Wait, LibreWolf got even BETTER? (LibreWolf Review)

You might have heard of LibreWolf before. It's a privacy-focused Firefox fork that makes a lot of improvements to Firefox's out-of-the-box experience. But I never cared that much about LibreWolf because it didn't really seem that different from hardened Firefox with a custom user.js file like Arkenfox. What's the point? But in recent years, LibreWolf has made a lot of small changes that makes the experience a lot better, especially for new users. In this video, let's see if LibreWolf finally puts Firefox out of business...
LibreWolf website: librewolf.net
Firefox user.js Hardening Guide: • Firefox is NOT private...
Browser Tier List: • The ULTIMATE Browser T...
Why I Use Firefox: • I Hate Firefox. But I'...
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0:00 Intro
0:20 Wait, what's LibreWolf?
1:52 What's new with LibreWolf?
4:38 Explaining the settings
6:42 Adding additional overrides
7:39 Read the docs
8:21 But LibreWolf is out of date!
11:38 Conclusion

[@saesdev]

that thumbnail is so good

[@EricMurphyxyz]

Appreciate it

[@Faris-Alzalam19]

Yes, yes it is!

[@cenewton3221]

One of the best features of Librewolf is that it doesn't play any DRM content out of the box, which on KZbin means none of their ads play. See, YT doesn't DRM-protect creator videos but it does DRM-protect their commercials. Thus, with Librewolf, one gets a completely ad-free YT experience. I use Librewolf as my daily driver browser & only use others when I'm on Amazon Prime Video or another streaming platform. It's easily the best IMO.

[@FletcherCat]

It comes with ublock origin installed already, meaning that it wouldn't play ads in the first place. Interesting to hear about the DRM thing though.

[@amogoose2971]

@@FletcherCat idk why but sometimes youtube just managed to play ads even though i already have ublock

[@connivingkhajiit]

Waterfox as well. The setting for it can be found in the general tab on base firefox.

[@FuckTheState]

You should start torrenting instead of using these idiotic streaming platforms

[@amogoose2971]

@@FuckTheState lol my dad torrents movies all the time, idk if its morally okay to pirate movies & games though, its technically stealing

[@Bless3757]

there should absolutely be a ResistFingerprinting+DarkMode option for those who want Dark Mode but don't want to turn off other fingerprint resistance techniques

[@TheLonelyMoon]

You may think it's tedious, but I use most my daily browsing on Librewolf except Prime Video. Libre is clean, quick, easy to set up, private, the most no-bs privacy centered daily driver I've used. Been a hardened FF fan for a while, LW was just a no brainer

[@Mr_Jafoole]

Hey why would you not use it for prime video may i ask?

[@iclonethefirst]

I really hate that fingerprinting limits dark mode. Its a bit annoying

[@Atticus_Moore]

very helpful. i was considering hardening firefox but i know i will hate having to update the files as i hate updating anything lol. this might be the perfect browser for me. i'd love to see a video on the arc browser when it comes to windows later this year. its supposed to be open source, but the video i saw didn't talk about any privacy concern stuff unfortunately. it was more of a showcase of what the browser is like functionally and I love its functionality, but i still have some privacy concerns which is why i'm searching for my perfect browser. thanks for the great video!

[@Little-bird-told-me]

I have been using Librewolf off and on. The defaults _(especially clear history and cache)_ can bit a bit annoying for the uninitiated like myself, but I keep it as a third option after brave and firefox

[@EricMurphyxyz]

Having more than one browser is always a good thing

[@readifdumb]

I think going through your settings once and reading through everything can be beneficial to get the most out of any browser you use. I personally turned off settings in Librewolf like clearing cookies, because I hate having to log in all the time, but after getting a password manager I now turn it on and instead just manage exceptions for a few sites. Privacy always comes at a cost of either efficiency, time, or money. If you want to takes steps towards improving your own privacy, most likely you'll have to sacrifice one of these things. If you turn off fingerprinting and use CanvasBlocker extension instead, with default settings, and turn on history + manage cookie exceptions, you can get it close to a normal browsing experience without sacrificing too much privacy/data. Similar to using Brave, where you have to turn off a bunch of their products that they try force on you. Once you've gotten something set up, you don't have to change it, so while initially it might be annoying, you can get over it relatively fast and be on your way.

