A quick guide to Firefox for Windows 8 Touch

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Mark your calendars! The release version of Firefox for Windows 8 Touch is coming to you in March 2014. In the meantime, try the Beta version.

This latest version of Firefox makes browsing and sharing on your Windows 8 easier and faster. We'll give you an overview of its features so you can get started right away.

Switch between Desktop and Touch mode

Can't decide between desktop mode or Touch mode? Don't worry, you can switch modes easily while browsing.

From Desktop mode: Go to Firefox button and select Relaunch in Firefox for Windows 8 Touch.

From Desktop mode: Go to the menu button The image "new FX menu" does not exist. and select Windows 8 Touch.

From Touch mode: Go to menu button at the bottom of the page and select Relaunch in Desktop.

When you switch modes, Firefox will reopen the pages you were looking at so you can pick up where you left off. When you close and reopen Firefox, it will launch in the last mode you used.

Navigate with tiles

Firefox displays websites in large tiles that are easy to recognize and tap. No more clicking on the wrong site!

Easy-to-recognize tiles on the home page

The Firefox home or start page displays your most visited sites, bookmarks and history all in one place. Pin, hide or delete sites from the Firefox home page by holding down its tile to highlight and selecting Hide, Delete or Pin from the menu.

Pin your favorite sites to the Start screen

Want to access your favorite sites directly from the Windows Start screen? Simply load your page in Firefox and tap the pin icon. Enter a name in the dialog window and Pin to Start. Your favorite sites will display on the Start screen in nice, big tiles.

Find everything with the Awesome Bar

Take the Awesome Bar with you on Windows 8! Just start to type in a search or web address and Firefox will match what you type with sites you've already bookmarked or visited, or choices of search engines, in case you want to start a new search.

Simplified controls, toolbars and tabs

No more fussing with toolbars on a small screen. The tabs, search field and a simplified toolbar stay out of your way and reappear when you flick up from the bottom of the screen.

  • Toolbar: The toolbar contains the Awesome Bar and essentials such as the browser back and forward buttons, bookmark, pin and menu buttons. Flick up from the bottom of the display to bring up the toolbar to access these controls.
  • Tabs: want to open a new tab? Just tap the plus sign sitting o the right edge of the display. To open a page in a new tab, touch and hold the link to bring up the context menu, then choose Open link in new tab.


Privacy settings

Options for changing your privacy settings are easy to access through Windows Charms.

Clear private data

While the touch version does not support Private Browsing, you can still clear your history, passwords and site preferences immediately after browsing:

  1. At the right side of the display, swipe to the left to display the Windows Charms menu.
  2. Select Settings, then Options.
  3. Under ‘’’Clear Private Data’’’, select Clear.

Do Not Track

Opt in to let websites know whether or not you want to be tracked.

  1. At the right side of the display, swipe to the left to display the Windows 8 Charms menu.
  2. Select Settings, then Options.
  3. Scroll to down to the Do Not Track section and choose your setting.
See How do I turn on the Do Not Track Feature? to learn more about this feature.

Share and save content

See something that's too good to keep to yourself? Firefox works with the Search Charm on Windows 8. Just swipe left from the right edge of the display to bring up the Charms menu and select Share. From here, you can email someone a link or screenshot, post the page to your social networks, or save it to your Reading List to enjoy later.

Side-by-side views

Firefox can snap to one side of the display so you can look at two windows side by side. Just swipe down from the top of the display and drag the window to the left or right. It snaps right into place!