How to Set Up Firefox as an Anonymous Browser

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How to Maximize Your Privacy with Firefox: A Short Summary

If maintaining your privacy online is a concern, using Firefox as your go-to browser is a good option. It consistently ranks among the best browsers when it comes to user privacy. But even the best option can be improved.

With some additional tweaks, you can make Firefox even more privacy-friendly. Here’s how:

• Use Firefox incognito mode – open a private browsing window and surf the web without your data being tracked, cookies installed, or your download history saved.
• Make incognito mode permanent – adjust your browser settings so that all your Firefox browsing is done in incognito mode, or customize what is tracked/saved.
• Manually clear your browsing history – delete what you don’t want others to see, like websites you visited.
• Use secure browser extensions – customize your Firefox browser with specialized privacy extensions.
• Change Firefox privacy settings – modify how Firefox functions when you browse, so you can take control of data collection, enhanced tracking, and your more advanced settings.
• Use good antivirus software – keep your device safe from spyware and keyloggers by using a powerful antivirus solution like Kaspersky.
• Install a trustworthy VPN – make sure your online browsing stays private, no matter which program you use, by subscribing to a high-quality VPN like NordVPN:

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For details on how to do each of the above and customize Firefox for maximum browsing privacy, read our full article below!

Firefox is consistently ranked as one of the most secure and private browsers on the market today. If you’re serious about avoiding the privacy pitfalls inherent to surfing the web, browsing with Firefox is a good starting point. However, when you use this browser without adjusting its settings, a lot of data is collected about you every time you go online, for example through browser fingerprinting and cookies.

If you’re at all concerned about your online privacy, you might want to manually turn Firefox into a more privacy-focused browser. Really, this is just a matter of checking the right boxes and using the right tools. Read on to learn how to use Firefox incognito mode, and discover additional ways you can configure Firefox to make it even more private.

How to Set Up Private Browsing Mode on Firefox

When you use Firefox private browsing, your browsing data isn’t saved in your browser, cookies aren’t stored, and no history of your downloads is kept (although the files will remain on your device). However, keep in mind that using incognito mode won’t make you completely anonymous.

If you only occasionally want to keep your browsing history more private when surfing the web, like when you’re shopping for flights, opening an incognito window in Firefox is an easy way to keep a single online session private.

There are two ways to open a private browsing window in Firefox: via a shortcut and via Firefox’s menu.

Firefox private browsing via shortcut

Once you’ve opened Firefox, you can quickly open a new, private browsing window by pressing:

• Shift + CTRL + P (Windows/Linux)
• Shift + ⌘ + P (macOS)

Private browsing on Firefox via Menu

You can also easily go into private browsing mode on Firefox when you:

1. Click the Menu button (three lines) in the upper-right of the Firefox screen.
2. Choose New Private Window.

Both methods will open a new browser window that looks like this:

Turn on Firefox incognito mode by default

Perhaps you prefer to default to private browsing mode each time you go online. This means you’ll never have to stop and think whether you want to use incognito mode for a certain browsing session.

Firefox makes that possible via the browser’s history setting. You can also choose to create a customized approach to browsing the web on Firefox by picking and choosing what to track.

Here’s how to do this:

1. Open Firefox and click on the Menu button.
2. Select Settings, then go to Privacy & Security.
3. Scroll down to History and choose one of the following from the Firefox dropdown menu:
   • Never remember history: you’ll always browse in private mode and no data will be remembered
   • Use custom settings for history: you can choose for yourself what data you want Firefox to remember. Simply check or uncheck the boxes in front of Remember your browsing and download history, Remember your search and form history, and Clear history when Firefox closes based on your own preferences.
4. Restart Firefox to apply the changes.

Manually Clear Your Firefox Browsing History

If you want to erase just (part of) your browsing history but leave other privacy settings alone, you can do that too. For example, if you’ve shopped online for someone you share a computer with, and you want to delete any evidence of the websites you visited, you can erase your browsing history.

To clear your history, follow the steps below:

1. Open Mozilla Firefox and click on the Menu button.
2. Select History and choose Clear Recent History.
3. Choose the Time range to clear (the last hour, the last two hours, the last four hours, the current day, or everything).
4. Choose what you want to clear from your History:
   • Browsing & Download History: the websites you’ve visited and the download list of the files you’ve downloaded.
   • Active Logins: websites that you’ve asked Firefox to remember you’re logged into.
   • Forms & Search History: details you’ve entered into forms for autocomplete functionality. Search history includes queries you’ve searched for through the search field on the New Tab page and through the search bar.
   • Cookies: information stored on your computer by the website you visited.
   • Cache: temporarily stored information about websites you visit to speed up the loading time.
5. Click OK.

Use Security Extensions to Make Firefox More Private

There are other ways to enhance your privacy when you use Mozilla Firefox. Extensions allow you to customize the browser to make it fit better for your situation.

