Mozilla Firefox 85 to Allow Easy Installation of Extensions on Android

Mozilla is making it easier for Firefox users on Android to install supported extensions. Until now, mobile users could only install extensions from the Add-ons Manager, that Mozilla said tended to cause confusion for those accustomed to the desktop installation process. Starting with Firefox 85, set to will release on January 25, Firefox users on Android will be able to install supported recommended extensions directly from the addons.mozilla.org (AMO) page.

Announcing the feature for Firefox users on Android, Mozilla said in a blog post that it hoped the update will provide a smoother installation experience for mobile users.

Mozilla said that it would enable installation buttons on addons.mozilla.org (AMO) during the regularly scheduled site update on January 21. However, until Firefox 85 is released on January 25, these buttons will only work for users who use a pre-release version of Firefox.

With Firefox 85, Android users can directly install supported recommendation extensions. One such extension is Web Archives, that lets users view archived and cached versions of Web pages on over 10 search engines.

Other recommendation extensions include Ghostery, a privacy extension that blocks ads and stop trackers; Dark Reader, that provides dark mode for every website; Search by Image, a reverse image search tool; uBlock Origin, a wide-spectrum content blocker; and Tomato Clock, a browser that helps users with online time management.

Firefox 85 will also include updates that will allow disabling of homepages and tab overrides. Browsing data API will also be available on Firefox for Android in the update. Certain errors that trigger when an extension changes a permission to optional during an update have also been fixed.

Mozilla further said that it would continue to work on optimising add-on performances on mobile, in the coming months.

Does WhatsApp’s new privacy policy spell the end for your privacy? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.