New Update Firefox 101 Stable: security fixes and classic download behavior restored

silversurfer

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" Mozilla plans to release Firefox 101 to the Stable channel on May 31, 2022. The new version of the open source web browser is a smaller release that includes some improvements and security fixes. "

Executive Summary​

  • Firefox 101 Stable is a security update that addresses security issues in the browser.
    Security updates are revealed after the official release of the web browser. You find the information published here after release.
  • Firefox 102 is the next ESR release. It will be released next month.

Firefox 101.0 new features and improvements​


Return of the classic download prompt

The big new improvement in Firefox 101 is one that is not highlighted in the official release notes. Mozilla changed the download behavior of the browser in Firefox version 97, which it released in January 2022.

Firefox used to display a prompt to the user, giving them options to open or save the file. The new download prompt copied the behavior of Chromium-based browsers; this meant that Firefox started the download immediately.

While there was an option to modify the behavior by enabling "always ask you where to save files" in the preferences, it did not replicate the full functionality of the classic download prompt.

Now, with Firefox 101, comes an option to restore the old prompt:
  1. Load about: preferences in the Firefox address bar.
  2. Scroll down to the Applications group on the page.
  3. Switch the default option "save files" to "ask whether to open or save files" on the page.

firefox open or save files

Other changes

  • Mozilla notes that Firefox users may assign custom actions to any "non-configured MIME type" after download completion.
  • Firefox supports using multiple microphones during video conferencing. The browser supports switching between microphones, provided that the conferencing service provider supports the functionality.
  • Firefox for Android supports using a magnifier for forms on Android 9 and later, which improves the usability of forms in the browser.
 

silversurfer

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" Mozilla Firefox 101.0.1 will be released later today (if you are reading this on June 9, 2022). The new point release of Firefox Stable fixes three main issues and several smaller issues, including a rare issue on Windows that is making the browser unusable. "
Firefox 101.0.1 addresses three main issues, each affecting a different operating system.
  • Fixed Firefox clearing the clipboard when closing on macOS (bug 1771823)
  • Fixed a compatibility issue causing severely impaired functionality with win32k lockdown enabled on some Windows systems (bug 1769845)
  • Fixed context menus not appearing when right-clicking Picture-in-Picture windows on some Linux systems (bug 1771914)

Issue 1: Non-functioning browser for some Windows users
  • Firefox started to become unusable for some users. The issue was reported to Mozilla last month on the organization's bug tracking site. The reported stated that most of Firefox's interface became non-functional in a Windows 10 virtual machine. Another user reported that the issue was experienced on a Windows 11 machine. Mozilla backed out of certain changes, and this appears to have resolved the issue for the affected users.

Issue 2: Clipboard is cleared on Mac OS when Firefox is closed
  • Users who run Firefox on Apple Macintosh devices reported that the browser was clearing the clipboard when it was closed. Firefox should not clear the clipboard on exit, and it does not do so on Windows or Linux devices.
Mozilla found the issue and resolved it.


Issue 3: Right-click context menus of Picture-in-Picture mode are not working
  • The right-click menu that Firefox displays when users right-click Picture-in-Picture windows did not appear on some Linux distributions. Picture-in-Picture mode allows users to move media streams to a dedicated window that acts independently from the main browser window for the most part.
Mozilla fixed the issue.


Firefox 101.0.1 includes several unspecified stability fixes next to the three main fixes.
 

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