Mozilla Firefox 67 won’t allow extensions to run in Private Windows by default

A month back, we’ve reported Mozilla is working not to allow extensions to run in Private browsing by default in Firefox browser, users need to manually give the permission to extensions for that, well, the change landed in Nightly and Firefox started showing notification about the changes to extensions in add-ons manager as well as in Private browsing.

Firefox 67 brings changes to extensions in Private browsing

Today, if you visit Extensions in Add-ons Manager in Firefox Nightly, you’ll notice a message about the change: “Nightly is changing how extensions work in private browsing. Any new extensions you add to Nightly won’t run by default in Private Windows. Unless you allow it in Settings, the extension won’t work while private browsing and won’t have access to your online activities there. We’ve made this to keep your private browsing private”

changes how extensions work private browsing message

The message itself coveys that any new extensions won’t be allowed in PB but so the extensions you’ve installed before will be allowed seems that’s the case.

Give permission when you install Extensions

If you now install an extension from AMO, a notification will be shown with a checkbox to “Allow this extension to run in Private windows”, check it for the extension to work in Private browsing also.

allow extension to run in private windows checkbox

If you’ve clicked OK in a hurry, you can make the change by visiting extensions’ settings in Add-ons Manager.

To allow or disallow extensions in Private Windows in Firefox

1. Click on hamburger menu,

2. Select add-ons > Extensions,

3. Click on an extension description, choose “Allow” setting for the extension to run in PB, default is set to ‘Don’t Allow’

Allow don't allow settings for extension

Enable all the extensions in Private browsing

If you want all the extensions to be enabled in PB, toggle the below preference value to true and the Allow and Don’t allow settings for extension will disappear as a result.

extensions.allowPrivateBrowsingByDefault

Another notification about the change:

When you open a Private window, Firefox shows a notification informing about changes they made to extensions in private browsing and offers “Manage Extensions” button to navigate to Extensions section in Add-ons manager to review the extensions you’ve installed and you can allow necessary and trusted ones such as adblocker or security-related ones, the extensions may spy on you in Private browsing, this change is right from Mozilla in Firefox case.

changes to extensions msg in private window

Btw, Firefox team readied extensions in Private browsing help page for the users.

What’s your take on this?

Venkat Eswarlu

Venkat is an independent technology journalist and the founder of Techdows. He has been covering web browsers, Windows, and software news since 2009. His exclusive scoops on Chrome, Firefox, and Edge features have been cited by Forbes, TechCrunch, Wired, CNET, and other major publications.

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