Mozilla now lets users decide how much AI they actually want inside Firefox
Mozilla's Firefox update adds mobile AI controls, webpage summarisation tools, VPN location switching and faster private browsing resets across devices
 "Mozilla now lets users decide how much AI they actually want inside Firefox")
Web browsers are increasingly evolving beyond simple web browsing tools, with companies now integrating AI-powered features, privacy controls and productivity tools directly into the browser experience. Features such as webpage summarisation, writing assistance, AI search, translations and smart tab organisation are becoming common across major browsers as companies compete to make browsers more useful for work, research and everyday browsing. At the same time, concerns around privacy, unwanted automation and growing AI clutter inside browsers have also increased among users.
Mozilla has been positioning Firefox differently by focusing on giving users more control over which AI features appear in the browser, instead of enabling everything by default. Earlier, the company announced that Firefox users would soon be able to completely disable all AI-powered tools or selectively enable only specific features through a dedicated AI controls section in settings. Mozilla had said the move was focused on addressing concerns from users who do not want AI deeply embedded into their browsing experience while still allowing others to use features they find useful.
Building on that approach, Firefox 151 now expands AI-related controls to Android and iOS devices, allowing mobile users to decide which AI-powered features they want enabled inside the browser. Depending on the device and region, users can manage tools such as translations, voice search and Mozilla’s “Shake to Summarize” feature, which generates short AI-based summaries of webpages. The update is designed to give users more flexibility over how much AI appears in their browsing experience rather than automatically enabling every feature by default.
What are Firefox’s new AI controls
In the company's previous Firefox 148 update, Firefox introduced a dedicated “AI controls” section inside the browser’s settings menu. The feature acts as a central hub where users can review, manage or disable AI-powered tools available in Firefox instead of having them automatically enabled by default. These are now rolling out on mobile devices with Firefox 151 update.
Mozilla also added a “Block AI enhancements” toggle for users who do not want AI features integrated into their browsing experience. Once enabled, Firefox stops showing AI-related prompts, suggestions and reminders linked to current or future AI tools. The company said these preferences will remain unchanged during future browser updates unless users manually modify them.
What other browser offer
Firefox’s latest update reflects a shift in the browser industry, where companies are increasingly turning web browsers into all-in-one platforms with built-in AI tools, privacy features and security services. Instead of relying on separate apps or browser extensions, companies are now adding features such as AI-powered summarisation, translation tools, VPN services and privacy controls directly into the browser experience.
Chrome has been adding features such as AI-powered tab organisation, writing assistance and webpage summarisation, while Microsoft Edge includes Copilot-powered tools for summarising webpages, rewriting text and answering questions from open tabs. Meanwhile, Opera already offers a built-in browser VPN and AI assistant features. Alongside AI, browser companies are also focusing more on privacy and security tools as browsers continue evolving beyond just web browsing apps.
Alongside the AI additions, Firefox 151 also introduces several privacy-focused updates. The browser’s built-in free VPN service now supports manual location selection in supported regions. Mozilla has also added a new one-click “Clear Private Session” button that instantly wipes cookies, browsing history, logins and other session data from private browsing windows without requiring users to close and reopen the browser. The update includes the following:
Firefox 151 update: What’s new
Firefox’s free VPN now supports location selection
Firefox 151 introduces location selection for the browser’s built-in free VPN service, allowing users to manually choose which country they want to browse from instead of being automatically connected to the nearest available location. The feature is currently rolling out for users in the US, UK, France, Germany and Canada.
Mozilla said that the browser-based VPN is designed around its privacy-focused approach and offers up to 50GB of data per month in supported regions. The feature works by routing browsing traffic through a proxy server, helping mask a user’s IP address and approximate location while using Firefox.
The new location switching option can be useful for accessing region-specific websites, checking local news from another country or comparing online prices across regions. Firefox will still recommend the closest location by default for better performance, but users can switch between supported regions at any time. Mozilla has also confirmed that support for additional locations will be added in future updates.
How it works
Unlike traditional VPN apps that protect internet traffic across an entire device, Firefox’s VPN mainly works within the browser and is focused on securing browsing activity inside Firefox itself.
With the update, users in supported regions can manually select the country they want to browse from instead of being automatically connected to the nearest server. This can help users access region-specific websites, view local news from another country, compare prices across regions or add an extra layer of privacy while browsing online.
However, the feature may not offer the same level of protection as a full-device VPN service that covers all apps and internet traffic on a phone or computer. Mozilla also notes that users will still be subject to local laws and regional content restrictions based on the country they choose.
AI controls expand to Android and iPhone
Firefox is also bringing its AI settings controls to Android and iOS after first introducing them on desktop earlier this year. The controls allow users to decide which AI-powered features they want active in the browser. Depending on the device and region, these options can include webpage translations, voice search and the “Shake to Summarize” tool. The company said that users can turn features on or off whenever they want, instead of having all AI tools enabled by default.
Shake to Summarize expansion
Mozilla’s “Shake to Summarize” feature lets users quickly get a short AI-generated summary of a webpage by simply shaking their phone. The feature is now rolling out on Android devices in English. On iOS, it is available in English, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Japanese. Mozilla, additional languages for Android will arrive later.
Private session reset
Firefox 151 also introduces a new “Clear Private Session” button for private browsing mode.
The button appears beside the address bar and allows users to instantly erase their current private browsing session without manually closing all private tabs. Cookies, browsing history, logins and other session-related data from private windows are removed automatically when the button is pressed.
Refreshed settings page coming to Nightly users
Mozilla has also previewed a redesigned settings page for Firefox Nightly users. For context, Firefox Nightly is an experimental version of Firefox released by Mozilla for people who want to try upcoming features before they arrive in the stable browser. The company said that the updated layout is intended to make navigation easier with clearer labels, improved organisation and a better search experience. According to Mozilla, existing settings will remain unchanged even after the redesign rolls out. The new settings interface will begin rolling out to Nightly users later this week.