Here are a couple of privacy-focused Firefox extensions you might want to add to your browser:

One consideration with Firefox extensions is that the more you install, the slower the browser runs. The best practice is to limit yourself to a small number of the most useful extensions and avoid extensions that duplicate functionality.

You can learn more in our full guide on the best browser privacy extensions.

Change Your Firefox Privacy Settings

If you’re really serious about your online privacy, you might want to delve a little deeper than using incognito mode and clearing your history. Fortunately, there are a number of other settings you can adjust to harden Firefox and give yourself more privacy online.

Make Firefox your default search engine

Firefox is regarded as one of the safest and most private browsers on the market today. Unlike its main competitors, it doesn’t treat tracked data as a commodity. Rather, the Firefox focus has always been on providing a privacy-focused browser experience for users.

Using Firefox as your default search engine is an easy way to automatically build more privacy into your daily web surfing routine.

To change your default search engine to Firefox:

1. Open Firefox and click on the Menu button.
2. Choose Settings and go to General.
3. In the Startup section, click the Make Default button.
4. You will be prompted to confirm you want to use Firefox as your default browser. Click the Use “Firefox” option.
5. If you want to ensure that Firefox will always be your default browser, check the Always check if Firefox is your default browser box.

Disable telemetry

Telemetry is a Firefox feature that permits data collection. It’s on by default, but you can easily turn it off. That way, Firefox won’t gather as much data about you while you browse the web.

To turn it off:

1. Open Firefox and click on the Menu button.
2. Choose Settings and go to Privacy & Security.
3. Scroll down to Firefox Data Collection and Use.
4. Uncheck the following boxes:
   • Allow Firefox to send technical and interaction data to Mozilla
   • Allow Firefox to send backlogged crash reports on your behalf

Decline location access

Nowadays, a large number of websites request to know your location which can be suspicious and a bit annoying. The reason they request your location could be for various reasons such as:

• To target advertisements: When you grant a website access to your location it allows the advertising network on the website to display ads and offers that are relevant to where you are. It would be frustrating to see an ad for a sweet offer that isn’t applicable to you, right? But, if you’re disinterested in ads on websites and are cautious about your privacy, it’s a good idea to turn this setting off and put a stop to the recurring alerts.
• To target search results: Search engines such as Google and Bing are known to always ask for your location when accessing their service. The reason for this is to display search results that are relevant to your location. For example, when searching for restaurants near you.

Knowing your location also allows Google to display targeted and relevant advertising results to you. Here’s how to disable location access if you want to keep this information private:

1. Open Firefox and click on the Menu button on the top right corner.
2. Choose “Settings” then click on “Privacy & Security” on the left.
3. Under Permissions, click on “Settings” next to Location.
4. 
5. At the bottom, check the box “Block new requests asking to access your location.”
6. 

Enable HTTPS-Only mode

HTTPS provides an encrypted connection between Firefox and the websites you visit. This means your connection is always secure and private while communicating with websites. Enabling it is a good choice for hardening Firefox. For example, without HTTPS a snooper may be able to interrupt your connection and sniff out your login credentials.

Enabling HTTPS-mode only ensures all website connections are secure and if not, Firefox will warn you about the website. Here’s how to enable it:

1. Open Firefox and click on the Menu button on the top left corner.
2. Choose “Settings” and click on “Privacy & Security.”
3. Scroll down to HTTPS-Only Mode section.
4. Select “Enable HTTPS-Only mode in all windows.”
5. 

Disallow notifications

It’s become more common for websites to request permission to send you notifications. This can be frustrating since the alert interrupts what you’re doing and diverts your attention to a non-trivial issue. It becomes even more annoying if you’re visiting a random website briefly.

To disallow websites from sending these notification requests, follow the steps below:

1. Open Firefox and click on the Menu button on the top left corner.
2. Choose “Settings” and click on “Privacy & Security.”
3. Click “Settings” next to “Notifications.”
4. 
5. Check “Block new requests asking to allow notifications.”
6. 

Disable password saving

It’s not a good idea to store passwords in your browser despite the convenience it offers. The reason is browsers are a big target for malware and they are also not good at storing passwords. For example, in recent years there’s been a malware called RedLine that’s been available for sale in underground hacking forums for around $150.

RedLine steals passwords, credit card information and other sensitive data from browsers such as Google Chrome, Firefox, Brave, Microsoft Edge, and Opera and sends it to a remote location. The fact that it is readily available to anyone at a cheap price makes it very dangerous. However, RedLine isn’t the only information stealer in the market, there are others as readily available.

Because of this, we recommend storing your passwords with a reputable password manager such as 1Password. It is an industry-leading password manager designed to help you create strong passwords for different websites and store and retrieve them securely using modern encryption.

Turn on enhanced tracking protection

Firefox has many privacy-focused features built into its system already. All you have to do is find them and turn them on. This is also the case for enhanced tracking protection. When you turn this feature on, you enable anti-tracking protection anytime you browse rather than only when in Firefox incognito mode.

