Firefox 90 with function to update when browser is closed has been released

Mozilla has released Firefox 90. The Windows version can now update even if the browser is not running. Chromium browsers have had such functionality for some time. Furthermore, as announced, ftp support has been completely removed from Firefox 90.

The background update feature has already been tested in Mozilla betas and developers gave details about that in April. The Firefox profile periodically checks Windows to see if there is a browser update. Even if the browser is not in use, an update can be carried out. Users can turn this off by adjusting the BackgroundAppUpdate setting in about:preferences. Chromium browsers, such as Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, have long used such background updates.

Mozilla has the Firefox 90 release notes unpublished at the time of writing, but ghacks lists some of the innovations in the browser. As previously announced, ftp support has been completely removed from Firefox. From version 88 ftp was already disabled by default. Users who still want to use ftp with Firefox can do so with extensions.

Also new is the about:third-party page, which lists modules injected into Firefox that are not from Microsoft or Mozilla. The page gives users insight into that and can provide details about compatibility issues. Firefox 90 is a relatively minor update. At the beginning of June, Firefox 89 came out with the new Proton interface.