Today, Mozilla has rolled out Firefox 130 Stable, introducing a range of new features. This includes the highly anticipated automatic Picture-in-Picture mode, improvements to the browser’s translation capabilities, and the launch of a Firefox Labs section for trialing new functionalities.
Alongside these updates, the release also fixes several security flaws. There’s an Android version of Firefox 130 available, as well as Firefox 131 in Beta/Developer mode and Firefox 132 in Nightly. Additionally, this update concludes support for Firefox 115 ESR, which will be replaced by Firefox 128 ESR after this launch.
How to Download and Update Firefox 130.0
By default, Firefox on non-admin devices is set to update automatically. However, it doesn’t check for updates in real-time, which means you might have to wait hours or even days for a new installation.
To speed up the update process—especially considering the important security fixes in this release—follow these steps on your desktop:
- Go to Menu > Help > About Firefox.
- Wait as Firefox searches for available updates (normally it does this upon starting).
- If any new versions are available, they will be downloaded and installed automatically.
- You will need to restart the browser, so save your work before doing so.
You can also download the latest version of Firefox directly using the links provided.
What’s New in Firefox 130.0
Improvements in Firefox Translation
Firefox 130 brings two significant upgrades to its secure in-built translation feature.
- New languages added include Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Indonesian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Romanian, Serbian, Slovak, and Vietnamese.
- You can now translate highlighted text.
The text translation feature is automatically enabled. Just highlight text, right-click, and choose “translate selection to.” The default language for translation is set to that of the browser.
The translated output will appear in an overlay, where you can also select a different target language if desired. Other options allow for translating the entire webpage or copying the selected text.
Introduction of Labs Section with Experimental Features
With Firefox 130, a new Labs section is added to settings. This area highlights experimental features that users can activate in the stable version, eliminating the need for changes in about:config or advanced settings to access them.
Users can now enable features still in the testing phase without tedious workarounds. To explore, go to about:preferences#experimental.
Current lab options are divided into Browsing and Developer Tools experiments. In Browsing, you’ll find the previously mentioned automatic Picture-in-Picture feature that starts when you play a video and switch tabs.
When you return to the original page, the Picture-in-Picture mode will stop automatically, allowing the video to continue playing seamlessly.
Another functionality allows access to AI chatbots through the Firefox sidebar, with five options currently available: Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Hugging Chat, and Mistral.
Additionally, search results can now be viewed directly in the address bar during IME composition.
For Developer Tools, there’s an experimental feature for debugging Service Workers.
Other Updates and Fixes
- Overscroll animations for scrollable areas are now on by default for Linux.
- Pocket users can now choose categories they prefer for recommendations. (Link)
Updates for Developers
- The Web Crypto API now includes support for the X25519 digital signature algorithm.
- The CSS hyphens property is now correctly supported for Czech and Slovak languages.
- The name attribute of theelement can now be used to group otherelements.
- Extensions: The options parameter of webRequest.getSecurityInfo has been changed to optional.
- Extensions: runtime.getURL (and the older extension.getURL) now always prepends the extension origin to the path without requiring further normalization.
Security Improvements and Fixes
Mozilla has fixed nine distinct security issues in Firefox 130. The overall security severity rating for this release is high, with no critical vulnerabilities or active exploits noted in the release notes.
Looking Ahead
The next major update is due on October 1, 2024. Firefox 131 will be a standard release, and there will be no further updates for the Firefox 115.x ESR series. Only Firefox ESR 128.x is expected on this date.
Recent Firefox Updates and Helpful Tips
More Information and Resources
Final Thoughts
Mozilla continues to enhance its translation feature, bringing it closer to matching offerings from other browsers as it adds new languages. This local solution is particularly appealing to privacy-conscious users, making Firefox an attractive choice compared to other major browsers.
Image Credit: rafapress / Shutterstock
