Mozilla's Controversial Experiment to Set Firefox as Default Browser During Installation on Windows 11

Mozilla is planning an experiment in Firefox 134 Beta, and possibly in Firefox 135, that will allow users to set Firefox as the default browser during the installation process.

Firefox’s default browser experiment on Windows 11

The experiment involves a mechanism that sets Firefox as the default browser based on an attribution campaign. When a user downloads Firefox from the specific marketing page (https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/) and an attribution campaign ID of “set_default_browser” is detected in the stub installer, Firefox will automatically be set as the default browser on the first run.

Mozilla’s Implementation

“This patch adds a startup idle task that sets the browser as default if an attribution campaign ID of ‘set_default_browser’ is present on the first run. This patch supports an upcoming experiment where users will have the option to ‘download as default’ via the stub installer marketing page.” Mozilla notes in a bug titled “Support setting Firefox as default based on installer attribution campaign.”

Here is my experience with the experiment.

User Experience during the Experiment:

Step 1: Users download Firefox from the marketing campaign URL.

Step 2: During installation, the setup presents options ticked by default: “pin Firefox to the taskbar”, “set Firefox as the default browser”, and “import from the previous browser”.

Step 3: Users can choose to “save and continue” or “skip this step”. If proceeding, the Windows 11 settings default apps page opens (apps > default apps > Firefox) to set Firefox as the default browser. Clicking “set default” will make Firefox the default.

Step 4: Import Browser Data: The setup wizard then offers to import browser data with options to select from, which can also be skipped.

Step 5. Customize Firefox: Users are asked to customize Firefox with popular extensions like Privacy Badger, Facebook Container, and Clear URLs. This step can be skipped as well.

Step 6. Download for Mobile: Users are prompted to use a QR code to download Firefox for mobile or send themselves a download link.

Finish Setup: The toolbar option “Finish setting up Firefox” shows completed steps like setting Firefox as the default browser and indicates any steps not completed, such as pinning Firefox to the taskbar, importing data from the previous browser, adding an extension, and signing up or signing into a Firefox account.

This experiment is designed to be low-risk by being gated behind a specific attribution campaign. This means that not all users who download Firefox will be included in the experiment. By limiting the experiment to users who come from the marketing page with the designated campaign ID, Mozilla can track the impact of the change on a specific group of users.

By simplifying the default browser setting process, Mozilla hopes to encourage more users to choose Firefox as their primary browser.

Apart from Firefox’s marketing campaign on the Default browser, Mozilla is working on several new features for Firefox. These include a Fakespot-powered deepfake text detector to identify AI-generated content, a unified button in the address bar for easier search engine switching, and the ability to enable the Mica effect for a visually appealing interface.

What’s your take on this Firefox experiment? Which browser do you use as default on Windows? Why are you not switching to Firefox? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.