The new version of the popular Firefox browser is available for download. What does version 126 have in store for us? I’m going to decipher the main new features of this update!
Mozilla’s browser is known (and loved) for its commitment to protecting users’ privacy. A little less than a month after the release of the feature-rich Firefox version 125, the foundation is back with a new update, certainly wiser in terms of new features, but which includes a feature designed to respect your online privacy even more.
Forefox 126: the main new features at a glance
One of the most important changes in Firefox 126 is the ability to copy links without trackers. Mozilla’s website reads: “The Copy Without Site Tracking option can now remove nested URL parameters. It also includes extensive support for blocking more than 300 copied link tracking settings, including those from major shopping websites. Keep these trackers away when sharing links.”
The Firefox for Android User-Agent string now says “Linux”. This change is intended to address compatibility issues on some websites. In addition, the terminology used for extensions on Android is now harmonized with that of the desktop version and the addons.mozilla.org site. Therefore, the “Add-ons” option simply becomes “Extensions”.
On macOS, Mac M3 owners will be able to benefit from hardware acceleration for AV1 decoding, a video codec known for its efficiency. These improvements are also accompanied by features for web developers. In particular, they’ll appreciate the ability to enable or disable shared console functionality in the developer tools. Finally, we note the support for the Screen Wake Lock API in Firefox 126.
Are there any features that are ultimately missing?
For your information, the beta version of Firefox 126 introduced a new simplified and unified dialog for deleting browsing data. However, this change was not implemented in the final version, as reported by 9to5Linux. Another new feature missing is the “Show popular search suggestions” option in the search settings, although it was also present in the beta.
In any case, if you use Firefox, you should know that version 126 is already available for download. In case it has not been installed automatically, you should know that all you have to do is go to the “About” section of Firefox and finally click on “Help” to proceed with the update.