Article 6X8JC Jump into Firefox Labs: A place to try new features and help shape Firefox

Jump into Firefox Labs: A place to try new features and help shape Firefox

by
Jenifer Boscacci
from The Mozilla Blog on (#6X8JC)

Ever thought, I wish I could try that new Firefox feature early?" Good news - we've been trying out new features and now, you can try them out, too.

Firefox Labs is our space for sharing experimental features with our community before they're fully baked. It's a chance to play around with new ideas, tell us what's working (and what's not) and help shape the future of Firefox together.

Early access to what we're building

Firefox Labs is built on a simple idea: If we're building for Firefox users, we should be building with them, too.

We created Firefox Labs to get features into users' hands earlier," said Karen Kim, senior product manager at Mozilla. It's a safe space where people can turn things on, play around, and help us learn faster."

In the past, testing out new ideas usually meant downloading special builds like Nightly or digging into advanced settings. That's not for everyone. Firefox Labs makes it way easier - just head to your Firefox settings, flip a switch, and try something new.

It's inspired by our old Test Pilot program (shoutout to longtime Firefox fans!), which helped launch popular features like picture-in-picture. Firefox Labs carries that same spirit - but with a closer connection to the people using Firefox today.

Try these Firefox Labs features now

We've got a couple of features live in Firefox Labs that you can try today:

1f3a8.png Custom wallpapers for new tab

Inspired by your feedback, you can now upload your own image or choose from a set of new wallpapers and colors to customize your Firefox home screen.

Labs-CustomWallpapers-1024x626.pngClick on choose a custom wallpaper or color for New TabWallpapersColors.pngr

You can choose your own color - go bold, go subtle, it's completely up to you," said Amber Meryman, product manager for the New Tab team. We've added a new celestial category, plus even more images across all your favorite themes, these new wallpapers are all about making Firefox feel more like you."

Pet photos, space scenes, whatever you're into - the choice is up to you.

1f50d.png Link previews

Not sure if that link is worth clicking? Link previews give you a quick snapshot of what's behind a link - so you can decide if it's relevant before opening a new tab.

Link previews are about saving time and reducing clutter," said Joy Chen, who works on Firefox's AI Experiences team. When you're scanning a lot of content, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Link Previews helps you quickly assess what's most relevant to you, so you can browse and learn more efficiently."

The team is already seeing valuable feedback in Firefox Labs, from shortcut suggestions to content quality questions.

All of it helps - even critical feedback gives us a clearer picture of how people might use or feel about these tools," Joy said.

Link previews are especially handy for staying focused while doing research, browsing news, or avoiding tab overload.

How to share feedback (yes, we're listening)

Each experiment includes a link to Mozilla Connect - our community hub for feedback, suggestions, and discussion. If you sign in or create an account, it's where you can:

  • Share what you love (or what's confusing)
  • Suggest improvements
  • See what others are saying
  • Help guide what we build next
  • Hear directly from product teams and engineers who regularly jump into the conversation
How to get started with Firefox Labs

First, check to make sure you're using the latest version of Firefox. Then:

  • Go to Settings > Firefox Labs (it only shows up if a feature is available).
  • Turn on a feature and give it a try.
  • Head to Connect to share your thoughts!

Your ideas help shape Firefox. Many features like custom wallpapers got their start from community posts. Your idea could be next -- head to Mozilla Connect.

So whether you want to test new features, share your thoughts, or just peek at what's coming, Firefox Labs is your front-row seat to the future of Firefox.

Update: The post was revised on May 14 to clarify a quote about link previews.

fx_website_meta-image_tips-tricks_alt-04-1-800x800.webp Get the browser that puts your privacy first - and always has Download Firefox

The post Jump into Firefox Labs: A place to try new features and help shape Firefox appeared first on The Mozilla Blog.

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