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Waterfox’s Bookmarks toolbar gives you quick access to often-used bookmarks. This article describes how to use the Bookmarks toolbar and how to hide it. For more information on bookmarks, see the Bookmarks in Waterfox article. Show or hide the Bookmarks toolbar To show or hide the Bookmarks toolbar: Click the menu button and choose Customize…. Click the Toolbars button at the bottom of the screen. Click Bookmarks Toolbar to select it. To turn off the toolbar, remove the check mark next to it. Click Done. Tip : Another way to show or hide the Bookmarks Toolbar is to right-click a blank spot on the Tab bar at the top of the Waterfox window, find Bookmarks Toolbar in the context menu and choose your preferred setting. Add bookmarks to the Bookmarks toolbar Go to the page you want to add to the Bookmarks toolbar. In the address bar, click and drag the icon onto the Bookmarks toolbar. Re-order bookmarks on the Bookmarks toolbar To change the p...

Windows in S mode does not allow installation of apps from outside of the Microsoft Store, so you will not be able to install Waterfox from Waterfox’s website. Although Waterfox is available from the Microsoft Store, it does not work on Windows in S mode and installation is currently disabled. To install Waterfox, you must switch out of Windows S mode . To learn more, see the Windows 10 and Windows 11 in S mode FAQ at Microsoft Support. Afterwards, visit Waterfox’s Waterfox download page or the Microsoft Store to install Waterfox. For more information, see How to install Waterfox on Windows and Download Waterfox on Windows from the Microsoft Store . Windows 10 support will end in October 2025 After October 14, 2025, Microsoft will no longer provide free software updates from Windows Update, technical assistance, or security fixes for Windows 10. Your PC will still work, but we recommend upgrading to Windows 11. More information Windows 10 in S mode is designed for secu...

In certain versions of Windows 10, you may receive a notification with a warning about Microsoft-verified apps when you run the Waterfox installer. Any copy of Waterfox downloaded from www.waterfox.net is safe to install , so choose “ Install anyway ”. Note You can also download and install Waterfox from the Microsoft Store . Using Windows 10 in S mode? See Windows in S mode won’t let me install Waterfox . If you do not see the option to “ Install anyway ”, follow the steps below to change your system settings. Open the Windows 10 start menu and select Settings . Click on Apps in the Windows Settings menu. In the Apps & features section go to Choose where to get apps , click on the dropdown menu below and select one of the options that allows you to install from Anywhere . Run the Waterfox Installer again. Your Windows may now allow it to install Waterfox.

If Waterfox starts up without your bookmarks, passwords, saved tabs and other settings, check whether your data is available in a different profile . This can happen because Waterfox creates a dedicated profile for each Waterfox installation . To recover your Waterfox data and settings from another profile: Type about:profiles into the Waterfox address bar and press the Enter key. This will open the About Profiles page. This page should list at least one profile and could list many. The profile that Waterfox is currently using will have this: This is the profile in use and it cannot be deleted. Please do not delete any profiles. Don’t use any Remove buttons. If you have another profile listed on this page, it may contain your missing profile data. You can click the Launch profile in new browser button to open another Waterfox window using that profile. If the other profile doesn’t contain your missing data, simply close that new window. If it does contain the missing data,...

Note If you installed Waterfox from the Microsoft Store , then you will receive Waterfox updates through the Microsoft Store. This article only applies if you installed Waterfox by downloading it from Waterfox. To check for Waterfox updates on the Microsoft Store, see this Microsoft article . Note If you use your Linux distribution’s packaged version of Waterfox, you will need to wait for an updated package to be released to its package repository. This article only applies if you installed Waterfox manually (without using your distribution’s package manager). Waterfox updates automatically by default, but you can always check for updates at any time. Update Waterfox Windows and Linux: Click the menu button at the right side of the Waterfox toolbar, go to Help, and select About Waterfox. macOS: In the menu bar, open the Waterfox menu and choose About Waterfox. The About Waterfox window will open. Waterfox will check for updates automatically. If an update is avai...