Here’s how to turn this feature on:

1. Open Firefox and click on the Menu button.
2. Choose Settings and go to Privacy & Security.
3. In the Enhanced Tracking Protection section, choose one of the following options:
   • Standard
   • Strict
   • Custom
4. You can also choose to always send websites a Do Not Track signal.

Update Firefox with about:config (advanced)

There are additional changes you can make to Firefox in your about:config settings to harden firefox even more. These alterations will help turn Firefox into a more anonymous browser.

Important note: we strongly advise against modifying about:config settings yourself unless you really know what you are doing. If you incorrectly update these settings, you can damage your system. Some websites may also break due to modifications to these options.

To access these settings, type “about:config” in your address bar and press enter. Some of the privacy-related settings that can be modified using about:config include:

• browser.privatebrowsing.autostart (automatically starts Firefox in Private Browsing mode)
• browser.safebrowsing.phishing.enabled (helps prevent Google from knowing your browsing history)
• datareporting.healthreport.uploadEnabled (prevents health reports being sent to Mozilla)
• privacy.trackingprotection.enabled (helps prevent cross-site tracking)
• media.peerconnection.false (disables WebRTC-based IP address identification)

Use a Solid Antivirus Program to Enhance Your Online Security

A good antivirus program protects your devices from unwanted invasions and malware, like spyware, keyloggers, and computer worms. Beyond that, many of the best antivirus offerings also include anti-tracking features to protect your online privacy.

When choosing an antivirus program for all your devices, be sure to pick one that also offers the types of privacy protection you need. This way, you can avoid the need for too many browser extensions that slow down your browsing experience.

If you’re unsure which antivirus program is right for you, check out our review of the best antivirus software. We personally recommend Kasperky for further privacy protection. Their Kaspersky Internet Security package won’t just protect your system against viruses, but also includes options for private browsing, has its own ad blocker, and offers webcam protection. If you’re interested, you can check out their service by clicking the button below.

Install a VPN to Browse Anonymously on Firefox

Firefox is one of the best browsers when it comes to mixing usability with online privacy. However, it doesn’t keep you completely anonymous when you browse the web. Your internet service provider (ISP) can still see the websites you visit — even with private mode enabled.

To achieve more online anonymity, you’ll want to add a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to your surfing routine. This will give you one of the most secure browsing experiences available.

Here’s how to use a VPN with Firefox:

1. Sign up for a VPN provider. For the best privacy protection, advanced encryption and security protocols, we recommend NordVPN.
2. 

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3. Once you’ve created an account, download the application on your device.
4. Open up the VPN software and sign into your account.
5. Connect to a server in the VPN network. For the fastest and closest server click “Quick Connect.” Other top VPNs will have a similar option. Otherwise, connect to the country of your choice.
6. Turn the VPN on. That’s all there is to it. Now your IP address has been changed, your connection is encrypted, and an ISP, hackers or other lurking third parties won’t be able to see your real IP address or internet traffic.

Though Mozilla has its own VPN service, it doesn’t quite compare with some of our higher-ranked providers. You can check out our full Mozilla VPN review to see why. In short, it doesn’t quite hit the mark for safety, speed, usability and server network, and it’s more expensive than our top two reviewed VPNs — NordVPN and Surfshark.

While there are numerous VPN browser extensions available through Firefox, these aren’t the same as using a dedicated VPN application. The main difference is that VPN extensions use encrypted proxies instead of VPN connections. These extensions also only work on your browser, while a full VPN application keeps you anonymous on all the programs on your device.

How to Optimize Your Firefox Browser For Privacy: A Wrap-Up

Maintaining your privacy while online is more important today than ever. From advertisers vying for your data to prying eyes trying to see what you’ve been up to online, it’s in your best interest to always protect yourself. Choosing a browser like Mozilla’s Firefox, which is renowned for its privacy protections, is an important first step.

Through Firefox hardening, you’ll be able to guard yourself even better. You can do this by adjusting the following Firefox settings.

• Make Firefox your default search engine.
• Set up Firefox’s private browser as your default.
• Clear your browsing history.
• Disable telemetry.
• Disable location access.
• Enable HTTPS-Only mode.
• Disallow notifications.
• Disable password saving.
• Turn on enhanced tracking protection.
• Update Firefox with about:config (advanced).

Finally, using other privacy-enhancing software, like browser extensions, Kaspersky antivirus, and NordVPN will turn Firefox into the ultimate weapon in your online privacy arsenal. By incorporating a combination of privacy-focused strategies, you can enjoy your time online without worrying about your online privacy being compromised.

Do you want to try out other privacy-focused browsers? Check out these articles below:

• Is Vivaldi Browser Safe?
• How Secure Is the Epic Privacy Browser?
• Everything You Need to Know About Safari Private Browsing

Liz Wegerer Author

VPN Expert

Liz is a former VPNOverview writer with a special interest in online privacy and cybersecurity. As a US expat who travels and works in diverse locations around the world, keeping up with the latest internet safety best practices remains her priority.

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