Enhanced privacy is probably the most common reason people switch to Mozilla Firefox!
Therefore, when I install Mozilla Firefox, that task is almost always followed by a 15-minute configuration ritual.
Compared to Mozilla Firefox, however, LibreWolf focuses more on privacy and security, thus becoming a more hardened version of Firefox.
Privacy-respecting Search Engines : Unlike Mozilla Firefox, LibreWolf does not have a deal with Google.
: Unlike Mozilla Firefox, LibreWolf does not have a deal with Google.
Enhanced privacy is probably the most common reason people switch to Mozilla Firefox! For what it's worth, Firefox does offer several privacy-centric options that the likes of Google Chrome never will. You'd start noticing the difference within a few days of using Firefox.
However, you don't get this optimal privacy setup right out of the gate. Instead, you need to go through an elaborate process, and it can be a little too much at times.
Related Firefox is free, open-source, and private — why did it lose to Chrome? The answer has less to do with Firefox and more to do with where Chrome was already installed.
The Firefox setup I kept rebuilding from scratch
Every reinstall, the same 15-minute ritual
Abhijith N Arjunan/MakeUseOf
Considering how privacy-focused Firefox is, you'd expect some standard features to be enabled by default! Sure, things are more privacy-friendly than what you'll have with Chrome. Yet, many aspects are left to be desired. Therefore, when I install Mozilla Firefox, that task is almost always followed by a 15-minute configuration ritual.
For one, Firefox doesn't have a built-in ad blocker, so you'll need to install uBlock Origin or another ad blocker extension. Similarly, you need to visit about: config to disable telemetry and other features you may not want enabled for privacy reasons. Depending on the level of advanced privacy you desire, Firefox also requires significant custom hardening. The worst part? You need to set up these features/options every time you reinstall Firefox or do a profile wipe.
Wouldn't it be awesome if a browser shipped all these features enabled by default? Well, LibreWolf is an open-source, community-driven fork of Firefox that claims just that.
What LibreWolf actually ships out of the box
The configuration file I no longer need to write
As I said, LibreWolf is a free and open-source fork of Firefox, but it is independent of Mozilla. Compared to Mozilla Firefox, however, LibreWolf focuses more on privacy and security, thus becoming a more hardened version of Firefox. It is currently available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, and I've been trying the macOS version for a while now. Because LibreWolf is a Firefox fork, it uses the Gecko rendering engine along with Quantum and SpiderMonkey.
Here are a few things LibreWolf ships out of the box, so I don't have to configure them manually. Keep in mind that these features are available in Firefox, but LibreWolf treats them as the baseline, which matters when you are serious about privacy.
Bundled uBlock Origin : LibreWolf ships with uBlock Origin installed by default, which means you don't have to worry about ads or trackers on the websites that you visit. This option makes a noticeable difference the moment you open the browser.
: LibreWolf ships with uBlock Origin installed by default, which means you don't have to worry about ads or trackers on the websites that you visit. This option makes a noticeable difference the moment you open the browser. Enable RFP : This option uses the Tor Uplift project to enable anti-fingerprinting across the browsing experience, making it harder for websites to track your activity.
: This option uses the Tor Uplift project to enable anti-fingerprinting across the browsing experience, making it harder for websites to track your activity. Privacy-respecting Search Engines : Unlike Mozilla Firefox, LibreWolf does not have a deal with Google. More importantly, it ships privacy-conscious search engines such as DuckDuckGo and Searx as the default search engines.
: Unlike Mozilla Firefox, LibreWolf does not have a deal with Google. More importantly, it ships privacy-conscious search engines such as DuckDuckGo and Searx as the default search engines. Stripped Telemetry : Whereas Mozilla Firefox offers an option to opt out of telemetry and crash reports, LibreWolf disables these options by default, ensuring you don't accidentally enable them and share your information with websites.
: Whereas Mozilla Firefox offers an option to opt out of telemetry and crash reports, LibreWolf disables these options by default, ensuring you don't accidentally enable them and share your information with websites. Fewer Integrations: LibreWolf also removes many features you may be familiar with in Firefox, including Pocket and Mozilla Studies. Mozilla Sync is also disabled by default, but you can, of course, enable it.
In addition to these, the developers behind LibreWolf are strongly opposed to sponsored content and associated network connections that may be enabled on Mozilla's advertising endpoints. They also seem opposed to AI-powered features that have appeared in Firefox.
Thanks to these features, LibreWolf lets me spend less time configuring these options. Instead, I can get started with a privacy-friendly browsing experience from the get-go.
The first week on LibreWolf
Faster pages, one broken site, no regrets
You'd start noticing at least a few things the moment you start using LibreWolf. While there have been some inconveniences, nothing has made me regret choosing LibreWolf.
Because it disables telemetry and has uBlock Origin installed and enabled by default, loading websites with LibreWolf was faster than with Mozilla Firefox or other browsers. The visible lack of overhead also translates to better performance in the long run. Since many network-based requests don't even happen in the first place, speed is something you'd love about LibreWolf. Similarly, since many features are baked into the core browser, you don't face the performance crunch that too many extensions may cause.
The entire picture is not all bells and whistles. There are definitive instances where LibreWolf will cause problems. For instance, the anti-fingerprinting protection system called RFP can cause many websites to break, and you could notice them as a minor layout issue. There are also certain inconveniences: features like Firefox Sync are turned off by default, so if you were planning to bring in your passwords or something else, you would be in a bit of a pickle. Even so, you can use your favorite Firefox extensions, keyboard shortcuts, etc. You also have access to multiple customization options, including themes and other extensions.
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In short, almost all the inconveniences you might face when using LibreWolf are easy to forego when privacy is your utmost priority.
Who should actually make this switch?
At this point, you understand that LibreWolf is not one of those random browsers that you try out for fun. You should go with this option only if you are super serious about your privacy demands. It could be anti-fingerprinting, built-in ad blocking, or the lack of telemetry, but LibreWolf has you covered in all of these areas.
However, these things do not come for free. Enabling these features by default means you will lose some conveniences you are used to on the web. These conveniences happen at the cost of your privacy, so you get to decide which one you want.
