32-Bit Firefox Users on 64-Bit PCs Will Be Auto-Upgraded to 64-Bit Firefox

[brambedkar59]

Mozilla engineers have decided that starting with Firefox 56 they will silently and forcibly auto-upgrade some users of 32-bit Firefox to 64-bit versions.

Obviously, the only ones that will be auto-migrated are users who run 32-bit versions of Firefox on computers with 64-bit architectures.

Mozilla didn't always provide a 64-bit version of Firefox. The first Firefox 64-bit version was delivered on December 15, 2015, with the release of Firefox 43. Since then, Mozilla has improved its 64-bit version, and last summer decided that it will make its 64-bit version the focal point of its development.

Only 30% of Windows 64-bit users run Firefox 64-bit
In spite of the obvious performance boost, adoption of the Firefox 64-bit version is still low. Mozilla says that 70% of Firefox users on 64-bit Windows are still running the 32-bit version.

Mozilla plans to move the bulk of these 70% to Firefox 64-bit. The only condition is that they have more than 2GB of RAM. According to Mozilla statistics, 92% of Windows users have more than 2GB of RAM, meaning most 32-bit Firefox users on 64-bit Windows will receive the 64-bit version in September.

Additionally, with the release of Firefox 55 Mozilla plans to modify the Windows stub installer to set up the 64-bit Firefox version by default for eligible users (Windows 64-bit and 2GB+ of RAM). Currently, the Windows stub installer will set up the 32-bit version by default, even on 64-bit platforms.

 

[Omarzwai]

Is there any difference concerning speed browsing ?

 

[brambedkar59]

Is there any difference concerning speed browsing ?

I have been using 64 bit version for about a year or so, it looks far more stable and somewhat snappy (especially since last few major updates) to me in comparison to 32 bit version.

 

[mlnevese]

There are many plugins and extensions that do not work on 64bits firefox. I actually returned to 32bit because of one of those...

 

[Fritz]

There are many plugins and extensions that do not work on 64bits firefox. I actually returned to 32bit because of one of those...

Which is exactly why I really hate the ongoing trend to patronize users. Whatever happened to having a window pop up that goes over the major pros and cons, maybe with a link to a more detailed document and ask?

I'll probably hear that "people don't read it anyways" – well, let them, not like they have to. They'll click "yes" for whatever the next ransomware asks them anyways, so chances are they won't need their browser for long either way. I for myself want to make an informed decision, not have some software running wild on my system however it pleases.

I've been a loyal Firefox user for many years, but they've already tried hard to get rid of me. Looking at the stats, I'm also not the only one annoyed by the recent development.

 

[jamescv7]

That will take little time considering that majority of users are not really in deep on technology and follow based on latest trend.

Coincidentally Chrome managed to have great performance in browsing either in 32 and 64 bit (which why many prefer it) but of course Firefox is still a contender that can manage to overcome bit by bit.

 

[tonibalas]

I am using Nightly 32bit.
I wonder if they will upgrade my version to 64bit or this will happen only for stable versions

 

[212eta]

Only 30% of Windows 64-bit users run Firefox 64-bit

I belong to that segment: 64-bit Windows and Firefox.

 

[brambedkar59]

I belong to that segment: 64-bit Windows and Firefox.

Me too

 

[tonibalas]

I belong to that segment: 64-bit Windows and Firefox.

In most cases i do the same thing.
But when i tested Nightly 32 and 64 bit i saw that in my system the 32 bit version was more stable and was using less resources than the 64 bit version.
I am using 32 bit version for more than a week and i see that i made the right decision for my system.

 

[Elpibe]

The only time i test the 64bit version i see that consume more ram than 32 bit, without any improvement (or at least not a remarkable one), so, if its work why change?

 

[tonibalas]

Nightly was updated to version 57 32 bit.
Probably this upgrade to 64 bit version will only happen to the stable releases of FF