Firefox 154 adds Startpage as a search provider

Anyone who wanted to change the search engine in Firefox previously usually had to add Startpage manually or install an extension. With Firefox 154, desktop users in Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands only need to open the settings: Startpage can be selected there directly as the default search engine and then used through the address bar.

Startpage is based in the Netherlands and promotes a privacy-focused approach. According to the provider, searches are not stored or linked to individual people. Mozilla says Startpage also displays no AI-generated summaries before or between regular search results. However, that does not automatically mean the results themselves are free of AI-generated content. The integration for Firefox on Android and iOS will follow later.

The move primarily lowers the technical barrier to entry. According to Mozilla, Firefox users were already carrying out more than one billion searches through Startpage each year before the direct integration. The existing default search setting is not changed by the update; anyone who wants to use Startpage must explicitly select it.

In practical terms, this means people in the five markets named above can activate a privacy-focused search option directly in the browser, without an add-on or manual setup. For Mozilla, this is primarily an expansion of choice, not a replacement for the existing default search engine. The privacy promises come from the provider itself and should not be equated with a guarantee that every page found is free of AI-generated content.

Firefox 154 is not limited to the search bar. The browser now also asks for permission for WebSocket connections when a website wants to access devices or services on the local network. Other additions include Smart Window for grouping related tabs, profile backups on macOS, iFrame translations and official support for GeForce Now on Windows. Mozilla is rolling out Smart Window gradually, so it is initially available only to some users.