about:config tweaks to enhance Mozilla Firefox. Files are updated as needed for your user.js.

If you want a secure, blazing fast browsing experience, and don't want to deal with breakage, this setup is for you. The objective is to make the defaults sufficient enough for the average privacy-minded user, but remain trouble-free enough that my grandmother could use it. (That puts a whole new twist on being a foxy grandma!) Edit: Sorry for the dad joke 😓

1. Minimalism: get what isn't needed out of the way
2. Efficiency: unleash Firefox's ability to be fast and performant
3. Security: sensible privacy and security without causing site breakage

💡 Securefox, Peskyfox, Fastfox, and Smoothfox are guides to relevant prefs in Firefox. The user.js is curated from the prefs located in these documents, so just because a pref is in one of the guides doesn't mean it is included in the final document, the user.js. Please use the descriptions and references as a guide for the prefs in Firefox, and open a feature request if you think one can be improved upon.

The guiding principle is: "If it breaks it, it doesn't make it!" So things like WebGL and DRM are still enabled, and you won't find a setting like privacy.resistFingerprinting mentioned here (why?). Betterfox is designed to set-and-forget, not to troubleshoot and tinker. You can compare different user.js files here.

Betterfox was created with a less is more mentality (i.e., keeping in mind the law of diminishing returns). Most repos I've encountered have niche privacy and security concerns with little regard for speed, annoyances, or mainstream use. The average user doesn't need all prefs altered to get the results they want.

If you use any of the features below, please view the common overrides sticky to restore functionality.

• Google Safe Browsing (GSB) is disabled. We recommend use DNS-level protection like NextDNS, so check out our configuration guide here. If you have no other form of protection, then please re-enable GSB.
• The native password manager is also disabled. If you don't use something like KeePass, Bitwarden, or 1Password, then re-enable Firefox's password management.
• Firefox Sync and Firefox View are disabled.
• Site notifications are disabled.
• Location requests are rejected.
• Embedded tweets, instagram, and reddit posts load on webpages, even though these requests are usually blocked when using Firefox's Strict Enhanced Tracking Protection.
  • Advanced users: We suggest that you selectively allow these requests in uBlock Origin with medium mode enabled + add the Privacy Essentials filter to your custom lists.
• Since Firefox implemented state and network partitioning, it is recommended but no longer necessary to clear browsing data after every session.
• If your threat level calls for anonymity and not just reasonable privacy,¹ please use the TOR browser.

User comments: 1 2 3 4

• Pulse Browser | files
• Ghostery Dawn | files
  • Betterfox adopted into Ghostery Dawn (Feb 2021)¹

• FMHY Browser Tools: Privacy Hardened Firefox
• Firefox-UI-Fix
• Narsil/desktop_user.js
• pyllyukko/user.js comparator

• GhoSTORIES with Franz & Pete, S2|E6, 17:05-18:40

• Ghostery desktop browser
  • Fingerprinting protection: Betterfox and arkenfox (somewhat outdated)
• Orion Browser
• Kagi Search Engine

• Many thanks to the Firefox team and to the people working on Bugzilla, fighting for the open web.
• This repository benefits from the research provided by arkenfox. While Betterfox does not use their user.js, we attempt to maintain parity with it.

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23 July 2022