Note: This is a temporary placeholder for the new Firefox 3 product help, which will be hosted on support.mozilla.com.
When you open Firefox, by default your home page is displayed. Your home page might be a commonly-visited web site, a search engine, or perhaps your email account, but the choice is up to you. You can change your home page or choose to display a different page or set of pages on startup in this section.
When Firefox starts
By default, when Firefox starts it opens your home page (listed in the
textbox immediately below), which corresponds to the Show my
home page option. Alternately, you can choose to display a
blank page on startup (perhaps to eliminate the time required to load
that page from the Internet) by selecting the Show a blank
page option.
As a final alternative, you can have Firefox reopen the windows and tabs you had open the last time you ran Firefox, effectively restoring you to where you were when you last stopped browsing the Internet. This can be a handy way of saving what you were doing when you close Firefox, perhaps to install an operating system update. You can choose this option by selecting Show my windows and tabs from last time.
Home Page
If you've set Firefox to show your home page when you start Firefox,
you specify your home page by typing it here. You can also click any of
the buttons below the textbox to choose a special home page:
This section contains options determining how Firefox downloads files.
Show the Downloads window when downloading a file
With this option
selected, Firefox will open the Downloads
window when you start downloading a file.
Close it when all downloads are finished
Select this option
to have Firefox close the Downloads window when all downloads currently
in progress finish.
Save files to
By default downloaded files are automatically saved to the Desktop,
eliminating the hassle of specifying a download location for every file
you download. You can choose a different folder by clicking the
button.
Always ask me where to save files
With this option
selected, Firefox will ask you where you would like to save every
downloaded file (instead of using the default location specified
above).
Manage Add-ons
To install or uninstall, update or configure add-ons, click the button to open
the Add-ons manager. This is also accessible from .
New pages should be opened in:
This option
controls whether links from other applications or from web pages which
request to open them in new windows are opened in a new window
or a new tab in the most recent window.
Note: If you have chosen to open pages in new tabs, Firefox will ignore this option and will open a new window from a link if the page author specified that the new window should have a specific size, because some pages can only be displayed correctly at a specific size.
Warn me when closing multiple tabs
When you close a window with multiple tabs, Firefox will ask you to
confirm your choice. This prevents you from accidentally closing the
whole window when you intended to only close the current tab. Uncheck
this option
to disable this warning and have Firefox automatically close the
window.
Warn me when opening multiple tabs might slow down
Firefox
When you open a large number of tabs at once, Firefox will ask you to
confirm your choice. This prevents you from accidentally slowing down
your system while the pages are loading. Uncheck this option
to disable this warning.
Always show the tab bar
If you're only viewing one web page in a Firefox window, the tab bar is
not normally shown. Check this option
to always show the tab bar, including when only the Firefox window
contains only one page.
When I open a link in a new tab, switch to it
immediately
When you middle-click on a Web link (or hold down Ctrl
while clicking with the left mouse button), the page will be opened in
a new tab. That page will not be displayed and will load in a
background tab. Check this option
to load and display the page in a new foreground tab instead.
Block Pop-up Windows
By default, Firefox blocks annoying pop-up windows on web sites.
Unchecking this option
will disable pop-up blocking.
Some web sites make legitimate use of pop-up windows. Therefore, you can allow these sites to open pop-ups anyway. To do so, click Exceptions…, enter the site name, and click Allow. To remove a web site from the list, select it and then click Remove Site. To clear the list completely, click Remove All Sites.
Load images automatically
Firefox displays images in web pages by default. Uncheck this option
to disable images in web pages.
If you enable loading images automatically, the button lets you select sites from which images will not automatically load. The button lets you specify web sites that you wish to load (or not load) regardless of the setting of this preference. In the exceptions list, enter the site from which you want to allow or block images and click Allow to allow images, or click Block to block the images.
Enable JavaScript
JavaScript is a scripting language commonly used to make web pages
interactive. However, it also makes certain annoying behaviors much
easier to perform. To disable JavaScript, uncheck this option.
However, note that disabling JavaScript may cause some sites to not
work properly. For more fine-grained control over what JavaScript can
and cannot do, click Advanced….
Scripts may not move or resize existing windows: Firefox will not allow scripts to move or resize existing windows. The button lets you specify web sites that you wish to allow to move or resize existing windows. In the exceptions list, enter the site from which you want to allow or block images and click Allow to allow that site to move or resize existing windows using scripts.
