Firefox has a lot of powerful features that don't get much attention outside of its core user base. After years of using it as my primary browser, here are ten settings and features I actually use regularly — most people don't know about most of them.
1. about:config — The Power User Console
Type about:config in the address bar for the full Firefox configuration panel. The two settings I always change on a new install:
-
browser.tabs.loadBookmarksInTabs→true(bookmarks open in new tab, not current tab) -
toolkit.legacyUserProfileCustomizations.stylesheets→true(enables userChrome.css customization)
2. Multi-Account Containers
Not a hidden feature, but underused. Containers let you isolate browser sessions — different cookies, different logins, same browser.
Install: Firefox Multi-Account Containers add-on from Mozilla.
Use case: keep work logged in while also being logged into a personal account on the same site, simultaneously, without switching browsers.
3. Reader View
The reader icon (lines icon in the address bar) strips ads and clutter from articles. Not every site supports it, but the ones that do become dramatically easier to read.
Keyboard shortcut: F9
I also use the reader view for long articles I want to save — the cleaned-up version is much easier to read than a clutter-filled page.
4. Picture-in-Picture
Right-click any video → "Watch in Picture-in-Picture" — the video detaches into a floating overlay you can position anywhere on screen. Works on YouTube, Netflix, Twitch, and most video sites.
This is the feature I use to explain to Chrome users why I'm still on Firefox.
5. Custom New Tab with Browser Extensions
The default new tab in Firefox shows recent sites and sponsored tiles. You can replace it with anything.
I use Weather & Clock Dashboard — it replaces the new tab with live weather, a 3-day forecast, world clocks, and a search bar. MIT licensed, no tracking. When I need to check the weather while working, it's already there in the next new tab I open.
Other options: Momentum (inspirational, with tasks), startpage.com (search-focused), or Tabliss (configurable widgets).
6. Keyboard Shortcut for Tab Search
Ctrl+Shift+. (or type % in the address bar) to search your open tabs. If you regularly have 30+ tabs open, this is faster than scanning the tab bar.
7. Firefox View
Ctrl+Shift+Y opens Firefox View — a tab that shows recently closed tabs, synced tabs from other devices, and browsing history in a searchable interface. Useful when you closed a tab on your phone and need it on your desktop.
8. Sidebar for Extensions
Some extensions (Tree Style Tab, Sidebery) work better as sidebars than toolbar buttons. Right-click any extension icon → "Move to Sidebar Panel" to move it.
If you use many tabs, Tree Style Tab with a vertical sidebar replaces the horizontal tab bar with a tree structure. Takes getting used to but dramatically improves navigation for complex workflows.
9. about:memory — Memory Debugging
If Firefox is using too much RAM, about:memory → "Minimize memory usage" frees unreferenced memory without restarting. Also useful for seeing which tabs are using the most memory.
For persistent high memory, the culprit is usually a heavy extension. about:performance shows per-tab and per-extension resource usage.
10. Containers + Facebook Container
The Facebook Container extension (by Mozilla) isolates Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp in a separate container automatically, blocking cross-site tracking by Meta across the rest of your browsing.
Install: Facebook Container (official Mozilla extension)
This is one of the most practical single-install privacy improvements available for Firefox.
Any Firefox features I missed? Drop them in the comments — I'm particularly interested in about:config tweaks that aren't well documented.
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