Mozilla announced the release of the new version of Firefox 131, which introduces several new features that improve the user experience, privacy, and also the work for developers by introducing various improvements.
The new Firefox version 131 fixes 24 vulnerabilities , 18 of which are classified as critical . Among these are 14 flaws related to memory issues, such as buffer overflows and access to already freed memory areas.
What's new in Firefox 131?
In this new version of Firefox 131, it is now possible to grant temporary permissions to websites , such as location access, which expire automatically when the tab is closed or after one hour.
Another new feature is that hovering over tab buttons displays page thumbnails , making it easier to identify content without having to navigate through multiple tabs with similar titles. Additionally, pressing Shift + Enter or Shift + Click on an empty search bar will open the homepage of the search engine being used.
Furthermore, Firefox 131 introduces support for the "Text Snippets" mechanism, which is enabled by default, allowing you to create links that point to specific positions of text on a page, without needing to use <a name> tags.
Support for CHIPS (Partitioned State Cookies) is another improvement. This technology, developed by Google, allows cookies to be isolated based on the top-level domain using the "Partitioned" attribute. With this option, cookies from third-party sites, which would otherwise share data between different sites, are isolated.
Also noteworthy are the restrictions on cookies with the value "SameSite=None" , which can now be configured on sites using HTTPS. This means that cookies allowing insertions from third parties must use secure connections, strengthening privacy on sites that handle sensitive data.
In the Android version of Firefox, when a bookmark is saved, the same section used for the previous bookmark is now selected by default , improving the user experience. An option has also been added to the settings to enable protection against identification not associated with known trackers, available in advanced or custom protection mode. This strengthens measures against hidden tracking techniques.
Other notable changes include:
- The open tabs menu in the top right corner has changed its icon. Now, instead of a “V” sign, an icon with the image of a tab appears, improving visibility and access.
- The default language for translation is now set based on the user's previous preference, making the translation process more intuitive.
- The CSS property "inset-area" has been renamed to "position-area" following recommendations from the CSS Standards Working Group. This change adjusts the terminology for clarity when handling placement areas in layouts.
If you're interested in learning more, you can check out the release notes at the following link.
How to install Firefox on Linux?
If you're already a Firefox user, you should know that you can easily update to the latest version by accessing the settings menu. Those with automatic updates enabled don't need to worry, as they will receive the new version without any manual intervention.
Alternatively, if you prefer not to wait for the automatic update, you can do it manually by going to Menu > Help > About Firefox. This will open a window showing the installed version and, if the feature is enabled, it will check for available updates.
For users of Ubuntu, Linux Mint, and other Ubuntu derivatives, it's also possible to update Firefox via the official PPA . To do so, open a terminal and enter the following commands:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-mozilla-security/ppa -y sudo apt-get update sudo apt install firefox
Another available installation option is via Flatpak. To use this method, you need to have Flatpak support on your system. Once enabled, you can install Firefox by running the following command in the terminal:
flatpak install flathub org.mozilla.firefox
As for those who already have the browser installed, it is enough to execute the following command to not only update Firefox, but also all its applications that are in Flatpak format:
flatpack update
In the case of those who prefer the use of Snap, the installation of the browser can be done by typing the following command:
sudo snap install firefox
And to update the applications that we have installed in Snap format, just type the following in the terminal:
sudo snap refresh