Firefox 148 is officially ready — even before the public announcement. Mozilla has quietly uploaded the final builds to its FTP servers ahead of the scheduled release on February 24, 2026.

This new version introduces a highly anticipated AI “kill switch”, Android interface improvements, Windows bug fixes, and several new developer-focused APIs.

Here’s a complete breakdown of what’s new in Firefox 148.

Firefox 148 Adds an AI Kill Switch

The headline feature in Firefox 148 is a new “AI Controls” section in the browser settings.

This section centralizes all artificial intelligence features integrated in recent releases and gives users the option to disable them entirely.

The new toggle labeled “Block AI-powered features” allows users to deactivate all AI enhancements with one click. Alternatively, features can be managed individually for more granular control.

AI Features You Can Disable

Under the “On-device AI” category, users can control:

  • Page translation
  • Sidebar chatbot integrations

The chatbot panel currently supports services such as:

  • Anthropic Claude
  • OpenAI ChatGPT
  • Microsoft Copilot
  • Google Gemini
  • Mistral AI Le Chat

The addition of an AI kill switch reflects Mozilla’s positioning around user choice and transparency — especially as AI tools become increasingly embedded in browsers.

Android: Refreshed Toolbar and Better Customization

Firefox 148 also improves the Android experience.

Updates include:

  • A redesigned toolbar with a more modern look
  • Enhanced customization options
  • A new context menu action: “Copy Link Text”
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The new “Copy Link Text” feature allows users to copy the visible text of a hyperlink instantly — not just the URL — improving productivity for mobile users.

Windows Fix: Drag-and-Drop Now Works Properly

On Windows systems, Firefox 148 fixes a frustrating drag-and-drop issue.

Previously, when dragging a downloaded image into applications like Adobe Illustrator, the software sometimes inserted the image URL instead of the file itself.

That issue has now been resolved, restoring proper file handling behavior.

Improved PDF Accessibility

Firefox continues improving accessibility features.

Version 148 enhances screen reader support for mathematical formulas embedded in PDF documents. This is particularly valuable for:

  • Academic users
  • STEM professionals
  • Accessibility-focused environments

The improvement strengthens Firefox’s position as a capable PDF viewer without requiring external software.

New APIs for Web Developers

Firefox 148 introduces several new web platform capabilities, including support for:

  • Trusted Types
  • Sanitizer API
  • CSS shape() function
  • WebGPU support in service workers

WebGPU integration inside service workers opens new possibilities for advanced graphics and computational workloads directly within web applications.

For developers building performance-heavy web apps or interactive tools, these additions expand what’s possible in modern browsers.

How to Download Firefox 148

Firefox 148 is already available on Mozilla’s FTP servers.

The official announcement and automatic rollout via the built-in update system are scheduled for February 24, 2026.

If you don’t want to wait for the automatic update, you can manually download the correct build for your operating system from Mozilla’s servers.

As always, users are advised to download Firefox only from official Mozilla sources to ensure security and authenticity.

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Final Thoughts

Firefox 148 may not be a massive visual overhaul, but it introduces meaningful upgrades — especially the new AI controls.

With its AI kill switch, Android refinements, Windows fixes, improved accessibility, and expanded developer APIs, Mozilla continues balancing innovation with user control.

For users concerned about AI integration in browsers, Firefox 148 offers something increasingly rare in tech today: a clear opt-out button.

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