A Waterfox profile stores all of your important data, such as your bookmarks, history, cookies, and passwords. This article explains how to copy the files to a new profile, lists important files in the profile and describes what information is stored in these files. To sync and share data among multiple profiles and devices, see How do I set up Sync on my computer? . To switch to another profile to recover missing data and settings, see Recover user data missing after Waterfox update . Note Because your preferences and extensions often cause problems, this article does not explain how to copy these between profiles. If you follow the steps in this article, you will have to reinstall your extensions and reconfigure your Waterfox preferences. Back up your current profile Before starting it is recommended that you make a complete backup of your existing Waterfox profile in case something goes wrong. Please read the Back up and restore information in Waterfox profiles ...

All of the changes you make in Waterfox, such as your home page, what toolbars you use, extensions you have installed, saved passwords and your bookmarks, are stored in a special folder called a profile . Your profile folder is stored in a separate place from the Waterfox program so that, if something ever goes wrong with Waterfox, your information will still be there. It also means that you can uninstall Waterfox without losing your settings and you don’t have to reinstall Waterfox to clear your information or troubleshoot a problem. How do I find my profile? Click the menu button , click Help and select Troubleshooting Information. The Troubleshooting Information tab will open. Under the Application Basics section next to Profile Folder , click Open Folder. Your profile folder will open. Note If you are unable to open or use Waterfox, follow the instructions in Finding your profile without opening Waterfox . Finding your profile without opening Waterfox ...

  Profiles keep your Waterfox data separate (bookmarks, passwords, settings, and extensions). Use the Profile Manager to create, rename, remove, or switch profiles. About profiles Each profile has its own data and settings. Multiple profiles let you separate work and personal browsing or test changes safely. Waterfox uses a dedicated profile per installation . Switching channels or downgrading creates or requires a different profile to protect your data. Open the Profile Manager Option A — From about:profiles Type about:profiles in the address bar and press Enter. The About Profiles page opens. Click Create a New Profile to add one. Use the Launch profile in new browser button to open another profile. Option B — Command line (Waterfox closed) Windows: Press Windows+R, type waterfox.exe -P and press Enter. macOS: Quit Waterfox, open Terminal, run /Applications/Waterfox.app/Contents/MacOS/waterfox -P . Linux: Quit Waterfox, run waterfox -...

This article only applies to Linux. For instructions to install Waterfox on Windows, see How to install Waterfox on Windows . Install from your distribution package manager (Recommended) To install Waterfox using your distribution package manager, please refer to your Linux distribution’s documentation. This method is recommended because it ensures Waterfox and all the required libraries are installed and configured optimally for your distribution. However, there may be a small delay between the official release of a new version of Waterfox and the moment when your distribution updates the version it distributes. Your distribution may also distribute it without the Waterfox branding. Install from Flatpak To install Waterfox from Flatpak, install and configure Flatpak on your computer. Once Flatpak is installed, go to the Waterfox Flathub’s page and click the Install button. Alternatively, you can type the following command in a terminal: flatpak install flathub net.wat...

Caution Waterfox now includes downgrade protection to prevent corruption of user profile data . If you install an older version, you’ll be prompted to create a new Waterfox profile. If there is a problem with a new version of Waterfox, some people may want to downgrade Waterfox to a previous version but we do not recommend this. The latest Waterfox version includes security updates so downgrading to an older version leaves you more vulnerable to attacks and usually doesn’t fix the problem. This article gives you some alternatives to downgrading and links to older versions of Waterfox if you do choose to downgrade. Unwanted features in the new Waterfox version If you dislike new features in the latest version of Waterfox, your first reaction might be to go back to the previous version. Rather than downgrading, try getting used to the new features or ask a question on the support forum, to see if there is a workaround or a way to restore the old behavior without downgrading Wa...

