Built together: How Firefox fans help shape the browser

If you've ever wished Firefox had vertical tabs or an easier way to share links on your phone - and you left a comment somewhere asking for it - there's a good chance someone saw it. And not just someone. The actual people building Firefox.

That's the magic of Mozilla Connect. It launched in 2022 as a place where Firefox users and Firefox builders could actually talk to each other. No middlemen. No black box. Just real conversations, ideas, feedback, and yes - plenty of feature requests.

I spoke with Jon Siddoway, the community manager behind Mozilla Connect, about how it all got started. Before Mozilla Connect, there was a platform called Ideas@Mozilla. People could submit suggestions, but the tool wasn't set up for real dialogue. We needed something better," Jon said. A place where people could not only share ideas but also get updates, participate in discussions, and feel heard."

We wanted a space where people could share ideas and actually get updates on what happened next. It wasn't just about collecting feedback - it was about building a community around it."

Jon Siddoway, community manager for Mozilla Connect

So the team spent six months building something new - something built for conversation. Since then, more than 80,000 users have joined, and community input has directly influenced over 125 ideas that have made their way into Firefox and Mozilla products.

Jon explained it best: We wanted a space where people could share ideas and actually get updates on what happened next. It wasn't just about collecting feedback - it was about building a community around it."

From Wouldn't it be cool if..." to shipping features

Right after Mozilla Connect launched, users jumped in with some big asks: vertical tabs, tab groups and better ways to manage profiles. Fast forward to now? All three are either being built or already starting to roll out.

Karen Kim, a product manager on Firefox desktop, remembers those early days well. I loved the idea of incorporating open community feedback earlier into our process of building our browser," she said. You have early adopters who are excited to try something even if it's still rough around the edges. And their feedback? It adds real value. It's a joyful moment when we can come back to an idea and tell people we now have the resources to build it. "

I loved the idea of incorporating open community feedback earlier into our process of building our browser,"

Karen Kim, product manager for Firefox desktop

She also shared that it's not just about one-off requests - it's about spotting patterns. When you see the same idea pop up again and again from different people, that's a strong signal. It helps us prioritize what to build next."

When feedback flips the script

Andres Furlan, who works on Firefox for iOS, told us about a time when feedback totally changed the direction of a project. His team had redesigned the app's toolbar, and posted the update on Mozilla Connect to get user reactions. We were deciding whether to include the share and new tab buttons, and Mozilla Connect helped confirm it was the right move. We cross-checked it with user research and competitive benchmarks. Everything pointed in the same direction."

And it's not just about convenience. Sometimes feedback brings up things that weren't even on the team's radar. Like when Firefox removed night mode from iOS. We deprecated night mode without realizing how many people relied on it for accessibility," Andres recalled. The posts started rolling in - almost 200 users requested we bring it back. And some shared how it helped with visual strain or low vision. That changed how I think about feature impact. It was a real eye-opener."

Designing with users, not just for them

For both Karen and Andres, Mozilla Connect isn't just for post-launch praise (or complaints). It's become a tool for every phase of the product cycle - from exploring ideas, to testing prototypes, to validating decisions.

Andres shared how he used Mozilla Connect to post about an experimental menu redesign. We got early feedback that it took too many clicks to access certain actions. That input helped us reevaluate the design before releasing it more widely."

On Mozilla Connect, people share constructive feedback. They explain their problem, suggest a solution. It helps me change my approach."

Andres Furlan, product manager for Firefox iOS

And when changes spark strong reactions, Mozilla Connect becomes a two-way street. We once made a security-driven change to private tabs," Andres said. Users weren't happy. The Mozilla Connect thread got big. But it gave us a way to talk with them, explain why we did it, and figure out a compromise that worked."

Yes, the internet can be nice

If you've ever read through App Store reviews, you know how intense (and unhelpful) some feedback can be. That's why Andres values Mozilla Connect so much. App Store reviews are mostly people yelling into the void. On Mozilla Connect, people share constructive feedback. They explain their problem, suggest a solution. It helps me change my approach."

You'll see people responding to each other's ideas, offering workarounds, or tagging us when something really needs attention. It's collaborative in the best way."

Jon Siddoway, community manager for Mozilla Connect

Mozilla Connect has a different vibe. The feedback is actually helpful," Andres said. People say what's not working and why - and they often suggest a fix. It's the kind of conversation that helps us build better stuff."

Jon shared that beyond feedback, Mozilla Connect is starting to feel like a true community. You'll see people responding to each other's ideas, offering workarounds, or tagging us when something really needs attention. It's collaborative in the best way."

Jon uses a gratitude tracker" to monitor all the ways users express appreciation on Connect - like thank-you messages and upvotes -while keeping an eye on the number of comments that require moderation. It helps the team strike a balance and lead with gratitude for the time and insights that users share. It's always overwhelmingly positive," he said. We're seeing real conversations, not just complaints."

Karen sees that positivity too. There's something really special about showing users we're listening. Like when someone requested custom wallpapers for new tabs - and we could tell them, Hey, we're building that!' You can feel the excitement on both sides."

What's on the horizon for Mozilla Connect

Mozilla Connect has grown a lot in the last few years, with more people joining and more teams across Mozilla using it to shape what's next. Jon wants to expand it with community events, more product sneak peeks, even language-specific spaces. (We recently held an Ask Me Anything (AMA) with Firefox leaders that sparked incredible engagement - and it's clear people want to be part of the conversation.) Karen envisions more early-access opportunities for users to play, test and help shape features. And Andres? He's using it to shape his entire roadmap.

At the start of the year, Jon gave me a list of the top 10 concerns from the community," Andres said. That list basically guided everything we're doing in Q1 - fixing pain points, improving basics, making sure the experience just works. That's how we build trust."

We're seeing real conversations, not just complaints."

Jon Siddoway, community manager for Mozilla Connect

As Mozilla Connect enters its third year, the vision is clear: keep growing, but stay grounded in what works. That means more engagement from product teams, more ways for users to test early features (like Firefox Labs), and maybe even community events - virtual or in-person.

But the core mission won't change: meaningful conversations between the people building Firefox and the people using it every day.

As Jon puts it: It's that middle space where we reach out, users reach out, and we meet in the middle."

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