Mozilla is rolling out the Firefox 157 redesign to desktop and mobile users, bringing rounder tabs, refreshed colours and icons, and the return of Compact Mode. The release also adds a theme picker and pinned shortcuts for the New Tab page, according to Mozilla.
The update gives Firefox a more rounded address bar and interface, with refreshed colours and themes across tabs, toolbars, the New Tab page and Private Browsing. Mozilla says desktop and mobile now share the same design language. The Verge reports that Firefox 157 starts rolling out to all users today, after beta testing.
Firefox 157 redesign: Compact Mode returns
Compact Mode makes tabs and the toolbar smaller, giving web pages more screen space. Mozilla says an auto-compact option can switch to the tighter layout on smaller screens. It is the practical part of an update otherwise centred on the browser’s appearance.
The theme picker brings new themes and wallpapers into one place. Firefox’s New Tab page also gets a pinned-shortcut option, so a frequently used site can stay on the homepage. The Firefox 157 redesign therefore changes both the browser’s visual treatment and a couple of small controls users encounter every day.
What the Firefox 157 redesign changes day to day
Mozilla calls the update a renewal rather than a replacement: its announcement presents the refreshed interface alongside the browser’s existing privacy protections and user controls. It says the new design has no impact on browser performance. The changes follow other recent additions, including Mozilla’s Firefox Smart Window update.
Browser makers are also reworking how people organise their tabs. Google brought native vertical tabs to Chrome this year, as covered in tbreak’s guide to Chrome’s vertical tabs. Firefox’s Compact Mode takes a different route: it keeps the familiar horizontal tabs but reduces their footprint.
Mozilla says Firefox 157 is rolling out to everyone using the browser on desktop and mobile. Its announcement does not give a separate UAE schedule; UAE users should see the update through Firefox’s normal release rollout.
Does Compact Mode change website content?
No. Compact Mode reduces the size of Firefox’s tabs and toolbar, giving the open webpage more screen space without changing the page itself.
How does auto-compact decide when to activate?
Mozilla says auto-compact is available for smaller screens, but its launch announcement does not specify a screen-size threshold or explain what triggers it.
