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Here at Mozilla, we are the first to admit the internet isn’t perfect, but we know the internet is pretty darn magical. The internet opens up doors and opportunities, allows for human connection, and lets everyone find where they belong — their corners of the internet. We all have an internet story worth sharing. In My Corner Of The Internet, we talk with people about the online spaces they can’t get enough of, the sites and forums that shaped them, and how they would design their own corner of the web.

We caught up with Janusz Domagala, the joyful breakout star of 2022’s “The Great British Bake Off” and author of Baking With Pride. He talks about CakeTok, his secret ingredient hot honey, how digital friendships shaped his life, and why history tastes better when baked.

What is your favorite corner of the internet?

I have to say my favourite corner of the internet is American CakeTok. I love the online baking community generally, it’s so welcoming, supportive and encouraging. But I do have to admit that American baking really aligns with my personal approach to baking- colourful, bold and daring flavours and visually dramatic. I think food should be an experience for all the senses and it’s typically American baking videos on social media that gets my senses tingling…

What is an internet deep dive that you can’t wait to jump back into?

As well as baking, I’m a big fan of history. Living in the UK I love diving into its rich history online- researching the fashion, culture and popular bakes of certain periods of time. I love recreating historical bakes I discover as not only do I get to imagine what life was like during chapters of time, I get to taste what it was like too.

What is the one tab you always regret closing?

I would be lost and create some very … interesting… bakes if it wasn’t for my tab that has an international unit conversion! I love using recipes from around the world but because I’m a speedy baker (thanks to competitive baking, I guess) I don’t have time to whip out my calculator mid whisk!

What can you not stop talking about on the internet right now?

Hot honey! As a creative and a genuine foodie, I love seeing the trends that come out in the food world and take over in the internet. Recently we’ve had caramelised biscuit, pistachio and now hot honey which combines two of my two favourite flavour profiles and is already getting me thinking about my next bake.

“Until [joining a local baking group online] my only chance to talk about baking was with my mother who taught me to bake, so to finally get the chance to talk to people my own age about one of my biggest passions was a big moment for me.”

What was the first online community you engaged with?

Like a true millennial the first online community I engaged with was on MySpace, joining a local baking group. Until then my only chance to talk about baking was with my mother who taught me to bake, so to finally get the chance to talk to people my own age about one of my biggest passions was a big moment for me. Within the group, we actually started arranging monthly meet ups at a local park where we would get together in person, taking things we’d baked along, and chat all things baking. I’m still friends with some of the people from that group and that for me is one of the most powerful things about the internet- meeting people you never would normally have met in life and turning them into real life friendships.

If you could create your own corner of the internet, what would it look like?

My corner of the internet would probably look a lot like my wardrobe; bold, colourful and fun! Full of feelgood items and also have different options for different moods, have comfy options when we need that little extra warmness on the days we need but most importantly- get people talking and inspired.

What articles and/or videos are you waiting to read/watch right now?

It’s currently Pride Month and each year I get so excited about the digital content that’s released, full of stories from the LGBTQ+ community. I’m currently waiting for the OUT100 list to be released which highlights 100 influential people who are currently working towards change and fighting for our rights. It’s a great read and a great chance to highlight the work of people that might not always have the spotlight shone on them.

If the internet were a giant Showstopper Challenge and you got to design it for the future, what ingredients would you throw in to make it more delicious for creative people like you — and what baking disaster would you absolutely leave out?

This is a great question… I would start with multiple layers of art flavoured with fashion, food, body positivity and queer joy. I would layer in some curiosity to help people be brave enough to try new things and top with some creativity, kindness and acceptance… and sprinkles! Always sprinkles. A baking disaster I would ban from my internet Showstopper would be fear- wonderful things can happen when we act without fear and if something doesn’t go to plan it’s not the end of the world. As I say, a bad batch of bread can make excellent breadcrumbs!

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Janusz Domagala, or simply Janusz as he’s most commonly known, became the instant standout star on 2022’s “The Great British Bake Off” when he rightfully declared himself the “Star Caker.” Since appearing on the show, Janusz has built a successful social  media following, has been featured in multiple print and digital media outlets and was a contestant on the third season of the show “Crime Scene Kitchen.” A keen LGBT+ activist, his debut recipe book, “Baking With Pride,” was released in May 2024.

