Firefox's default settings are fine but not great for someone who uses it seriously. Here's exactly what I change on a new Firefox install, with explanations for each.
In about:preferences
Privacy & Security → Enhanced Tracking Protection: Set to "Strict" instead of "Standard." This blocks more trackers and fingerprinting attempts. Occasionally breaks a site; Ctrl+I → Shield icon to temporarily disable for that site.
Privacy & Security → DNS over HTTPS: Enable it and select a provider (Cloudflare or NextDNS). This encrypts your DNS queries so your ISP can't log which domains you visit. Takes 30 seconds to set up.
General → Use recommended performance settings: Leave this on. Only disable if you have specific memory constraints and know what you're doing.
Home → Firefox Home Content: Uncheck "Recommended stories" and "Sponsored shortcuts." These are ads. The default behavior shows sponsored content in your new tab — disable it.
Extensions to Install (in order)
- uBlock Origin — content blocking. No configuration needed at install; defaults are good.
- Firefox Multi-Account Containers — session isolation. Worth configuring your container setup on day one.
- Weather & Clock Dashboard — new tab replacement. Set to your location and add world clocks for your team's time zones. Install from AMO.
- Facebook Container (optional, by Mozilla) — if you use Facebook/Instagram, this prevents Meta cross-site tracking automatically.
- Bitwarden (optional) — if you're not using a password manager, add one. Bitwarden is open source and free for personal use.
That's the full list. Five extensions maximum. Each one earns its place.
about:config Tweaks
Open about:config, accept the warning, and change these:
browser.tabs.unloadOnLowMemory → true
This automatically suspends background tabs when RAM gets low. Useful if you keep many tabs open.
browser.tabs.loadBookmarksInTabs → true
Bookmarks open in a new tab instead of the current tab. Personal preference — some people prefer the old behavior.
toolkit.legacyUserProfileCustomizations.stylesheets → true
Only needed if you want to use userChrome.css for visual customization. Skip if that's not relevant to you.
What I Don't Change
- Firefox Sync: Use it with a Firefox account. Your bookmarks, history, and passwords sync across devices without giving them to Google.
- Hardware acceleration: Leave it on unless you have a specific GPU driver issue.
- Tab bar: Don't install a separate tab manager until Firefox's native tab groups (a feature in development) lands. The native session restore is good enough.
The Full Setup Time
- Preferences: 5 minutes
- Extensions: 10 minutes (mostly configuration)
- about:config: 5 minutes
Total: ~20 minutes for a significantly better default browser experience. None of this costs anything.
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