yokoffing
7.9 KiB
BetterFox
about:config tweaks to enhance Mozilla Firefox. Files are updated as needed for your user.js.
Simple goals
- Minimalism: get what isn't needed out of the way
- Efficiency: unleash Firefox's ability to be fast and performant
- Security: sensible privacy and security without causing site breakage
Simple configs
| List | Description |
|---|---|
| Fastfox | Immensely increase Firefox's browsing speed. Give Chrome a run for its money! |
| SecureFox | Remove Telemetry, Mozilla experiments, Google Safe Browsing, and search engine suggestions in URL bar. Auto-upgrade mixed content to HTTPS. Various privacy enhancements. |
| PeskyFox | Unclutter the new tab page. Remove Pocket and form autofill. Prevent Firefox from serving annoying webpage notifications. |
| SmoothFox | Get Microsoft Edge-like smooth scrolling on your favorite browser. |
| user.js | All the essentails. None of the breakage. Users may download this list as their own user.js. |
| LibreWolf.Overrides.cfg | Do you prefer LibreWolf? Well, here's a few overrides to enhance your favorite Firefox fork! |
Who is this setup for?
If you want a secure, blazing 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 😓
about:Privacy
My guiding principle was: "If it breaks it, it doesn't make it!" So things like WebGL and DRM are still enabled, and you won't find a setting like privacy.resistFingerprinting mentioned here (why?). BetterFox is designed to set-and-forget, not to troubleshoot and tinker. You can compare different user.js files here.
BetterFox was created with a less is more mentality (i.e., keeping in mind the law of diminishing returns). Most repos I've encountered have niche privacy and security concerns with little regard for speed, annoyances, or mainstream use. The average user doesn't need all prefs altered to get the results they want.
Assumptions
That being said, BetterFox does make some assumptions:
- Google Safe Browsing (GSB) is disabled. Please use DNS-level protection like NextDNS, and check out our configuration guide here.
- If you don't have other means of protection, then enable GSB locally by adding these prefs to the bottom of your
user.js.
- If you don't have other means of protection, then enable GSB locally by adding these prefs to the bottom of your
- The native password manager is also disabled. If you don't use something like KeePass, Bitwarden, or 1Password, then add these prefs to re-enable native password management.
- Firefox Sync is disabled. Change this pref to
trueand add it to your overrides, or use a addon like xBrowserSync. - BetterFox allows for embedded tweets, instagram, and reddit posts to load on webpages, even though these requests are blocked by default when using Firefox's Strict Tracking Protection. To revert this behavior, add these prefs to the bottom of your
user.js.- We suggest that you selectively allow these requests in uBlock Origin with medium mode enabled as well as add the Privacy Essentials filter to your custom lists.
- You should have uBlock Origin, AdGuard, or Ghostery for browser-level content blocking.
- If your threat level calls for anonymity and not just reasonable privacy, please use the TOR browser. 👍
Wiki
Check out our wiki for extension recommendations and DNS preferences!
Mentions
Credit
- Many thanks to the Firefox team and to the people working on Bugzilla, fighting for the open web.
- This repository benefits from the research provided by arkenfox. While BetterFox does not use their
user.js, we attempt to maintain parity with it.