Get the browser that puts your privacy first – and always has

Download Firefox

The post The Great British Bake Off’s Janusz on CakeTok and queer joy appeared first on The Mozilla Blog.

<figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Start planning on your laptop, pick it back up on your phone with Firefox sync. </figcaption>

Most travel plans start with a handful of tabs. A map here, a few guides there. Then a flurry of bookings, logins and maybe a PDF form you’re supposed to sign with your finger. Next thing you know, you’re in line at the car rental counter with 3% battery, no confirmation number, and no address for where you’re staying.

Firefox can’t hand you a charger. But it can keep up before your trip and while you’re on it. Haven’t downloaded Firefox mobile yet? Now’s a good time. Once you enable sync on Firefox mobile, all your travel bookmarks and tabs will come with you — ready to access quickly when you need them. Strong privacy protections are built in by default.

Here are a few features that help you plan, book and get where you’re going:

Sync

Start planning on your laptop, pick it back up on your phone. Tabs like your hotel reservation page, bookmarks, passwords and more come with you, so you’re not stuck emailing yourself links or searching “best vegan pizza rome” for the third time. Sign in to your Mozilla account to enable sync and access your data across your devices. It stays private and encrypted — even from us. (Firefox sync works in most places, but it’s not available in every region.)

AI chatbot in your sidebar

Firefox lets you keep an AI chatbot in the sidebar while you browse. Useful when you’re planning an itinerary, overthinking a layover, or asking it to generate a packing list based on the weather, your mood, and your inability to travel light.

Right-click the sidebar > customize sidebar > check “AI chatbot.” Pick from tools like Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini and others (availability may vary by region).

Password manager and generator

Firefox can save your passwords, fill them in when you need them and generate more secure ones than “plzletmein!”

PDF editor

Sometimes the thing that holds up your travel plans is a PDF: tour sign-up sheets, car rental instructions, a transit map. Firefox’s built-in PDF editor lets you fill out, sign and annotate PDFs directly in the browser — no downloads, no printing required. Works on desktop and mobile.

Tab groups

Tab groups let you organize your tabs by topic — flights, food, logistics, backup food — so you’re not digging through a sea of identical tab titles wondering where the train schedule went.

Vertical tabs

Once the tab count crosses into the regrettable zone, vertical tabs help you see what you’re working with. Everything’s listed neatly on the side, so you can find the one tab with actual answers and stop clicking through five versions of “best day trips near Milan.”

Right-click the toolbar > turn on vertical tabs.

Built-in translation

Firefox can translate full pages instantly for supported languages. Useful when you’re trying to fill out a form, make a reservation, or read a menu where the only word you recognize is cornetto.

VPN extension for Windows

Sometimes travel means needing to book something as if you’re already there, or reading the news like you’re still at home. With Mozilla VPN, you can locate yourself wherever in the world you want — even back home. And with the VPN extension for Windows, you can do this on a per site basis, so you can check what you need without changing your whole device’s location. (Available as part of a paid subscription.)

Firefox keeps up with your tabs, logins, pages, even the one in another language. Just remember to pack your charger.

Get the browser that puts your privacy first – and always has

Download Firefox

The post Firefox features that help you plan a trip (and take it) appeared first on The Mozilla Blog.

What if you could increase conversations — without collecting more data? You’ve probably been told you need to collect more data to get better results. But with smarter tools and better technology, privacy isn’t a tradeoff, it’s a feature. Anonym makes it possible to measure real performance without complex integrations — just drag and drop your data set. Let the results below speak for themselves.

Proof points

UEFA 

Take UEFA’s Men’s Club Competitions online store, for example. Ahead of the 2024 finals, they launched a campaign on TikTok to engage fans and drive sales, all without sending any personal user data with TikTok. By utilizing our privacy-first analytics solution used by TikTok, UEFA was able to measure meaningful results like conversion lift and sales impact using differentially private algorithms. The outcome: 93% lift in conversions and a 94% increase in sales, without exposing data to the advertising platform. They leveraged Anonym’s drag-and-drop interface, ensuring all data was correctly formatted and encrypted before sharing in Anonym’s trusted execution environment.

