New Firefox design: adjust tabs, toolbar and New Tab

Firefox's new layout can make familiar controls harder to find. This desktop guide follows Mozilla's release notes and help pages so you can adjust the spacing, colours and New Tab page.

The redesign arrived in Firefox 157 on 29 September 2026; version 157.0.1 followed on 6 October. This guide is based on Mozilla documentation. Its images are Mozilla's redesign illustrations.

1. Check your Firefox version

1. On Windows or Linux, open the three-line menu, then Help and About Firefox. On Mac, use Firefox in the menu bar, then About Firefox.
2. Read the version number. The settings below target Firefox 157 or later.
3. If Firefox downloads an update, choose Restart to update Firefox when it finishes. Save any work first.

Microsoft Store installations update through the Store. Linux distribution packages update through the system's package manager.

2. Give webpages more room

1. Open the three-line menu and choose Settings.
2. Select Appearance on the left.
3. Under Window density, choose Compact.

Your tabs and toolbar use less space. Close Settings when you finish; Firefox saves the choice automatically. If the controls feel cramped, return to the same section and choose another density.

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Mozilla illustration of the redesigned Firefox toolbar and vertical tabs in Compact Mode

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Mozilla's Compact Mode illustration shows the redesigned tabs and toolbar, not the Settings selector. Source: Mozilla (opens in a new tab). Cropped to the illustration.

3. Choose a built-in theme

1. Open a new tab.
2. Click the customize button at the bottom right.
3. Under Appearance, select a built-in theme.

The theme changes the browser's colours. A wallpaper changes the New Tab background. To change that background, use the customization panel's Wallpapers section and select an image.

4. Keep useful shortcuts in place

1. On New Tab, click an empty Add Shortcut tile. Enter the site's title and web address, then click Add.
2. Hover over its tile, open the three-dot menu and choose Pin.
3. Drag the tile to the position you want.

A pinned shortcut stays available for easy access. If no empty tile is available, use an existing tile's three-dot menu, choose Edit, enter the replacement title and address, then click Save.

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Mozilla illustration of the Firefox New Tab page with a dedicated pinned shortcut area

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Mozilla's illustration of the redesigned New Tab pinned area. Source: Mozilla (opens in a new tab). Cropped to the illustration.

5. Reduce New Tab clutter

1. Open New Tab's bottom-right customization button, shown as a pencil or gear.
2. Turn off sections you do not want.
3. For additional choices, click Manage more settings. Review the sponsored-content options if you want fewer promotional tiles.

Open another new tab to check the result. Available sections differ by region, language and Firefox version.

If a control is missing

Check your version first. For Compact Mode, follow the supported Settings, Appearance, Window density route. Mozilla's help page also contains an older about:config workaround; it is unnecessary for this guide.

To undo a theme change, open Extensions and themes, select Themes and enable another saved theme. To unpin a shortcut, open its three-dot menu and choose Unpin.

Sources: Firefox 157 release notes (opens in a new tab), 157.0.1 fixes (opens in a new tab), updates (opens in a new tab), Compact Mode (opens in a new tab), themes (opens in a new tab) and New Tab settings (opens in a new tab).

Firefox is a trademark of the Mozilla Foundation in the US and other countries. HoldMyTwist is independent of Mozilla.