[@nvy..]

You can just turn them off, though in my case I'd rather sanitize my cache every session with a few exceptions (websites I frequently log into)

[@lotuschamp7796]

I have it on but with some exceptions like youtube

[@drugstoremarc2]

You could make a video showing how to make Librewolf consume less RAM memory. Keep up the good work

[@burprobrox9134]

I think for non-technical users Brave is much better. For my family (whom I have to support), I wouldn’t touch this with a 10ft pole. I’ve been using and supporting Firefox since it was Navigator, late 90s. Christ I’m getting old ugh

[@EricMurphyxyz]

I agree, Brave is still the best browser for normal people

[@Jammet]

I'm completely baffled about this. DRM and history aside, two toggles, what in the every day use would be problematic about this one? It looks like any other browser and acts like them on the front, too. You could put this browser in front of anyone and they'd be using it just fine.

[@justinTime077]

I just love the wolf icon, it looks like my Halo avatar, so I’m on it.

[@EricMurphyxyz]

Guess which movie I just watched 🐺

[@HoboHero]

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is too obvious, I assume it's WolfWalkers lol

[@HoboHero]

I just noticed your "just watched" comment was written like 12 days ago🤔 This question is trickier than I thought... 🦊

[@user-1wy8wu01]

Hello Eric, Is there any way to DISABLE the 60fps cap on LibreWolf? Open to all suggestions.

[@angusthenerd]

Only solution I've found so far is to disable ResistFingerprinting. There's probably a way to only disable it for certain websites in the config but I can't find it. At the moment I just flip it off when I access a couple websites where I need to, then turn it back on once it's loaded.

[@tomaszkarwik6357]

I use it because it is a pre configured hardened Firefox. I dont have to fuss around with some wierd configs. I just run "package-manager-install librewolf" and i am done

[@jonathandawson3091]

So it's just the they have help on their settings about options that are also available to Firefox?

[@TheDeepThinker-sq3iy]

Uh... I've got a problem, Libre wolf just DOESN'T seem to respond to jumping to a new site... I've just shortly before posting this FINISHED installing this. . it WAS working but then it just seemed to get stuck in a never ending loop when trying to go to a new site, this SEEMS to have happened sometime after I was drafting some bookmarks from my og firefox. did I break something? I also tweaked some settings that were for remembering search and history as well as logins... Don't know what happened... might gonna have to stick with my old fire fox. . .

[@boozqueen]

How to instal librewolv 109 version? because my mac os mojave 10.14.5 and i cant instal new version

[@AF-lj1js]

This may sound silly but what do u think of adding add-ons like clearURLs and Adguard? No necessary difference?

[@nescius2]

I am always adding ublock origin

[@daman8492]

So I have a weird problem with Firefox and LibreWolf. If I open a tab for a certain website, like Fiverr or Discord, the entire browser stutters for a good second or two. This is most noticable when a video is playing on my other monitor. It just freezes. Then when I close the offending tab, the browser stutters again. I can't figure out why. This doesn't happen with Chrome or Brave, so I believe it's a performance issue like Firefox/LibreWolf not having enough resources? I tried observing Task Manager while it happens and nothing changes.

[@smody121]

I thought I was relatively tech savvy, but after trying out LW for like a month, I'm not a fan. I can only download files to my desktop and not my NAS and cannot figure out what setting I need to change to allow for saving files where I want them.

[@TarebossT]

How do I stop LibreWolf from resetting the zoom to 100% every time I exit?

[@danizimo]

You can't set LibreWolf portable as default browser for some reason. But you can do so with Firefox portable.

[@emmanuel_101]

Top notch thumbnail 👏

[@johnxland9373]

Is there a way to install it on linux mint?

[@rod4309]

For people who aren't very computer competent, the people who would benefit most from better online security, LibreWolf is way better than hardened Firefox.

[@Anonymous-dh4id]

Why?