Zenjob

Zenjob, a flexible job platform in Germany, took a similar path. During a key hiring season, they ran a TikTok campaign focused on app installs and signups, but didn’t want to cut corners on user data. Like UEFA, they used Anonym to unlock insights into incrementality and attribution, encrypting the user level data and relying on Anonym’s privacy enhancing technologies. The results spoke for themselves: a 38% increase in signups and a significant improvement in conversion. All without exposing sharing user level information with TikTok.

The future of online advertising

These examples aren’t one-off wins, they’re proof that better performance is possible. With Anonym, advertisers get the insights they need to optimize creative, targeting, and spend to drive real results. You don’t need more data to get better outcomes — you need the right tools. If you’re ready to boost performance without the guesswork, our team is here to show you. Reach out for a deeper dive into our privacy preserving solutions.

Performance, powered by privacy

Learn more about Anonym

The post Performance doesn’t have to come at the cost of privacy  appeared first on The Mozilla Blog.

Most people use whatever browser comes pre-installed. But your browser default shapes your online experience more than you realize.

At SXSW London, we’re asking: What does real choice look like on today’s internet, and who’s still building for it?

In this live conversation, Mozilla CEO Laura Chambers will share how AI-powered feeds, platform lock-in, and in-app browsers are subtly limiting discovery and agency online. She’ll share why Mozilla continues to build outside dominant ecosystems; how Firefox is designed to put people, not profit, first; and what it takes to stay mission-aligned in an industry that rewards scale over values.

Come join the conversation on Thursday, June 5 at 3:20 p.m. at Shoreditch Electric as part of the 2050: Future-Thinking track at SXSW London.

Add the session to your SXSW schedule (and bring your big question!)

The post What happens when you don’t choose your browser? Let’s talk about it at SXSW London appeared first on The Mozilla Blog.

Firefox’s address bar just got an upgrade, and it’s all about putting you in control.

It’s faster, easier to use and built to support how you search and browse — while staying true to what makes Firefox, Firefox: real user choice, strong privacy and transparency.

Built to help you search faster and get things done

The address bar is where browsing begins. It’s more than a space for URLs. It’s a command center for search, navigation, productivity and discovery. Here’s how we’ve improved it:

Unified search button 

Choose how you search, right from the address bar
The new search button puts your preferred engines front and center, making it easier to switch between providers and search modes based on what you need. It improves visibility, supports re-running searches with ease, and ultimately reflects something core to Firefox: giving users real choice in how they explore the web.

Easily continue your search

Keep your original search visible
When you perform a search, your query now remains visible in the address bar instead of being replaced by the search engine’s URL. Whereas before your address bar was filled with long, confusing URLs, now it’s easier to refine or repeat searches. It’s especially helpful for keeping you productive while performing research and multistep tasks.

@ Shortcuts

Search your tabs, bookmarks and history using simple keywords
You can access different search modes in the address bar using simple, descriptive keywords like @bookmarks, @tabs, @history, and @actions, making it faster and easier to find exactly what you need.

Quick Actions

Type a command, and Firefox takes care of it
You can now perform actions like “clear history,” “open downloads,” or “take a screenshot” just by typing into the address bar. This turns the bar into a practical productivity tool — great for users who want to stay in the flow.

Smart shortcuts

Do more from your search suggestions
These buttons appear contextually within your search suggestions, offering relevant shortcuts like “search with [site name]” or “switch to tab.” They reduce clicks and help users get where they’re going faster.

HTTPS trim

Cleaner URLs with smarter security cues
We’ve simplified the address bar by trimming “https://” from secure sites, while clearly highlighting when a site isn’t secure. This small change improves clarity without sacrificing awareness.

More than a visual refresh

These updates are part of a larger direction we’re taking in Firefox — toward a browser that supports people in all parts of their online lives, from quick lookups to complex research.The new address bar is now available in Firefox version 138. It’s faster, more intuitive and designed to work the way you do.

Get the browser that puts your privacy first – and always has

Download Firefox

The post A smarter, simpler Firefox address bar  appeared first on The Mozilla Blog.

Here at Mozilla, we are the first to admit the internet isn’t perfect, but we know the internet is pretty darn magical. The internet opens up doors and opportunities, allows for human connection, and lets everyone find where they belong — their corners of the internet. We all have an internet story worth sharing. In My Corner Of The Internet, we talk with people about the online spaces they can’t get enough of, the sites and forums that shaped them, and how they would design their own corner of the web.