Enable Java
Java is a popular programming language for the Web. A single Java
program can run on many different kinds of computers, thus avoiding the
need for programmers to create a separate version of a program for each
kind of computer. Uncheck this option
to disable Java applets in Firefox. Note that in order for Java applets
to work, you must install the Java plugin.
Default font and Size
Web pages are usually displayed in the font and size specified here.
However, web pages can override these choices unless you specify
otherwise in the Fonts dialog. Click the button to
access the Fonts dialog and to change this and other fonts options.
Monospace
fonts.
You can also set the minimum web page font size. This is useful to prevent sites from use overly small fonts that are barely readable.
Allow pages to choose their own fonts, instead of my
selections above
By default Firefox uses the fonts specified by the web page author.
Disabling this option
will force all sites to use your default fonts instead.
Character Encoding
The character encoding selected here will be used to display pages that
do not specify which encoding to use.
Text and Background
Here you can change the default text and background color to be used on
web pages that haven't specified that information. Click on the color
samples to select colors.
Use system colors
Check this option
to use the colors defined in your operating system settings instead of
the colors specified above.
Link Colors
Here you can change the default colors for Web links. Click on the
color samples to select colors.
Underline links
By default, links are underlined on web pages. Uncheck this option
to disable this. Note that many sites specify their own styling rules
and this option
has no effect on those sites.
Allow pages to choose their own colors, instead of my
selections above
By default, Firefox uses the colors specified by the web page author.
Disabling this option
will force all sites to use your default colors instead.
Some web pages are offered in more than one language. Click the button to specify your preferred language or languages.
Languages Dialog
To add a language, click Select a language to add…,
choose the language, and click the button. Remove a language by
selecting it in the list of active languages and clicking the button. You can also
reorder languages using the and buttons to determine
the most preferred one in case a page is provided in multiple languages
.
The Applications panel lets you choose applications and other handlers to handle different types of content (e.g. PDF documents). It shows you a list of content types and lets you select a handler for each type.
You can choose a local application to handle any type. For some types, you can also choose a web application to handle the type, choose a feature (like Live Bookmarks for feeds) or a plugin in Firefox to handle the type, or save the type on your computer.
To choose a handler for a type, select the type from the list. The current handler for the type will turn into a menu. Open the menu and select the handler you want to handle the type.
Note: When a plugin is available to handle a type, and you choose another handler to handle that type, Firefox will only use your chosen handler when you access the type directly. When the type is embedded inside a web page, Firefox will continue to use the plugin to handle the type.
Keep my history for at least … days
Here you can specify how long you want Firefox to remember what pages
you have visited. The default is 9 days.
Remember what I enter in forms and the search bar
When you enter information in web forms or the search bar in Firefox,
that information is saved so that Firefox can give suggestions when you
enter information in forms in the future. To stop this behavior,
uncheck this option.
Remember what I've downloaded
This option
controls whether or not past downloads show up in the Downloads window.
The Downloads window (accessible from or by pressing Ctrl+J
)
displays a list of your recent downloads.
A cookie is a file created by a web site that stores information on your computer, such as site-specific preferences when visiting that site.
Accept cookies from sites
By default cookies are enabled. Uncheck this option
to disable the use of cookies. Note that some sites may not work
properly when cookies are disabled.
Keep until:
To control which sites may or may not set cookies, click the button.
To display the Cookie Manager click Show Cookies….
Always clear my private data when I close Firefox
You can choose to have Firefox clear your private data when you close
it. To configure what data is cleared, click the button.
Ask me before clearing private data
With this option
selected, Firefox will ask you before before automatically clearing the
data specified by clicking Settings….
If you wish to clear your private data right now, you can click the button to do so. To clear your private data from outside the preferences dialog, either press Ctrl+Shift+Del or select .
Warn me when sites try to install add-ons
Firefox will always ask you to confirm installations of add-ons. To
prevent unrequested installation prompts which may lead to accidental
installations, Firefox warns you when a web site tries to install an
add-on and blocks the installation prompt. To allow installations from
a specific site, click Exceptions…,
enter the site name, and click Allow. Uncheck this option
to disable the warning for all sites.
Tell me if the site I'm visiting is a suspected
attack site
Check this option
if you want Firefox to check whether the site you are visiting may be
an attempt to interfere with normal computer functions or send personal
data about you to unauthorized parties over the Internet.
Note that the absence of a warning does not guarantee that a site is
trustworthy.
Tell me if the site I'm visiting is a suspected
forgery
Check this option
if you want Firefox to actively check whether the site you are visiting
may be an attempt to mislead you into providing personal information
(this is often referred to as phishing).
