Firefox 156.0.1 for Android

Firefox 156.0.1 for Android is Mozilla's free and open-source web browser for phones and tablets, and you can download it from Google Play. It brings Firefox's privacy defaults and its own browser engine to Android, and it syncs bookmarks, passwords and open tabs with Firefox on your computer.

Specifications

What makes Firefox different on Android

Most Android browsers are built on the same engine. Firefox is not: it uses Mozilla's own, which keeps the web from depending on a single company and gives Firefox room to make its own choices about privacy. On the phone that shows up as tracking protection that works from the moment you open the app, private tabs that forget everything when you close them, and support for add-ons, something many mobile browsers lack. Add-ons let you block ads, switch to dark mode on every site or manage passwords with your preferred service. The address bar sits at the bottom or the top, as you prefer, which matters on tall phones. People pick Firefox on Android when they already use it on a computer, when they want extensions on their phone, or simply when they prefer a browser from a non-profit-backed organisation.

How to install

1. Open Google Play and search for Firefox.
2. Check that the developer is Mozilla and tap Install.
3. Open Firefox and, if you like, set it as your default browser.
4. Sign in with a Mozilla account to sync with Firefox on your computer.

The official site, firefox.com, links to all versions, and the source code is on GitHub.

Requirements

Google Play decides compatibility and offers the app only to supported phones. Mozilla's published system requirements for this release cover the desktop versions.

Settings worth a minute

Move the address bar to the position that suits your thumb, install one content blocker from the official catalogue, and send tabs between phone and computer instead of emailing links to yourself. If a site misbehaves, turning off tracking protection for that site alone usually fixes it.

Privacy and safety

Install Firefox only from Google Play or via firefox.com. In the settings you can make tracking protection stricter, delete browsing data on exit and review site permissions. Add-ons should come from Mozilla's official catalogue, and it is worth checking the permissions each one requests.

Price

Firefox is free, with no paid tier.

Pros and cons

• Pro: supports add-ons on mobile.
• Pro: strong privacy defaults and an independent engine.
• Con: a few sites are optimised mainly for other browsers.
• Con: sync requires a separate Mozilla account.

Alternatives

Google Chrome, Brave Browser, Opera, Microsoft Edge and Samsung Internet Browser are Android browsers in the same category.