[@satie7]

Why? Im a noob on this topic can someone explain

[@hwfq34fajw9foiffawdiufhuaiwfhw]

@@satie7 hardened firefox requires you to understand at least some of the configuration changes in the user.js file, that are going to be applied to firefox. so that you can make a decicision based on the tradeoffs. it is meant for a user with specific "threat model" in mind and your configuration can actually make you more identifiable on the www for non-technical users, Librewolf or Mull Browser are the best general purpose option. It is pre-configured with a good balance of privacy and easeofuse. the most that users will have to fiddle with is adding site exceptions for it so you can stay logged in after browser restarts

[@horvathnandor]

I’m using librewolf as secondary browser on mac and main browser on my secondary win pc and I like it

[@jonathanalemanlinares9473]

Which webbrowser would you recommend, LibreWolf or Firefox (hardering)?

[@Hovel420]

i've been using librewolf for a while and i like it alot but it has some drawbacks and the main one being that it's slow. hardening firefox is not difiicult at all and it's in my opinion faster than librewolf

[@johnnymnemonic1369]

Doesn't modifying all of these settings make my footprint even more unique? If LibreWolf reports itself as Firefox and uses an identical TLS handshake, that's great, but I'm concerned that customising all of these features (yes even blocking fingerprinting) only makes me more identifiable.

[@mikitoburrito]

I think it would.

[@nescius2]

I think it would, but not really - advertisers can only find out modifications which change how firefox acts towards the server or towards parts which are observable via javascript, also only relatively more common modifications are checked for by the advertisers.

[@hikahiki]

bro i have someting problem i install librewolf but my steam even infiltrated a PC from another country and asked for a code in my email after I deleted it, there were no more problems

[@Holycurative9610]

I get weird ghosting on my screen when using Librewolf but the ghosting comes and goes. Pretty strange eh!! I'm assuming it's to do with video but I get it when reading YT comments or looking at other websites and don't get it when playing back YT videos...

[@wakaras]

What os or linux distro you use ?

[@EricMurphyxyz]

Arch Linux, I have a few videos about it

[@anti_globalista]

It's not convenient that my privacy settings break sites? I say: F those sites.

[@gustavomendes2983]

I really would LOVE to switch off from Chrome, but there's one thing on it that keeps me hanging around yet: progressive web apps. I REALLY use it a lot and if tomorrow firefox decides to take this feature back (dunno why they discontinued it 😢), I'd get back. Is there any other browser not based on chromium that has an efficient PWA?

[@lieftheshinigami]

I don't know about Windows, but there is a plugin that will allow you install progressive web apps through firefox. Installed it on my Arch laptop so I can use Teams

[@Ax4400]

Does it have access to my home directory like firefox?

[@EricMurphyxyz]

You mean does it create a directory in your home directory like .mozilla? Yes, it creates a .librewolf.

[@Ax4400]

@@EricMurphyxyz Thank you, does running FF in a sandbox like 'firejail' help?

[@LoneShot]

hey i've noticed a fault in librewolf. It doesnt match with your screen refresh rate , always capped to 60

[@liteknight]

That's a feature, not a bug. Having a higher refresh rate is considered a fingerprinting identifier. To uncap Librewolf you have to turn off the resistFingerprinting option in settings > Librewolf, rip.

[@chrono581]

I've actually like a version of Libra wolf for Android I do have it for all the major popular desktop operating systems but not for mobile

[@danizimo]

With librewolf on linux you can't login in twitch

[@Z4KIUS]

it's one of these that seem too strict for everyday use, we need just the real Firefox back to revert what got broken in Quantum

[@GANONdork123]

I use it for my everyday uses. Just add the sites you use the most to the exceptions list and/or turn off the settings that get in your way.

[@roshandx1]

That thumbnail just wow 😂

[@Nk-ti4st]

Catfox

[@juhaeerjayran4246]

@@Nk-ti4st librewolf being death and firefox pussy is very accurate due to what happens in the movie (- death truce in the end)

[@Tired_Night_Owl_in_the_Woods]

"Why you need a new browser when hardened Firefox works the same?" Maybe to not have to dance around some config files and get everything out of the box?🤔😅

[@petakarini7567]

i have been using libre wolfe ,with all its hardened setting and have never had a problem

[@jesse7631]

How is giving out your screen resolution an invasion of privacy exactly?

[@EricMurphyxyz]

I go over this more in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fKObhnmAr9WBotU but it can be used for fingerprinting. Fingerprinting is a technique advertisers use to uniquely identify you even without cookies, and they use data collected from your system, like time zone, operating system and browser, window resolution, etc. to uniquely identify you.

