Mozilla Firefox just received an update that has me looking across my Start menu with wandering eyes. Firefox version 149 includes Split View, a free VPN when using public Wi-Fi, and improved PDF performance.
The update also adds security and privacy features, such as automatically blocking notifications and revoking permissions when viewing websites flagged as malicious.
It's also possible to add a Share button to the toolbar in the latest version of Firefox.
If you use Microsoft Edge, you may ask yourself why those features stand out. For example, Edge has had Split View for years.
You'd be right, of course. The reason I'm looking at Firefox isn't because the browser has added a bunch of exclusive features I can't get elsewhere, it's because Firefox has finally caught up to include almost all of my required features while also providing other benefits.
If you'd also like to try Firefox, you can grab it through the Firefox website or through the Microsoft Store.
Microsoft Edge is my primary browser. I use it for general web browsing and for work. I rely on several of its features, including the Sidebar, Read Aloud, and Split View. While some of those features are not exclusive to Edge, or can be replicated through extensions, I enjoy Microsoft's implementation of them and am comfortable with them.
But Edge has lost its focus over the years. AI is creeping into every crevasse, and it's even bumping out one of my favorite features. Firefox and Edge handle AI very differently.
In Firefox, there's a section in settings for AI Controls. There, you'll see an option to "Block all AI enhancements" prominently along the top. You can also toggle specific AI features on or off within the section.
In contrast, Edge's AI features are spread throughout the browser's settings page. To find all AI features, you'd have to search both "AI" and "Copilot" and click around for a while. There actually is an "AI Innovations" section in Edge's settings, but it's just to enable or disable "Copilot mode."
With Edge losing focus and AI creeping in, Firefox becomes an attractive alternative. Now that Firefox includes its own version of Split View, the gap between the browsers is even smaller.
The privacy and security features added in Firefox version 149 are also nice, though I admit I'm more concerned with usability when it comes to everyday web browsing. I wouldn't use a browser that was secure if it lacked the tools I needed to get work done.
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