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AMO Review Process: What Happens After You Submit a Firefox Extension

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AMO Review Process: What Happens After You Submit a Firefox Extension

Submitting a Firefox extension to addons.mozilla.org (AMO) is the end of development but the beginning of a review process. Here's what to expect.

Two Review Tracks

Self-reviewed (Recommended for New Submissions)

  • Listed as "Recommended" only after manual review
  • Listed immediately but with a warning banner until reviewed
  • Review takes days to weeks depending on queue

Unlisted Extensions

  • No AMO listing — distributed via direct download
  • Still needs to be signed by Mozilla
  • Use case: internal tools, beta testing, distributions via other channels

What Gets Reviewed

Mozilla reviewers check:

  1. Code quality — Is the code readable? Obfuscated code is rejected.
  2. Permission justification — Do you need all requested permissions?
  3. Privacy — What data does it collect? Is there a privacy policy?
  4. Security — No remote code execution, no dangerous patterns
  5. Policy compliance — No deceptive behavior, no hidden functionality

The Automated Review (Instant)

When you submit, an automated system runs immediately and checks for:

  • Known bad patterns (eval, remote code injection)
  • Unverified permissions
  • Manifest validity
  • Basic policy violations

Most simple extensions pass this instantly and get a preliminary listing.

Preparing for Review

Don't minify your code

Minified code is flagged and will delay or block review. Submit readable source code.

// web-ext.config.mjs — exclude minification from AMO builds
{
  artifactsDir: 'dist',
  build: {
    // Don't minify — AMO requires readable code
    overwriteDest: true
  }
}
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Include a reviewer note

When uploading via the AMO developer dashboard, there's a "Notes to reviewers" field. Use it:

This is a new tab extension that shows live weather and world clocks.

How to test:
1. Install the extension
2. Open a new tab
3. The main features are visible immediately — weather (auto-detected location),
   time, and search bar
4. Click the gear icon to access settings

No external APIs require authentication. Weather data from wttr.in (free, no key).
All data stored locally in browser.storage.sync.
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List all permissions and explain them

If you request permissions reviewers might question, explain them in your description or reviewer notes.

{
  "permissions": ["storage"],
  "host_permissions": ["https://wttr.in/*"]
}
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For this extension:

  • storage: Save user preferences (theme, location, clocks)
  • https://wttr.in/*: Fetch weather data

Common Rejection Reasons

  1. Remote scripts: Loading JavaScript from external servers
  2. Eval usage: Dynamic code execution
  3. Misleading description: Claims that don't match behavior
  4. Missing privacy policy: Required if you collect any data
  5. Broad permissions: Requesting more than needed

The Timeline

  • Automated review: Instant (minutes)
  • Initial listing: Within hours of passing automated review
  • Human review for Recommended status: Days to weeks
  • Update reviews: Faster than initial — usually days

After Approval

Once your extension is listed:

  • AMO generates install statistics (you can see weekly installs)
  • Users can leave ratings and reviews
  • You get email notifications for new reviews
  • Firefox will auto-update users to new versions you submit

Updating Your Extension

For updates:

  1. Increment version in manifest.json
  2. Build with npx web-ext build
  3. Upload the new .zip via the AMO developer dashboard
  4. The update goes through the same review process
  5. Users get the update automatically (usually within 24 hours of approval)

The Developer Dashboard

Most important pages:

  • addons.mozilla.org/en-US/developers/addon/{your-addon-slug}/edit — Edit listing
  • addons.mozilla.org/en-US/developers/addon/{your-addon-slug}/versions — Version history
  • addons.mozilla.org/en-US/developers/addon/{your-addon-slug}/statistics/ — Install stats

My Experience

For Weather & Clock Dashboard, the initial submission went through automated review in about 30 minutes and got an initial listing. The human review for Recommended status is ongoing.

Key things that helped:

  • Clean, unminified JavaScript
  • Minimal permissions (storage + one host)
  • Detailed reviewer notes
  • Privacy-first approach (no tracking, local storage only)

Weather & Clock Dashboard — free Firefox new tab extension. Live weather, world clocks, search bar. MIT licensed.

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