Firefox is a free web browser from Mozilla. It is one of the world's most popular browsers, along with Google Chrome and Internet Explorer. In this lesson, we'll talk about how to download and install Firefox to your computer.
Unlike Internet Explorer or Safari, Firefox does not come pre-installed with your operating system. To use Firefox, you must first download and install it on your computer. The process is very simple and should take no more than a few minutes.
If you want to use Firefox as your only web browser, you can set it as your default browser. Review our lesson on Customizing Firefox to learn how.
Firefox offers many of the same features as most web browsers, in addition to its own unique tools. While Firefox is relatively simple to use, you'll need to spend some time becoming familiar with its different features.
Click the buttons in the interactive below to learn more about using the Firefox interface.
Firefox allows you to view multiple websites in the same window using tabs. Just click a tab to view that page. To create a new tab, click the plus sign (+) to the right of the tabs. Alternatively, press Ctrl+T on your keyboard. If you're using a Mac, press Command+T.
You'll use the address bar to navigate to different websites. Simply enter the URL, like www.tumblr.com, then press Enter on your keyboard.
From here, you can conduct a web search. Simply enter a search term and press Enter to perform a search. Click the magnifying glass icon to select a different search engine or change your search settings.
The Back and Forward buttons allow you to move among sites you've recently visited. The Forward button will stay hidden until you press the Back button.
Click the chart icon on the right to view and organize your bookmarks. Click the star icon on the left to add a bookmark. Alternatively, you can press Ctrl+D on your keyboard, or Command+D if you're using a Mac.
Click here to see your recent downloads, along with files you are currently downloading.
Click here to navigate to your homepage.
This is a feature that allows you to browse websites with a friend. You'll be able to see your friend's cursor and work together on the same page.
This feature allows you to save articles, videos, and pages from Firefox to read later in Firefox or on a mobile device.
Click here to open the Firefox menu. From here, you can customize your settings, view your history, manage your add-ons, and more.
Firefox can also be used as a web browser on mobile devices. Available for iOS and Android, the Firefox app allows you to browse the web, open multiple tabs, conduct searches, and more. You'll even have the option to sign in to Firefox on your mobile device, allowing you to sync bookmarks, saved passwords, browsing history, and settings across all of your devices.
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