Note This article only applies to Mac. Waterfox allows you to easily and safely import data from other browsers , such as bookmarks, browsing history, and custom preferences. This article explains how to allow Waterfox full disk access to your computer, so that you can import data into Waterfox from your Safari browser on macOS 10.14 (Mojave) or higher. Starting in moder Waterfox versions , full disk access is only required on macOS 10.14 ( bug 1493103 ). Before importing: Enable full disk access for the necessary Waterfox applications If you’re using a Mac and running macOS version 10.14 or higher, please be sure to enable full disk access for the necessary Waterfox applications, before importing data. Note Quit Safari and the Waterfox applications that you’re enabling full disk access for, prior to performing the steps below. Otherwise, these changes won’t take effect until these applications have been terminated. To enable full disk access for the necessary Waterfo...

c You can import bookmarks, passwords, browsing history, cookies, and more into Waterfox from other browsers such as Chrome, Edge, Safari, and Internet Explorer. You can do this during first-run or any time later from Waterfox settings. If you use a Mozilla account with Waterfox on multiple devices, you can also sync data instead of importing. See Set up Sync on your computer . What you can import Depending on the source browser and platform, Waterfox can import: Bookmarks/Favorites Browsing history Saved passwords Cookies (session-related site data) Other data the source browser supports exporting Extensions from Google Chrome (when compatible; see below) Notes: The exact list of importable items depends on the source browser and may vary by platform. Some browsers restrict access to certain data or profiles while they are running; close the other browser before importing. Import during setup When you first install Waterfox, you ma...

It’s often important to know what version of Waterfox you are using, to help you troubleshoot a problem or just to know if Waterfox is up to date. Here is how you can find out. Click the menu button , click Help and select About Waterfox. The About Waterfox window will appear. The version number is listed underneath the Waterfox name. Here is an example of what the About Waterfox window will look like: Opening the About Waterfox window will, by default, start an update check. If an updated version of Waterfox is available, it will be automatically downloaded. For more information, see Update Waterfox to the latest release . Tip You can also find your Waterfox version on the Troubleshooting Information (about:support) page. Your Waterfox version is listed underneath the Application Basics section of the page. Source

Waterfox disables background updates on Windows. Updates are checked for and installed only when Waterfox is open. How to update Waterfox on Windows Click the menu button at the right side of the Waterfox toolbar, go to Help, and select About Waterfox. Waterfox will check for updates automatically. If an update is available, it will be downloaded. When the download is complete, click Restart to update Waterfox. Background updates are disabled in Waterfox Background updates are not available by design. Waterfox will update only when the browser is open. Source

Waterfox stores your personal data, such as bookmarks, passwords, and extensions, in a profile folder on your computer, in a location separate from the Waterfox program. This article explains how to back up your profile, restore it, or move your profile to a new location or computer. Note The Refresh Waterfox feature creates an Old Waterfox Data folder on your desktop, which contains a backup of your old profile folder and its contents. If you recently refreshed Waterfox and still have this folder, you already have a complete profile backup. To restore or move selected information instead of the entire profile, see Recovering important data from an old profile . Just Bookmarks? For backing up, restoring, or moving your bookmarks (not other data), see Restore bookmarks from backup or move them to another computer . Locate your profile folder Click the menu button , click Help and select Troubleshooting Information. The Troubleshooting Information tab will op...

If you want to back up your saved usernames and passwords or move them to a different application, the Waterfox password management feature allows you to export this data to a .csv (comma separated values) file. Caution Your passwords in the exported file will not be encrypted and will be in a readable form to anyone who can view this file. Do not upload online, email or share the exported file. Delete this file when finished. You can also import login data from another browser . Export usernames and passwords Click the menu button to open the menu panel. Click Logins and Passwords. The Waterfox about:logins page will open in a new tab. Click the logins menu icon (three dots), then click Export Logins…. A dialog box will appear to remind you that passwords are saved as readable text. Click the Export… button to continue. You may be prompted to enter your Primary Password , if enabled, when accessing stored passwords. You can choose t...

This article describes Waterfox Options related to how tabs work . To review or change tab settings: Click the menu button and select Settings. Select the General panel and go to the Tabs section. Ctrl+Tab cycles through tabs in recently used order: Select this setting if you want to use the Ctrl + Tab keyboard shortcut to switch through open tabs in the order you viewed them rather than in the order they appear in the Waterfox window. This is the default setting in new Waterfox profiles. Note If you want to use Ctrl + Tab to switch to the tab next to the current tab and Ctrl + Shift + Tab to switch to the previous tab, deselect this setting (clear the checkbox). Open links in tabs instead of new windows: 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 pag...

