Firefox 63 released. Here is how to install Firefox in Ubuntu. This post explains how to update Firefox in Ubuntu using terminal.
Firefox 63
The latest release of Firefox brings a powerful, new engine that’s built for rapidfire performance. It enables faster page loading that uses less computer memory. For UI changes, it embodies now a gorgeous design and smart features for intelligent browsing.
In general, Firefox supports:
- Private Browsing – Firefox blocks online trackers while you browse and won’t remember your history after you’re done.
- Tracking Protection – Some ads have hidden trackers that follow you online. Rude. We know. That’s why our powerful tool stops them cold.
- Faster Page Loading – By blocking some ads and scripts that bog down browsing, pages load up to 44% faster. Now that’s a win-win.
Here is the short list of notable changes for Firefox 63:
- Performance and visual improvements for Windows users
- Moved the build infrastructure of Firefox on Windows to the Clang toolchain, bringing important performance gains
- Firefox theme now matches the Windows 10 OS Dark and Light modes
- Performance improvements for macOS users
- Improved reactivity
- Faster tab switching
- WebGL power preferences allow non-performance-critical applications and applets to request the low-power GPU instead of the high-power GPU in multi-GPU systems
- Added content blocking, a collection of Firefox settings that offer users greater control over technology that can track them around the web. In 63, users can opt to block third-party tracking cookies or block all trackers and create exceptiaons for trusted sites that don’t work correctly with content blocking enabled.
- WebExtensions now run in their own process on Linux
- Firefox now warns about having multiple windows and tabs open when quitting from the main menu. The Save and Quit feature has been removed. You can restore your session by ticking the box for Restore previous session in the General → Startup options or by using Restore Previous Session in the main menu.
- Firefox now recognizes the operating system accessibility setting for reducing animation
- Added search shortcuts for Top Sites: Amazon and Google appear as Top Sites tiles on the Firefox Home (New Tab) page. When selected these tiles will change focus to the address bar to initiate a search. Currently in US only.
Firefox 63 has resolved an issue that prevented the address bar from autofilling bookmarked URLs in certain cases. It also bring various security fixes.
Download Firefox 63
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/
Updating Firefox
By default, Firefox is set to automatically update itself but you can always do a manual update. Here’s how:
- Click the menu button, click Help and select About Firefox.
- The About Mozilla Firefox window will open. Firefox will begin checking for updates and downloading them automatically.
- When the updates are ready to be installed, click Restart to update Firefox.
Note: If the update didn’t start, didn’t complete or there was some other problem, you can go to the Systems & Languages page to download and install the latest version of Firefox for your system and language or you can use this download link (see Install Firefox on Linux for more information).
Note: If you use your Linux distribution’s packaged version of Firefox, you will need to wait for an updated package to be released to its package repository. This article only applies if you installed Firefox manually (without using your distribution’s package manager).