Firefox Nightly for Android to get full add-ons support
The Nightly version of the new Firefox web browser for Google's Android operating system will soon get full add-ons support according to a post by Mozilla's Add-ons Community Manager Caitlin Neiman on the official Mozilla Add-ons blog.
Mozilla launched a completely redesigned version of Firefox for Android in July 2020. The browser replaced the underlying engine with a Mozilla's new mobile browser engine GeckoView to improve web compatibility and performance of the browser.
Firefox users were migrated to the new version automatically, provided that the automatic update function was not disabled. One of the main issues that some users experienced after the upgrade was that add-ons support was limited.
Tip: check out our tips for the new Firefox for Android.
The new Firefox supported nine extensions, and not the thousands of extensions that were supported by the previous versions. While these were the most popular based on user installs, it meant that Firefox users noticed that all other extensions were disabled and could not be used anymore.
Mozilla did promise to bring full add-ons support to Firefox, and it appears that a first step is being made soon in that regard.
Neiman reveals that Firefox Nightly for Android will soon get full add-ons support. Full support means that users of the particular version may install any add-on that is available on the organization's official Mozilla AMO website. Not all extensions may work in Firefox for Android as some may rely on functionality only available in the desktop client.
Firefox Nightly is the cutting edge development version of the Firefox browser both on desktop and mobile. The first step is designed specifically for add-on developers who may use the Nightly version to test their extensions for compatibility and functionality. According to Neiman, Mozilla expects to integrate support in September 2020.
Mozilla unlocked two extensions in the current Nightly version that users may install from within the mobile browser directly. Video Background Play Fix and Google Search Fixer are useful extensions. The first fixes background play functionality on Android on some sites that prevent background play, the second overrides the user-agent string that the browser presents to Google Search to get the same search experience on Google Search that Chrome users get.
Neiman does not mention when (if) full add-ons support will reach the stable version of Firefox for Android. She states that Mozilla's "plans for add-ons support on release have not been solidified beyond" what has been mentioned in the post. In other words: Nightly will get full add-ons support, stable will get some recommended extensions added. (via Sören Hentzschel)
People who are unhappy with the lack of customization options, tab layout, and assorted other issues with the new version of Firefox for Android may want to checkout it’s fork, Iceweasel for Android, which aims to be more customizable and fixes various issues people have with Firefox these days while retaining the good parts:
https://github.com/fork-maintainers/iceweasel/releases
Iceweasel is a fork of Fenix Firefox, but has the heart of Fennec Firefox.
And it has long had access to extensions- not just the Fenix Nine, everything users have requests that works with Fenix APIs.
Good, wish they brought back about:config to the stable version as well.
@Kwasiarz
If they wanted to grant you access to about:config, they would have.
Well, if not for the big blowback we would probably get shit. Sometimes it’s good to be whiny.
@ Benjamin:
> I am still using a Firefox 68.x Version
That sounds pretty stupid to me, you do know many updates patch security issues, don’t you? But whatever floats your boat.
@ All:
I just want about:config to work like it does on my PCs, AND I wish I could use my custom “syspref.js” file currently located at /etc/firefox/ on my PCs.
Full add-on support is a good first step. They also should fix the numerous “new tab” related bugs that came with the revamped Firefox for Android.
Well thats one way to distract from release versions no longer having full add-ons or tweaks – a whole bunch of PR to say nothing has changed please keep putting up with it. Using Alpha( nightly ) or beta versions of crashy software is dangerous and silly.
Snap out of it and pick a better option people, it takes 2 minutes! You can always check back in a year if things are fixed.
I am still using a Firefox 68.x Version on my Android and disabled uodates on that one.
I simply can not get used to the new tab design, those are like having disappeared and need some extra clicks for every tab i want access to.
I prefer to have to scroll a tab bar left right. up down to get to my already open tabs.
I can not use my addons
I do not like to have to enter the OS password to get to my logons and passwords.
I have the impression that there are some mighty not so friendly forces at work to create an internet not really free nor democratic anymore.
Similar unfriendly forces who eagerly work behind the scenes to abandon cash, to make it outright illegal to use higher amounts and use privately controlled electronic means instead.
Freedom and free choice are a tender thing to have. The very moment one hinders them they are usually gone for a long time.
I feel ya, perhaps you can log bugs/feedback/suggestions through github. If many people have raise the same concerns, they might make changes.
Not to mention the tons of one star ratings, because they completely lost track why users are using Firefox instead of Chrome. Also integrating the Adguard-cert in the new Firefox browser is a pain in the back – even for experienced users. See the new page for installing certs at the Adguard homepage.
The culprit:
Easy installing if the cert is in the user store. But having it there means, you can’t block every other ads in other apps.
Harder installing via ADB if you have the cert moved via Magisk to the system store. If you don’t do it, every site with https will throw an error.
I have moved it to the system with Magisk, because blocking ads in all apps is more important than just in Firefox. And no: Since I’ve chosen it to do this way, I have to go step by step via ADB to get Firefox working like it should again.
So let’s summarize it:
• Not all addons (currently)
• Hard way if you want to block ads in every app via moved certs to the system
I’ve chosen Yandex for now and will switch over to Kiwi, since it’s now open source and not abandoned (see Github and Discord). Yadda Yadda privacy yadda yadda. I don’t care in this case. No social media whatsoever.
That’s Good news
I hope I’ll again be able to side-load AddOns on Adroid
– so I can demo my own work in my favourite browser
while out and about.
Why firefox for android doesn’t have pull to refresh page? It’s so simple
they implement it, but they remove it because a performance regression
I know, I hope it gets that soon.