We caught up with Javier Cabral, the editor-in-chief of L.A. Taco, a culture site covering life (and tacos) in Los Angeles. He talks about starting out as a teenage food blogger, going deep on espresso Reddit, and being fully prepared to defend his take that carnitas should never be topped with salsa.

What was the first online community you engaged with?

Back in 2007 — before Instagram, Yelp, when the first cameras on phones were just starting to come out — I started a food blog called Teenage Glutster. I was 16. And my first community was people who commented on my writing. It was not vitriolic… it was very supportive. Things are different now, but over the years, I figured out how to respond or not respond to trolls, to message boards, to random comments online. Back then I would just walk by restaurants, grab menus, study them and write about them. And yes, the blog is still up.

What is your favorite corner of the internet?

Well, you have to realize that when you ask the editor of an independent online publication, the internet starts to become all work and errands. It gets harder and harder to use it for fun.

So my favorite corner is wherever I can decompress. After publishing stressful stories— obituaries, stuff that could get us sued — I just want to chill. That’s when I’m scrolling Reddit. Lately, I’ve been on the Marzocco subreddit. My wife just got me a Marzocco espresso machine. It’s this very professional, expensive, stupid-high-quality machine that requires finesse. If you use the wrong tamp, you void the warranty. But there’s an art to it, like pulling a perfect shot of espresso. That subreddit has been my go-to for about six months. It’s just cool to have the internet be a place that isn’t dread or trolling or deadlines.

It’s getting so hard to have good, clean thrills in our lives. You know, in a world where everything feels like slow self-destruction, this hobby feels wholesome. The machine is expensive, and it just went up in price because of tariffs, but I’ve already pulled hundreds of shots. I know folks who love the ritual of walking to their local shop. I respect that. But you can also develop that same ritual at home and build a real passion around it.

So yeah, that’s my current little corner of the internet.

What is an internet deep dive that you can’t wait to jump back into?

I oversee a publication, so I’m always watching to see what performs. But it gets harder to predict what’ll take off. The news cycle moves fast, especially with things like Trump, AI, doomscrolling.

I’m especially interested in why people are willing to pay our membership rate — it’s like $6/month — to find out things like the top 25 breakfast burritos in L.A. That’s part of what I want to keep doing deep dives into — readership insights and what those patterns actually mean right now.

Also, the relationship between creators and journalists. I’m sensing a real divide. But creators need what journalists need: engagement, attention, readers. Where can we meet in peace? I want to keep researching that.

I went to community college for journalism, and things were already changing fast then. I can only imagine what it’s like for students now. But they still want to write and create with ethics and integrity. That’s the future of journalism.

What is the one tab you always regret closing?

I always say to myself, “Okay, I’m going to shut my computer at 5 p.m. and be a normal human.” But it rarely happens. There’s always another story, another case, something I have to get done. So I always regret closing my browser in general. Even after you finish a story and send it off to socials, there’s usually something you forgot.

What can you not stop talking about on the internet right now?

Tacos. I was just on The Dave Chang Show, and I’m getting a lot of heat for what I said. I said carnitas aren’t meant to be eaten with salsa. You’re supposed to eat them with jalapeño in vinegar. That sparked a lot of reactions. But I stand by everything I publish. I’m always prepared to defend it in a dark alley, if needed.

Today they published another clip where I was actually defending Dave Chang. He said you should only order tacos four at a time so they stay hot. That way, when you’re ready, you can go back and get another round fresh. People were upset about that too.

But yeah. Two decades later, I still can’t stop talking about tacos online.

If you could create your own corner of the internet, what would it look like?

I already feel like I’ve created it with L.A. Taco because I’m the editor-in-chief. Every story is something I believe in. Either I wrote it or I wanted to read it.

Still, I’d expand it. I’d love to do more travel guides. I’ve always admired travel writers. I have friends who do it, and I’ve always wanted to do what they do. I’m actually working on a big guide right now for Ensenada.

Also, we started the L.A. Taco Media Lab. We’re working with younger students and aspiring journalist-creators. We want to help them get their first bylines. I used to do that all on my own. Now we have the framework to help more people do it.

The internet is better when we hear from everyone, not just the same old voices.

What articles and/or videos are you waiting to read/watch right now?

I’ve bookmarked a piece from Columbia Journalism Review about how journalists and newsrooms are using AI. I don’t want to be a grouch about AI. I also don’t want to surrender to it. Navigating [that tension] is something I care a lot about.

