Mozilla is ready to introduce Firefox 128 and Firefox 128 ESR today. This update brings in significant new features and enhancements, including improved translation capabilities, a revamped user data clearing dialog, and more.
All other versions of Firefox will also receive updates: Firefox for Android will move up to version 128, Firefox Beta and Dev to version 129, and Firefox Nightly to version 130.
Key Points
– Firefox 128.0 includes security updates, bug fixes, and new features.
– Firefox 128 ESR establishes itself as the new ESR base, while support for Firefox 115 ESR will persist until October 1, 2024.
– Mozilla plans to extend support for Firefox on Windows 7 and 8/8.1 versions, which rely on Firefox 115 ESR.
Firefox 128.0 Download and Update
Most unmanaged Firefox versions will automatically update, usually within hours or days after the release. Users who wish to install the new version immediately can do so by following these steps:
1. Click on Menu > Help > About Firefox.
2. Firefox will show the current version and search for updates, providing Firefox 128.0 for download and installation.
Alternatively, users can download the latest Firefox version from the provided links.
What’s New in Firefox 128.0
Translation Enhancements
Firefox Translate now supports translating selected text and hyperlinks. To use this feature:
– Highlight text in Firefox.
– Right-click on the selection.
– Choose “Translate selection to” from the context menu.
Firefox will then show a translation in a small overlay window.
Redesigned Clear Browsing Data Dialog
Mozilla has refreshed the “Clear browsing data and cookies” dialog in Firefox. To access this, go to Menu > Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data > Clear Data. The new version offers four cleaning options and allows users to choose a specific time range for cleaning.
Additional Changes and Fixes:
– Users in the United States and Canada will see previous or trending searches when opening the address bar.
– Private Browsing mode now supports playing protected content, like Netflix.
– Introduction of the experimental Privacy Preserving Attribution API.
– Improved microphone capture for Mac OS.
– Enhanced display of text files.
These are a few highlights of the improvements in Firefox 128.0.
Developer Updates
Firefox’s developer-focused updates include:
– Displaying CSS rule specificity when hovering in Developer Tools.
– Flagging invalid custom property declarations in the Inspector panel.
– Enabling Relative color syntax by default.
– Support for Resizeable ArrayBuffer, growable SharedArrayBuffer, RFC 9218, and more.
Enterprise Updates
For enterprises, some SanitizeOnShutdown policy options have been consolidated, and a bug affecting SPNEGO authentication has been resolved.
Security Updates and Fixes
Detailed information regarding security updates and fixes will be released after the official launch.
Photo credit: dennizn / Shutterstock