[@prototype_585]

@@JuneAtHomePH the activation code is stored in the motherboard

[@rusty9060]

that thumbnail 😬

[@muslim_mario]

why linux things all of them have animal logos?

[@haroonalbar2725]

Why not brave ?

[@windows99]

Associated with cripto bros

[@readifdumb]

Brave pushes a lot of stuff at you, with crypto currency rewards, VPNs, and other options that you may not want by default. You can however turn this stuff off, but it is annoying. LibreWolf is also a lot more trustworthy because you can directly look at and change the code at any point. You also get the benefit of not supporting Chromium/Google, since Brave is a chromium browser. FireFox extensions also might be more to your liking.

[@TheAdamAdy]

@@windows99 You can turn all that stuff off in the settings

[@Chuck_vs._The_Comment_Section]

A web browser without an integrated updater? Great idea! What could possibly go wrong?

[@Psychopatz]

lmao updatin it is easy and intuitive if youre using linux

[@seadffsa]

well your first mistake is not using linux

[@Chuck_vs._The_Comment_Section]

@@seadffsa For sure! Of course, that can ONLY be a mistake and NEVER NOT a conscious decision! Oh man, those Linux apologists are always good for a joke.

[@seadffsa]

@@Chuck_vs._The_Comment_Sectionlol I love how you take a stupid joke like it’s an insult on your intelligence. Who takes a choice of OS so personally? 😂 I literally still use windows a lot of the time but I don’t bitch and whine when people bring up benefits of linux. But for someone crying about having to manually click a button in order to update i guess it’s fitting!

[@Chuck_vs._The_Comment_Section]

@@seadffsa That must really be a very special talent you have: Reading things that weren't even written. That would also explain how you can be of the opinion that you made a joke without being funny.

[@Nk-ti4st]

I don't think that librewolf is the solution, because it uses same browser engine of firefox. There is a need of a new engine which respects privacy by default. I hope browsers like Dillo, Links and Netsurf, which use their own engine, one day become good enough for daily use.

[@EricMurphyxyz]

With the modern web being so complex now, it's very hard for a new browser engine to get off the ground without a huge company behind it. Besides, what's wrong with Firefox's browser engine?

[@passord1d493]

@@EricMurphyxyz Its stupid rust thingys and c++ hard to compile, netsurf takes 10min to compile, firefox takes 10-20 haurs to compile not good at all.

[@jesse7631]

Browser engines don't have privacy features coded into them - it's based on all other options. Chromium is a privacy-focused browser, but it's also used by Google, which is the opposite.

[@A_Hexagon]

Perfect is the enemy of good

[@sunsetgradient]

@@jesse7631 used by google? chromium is mostly developed by google lol

[@j.r.r.tolkien8724]

But I love pocket.

[@user-pm2ki1zt4z]

just got Libre Wolf today so it as U blacker

[@my-walks]

it keeps pausing videos and is dreadful with graphics.

[@lughano5253]

better? it was good?

[@EricMurphyxyz]

Always has been

[@hexisXz]

Waterfox is better.

[@ShadowOfTheSPQR]

Waterfox is a solid option but better's going to need more context. Easier, perhaps.

[@readifdumb]

Waterfox is barely different from FireFox, and you'll get further with privacy using LibreWolf or hardening FireFox.

[@lactate]

I like waterfox

[@Sunlight91]

I almost stopped using Librewolf for disabling dark-mode.

[@nescius2]

Firefox is almost full of shit, but less so than Chrome.

[@insanecuckooman8342]

not compatible with chrome extensions. skip.

[@peterhumphreys9201]

Yeah - how can one *live* without Chrome extensions???

[@starkfuture1057]

Have multi-account container work and I’d be gone from Firefox for ever.

[@andrewstewartjacobs9678]

Eric, from to time Librewolf has video playback problems with KZbin videos. You have to wait for an update from Librewolf for it to be resolved.

[@EricMurphyxyz]

Really? I've never run into that issue before. Are you sure it's not a privacy setting that's breaking it?

[@Little-bird-told-me]

@@EricMurphyxyz me neither

[@muizzsiddique]

Hasn't been an issue for me.

[@muizzsiddique]

A comment of mine was just outright de1eted here and all I was doing was recommending a brows3r extensi0n.