What’s the most L.A. corner of the internet?

L.A. Taco. We’re holding it down. No shame in saying that.

When we gather at membership events, it’s clear we represent the L.A. I fell in love with. A place where tacos unite people. A place where we do real reporting, research, fact-checking. Stories we talk about with our friends and families.

There’s nothing like this anywhere else. Not even in Mexico. Here, we have the power of the free press. And people always want to know where the best tacos are.

L.A. is hands down the taco capital of the U.S. No contest. Not Chicago, not San Francisco, not Texas, not New York. We’re at the forefront.

So yes, L.A. Taco is the most L.A. corner of the internet. No doubt about it.

The post The most L.A. corner of the internet appeared first on The Mozilla Blog.

Firefox is the only major browser not backed by a billionaire and our independence shapes everything we build. This independence allows us to prioritize building products and tools, which shape the future of the internet for the better. And it means we have to be intentional about where we invest our time and resources so we can make the biggest impact.

As users’ everyday needs evolve alongside with the web itself, it’s imperative we focus our efforts on Firefox and building new solutions that give you real choice, control and peace of mind online. 

With that in mind, we’ve made the difficult decision to phase out two products: Pocket, our read-it-later and content discovery app, and Fakespot, our browser extension that analyzes the authenticity of online product reviews. 

Here’s what’s happening 

• Pocket shuts down July 8, 2025
  • You will no longer be able to download Pocket or purchase a new Pocket Premium subscription from May 22, 2025. 
  • Premium monthly and annual subscriptions will be cancelled automatically. Annual subscribers will receive automatic refunds from July 8, 2025.
  • Users can export saves anytime until October 8, 2025, after which their data will be permanently deleted.
  • API users will no longer be able to transact data (read or write) over Pocket’s API from October 8, 2025 and will need to export their data before this date.
  • For more information, including refund details for Premium annual subscribers and how to export saves, go to our Pocket support article.
• Fakespot shuts down on July 1, 2025
  • You will no longer be able to use the Fakespot extensions, mobile apps, or website from July 1, 2025.
  • The Fakespot feature within Firefox known as Review Checker will shut down on June 10, 2025.

Focusing on what powers better browsing

We acquired Fakespot in 2023 to help people navigate unreliable product reviews using AI and privacy-first tech. While the idea resonated, it didn’t fit a model we could sustain. 

Pocket has helped millions save articles and discover stories worth reading. But the way people save and consume content on the web has evolved, so we’re channeling our resources into projects that better match browsing habits today. Discovery also continues to evolve; Pocket helped shape the curated content recommendations you already see in Firefox, and that experience will keep getting better. Meanwhile, new features like Tab Groups and enhanced bookmarks now provide built-in ways to manage reading lists easily.

Thank you for helping shape what comes next

We’re grateful to the communities that made Pocket and Fakespot meaningful. As we wind them down, we’re looking ahead to focusing on new Firefox features that people need most. 

This shift allows us to shape the next era of the internet – with tools like vertical tabs, smart search and more AI-powered features on the way. We’ll continue to build a browser that works harder for you: more personal, more powerful and still proudly independent.

The post Investing in what moves the internet forward appeared first on The Mozilla Blog.

The remedies phase of the U.S. v. Google LLC search case wrapped up last week. As the Court weighs how to restore competition in the search market, Mozilla is asking it to seriously consider the unintended consequences of some of the proposed remedies, which, if adopted, could harm browser competition, weaken user choice and undermine the open web.

Mozilla has long supported competition interventions in tech markets. Recent highlights include campaigns to pass the American Innovation and Choice Online Act, reports detailing the operating system power wielded by Apple, Google and Microsoft (among others), and detailed research into remedy design on Android and Windows to support the enforcement of EU Digital Markets Act.  

In relation to the Google Search case, our message is simple: search competition must improve, but this can be done without harming browser competition.

As the maker of Firefox and Gecko, the only major browser engine left competing with Big Tech, we know what it means to fight for privacy, innovation and real choice online. That is why we have filed an amicus brief, urging the Court not to prohibit Google from making search revenue payments to independent browsers (i.e., browser developers that do not provide desktop or mobile devices or operating systems). Such a ban would destroy valuable competition in browsers and browser engines by crippling their ability to innovate and serve users in these fundamentally important areas. As explained in our amicus brief:

• Mozilla has spent over two decades fighting for an open and healthy internet ecosystem. Through developing open source products, advancing better web standards, and advocating for competition and user choice, Mozilla has tangibly improved privacy, security, and choice online. Much of this work is funded by Firefox’s search revenue and implemented in Gecko—the last remaining cross-platform browser engine challenger to Google’s Chromium.   
  
