser engines. So I wouldn't hold my breath.
I've been running Firefox as my default browser on my phone since 2018 without webkit. Even other apps opens their links with geckoview. It started with FF Focus, shortly after FF Preview, then FF beta and since last year FF for Android.
Apple on the other hand..
Sources:
It's sad to say, but the current restrictions on iOS are likely to be one of the last things holding Chrome/Blink back from total dominance. It's already the default on Android, and it's installed on most computers. So if a real Chrome ever shows up for iOS, web devs won't have any reason to test on Safari anymore. They'll tell their visitors to just download Chrome if it doesn't work on their iPhone or iPad.
If you absolutely want extensions, the Orion browser supports them.
Last time I used it, some bugs kept me away. That was at least a year ago though, it might have gotten better.
I wish they'd add a tablet UI. Doesn't seem to be prioritized whatsoever. Pre-Fenix they had it and have been patiently waiting for tabs to return on large screens ever since, but have lost hope.
It has been for years, no? Or was it mobile-tagged extensions?
Limited to mobile add-ons.
Oh my goodness that would be amazing. I’ll drop safari in an instant.
Unfortunatly, this will not be the case on iOS as Apple doesn't allow third-party browser engines and stores
The EU is working on opening that up at least so there is a light at the end of the tunnel for those users
Bummer.
I might get me a damn android.
I’m just buried in their ecosystem. Gah. I’ve been using apple computers and phones since I was a kid. I started on the Quadra 650.
My last mac (which I still use for music recording) was a 2012 Mac Pro. I’ve pretty much gone all in on the phones these days with a Steam Deck as my primary computer but definitely my secondary device.
I have photos on iCloud going back to about 2014 when I stopped jailbreaking my phones. Moving all of that would be no fun at all. Getting used to a new OS wouldn’t be any fun either. I hate doing anything on my uncle’s Samsung.
I really wish there was a third alternative. A good Linux distro centered around phones or something.
Maybe I'll stop using Brave. Sounds cool af
I use Firefox and on my android tablet but I dont on my iphone since apple doesn't allow extensions on third party browsers. Its so annoying
This sounds huge! This may be a dumb question, but: do extensions on mobile require any special security tools that don't already exist?
i hope mozilla is already working on an iOS version for the EU market ;)
This is the only reason why I keep using Safari on iOS. If Firefox can get extensions working for iOS I’ll switch over the day it’s available.
i miss(ed) exactly two things on iOS: a proper imageboard reader (fixed, there are now chance and janchan) and stand alone firefox, wich is now just a matter of time.
I don't see how they would, since ios Firefox doesn't use the same rendering engine it uses on other platforms, Gecko. Instead it has to use Safari, just like any other browser on there.
Duplicating support for all existing extensions would be pretty much impossible if you don't control the rendering engine.
I remember wanting to try out Firefox on Android but not being able to use it with Tampermonkey which was a real bummer. Better late than never, I guess?
One question on my mind is why it took so long. Is Android a harder platform to make extensions available on or something?
It did support extensions until they basically redesigned the app from the ground up a few years back. They said they'd focus on stability first then move on from there.
You can use tamper monkey now.
Firefox on Android used to do this. I switched to Kiwi when they dropped it.
Have had same on my phone. Installed uBlock origin a long time ago
Been using Iceraven, although it only supports a handful of extensions such as dark reader and uBlock
Awesome, I won’t need to switch to the desktop version just because I’m missing a few extension.
it does rn, it's just a little more effort to get them but it's not hard
safari has been able to do this for years
Vivaldi I meant Kiwi (chromium) also uses the regular chrome web store.
Also, I thought there was a previous version of Firefox Mobile that had access to the desktop add-ons site.
Any reason to switch from Fennec?
Wont Feddec support mobile extensions in the future?
Fennec supports add-ons since forever ago. I've been using it for 3+ years with a full set of my desktop add-ons installed.
Don't think so. Fennec has been doing a great job all through, I'll stick to it unless there's any breaking issue in the future.
Stop lying, Kiwi has been around for so long
Kiwi already does
Does this mean that the storage API will finally be available on mobile? At the moment this is probably my biggest annoyance since I have to manually transfer allow lists for various extensions across desktop and mobile.
Test
Iceraven already has extensions so it's not the first.
But not on ios....How do we get adblocking in ios?
You don't lol. Beg Tim Apple for it.
Firefox on iOS is just safari with a Firefox logo
The weird thing is Safari has extensions
you're buying the wrong phone. this is a limitation imposed only by apple, forcing every browser on iOS to be Safari re-skinned
This guys are just amazing!
This is awesome!
I've been using Kiwi browser for ages and it's had extension support the entire time since I quit using Firefox on mobile. I would still be using Firefox if it hadn't just kept randomly not loading pages anymore and requiring a restart, because it did at least support the one extension I can't live without; ublock origin, but the bugs were just too much. I might give Firefox mobile another shot when this new version hits stable release.