The World of Windows

To answer this accurately, it helps to clear up a common distinction first: Steam and Windows aren't direct competitors—they exist on different levels. Windows is an operating system (OS). Steam is a digital storefront, community platform, and game launcher that runs on Windows (as well as Linux and macOS). Because virtually every game on Steam is built to run on Windows, Windows as an overall platform naturally has every Steam game, plus thousands more available through other storefronts (like Epic Games Store, GOG, itch.io, or standalone launchers like Riot/Battle.net). However, if we compare the Steam Store directly against Microsoft’s built-in Windows gaming ecosystem (the Microsoft Store & PC Game Pass) , the dynamic becomes much more interesting. 1. Quantity: Steam is the Undisputed Heavyweight When comparing catalog sizes directly between stores, Steam overwhelmingly dominates Microsoft's native storefront. Steam Sto...

Windows 11 marks a bold new era for Microsoft, defined by deep integration of artificial intelligence, a redesigned user experience, and a vision of the operating system as a true “AI canvas.” Key Highlights of Windows 11’s New Era AI at the Core Microsoft is embedding intelligence directly into the operating system, hardware, and silicon. This means features like Copilot integration , predictive security tools, and adaptive system behavior are now native to Windows 11. Reimagined Start Menu & AI Agent The Start menu has been redesigned to be more AI-driven , offering personalized recommendations and contextual shortcuts. A dedicated Windows AI agent acts as a companion across apps and workflows. Smart App Control Leveraging predictive AI, Windows 11 can determine which apps are safe to run, enhancing security without slowing down productivity. 40 Years of Windows, Future-Focused At Microsoft Ignite 2025, the company celebrate...

Comparing gaming on the Steam Deck (SteamOS / Linux via Proton) against Native Windows comes down to a core trade-off: SteamOS provides a optimized, low-overhead console experience , whereas Windows delivers universal compatibility with non-Steam ecosystems and anti-cheat software. 1. Performance: Efficiency vs. Overhead Because the Steam Deck operates on a custom low-power AMD APU (typically 15W TDP), operating system efficiency drastically impacts frame rates and battery life. Lower System Overhead: SteamOS runs a lightweight Linux environment without the background telemetry, indexing, and bloatware inherent to Windows 11. At lower wattage thresholds (9–15W), games running on SteamOS often match or slightly exceed Windows performance per watt. Pre-Compiled Shader Caches: On Windows, games frequently stutter when compiling graphics shaders on the fly (especially Unreal Engine titles). On SteamOS, Valve automatically pre-compiles shader caches for the S...

If you can’t access the Add-ons Manager or if the option to remove a certain add-on is disabled, you may need to uninstall it from Waterfox Troubleshoot Mode . Click the menu button , click Help, select Troubleshoot Mode… and click Restart in the Restart Waterfox in Troubleshoot Mode? dialog. Info You can also start Waterfox in Troubleshoot Mode by holding down the Shift key while starting Waterfox. 2. In the Waterfox Troubleshoot Mode dialog, click Open. Once Waterfox has started in Troubleshoot Mode, try removing the add-on again and then restarting Waterfox. Uninstalling add-ons from the Windows Control Panel Some add-ons are installed by other programs. You may be able to remove the add-on from the Windows Control Panel or Settings page. See Microsoft’s article, Windows 7 – How to properly uninstall programs . See this Microsoft Community post for more help. See Microsoft’s article, Repair or remove programs in Windows 10 . ...

Yes, many older PCs are likely to be excluded from upgrading to Windows 12, mainly because the expected minimum requirements are stricter than Windows 11, especially around RAM, CPU generation, and AI hardware support. What’s Changing with Windows 12 Requirements Higher RAM baseline: Windows 12 is expected to require at least 8GB of RAM , compared to Windows 11’s 4GB minimum. This alone will eliminate a large number of entry-level or older PCs. Newer CPUs only: Microsoft is expected to support newer processor generations than those required for Windows 11. Older Intel and AMD chips that barely qualified for Windows 11 may not make the cut. AI hardware tier: Windows 12 will likely introduce two requirement tiers : Basic tier for traditional use (similar to Windows 11). Advanced tier for AI features (Copilot+, local AI processing). This will require modern CPUs with NPUs (Neural Processing Units) ...

In Windows 12, Microsoft is moving towards a full, native integration of Copilot into the operating system kernel, transforming it into a proactive, contextual assistant rather than a separate application. Key features of this deeper integration include: Contextual and Proactive Assistance: Copilot no longer simply answers questions, but offers proactive assistance at any point in the user's workflow. It learns from your tasks and optimizes processes without you having to explicitly open the application. AI-Centric User Interface: The Windows 12 interface is being redesigned to be modular and AI-focused, with rumors that the traditional Start button could be replaced by a Copilot shortcut, making it the central orchestrator of the user experience. Full System Control: Copilot is expected to have the ability to interact with and control various operating system and application functions. This includes opening and resuming files, guiding the user through tasks in real...

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