• Firefox offers unparalleled search choice. Mozilla has tried alternatives (like Yahoo! In 2014-2017) and knows that Google Search is the preferred option of Firefox users. While Google provides the default search engine, Firefox offers multiple, dynamic ways for people to change their search engine.  
  
• Banning search payments to independent browsers would threaten the survival of Firefox and Gecko. The Court previously recognized that Mozilla depends on revenue share payments from Google. This was underlined by testimony the Court heard from Eric Muhlheim, Mozilla’s CFO. Eric explained how complex and expensive it is to maintain Firefox and Gecko and why switching to another search provider would result in a “precipitous” decline in revenue. Undermining Mozilla’s ability to fund this work risks handing control of the web to Apple and Google and further entrenching the power of the largest tech companies.
  
• Banning search payments to independent browsers would not improve search competition. Independent browsers play an important role in the ecosystem, far beyond their market share. The Court previously found that they account for 2.3% of US search traffic covered by Google’s contracts. As a result, the DOJ’s expert calculated that banning payments to independent browsers would shift only 0.6% of Google’s current market share to another search engine. This is not a prize worth destroying browser competition for.

At Mozilla, we believe that a more tailored approach to the remedies is absolutely critical. The Court should permit independent browsers like Firefox to continue to receive revenue share payments from Google to avoid further harm to competition. This would be a consistent approach with other jurisdictions that have sought to improve search competition and would not undermine the effectiveness of any remedies the court orders. 

To learn more about Mozilla’s position and why we’re urging the Court to carefully consider the unintended consequences of these proposed remedies, read our full amicus brief.

The post The future of the web depends on getting this right appeared first on The Mozilla Blog.

As a product manager for Firefox, one of the areas I’m most passionate about is accessibility. This is not only because I’m a disabled person myself, but also because I’ve seen firsthand that building in accessibility from the beginning results in better outcomes for everyone. Our new profile management feature is a great example of this approach.

Shifting left means building accessibility in from the start

If you picture the product development process as a horizontal line, with “user research” on the extreme left and “launch to market” on the extreme right, accessibility tends to fall on the right side of the line. On the right side of the line, we are reactive: the product is already built for the needs of non-disabled users, so we’re just checking it for accessibility bugs. On the right side of the line, it’s often too late or very expensive to fix accessibility bugs, so they don’t get fixed. On the right side of the line, the best we can hope for is accessibility compliance with an industry standard like WCAG. On the right side of the line, we are more likely to build something unusable – even if we checked all the accessibility compliance boxes. 

So how do we ensure that accessibility moves to the other end of the line, the left side? One of the most powerful ways to “shift left” is to include disabled people in the process as early as possible. On the left side of the line, we become proactive: we build products with disabled folks, not for them. On the left side of the line, we prevent accessibility bugs from ever happening because we spot them in the designs. On the left side of the line, we have a chance to go beyond compliance and achieve accessibility delight. On the left side of the line, working together, we have a better chance to discover curb cut effects: solutions designed with people with disabilities that end up benefitting everyone.

How Firefox profiles shifted left

Firefox is not always on the left side of the line, but we’ve been working hard over the last couple years to “shift left.” 

I’m a proudly disabled university student who works full time and is passionate about rowing and musical theater. I made four profiles: medical, school, work and personal. Each profile has its own unique avatar, color theme and name so I can easily recognize and switch between them in one click. I especially love that browsing history, bookmarks and tabs no longer intermix. I’m now much less likely to accidentally share my health information with my professors or my strategic work plans with fellow Sondheim nerds.

Throughout this project, we partnered with disabled folks to aim for accessibility compliance and, more importantly, delight. They gave us valuable feedback from our very first user research studies and continue to do so. 

One group dreamed up brand new ideas and suggested enhancements during an in-depth review of an early prototype (including an awesome curb-cut effect we hope to share with you later this year). Testers who are experts in assistive tech (AT) pinpointed areas where we still needed to improve. 

