LibreWolf – A Privacy-Focused Alternative to Firefox

Right now, things are a bit complicated for Firefox, and it makes me sad. I would hate to see my favorite browser disappear due to a lack of resources.

With declining market shares against Chrome, layoffs at Mozilla, and recent controversial decisions regarding their business model, the red panda sometimes seems to be navigating troubled waters. But if that were to happen, since it’s open source, a successor is already ready! Hardened Firefox, telemetry removed, tracking neutralized, DuckDuckGo as default, uBlock Origin pre-installed, and more…

No, it’s not a tutorial that you will need to spend hours setting up, but rather a ready-to-use browser named LibreWolf, a rebellious browser that has decided that your privacy deserves better.

Designed for users who want maximum protection of their privacy without compromise, this Firefox alternative was born from a simple observation: Why spend hours configuring Firefox when you can have a fortified browser ready upon installation?

In short, if you weren’t already familiar with LibreWolf, let’s explore it together.

Let’s start with the basics. LibreWolf is a direct fork of Firefox, which means it uses the exact same Gecko engine but with a radically different philosophy. Where Firefox tries to balance privacy and usability, LibreWolf takes a sharp stance: maximum privacy, period. The project is entirely community-driven, independent of Mozilla, and closely follows Firefox releases, usually updated within 24-72 hours after each official Firefox launch.

The first thing that stands out when launching LibreWolf is its simplicity. Goodbye sponsored suggestions on the new tab page, goodbye Pocket button, goodbye recommendations for Firefox VPN. The interface is clean, focused on essentials, but wait because the REAL change happens mostly under the hood.

Unlike Firefox, which collects various data through its telemetry (even if it’s less intrusive than Chrome, right), LibreWolf collects ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. No crash reports, no “Normandy” studies, no usage statistics…etc. Their privacy policy is refreshingly clear since they don’t even have the technical infrastructure to collect your data.

Another major difference is that LibreWolf natively integrates uBlock Origin. On the very first start, you benefit from one of the best ad and tracker blockers on the market, without needing to install anything. And it’s not configured in “nice” mode as it aggressively blocks anything that could track you. Just remember to whitelist ads on Korben.info ^^, as that’s what helps me not live naked and alone in the forest.

Forget Google as the default search engine too. LibreWolf offers DuckDuckGo, which retains no searches history, and of course, for the more hooked among you, you can still switch back to Google if you insist.

One of the most impressive features of LibreWolf is its anti-fingerprinting system. For those unfamiliar with this concept, fingerprinting is a technique that allows unique identification of your browser by analyzing its technical configuration, even without cookies. To combat this, LibreWolf utilizes RFP (Resist Fingerprinting) technology from the Tor project to make your browser as “generic” as possible. It modifies your user agent, disables WebGL, normalizes your time zone and fonts. I tested my standard Firefox and LibreWolf on sites like coveryourtracks.eff.org, and my Firefox was identifiable at 80-90%, while LibreWolf dropped to 10-20% uniqueness. It’s almost as good as the Tor browser, but without the typical slowness associated with the onion network.

Now, all this protection comes at a price, of course. Don’t expect to watch Netflix directly in LibreWolf as it has DRM (Widevine) disabled by default, since these are closed technologies that limit user freedoms. And it’s difficult to reactivate them manually, as the Widevine plugin is absent. So it’s best to use another browser for that kind of entertainment.

Similarly, since cookies are deleted upon closing the browser, you will have to log back into all your accounts with each session. This is both a downside (more logins) and a security advantage (no one using your computer can access your accounts). After that, it can be changed.

Another point to note is that LibreWolf does not have an integrated automatic update system. On Windows, you need to install the “WinUpdater” separately if you want automated updates. On Linux, you will use your package manager. This approach gives more control to the user but also requires more vigilance to stay updated.

On the performance side, the good news is that LibreWolf is slightly faster than standard Firefox. With ad blocking enabled by default and the removal of telemetry processes, I found it uses about 350 MB of RAM compared to 400 MB for Firefox under similar conditions. Pages load faster without ads and trackers, which is particularly nice on overloaded news sites.

And for compatibility, as it is based on the same Gecko engine as Firefox, LibreWolf perfectly displays modern sites. I tested dozens of sites and all worked correctly, except those requiring DRM or using aggressive tracking techniques. Web applications like Google Docs or Office 365 also work fine.

I recommend this browser to:

• Those tired of manually configuring Firefox to improve their privacy
• People looking to minimize their exposure to web giants
• Journalists, activists, researchers working on sensitive topics
• Users of Linux and open source who appreciate the community approach
• Those looking for a “second browser” dedicated to private browsing

However, I wouldn’t recommend it for:

• Netflix/Disney+ addicts in their browser (better to use their dedicated apps)
• Those wanting seamless syncing between desktop and mobile (no mobile version of LibreWolf)
• Less technically inclined users who might be confused by some limitations
• Managed professional environments with strict policies

Keep Firefox for Netflix and a few sites that require a persistent connection, and for everything else—searches, general browsing, social networks…etc.—LibreWolf will be cleaner and faster, with the satisfaction of knowing your data isn’t exploited without your consent.

In short, LibreWolf, while not perfect, represents what Firefox could have been if it had made privacy its top priority: a browser that respects you by default, without needing to dive into the labyrinth of settings.

You can download it directly from librewolf.net, available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.