BetterFox /v.74

A set of preferences to enhance Firefox. Updated every stable release. Go through the lists and add desired preferences to your user.js. Most of the preferences work with a simple copy+paste, or you can use the user.js provided.

Three simple goals:

1. Minimalism: get what isn't needed out of the way
2. Efficiency: configuring your browser should be simple
3. Security: upgrade end user security and privacy without causing website breakage

Three simple files:

1. FastFox: immensely increase Firefox's browsing speed.
2. PeskyFox: unclutter the new tab page. Remove Pocket and form autofill. Adjust download preferences. Prevent Firefox from randomly going offline and serving annoying webpage notifications.
3. SecureFox: remove Telemetry, Mozilla experiments, Google Safe Browsing, geolocation, and search engine suggestions in URL bar. Auto-upgrade mixed content to HTTPS. Add various privacy enhancements — all without breaking webpages. You read that right. No breakage 😁

Credit: Hours spent reviewing, condensing, and testing ghacks user.js, about:config suggestions from websites and blogs, and keeping up with Mozilla updates. (Where there is similiarity to ghacks, credit goes to them.)

Who is this setup for?

If you want a private, fast browsing experience and don't want to deal with breakage, this setup is for you. My objective is to make the defaults sufficient enough for the average privacy-minded user, but remain trouble-free enough that my grandmother could use it. (That puts a whole new twist on being a foxy grandma!) Edit: Sorry for the dad joke 😓

A note to super privacy-concious users: I made Firefox as secure as I could to the point of breakage. (The only thing that could remotely cause breakage with my setup here is that third-party cookies are blocked by default.) So things like DRM are still enabled, and you won't find settings like <privacy.firstparty.isolate> or <network.http.referer.XOriginPolicy> mentioned here. BetterFox is designed to set-and-forget, not to troubledshoot and tinker. If your threat level calls for not just privacy but anonymity, then please use the TOR browser.

Recommended Extensions

uBlock Origin: lightweight content blocker
Add the custom list dbl.oisd.nl for the best in-browser protection. It's most comprehensive, unified domain blocklist available, actively maintained to prevent false positives and to keep the web usable! Use it alongside your usual lists. Read More [DNS format | ABP format]

Bitwarden: encrypted password manager.

ClearURLs: clean tracking parameters from URLs, Google searches, etc.

Tap to Tab: double-click (double tap) on a link to open it in a new tab. Designed with tablets and laptop trackpads in mind.