Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Firefox Quantum New Tab, downgraded to "Old Style Firefox New Tab"

more options

I saw a brand new "New Tab" page and I was enjoying that, but suddenly after couple weeks of Firefox Quantum New Tab page, downgraded to Old Style Firefox New Tab page, even without my permission or even letting me know that.

I'm using Beta Version of Quantum with Version 57.0 (32-Bit)

I saw a brand new "New Tab" page and I was enjoying that, but suddenly after couple weeks of Firefox Quantum New Tab page, downgraded to Old Style Firefox New Tab page, even without my permission or even letting me know that. I'm using Beta Version of Quantum with Version 57.0 (32-Bit)
Attached screenshots

Modified by Frederick Kurniawan

Chosen solution

Could you check this preference:

(1) In a new tab, type or paste about:config in the address bar and press Enter/Return. Click the button promising to be careful or accepting the risk.

(2) In the search box above the list, type or paste newt and pause while the list is filtered

(3) Double-click the browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.enabled preference to switch the value from false to true

Does that work?

Because Firefox 57 is very nearly but not quite final, the value of this preference might change before release.

Read this answer in context 👍 11

All Replies (9)

more options

Chosen Solution

Could you check this preference:

(1) In a new tab, type or paste about:config in the address bar and press Enter/Return. Click the button promising to be careful or accepting the risk.

(2) In the search box above the list, type or paste newt and pause while the list is filtered

(3) Double-click the browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.enabled preference to switch the value from false to true

Does that work?

Because Firefox 57 is very nearly but not quite final, the value of this preference might change before release.

more options

Note that Activity Stream has been disabled for Firefox 57.

  • Bug 1411797 - Turn off activity stream for 57

(please do not comment in bug reports
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/page.cgi?id=etiquette.html
)

more options

thanks alot man! it works!

more options

Boolean doesn't exist in firefox mobile.

Tried everything. Created boolean. Still no fish.

more options

ArCaNe.Reality said

Boolean doesn't exist in firefox mobile. Tried everything. Created boolean. Still no fish.

On Android, go into menu > Settings > General > Home

Then in the Panels section, tap Top Sites to manage what appears on the panel or to hide it.

more options

@jscher2000 nope.

there lies an option to hide pocket and recent bookmarks. nothing else. quantum garbage startpage.

more options

ArCaNe.Reality said

there lies an option to hide pocket and recent bookmarks. nothing else.

What are you hoping to show on your Top Sites panel? Have you considered selecting your own home page instead?

more options

Please have a look at the old mobile firefox Top sites panel and then compare with mobile Quantum firefox Top sites panel; There is no option to enable/disable activity stream on mobile. This boolean only exists in the desktop version.

fyi The old firefox had top sites on its new tab page but they were big thumbnails/icons, about as big as only 2 thumbnails could fit on mobile side by side. As a result the top sites filled more than half of the new tab page. (the default was 6)

But the quantum new tab page shows a top sites panel with small icons instead of thumbnails which makes it a obvious UX hassle, now about 4 icons fit side by side. (default is 8 icons) All of which sit on the top portion of the new tab page, and in bigger smartphones we have to reach the top and select the site we want to navigate to from a really cramped space. (about 20% of visible space occupies 8 icons)

Although personally I feel the new pocket and recent bookmarks etc. is a nice addition the reduction of the top sites panel to some small icons made it a deal breaker and according to reddit quite a few users are opting to downgrade or switch to a different browser just for this reason.

As your old answer for the desktop firefox was chosen as the most helpful one, surely you have checked the boolean value does anything at all in mobile firefox? It doesn't do anything at all. The boolean simply doesn't exist nor does creating the boolean in mobile firefox change the way mobile firefox behaves in any way. Thanks.

Hopefully this is fixed soon.

Modified by ArCaNe.Reality

more options

Hi ArCaNe.Reality, if you haven't already, could you post your question on the Android board:

https://support.mozilla.org/questions/new/mobile/customize

Scroll down past article suggestions to continue with the form.