This truly was a community effort. We learned a lot, and we have more work to do.

Try profiles now and help shape what’s next

While we’d love to make it available to everyone immediately, profile management is more complex than it probably appears: It’s built on core Firefox code, and it interacts with and affects several other features and essential systems. To ensure Firefox and the profile management feature remain stable and compatible, we need to continue our incremental rollout for now.

In the meantime, we’d love for you to use profile management on Nightly and Beta, where it’s on by default for everyone, then share your thoughts in this thread on Mozilla Connect, our forum for community feedback and ideas. You’ll help us validate fixes and catch new bugs, as well as get early access to new features and enhancements. 

At least 29% of the population is disabled, which means many of you have the insight and lived experience to help Firefox “shift left” on accessibility. That collaboration is already shaping a better browser — and a better web.

Get the browser that puts your privacy first – and always has

Download Firefox

The post ‘Shifting left’ for better accessibility in Firefox appeared first on The Mozilla Blog.

Ever thought, “I wish I could try that new Firefox feature early?” Good news – we’ve been trying out new features and now, you can try them out, too.

Firefox Labs is our space for sharing experimental features with our community before they’re fully baked. It’s a chance to play around with new ideas, tell us what’s working (and what’s not) and help shape the future of Firefox together.

Early access to what we’re building

Firefox Labs is built on a simple idea: If we’re building for Firefox users, we should be building with them, too.

“We created Firefox Labs to get features into users’ hands earlier,” said Karen Kim, senior product manager at Mozilla. “It’s a safe space where people can turn things on, play around, and help us learn faster.”

In the past, testing out new ideas usually meant downloading special builds like Nightly or digging into advanced settings. That’s not for everyone. Firefox Labs makes it way easier — just head to your Firefox settings, flip a switch, and try something new.

It’s inspired by our old Test Pilot program (shoutout to longtime Firefox fans!), which helped launch popular features like picture-in-picture. Firefox Labs carries that same spirit — but with a closer connection to the people using Firefox today.

Try these Firefox Labs features now 

We’ve got a couple of features live in Firefox Labs that you can try today:

Custom wallpapers for new tab

Inspired by your feedback, you can now upload your own image or choose from a set of new wallpapers and colors to customize your Firefox home screen.

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“You can choose your own color — go bold, go subtle, it’s completely up to you,” said Amber Meryman, product manager for the New Tab team. “We’ve added a new celestial category, plus even more images across all your favorite themes, these new wallpapers are all about making Firefox feel more like you.”

Pet photos, space scenes, whatever you’re into – the choice is up to you.

Link previews

Not sure if that link is worth clicking? Link previews give you a quick snapshot of what’s behind a link — so you can decide if it’s relevant before opening a new tab.

“Link previews are about saving time and reducing clutter,” said Joy Chen, who works on Firefox’s AI Experiences team. “When you’re scanning a lot of content, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Link Previews helps you quickly assess what’s most relevant to you, so you can browse and learn more efficiently.”

The team is already seeing valuable feedback in Firefox Labs, from shortcut suggestions to content quality questions. 

“All of it helps — even critical feedback gives us a clearer picture of how people might use or feel about these tools,” Joy said.

Link previews are especially handy for staying focused while doing research, browsing news, or avoiding tab overload.

How to share feedback (yes, we’re listening)

Each experiment includes a link to Mozilla Connect — our community hub for feedback, suggestions, and discussion. If you sign in or create an account, it’s where you can:

• Share what you love (or what’s confusing)
• Suggest improvements
• See what others are saying
• Help guide what we build next
• Hear directly from product teams and engineers who regularly jump into the conversation

How to get started with Firefox Labs

First, check to make sure you’re using the latest version of Firefox. Then:

• Go to Settings > Firefox Labs (it only shows up if a feature is available).
• Turn on a feature and give it a try.
• Head to Connect to share your thoughts!

Your ideas help shape Firefox. Many features like custom wallpapers got their start from community posts. Your idea could be next -– head to Mozilla Connect. 

So whether you want to test new features, share your thoughts, or just peek at what’s coming, Firefox Labs is your front-row seat to the future of Firefox.

Update: The post was revised on May 14 to clarify a quote about link previews.

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The post Jump into Firefox Labs: A place to try new features and help shape Firefox appeared first on The Mozilla Blog.