Firefox Allows Users Full Control Over New Features

Mozilla is giving Firefox users more control over how artificial intelligence appears in their browsing experience, as the company continues to emphasize user choice and privacy while adding new technology to its browser.

The change was introduced with Firefox version 148 and is now available to desktop users. It adds a new “AI Controls” section to the browser’s settings, giving users a central place to manage AI-related features or turn them off entirely.

The main option is a “Block AI enhancements” setting. When turned on, the setting disables generative AI features in Firefox, including both tools that are already available and similar features that may be added in future updates.

According to Mozilla, the setting applies to several AI-driven browser tools, including automatic translations, alt-text generation in PDFs, enhanced tab grouping, link previews and the AI chatbot available in the browser’s sidebar. Once the setting is enabled, those features are hidden from the browser experience.

The change is intended to give users a simpler way to decide whether they want AI tools included while they browse. Instead of requiring users to adjust several different features one at a time, Firefox now offers a broader control for those who prefer a more traditional browser experience.

Mozilla has said the update was shaped in part by user feedback. The response reflects the broader debate around artificial intelligence in everyday software. Some users have welcomed the added control, especially those who want fewer AI tools in their browser or who have concerns about privacy. Others have said they still find some AI features useful, particularly tools such as translation, link previews and tab organization.

The new controls do not remove AI features from Firefox altogether. Users who want to keep using the tools can leave them enabled, while those who do not want AI enhancements can block them through the settings menu.

The update comes as major technology companies continue adding AI features to browsers, search engines and other widely used platforms. Google and Microsoft have both expanded AI tools across their products, making artificial intelligence a larger part of the way users search, organize information and interact with the web.

Mozilla has continued to position Firefox as a browser focused on privacy and user choice. With the new AI Controls section, the company is signaling that it plans to keep developing AI features while allowing users to decide whether those tools fit the way they want to browse.

For Firefox users, the change means AI features are no longer something they simply have to accept as part of the browser. They can use them, manage them or turn them off.