Note that the absence of a warning does not guarantee that a site is
trustworthy. If you come across a "phishing" site which is not marked
as such, please report it using ,.
Remember passwords for sites
Firefox can securely save passwords you enter in web forms to make it
easier to log on to web sites. Clear this checkbox to prevent Firefox
from remembering your passwords.
Even with this option checked, however, you'll still be asked whether to save passwords for a site when you first visit it. If you select Never for This Site, that site will be added to an exceptions list. To access that list or to remove sites from it, click the button.
Use a master password
Firefox can protect sensitive information such as saved passwords and
certificates by encrypting them using a master
password. If you create a master password, each time you
start Firefox, it will ask you to enter the password the first time it
needs to access a certificate or stored password. You can set, change,
or remove the master password by by checking or unchecking this option
or by clicking the
button. If a master password is already set, you will need to enter it
in order to change or remove the master password.
Saved Passwords…
You can manage saved passwords and delete individual passwords by
clicking the button.
Click the button to configure the security warnings Firefox displays while you browse the web.
I am about to view an encrypted page: When
this option
is enabled, Firefox will notify you every time you are about to view an
encrypted page.
I am about to view a page that uses low-grade encryption:
With this option
enabled, Firefox will warn you when you visit a page which uses
low-grade encryption.
I leave an encrypted page for one that isn't encrypted:
With this option
enabled, Firefox will warn you every time you move from an encrypted
page to an unencrypted page either by selecting a link on the page,
selecting a bookmark or typing a new address into the location bar.
I submit information that's not encrypted: When this
option
is enabled, Firefox will warn you when you submit data via a form
that's not encrypted.
I'm about to view an encrypted page that contains some
unencrypted information: With this option
enabled, Firefox will warn you when the page you're viewing contains a
mixture of encrypted and unencrypted content. If an encrypted page
contains unencrypted data, you should verify the identity of the page
you're viewing prior to entering sensitive data.
The advanced panel contains many options that are less likely to be used by most people but are useful and sometimes critical options for some people.
Always use the cursor keys to navigate within pages
When this option
is enabled, Firefox will display a movable cursor in web pages,
allowing you to select text with the keyboard. You can toggle this mode
by pressing F7.
Search for text when I start typing
When this option
is enabled, Firefox will find within the current web page what you type
as you type it. While you are finding typed text in the page, the Find
Toolbar will automatically display at the bottom of the window to show
information about what you've found.
Warn me when web sites try to redirect or reload the
page
When this option
is enabled, Firefox will prevent web sites from redirecting you to
another page, or automatically reloading.
Use autoscrolling
Autoscrolling is a useful feature which allows you to scroll the page
by clicking the middle mouse button (usually the scroll wheel) and
moving the mouse up or down. Some people find this annoying, so
autoscrolling can be disabled with this option.
Use smooth scrolling
Smooth scrolling can be very useful if you read a lot of long pages.
Normally, when you press Page
Down, the view jumps directly down one page. With smooth
scrolling, it slides down smoothly, so you can see how much it scrolls.
This makes it easier to resume reading from where you were before.
Check my spelling as I type
When this preference is enabled, Firefox will check your spelling and
offer possible corrections as you type in web forms. Note that you may
need to download a dictionary; to do so, right-click on any text field, enable spellchecking if
necessary, and then use the provided menu to download a
dictionary.
Always check to see if Firefox is the default browser
on startup
Select this option if you want Firefox to check whether it is the
default browser at startup. This will ensure Firefox is used whenever
an application tries to display a web page. You can also click the button to do a check
right now.
Your organization or Internet service provider may offer or require you to use a proxy. A proxy acts as an intermediary between your computer and the Internet. It intercepts all requests to the Internet to see if it can fulfill the request using its cache. Proxies are used to improve performance, filter requests, and hide your computer from the Internet to improve security. Proxies are often part of corporate firewalls.
Manual proxy configuration: Choose this if
you don't have a proxy location (URL). Ask your system administrator
for the names and port numbers of the servers running proxy software
for each network service and enter the information in the appropriate
fields.
Automatic proxy configuration URL: If your workplace
has a proxy configuration file, ask the system administrator for its
URL and enter it here. Click Reload to load the
settings.
Pages you view are normally stored in a special cache folder for quicker viewing the next time you visit the same page. You can specify the amount of disk space the cache can use here. You can also immediately clear the contents of the cache.
Use up to … MB of space for the cache
Allows you to specify the maximum size, in megabytes, of the cache on
your computer.
