Mozilla Firefox is a powerful, open-source web browser known for its speed, privacy features, and customizability. While many users appreciate its basic functionality, Firefox offers a range of advanced features and hidden tricks that can enhance your browsing experience. Here are 8 tips and tricks to help you get the most out of Firefox.
1. Use Firefox Containers for Privacy
Firefox’s Multi-Account Containers is an extension that allows you to separate different browsing sessions into individual containers. This means you can use the same site (like Gmail or Facebook) in different containers without them sharing cookies or session data. It’s a great way to enhance privacy and compartmentalize your online activity.
Install the Multi-Account Containers extension from the Firefox Add-ons store.
Create containers for different types of activities, such as work, social media, or shopping.
Switch between them with ease while keeping your data separate.
2. Take Screenshots Easily
Firefox has a built-in screenshot tool that makes capturing web content simple. Instead of using a third-party tool or system screenshot, you can take precise shots of the webpage you are viewing.
Right-click anywhere on the webpage and select “Take Screenshot.”
Choose to capture the visible area, a specific portion, or the entire page, even if it requires scrolling.
You can download the screenshot or copy it to your clipboard for quick sharing.
3. Use Picture-in-Picture Mode
Firefox supports Picture-in-Picture (PiP) mode, allowing you to watch videos in a floating, resizable window while you browse other tabs. This is particularly useful for multitasking when you want to watch YouTube or any other video without staying on the same tab.
Hover over a video and click the Picture-in-Picture icon that appears.
Resize and move the video window anywhere on your screen while browsing in the background.
4. Enhanced Tracking Protection
Firefox has a strong emphasis on privacy, and its Enhanced Tracking Protection blocks cookies, trackers, and scripts from following you around the web. You can customize the protection level based on your needs.
Go to Settings > Privacy & Security.
Choose from Standard, Strict, or Custom protection levels, depending on how aggressive you want the tracking protection to be.
Use the “Shield” icon in the address bar to check which trackers and cookies have been blocked on a specific website.
5. Customizable Search Shortcuts
Firefox allows you to set up custom search shortcuts in the address bar to speed up your browsing. You can assign keywords to different search engines and websites, allowing you to search them directly from the URL bar.
Right-click the search bar of any website and select “Add a Keyword for this Search.”
Assign a keyword. For example, you could assign “yt” for YouTube, so typing “yt cat videos” in the address bar would perform a YouTube search for cat videos.
This trick works with any search-enabled site, from shopping platforms to social media.
6. Use Extensions to Boost Productivity
One of Firefox’s strengths is its support for a wide range of extensions. You can use extensions to block ads, manage tabs, enhance privacy, and more.
Browse the Firefox Add-ons store and install extensions that match your needs.
Some recommended extensions include uBlock Origin for ad blocking, LastPass for password management, and Tree Style Tab for advanced tab management.
7. Pin Important Tabs – Tips and Tricks for Firefox
If you frequently use certain websites, you can pin them to keep them open and accessible at all times. Pinned tabs are smaller and stay in place on the left side of your tab bar, making them easy to find without cluttering the tab row.
Right-click the tab you want to pin and select Pin Tab.
Pinned tabs will remain open even after restarting Firefox.
8. Sync Across Devices
If you use Firefox on multiple devices, you can sync your bookmarks, passwords, history, and open tabs across all of them. This ensures a seamless browsing experience whether you’re on your desktop, laptop, or mobile device.
Sign up for a Firefox Account (if you don’t already have one).
Go to Settings > Sync and choose what data you want to sync between your devices.
You can also send open tabs between devices by right-clicking a tab and selecting “Send Tab to Device.”
Conclusion
Firefox is much more than a standard browser; its rich feature set, emphasis on privacy, and flexibility make it a great choice for power users. By taking advantage of tools like Multi-Account Containers, Enhanced Tracking Protection, and Picture-in-Picture mode, you can streamline your online experience. Customizing your browsing environment through search shortcuts, extensions, and syncing data across devices further enhances your productivity. With these tips and tricks, you’ll unlock the full potential of Firefox, making your web browsing faster, safer, and more efficient.
