Firefox
A user.js file of Firefox about:config settings aimed at more privacy and speed.yokoffing/Betterfox
- Stars
- 11k
- Forks
- 257
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- JavaScript
- Last update
- 2 months ago
- Type
- Other
What it is
Betterfox is a configuration file (user.js) containing a curated list of Firefox about:config settings. You place it in your Firefox profile folder and Firefox applies the settings on restart, aiming to make the browser more private and secure without third-party code. It also offers optional variants, Securefox, Peskyfox, and Smoothfox, for different preferences.
- Apply a privacy-oriented set of about:config preferences to a Firefox profile
- Choose between the full user.js, Securefox, Peskyfox, or Smoothfox guides depending on whether you want privacy, a clean interface, or smooth scrolling
- Combine the settings with uBlock Origin and recommended filter lists
- Review and customize settings using the linked Common Overrides and Optional Hardening pages
Great for
- Firefox users who want privacy-focused defaults without installing extra software
- People comfortable editing browser settings and following a setup guide
- Users who want to pair a browser tweak with an ad blocker like uBlock Origin
- Anyone running a Firefox fork who wants to reapply its preferences
Not ideal for
- People who want zero breakage on every site, since the README says tweaks can affect site behavior and recommends reviewing overrides
- Users on Chrome, Edge, or Safari, because it only targets Firefox and its forks
- People who do not want to back up their profile or manage files in their Firefox profile folder
How to get it
- 1
See the README
You'll need: Mozilla Firefox (a Firefox 153 ESR or current release version is referenced in the README)
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/yokoffing/Betterfox - 2
Run it
- Create a backup of your Firefox profile following the README's backup guide
- Download user.js from the repository and review the Common Overrides and Optional Hardening pages
- In Firefox, open about:profiles, click Open Folder for your profile's Root Directory, and move user.js into it
- Restart Firefox, then optionally install uBlock Origin and set up DNS-level protection
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Review the Common Overrides wiki page to adjust settings you need for specific sites
- Read the Optional Hardening wiki page to decide on stricter settings
- Add uBlock Origin with the recommended filter lists linked in the README
- Try Smoothfox or Peskyfox if you want smoother scrolling or a cleaner interface
Downloads
Strengths
- Free and open source under the MIT license, with the source of every setting visible in the file
- Installation is a single file copied into your profile folder, with no installer needed
- The README documents a backup step and a way to undo changes by restoring a profile
Trade-offs
- Settings can cause some sites to break, so reviewing overrides is recommended
- Forks and some other browsers modify the preferences, which the README says can reduce effectiveness
- Performance and privacy claims come largely from user reviews and third-party articles rather than measured benchmarks in the README
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Betterfox (this) | 11k | Other | beginner | 2 months ago | Firefox users who want privacy-focused defaults without installing extra software |
| user.js | 13k | Dev tool | intermediate | 6 days ago | Desktop Firefox users who want stronger privacy defaults |
| fastify | 37.3k | Library | beginner | 4 days ago | Node.js developers building JSON APIs or backend services |
| web-check | 35.3k | App | intermediate | 4 days ago | Developers checking how a site is configured |
| macOS-Security-and-Privacy-Guide | 22.6k | Learning resource | intermediate | 4 days ago | Mac owners who want a checklist of security and privacy settings to work through |
| systeminformer | 16.4k | App | intermediate | 4 days ago | Windows users who want more detail than Task Manager provides |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.