Clear Now
Immediately clears the current contents of the cache, freeing the disk
space used by the cache.
Firefox can check whether updates to installed add-ons or to Firefox itself are available.
Automatically check for updates to:
By default Firefox automatically checks for updates to itself, to
add-ons, and to search engines so you'll always know you have the most
up-to-date version. You can change this behavior by changing the
appropriate checkboxes here.
When updates to Firefox are found,
Ask me what I want to do: Updates to
Firefox are installed automatically by default. Select this option
to manually control how and when updates are installed.
Automatically download and install the update: When
this option
is selected, Firefox updates will be automatically downloaded and will
be installed the next time Firefox is restarted. The Warn me
if this will disable any of my add-ons option
determines whether you will be warned before the installation of an
update which would require an incompatible add-on to be disabled
because no newer, compatible version exists. The warning will allow you
to postpone installation of the update, though at the expense of
improvements included in it.
If all extensions and themes are compatible or can be updated to be
compatible, the Firefox update will be installed. Upon restart you will
be asked to install any needed add-on updates so that you can continue
to use them.
Firefox automatically records the updates you have installed. You can
view information about these updates by clicking this button.
Note: You must be running Firefox as an administrator or as the user who originally installed Firefox to install Firefox updates.
Use SSL 3.0
Specifies whether you want to send and receive secured information
through SSL3 (Secure Sockets Layer, Level 3), a standard protocol for
communicating securely with web sites. Disabling it will prevent you
from visiting some sites.
Use TLS 1.0
Specifies whether you want to send and receive secured information
through TLS (Transport Layer Security), a security standard similar to
SSL3 (Secure Sockets Layer). Disabling it will prevent you from
visiting some sites.
Certificates help perform encryption and decryption of connections to secure sites.
When a server requests my personal certificate:
Some servers ask you to identify yourself with a personal certificate.
In order to do so, they ask Firefox to generate one for you. When you
visit the site in the future, Firefox selects the certificate without
asking you by default. If you wish to manually choose a certificate
(for example, if you have multiple certificates stored for multiple web
sites), select the Ask me every time option
and you'll be in complete control of what certificates are being sent
to web sites while browsing.
Click this button to view stored certificates, import new certificates,
and back up or delete old certificates in Firefox.
Firefox can use Certificate Revocation Lists (also known as CRLs) to
ensure that your certificates are always valid. Click the Revocation
Lists button to manage the CRLs installed on your computer.
Firefox may ask an OCSP (Online Certificate Status Protocol) server to
confirm that a certificate is still valid. By default, Firefox
validates a certificate if the certificate provides an OCSP server.
Alternately, you can choose an OCSP server against which to validate
all certificates. Click the button to manage
these options.
You will most likely only need to change this if your Internet
environment requires it.
Security devices can encrypt and decrypt connections and store certificates and passwords. If you need to use a security device other than the one in Firefox, click the button.
The Meta field displays any "meta" tags located in the page's source code. These can include specifications on file type, character encoding, author, keywords, and more.
Displays general information one whether the site uses certificates to validate its identity and whether the connection is encrypted.
The Media panel displays the URL and type of all the backgrounds, images, and embedded content (including audo and video) that loads with the page. You can click on any item to find out more about it, including its:
For any item, you can choose to save it to your hard drive by clicking the button.
Checking this option will prevent pages under the domain specified from loading images automatically.
The feeds panel lists URL and type of any web feeds associate with the page. To subscribe to a listed feed, click on it in the list, then click the button.
The Permissions window lets you override options for the domain listed after Permissions for. Uncheck the Use Default box to specify whether the page is allowed or blocked from doing the indicated action.
Specifies whether the listed domain may load images automatically.
Specifies whether the listed domain may launch pop-ups.
Specifies whether the listed domain may set cookies.
Specifies whether the listed domain is allowed to launch the extension or theme installation dialog box.
The Technical Details section displays whether the connection is encrypted for privacy reasons, and if so, what type or strength of encryption was used.
| Internet Explorer | Firefox |
| Internet Options | Options |
| Temporary Internet Files | Cache |
| Favorites | Bookmarks |
| Address Bar | Location Bar |
| Refresh | Reload |
| Links Bar | Bookmarks Toolbar |
| Copy Shortcut | Copy Link Location |
| Save Target As | Save Link As |
When you first install Firefox, it will import your existing Internet Explorer settings, including your Favorites, cookies, stored passwords, and a variety of other data. This saves you time customizing Firefox to fit your needs.