Firefox Gets a Major Makeover: Firefox 157 has arrived with what Mozilla calls its biggest visual refresh in years, bringing a modern design, new themes and more flexibility while keeping Firefox’s privacy-focused identity intact.
A Fresh New Look: Firefox 157 refreshes toolbars, tabs, menus, sidebars, icons, and colors with a new design system that gives the browser a more contemporary appearance.
Compact Mode Returns: Compact Mode makes Firefox more space-efficient by reducing tab and toolbar spacing, giving users more room for websites, especially on smaller screens and split-screen setups.
New Themes Arrive: Firefox Themes now offer an easier way to personalize the browser, with new light and dark options, themes and wallpapers accessible through a refreshed theme picker.
New Tab Gets More Flexible: Firefox New Tab now gives users greater control over their homepage, including the ability to pin frequently visited websites so important shortcuts remain easy to reach.
Sidebar Gets Updated: Firefox Sidebar now uses the refreshed design for everyone, while the older version can temporarily be restored through an advanced setting as Mozilla continues refining the experience.
Better Video Performance: Hardware AV1 decoding is now supported for WebRTC video calls on compatible devices, potentially reducing the need for software decoding and improving efficiency during supported video sessions.
Privacy Controls Stay Central: Firefox Privacy Controls remain a major part of the browser, while Firefox 157 adds warnings when encryption-key recording has been configured, helping users understand potential traffic-inspection risks.
More Choice, Less Clutter: Firefox 157 also changes smaller interface behaviors, including keyboard navigation and page-dialog styling, while removing Amazon as a built-in search engine without preventing users from adding it manually.