Download Mozilla Firefox 86: Total Cookie Protection + Multi Picture in Picture mode

Mozilla Firefox 86 ReleasedMozilla Firefox 86 Released

Mozilla Firefox 86 has just been released and is available for download for all platforms including Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS. If you still haven’t installed Firefox, you can use the links provided down below to install the latest available version yet.

tumbnail
Mozilla Firefox 86 | Released

Firefox 86 introduces new features such as support for picture-in-picture display that allows you to view multiple videos simultaneously within the same tab, and total cookie protection that prevents organizations from tracking your online activity. Other fixes have also been made which have been discussed in detail further in the article.

A total of 12 vulnerabilities have been addressed in Firefox 86, out of which 5 are deemed to be of high priority. Now let us continue to discuss how you can download and upgrade your web browser to Firefox version 86, and then we shall continue on to discuss its new features and fixes.

Upgrade to Firefox 86

If you’re already using Mozilla Firefox on your PC, then updating it to the latest versions is very easy. Follow the steps below to update your browser to version 86.

  1. Launch Mozilla Firefox.
  2. Click the menu button in the top-right corner of the window. This will open the Firefox menu.
    3 lines
  3. Now expand Help and click About Firefox.
    expand
  4. The About Mozilla Firefox window will now popup and Firefox will start searching for a new update automatically. Once it is downloaded, click Restart to update Firefox .
    restart

Your browser will now restart. Once it does, you can check that it has been updated by returning to the About Mozilla Firefox window.

updated 3

Download the browser from the links listed below if you do not already have it.

Download Mozilla Firefox 86

Download Firefox 86 for Windows 64-bit [53.5 MB]

Download Firefox 86 for Windows 32-bit [52.3 MB]

Download Firefox 86 for Linux [70.7 MB]

Download Firefox 86 for Mac [125 MB]

Download Firefox 86 for Android

Download Firefox 86 for iOS

Download Firefox 86 in all languages

There are other ways to install or update Firefox to the latest version.

Install Firefox 86

Installing Firefox is as easy as downloading it using the links above. Follow the steps below:

  1. Download the installation package according to your operating system from the links above and then double-click it to execute.
  2. The installation wizard will now launch. Click Next to proceed.
    wiz1
  3. On the next window, select the method for installation. We recommend that you select Standard installation as every basic component is automatically selected to install. Click Next when done.
    wiz2
  4. Now select a location for installation and then click Install.
    wiz3
  5. Your installation will now be completed. Click Finish.
    wiz4

The process is the same for all Windows computers.

What’s new in Firefox 86

Total Cookie Protection

Mozilla has incorporated a feature to make our browsing more private . This is accomplished by preventing cookies from different websites to track our every move on the web. In contrast to protection from Supercookies in Firefox 85, Total Cookie Protection is enabled in Strict Mode.

Firefox 86 now provides separate “cookie jars” for each website so that they can only dip into their own jars, and not of any others. In simpler words, you can think of it as secluded containers for each website so that cookies from each of them are kept separately, and only accessible to their originating website.

cookies 1
Source: Mozilla

This feature prevents all and any websites from tracking your activity other than those performed on their own website. To enable Strict Mode in Firefox, follow the steps below:

  1. Launch the Firefox 86 browser and click on the menu button in the top-right corner. This will open the Firefox menu.
    3 lines
  2. Click on Options. You will then be taken to the Options page in Firefox.
    options
  3. From the Options menu, click on Privacy & Security on the left.
    privacy and security
  4. Under Browser Privacy, select the Strict radio button.
    strict mode

You will now always be using Strict Mode each time to launch the browser unless you manually change it.

Picture-in-picture

Users can now multitask with multiple pictures in a single picture. This means that they can watch multiple videos within a single window, simultaneously.

picture in picture
Source: Mozilla

Previously, this had been supported by just one picture-in-picture and users could only view one other video, making a total of 2. Now, users can watch multiple videos at the same time.

Neat Print functionality

Mozilla has improved the general layout for the print menu which can be accessed by using the Ctrl + P shortcut keys. It is now better integrated with your computer’s printer settings.

print

Other fixes and improvements

Amongst these amazing features, Firefox has also made the following changes:

  • Firefox users in Canada now have support for credit card management and its autofill feature.
  • Local HTML pages now also support Reader Mode.
  • The problem of text controls unexpectedly reaching non-editable cells in some grids (like messenger.com) when using screen reader quick navigation has been fixed.
  • The issue with the Orca screen reader’s mouse review feature not working correctly when switching tabs in Firefox has been fixed.
  • The issue of incorrect column headers being displayed in tables containing cells has been addressed.
  • The links in Reader View now have more color contrast.
  • The protection to mitigate the stack clash attack has been activated on Linux and Android platforms.
  • DTLS 1.0 is no longer supported, nor will it be in any of the upcoming releases. All WebRTC services now need to support DTLS 1.2 or later.
  • All video decoding has been consolidated in the new RDD process to make Firefox more secure.
  • Several security vulnerabilities have been fixed which you can read about here.

Release Details

Release Date: February 23rd, 2021

Compatibility: Compatible with Windows 7, 8, 10 (32-bit and 64-bit both), Mac, and Linux

Corresponding Extended Support Release (ESR): 78.8

Previous most recent stable version : Firefox 85.0

Final verdict

Firefox 86 has significantly improved over the last few months. If you are a Firefox user, we recommend that you update to the latest version immediately, as it fixes several high-priority vulnerabilities and introduces new features to make your web browsing even more secure than it already was.

Mozilla Firefox release dates for 2021

  • Firefox 87 – 23rd March 2021
  • Firefox 88 – 20th April 2021
  • Firefox 89 – 18th May 2021
  • Firefox 90 – 15th June 2021
  • Firefox 91 – 13th July 2021
  • Firefox 92 – 10th August 2021
  • Firefox 93 – 7th September 2021
  • Firefox 94 – 5th October 2021
  • Firefox 95 – 2nd November 2021
  • Firefox 96 – 7th December 2021
If you liked this post, Share it on:

Get Updates in Your Inbox

Sign up for the regular updates and be the first to know about the latest tech information

Subhan Zafar is an established IT professional with interests in Windows and Server infrastructure testing and research, and is currently working with Itechtics as a research consultant. He has studied Electrical Engineering and is also certified by Huawei (HCNA & HCNP Routing and Switching).

Leave the first comment