Your bookmarks Library contains a folder called “ Other Bookmarks ”. (To learn more, see the Bookmarks in Waterfox article.) An Other Bookmarks folder will appear at the end of the Bookmarks toolbar if the “ Other Bookmarks ” folder in your Library contains any bookmarks. This is done to make it easier to find bookmarks stored in this folder. If you’d like to remove the Other Bookmarks folder from the Bookmarks toolbar, use these instructions: Right-click on a blank spot in the Bookmarks toolbar (or on the Other Bookmarks folder icon) to open the context menu. Click on the Show Other Bookmarks menu item to remove the check mark. source

Many streaming videos rely on the H.264 codec in order to work. Because of licensing restrictions, H.264 is not available for open source software like Waterfox. Instead, Waterfox uses its open source alternative, OpenH264 , to support video calls. OpenH264 is released in collaboration with Cisco and Waterfox. It is automatically installed by Waterfox on your Waterfox browser to enable video calls with devices that require the H.264 codec. Source

Add-ons allow you to add extra features and functionality to Waterfox. If you need help installing add-ons, see Find and install add-ons to add features to Waterfox. For fixes and new features, keep your add-ons up to date. Here’s how to update your add-ons. Updating add-ons Click the menu button , click Add-ons and Themes and select Extensions. Click the gear icon in the upper-right area of the Extensions panel. Choose one of the options below: Check for Updates: Allows you to check for any updates to your add-ons manually. If there is an update available, you have the option to choose to update it now or later. View Recent Updates: When you click this option, a Recent Updates panel appears on the left, showing your last updated add-ons. Update Add-ons Automatically: If you want to keep your add-ons up to date, select this option to let them update automatically. Reset All Add-ons to Update Automatically: If any add-ons have been set to update m...

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Extensions are a type of Waterfox add-on. This article describes how to find, install and manage extensions in Waterfox. What are extensions? Extensions are Waterfox add-ons that provide additional functionality to Waterfox. People all over the world have developed thousands of extensions for Waterfox. There are extensions that allow you to block advertisements, download videos from websites, integrate more closely with websites like Facebook or Twitter, and add features you see in other browsers. How to install extensions Click the menu button , click Add-ons and Themes and select Get Add-ons. You can also search for specific extensions by using the search box at the top. After finding an extension, click on the ‘Add to Firefox’ button. Waterfox will download the requested extension and may ask you to confirm that you want to install it. Managing extensions How to change extension settings Some extensions have settings you can change....

Waterfox includes privacy-preserving, on-device translation so you can read pages written in other languages without sending page content to external services. You can translate full pages or just selected text, control when prompts appear, and manage language preferences. Translate an entire page When you visit a page in a language different from your Waterfox interface language, Waterfox can offer to translate it. If a translation prompt appears, choose the language you want to translate into and click Translate. If you don’t see a prompt: Look for a translation option in the address bar or page controls. Click Translate page, then choose your target language. Tips: Waterfox usually detects the page language automatically. You can change the detected language in the panel if it’s incorrect. The original page language and the translation target are remembered for the current tab until you reload or close it. Translate selected te...

Waterfox Suggest shows helpful suggestions in the address bar (the Awesome Bar) as you type. These can include quick links to popular or relevant sites, content from trusted partners (“Sponsored” suggestions), and suggestions based on your browsing data already stored in Waterfox. You control which suggestions appear and can turn them off at any time. What is Waterfox Suggest? Waterfox Suggest enhances the address bar by surfacing suggestions related to what you type. It may include: Suggestions from your history, bookmarks, and open tabs (built-in address bar features). Non-sponsored suggestions that help you discover content faster. Sponsored suggestions from trusted partners, clearly labeled as “Sponsored.” Learn more about autocomplete and address bar behavior: Use the Awesome Bar to search tabs, bookmarks, history, and more Address bar autocomplete suggestions in Waterfox Search suggestions in Waterfox How do I turn...