Firefox on Linux: Tips and Tweaks to Improve Performance

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Firefox on Linux: Tips and Tweaks to Improve Performance

Is Firefox running slow on Linux? Does it freeze when opening multiple tabs or just not work as expected? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Although Firefox is one of the most used browsers on Linux due to its respect for privacy, sometimes it can run slower than it should.

But stay calm. You don’t need to change browsers or reformat everything. With a few simple tweaks and tricks, you can make Firefox run much smoother and faster. Below, I’ll explain what to change, how to do it, and why it’s worth it—to improve and optimize your browser.

1. Disable Unnecessary Animations

Firefox has several visual animations that, although they look nice, consume resources. To disable them:

Type about:config in the address bar.
Accept the warning.
Search for these options and set them to false:
toolkit.cosmeticAnimations.enabled
browser.tabs.animate
browser.download.animateNotifications

This reduces RAM usage and improves overall speed when switching tabs.

2. Adjust Cache for SSD or HDD

If you use a modern SSD, you can reduce disk cache usage (since it’s already fast). If you’re using a slower disk, it’s worth keeping it enabled.

To view or adjust this:

In about:config, search for browser.cache.disk.enable
true if you use an HDD
false if you have an SSD and want it to use more RAM
You can also change browser.cache.memory.capacity to make it use more RAM (e.g., 65536 for 64 MB)

3. Increase Process Limit

Firefox uses multiple processes for tabs. By default, it’s limited. Increasing it can improve performance on PCs with more than 4 GB of RAM.

Go to about:config
Search for dom.ipc.processCount
Change the value to 8 or more (depending on how much RAM you have)

This helps Firefox handle multiple tabs better.

4. Use Lightweight Extensions

Don’t install 30 extensions “just in case.” Some consume many resources and slow down your browsing.

Recommended extensions:

uBlock Origin: Blocks ads without slowing down.
Auto Tab Discard: Suspends inactive tabs to save memory.
ClearURLs: Removes tracking parameters from links.

Tip: Avoid duplicate extensions or ones that do the same thing.

5. Enable WebRender (if your GPU supports it)

WebRender improves graphic performance by using the GPU instead of just the CPU.

In about:support, check if it’s enabled.
If not, go to about:config and change:
gfx.webrender.all to true
Restart Firefox

This greatly improves animations, videos, and heavy websites.

6. Remove Old or Corrupt Profiles

Sometimes Firefox saves old settings that slow things down. You can create a new profile and see if it improves:

Open Firefox with firefox -P (from the terminal)
Create a new profile
Try browsing from that new profile

If the new profile runs better, export your bookmarks and settings to the new one.

7. Use a Blank Start Page

It seems minimal, but it helps:

Go to Preferences > Home
Change “Home page” to about:blank

This makes Firefox start faster without loading content right away.

8. Disable Pocket and Suggestions

Firefox comes with Pocket enabled, which suggests articles. If you don’t use it, turn it off.

Go to Preferences > Home
Disable “Recommended by Pocket” and “Search suggestions”

Fewer distractions and a cleaner, simpler start.

9. Manually Clear Cache

Every now and then, it’s good to clean the cache:

Go to Preferences > Privacy & Security
Scroll down to “Cookies and Site Data”
Click “Clear Data”

This helps free up space and fixes some slow loading issues.

10. Check Extensions Running in the Background

Sometimes we install extensions that spy or make constant server calls. From about:performance you can see which ones use the most.

If you see an extension you don’t use or that uses too much—uninstall it.

Extra Tip: Use Firefox ESR (Extended Support Release)

Firefox ESR is a much more stable version with fewer constant changes. Ideal if you don’t care about having the “latest” and prefer better stability.

You can install it like this:

Bash

sudo apt install firefox-esr

It’s not mandatory, but it may perform better on more modest systems. (It can help you.)

Summary

Firefox on Linux can run very well—if you tweak it properly. The good part is that you don’t need to switch distros, browsers, or PCs. Just make a few changes.