What happened to Tracking Protection?
Revision Information
- Revision id: 170341
- Created:
- Creator: AliceWyman
- Comment: Private Browsing home page info, image, other edits
- Reviewed: Yes
- Reviewed:
- Reviewed by: AliceWyman
- Is approved? Yes
- Is current revision? No
- Ready for localization: Yes
- Readied for localization:
- Readied for localization by: AliceWyman
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Revision Content
Tracking generally refers to content, cookies, or scripts that can collect your browsing data across multiple sites. Firefox provides users with tools to block these online trackers. This feature was called Tracking Protection in the past. Starting in Firefox version 63, the functionality of Tracking Protection is included in a new set of features called Content Blocking. Now, you can get the same tracking protection by selecting the setting to block all detected trackers.
Turn Content Blocking on or off
Starting in Firefox 63, content blocking includes settings for trackers and tracking cookies. By default, Firefox blocks trackers only in private windows. You can change your optionspreferences to block trackers all the time. You can also set your optionspreferences to not block any content at all.
- Expand the main Firefox menu button The image "fx57menu" does not exist. and select optionspreferences.
- To block trackers for all browsing sessions, change the All Detected Trackers option from Only in private windows to Always.
- To turn off Content Blocking, deselect the checkbox for All Detected Trackers.
Table of Contents
- 1 Turn Content Blocking on or off
- 2 Turn Tracking Protection on or off
- 3 Turn Tracking Protection on or off automatically for certain sessions
- 4 Turn Tracking Protection on or off in private windows
- 5 Turn off Tracking Protection for individual sites
- 6 Turn off Tracking Protection for all sites
- 7 Block lists in Firefox
Turn Tracking Protection on or off
- Click on the Firefox menu button The image "fx57menu" does not exist. to open the menu panel.
- Click the switch next to to turn it on or off.
Turn Tracking Protection on or off automatically for certain sessions
By default, Firefox blocks trackers only in Private Browsing windows. You can customize Tracking Protection so that it's on all the time, only in private windows or not at all.
- In the Menu bar at the top of the screen, click and then select or , depending on your macOS version.Click the menu button and select .
- Click
- Choose between the following options:
- Always: Keep Tracking Protection on as you browse.
- Only in private windows: Turns Tracking Protection on only if you're using a Private Browsing window.
- Never: Turns off Tracking Protection for all sites.
Turn Tracking Protection on or off in private windows
Tracking Protection is turned on by default in Private Browsing windows.
Click the switch next to Tracking Protection on the Private Browsing home page to turn it off or back on. (If you don't see a Tracking Protection switch, it means that you've customized your Firefox Settings to always keep Tracking Protection on.)
Turn off Tracking Protection for individual sites
You may also choose to disable Tracking Protection for particular websites.
- The shield icon will appear when Firefox is actively blocking trackers on a page. Click the shield icon to bring up the Control Center.
- In the Control Center, click Private Browsing window in a normal browsing window or in a Private Browsing window.
in a normal browsing window or in a
- Once Tracking Protection is disabled, a shield icon with red strikethrough will appear in your address bar.
Since Private Browsing mode doesn’t keep any information about your browsing session, when you disable Tracking Protection for a site it only lasts for this session. When you start a new Private Browsing session, Tracking Protection will be turned on again for all sites.
Turn off Tracking Protection for all sites
- In the Menu bar at the top of the screen, click and then select or , depending on your macOS version.Click the menu button and select .
- Click on the leftClick . on the left and go to the Tracking Protection section
- Uncheck the box next to Use Tracking Protection in Private WindowsUse Tracking Protection in Private Browsing to block known trackers.
- Close the tab to save your changes.
Block lists in Firefox
You can change the block list used to block third-party trackers. By default, Private Browsing with Tracking Protection uses the Disconnect.me basic protection list. You can change this to use the Disconnect.me strict protection list instead.
- The basic protection list blocks commonly known analytics trackers, social sharing trackers and advertising trackers. However, the basic protection list allows some known content trackers to reduce website breakage.
- The strict protection list blocks all known trackers, including analytics trackers, social sharing trackers and advertising trackers as well as content trackers. The strict list will break some videos, photo slideshows and some social networks.
Change your block list
- In the Menu bar at the top of the screen, click and then select or , depending on your macOS version.Click the menu button and select .
- Click on the leftClick . on the left and go to the Tracking Protection section
- Click the Use Tracking Protection in Private WindowsUse Tracking Protection in Private Browsing to block known trackersUse Tracking Protection to block known trackers and select the block list you want to use. button next to
- Click .