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About Firefox ESR

Firefox Extended Support Release (ESR), currently based on Firefox 52, is a version of Firefox that comes equipped with the newest security and safety improvements, but uses the older version of Firefox for everything else. This allows users to access tools which are not yet available in Firefox Quantum.

Why Use Firefox ESR

There are several reasons you may want to use Firefox ESR.

  • Firefox ESR is the version that screen reader users should use until Firefox Quantum supports more accessibility features.
    Note: Downloading Firefox ESR is recommended for screen reader users by the creators of JAWS and NVDA.
  • Firefox ESR supports many accessibility plugins disabled in Firefox Quantum including the AInspector toolbar.

For more information on Firefox ESR, visit the Firefox ESR support page.

Accessing Firefox ESR vs. Quantum

The Firefox ESR installation overrides whatever version of Firefox you’re currently using, so just downloading it and installing it will make it your current version of Firefox. If you also want access to Firefox Quantum, the easiest way is to use Firefox Developer Edition, which is configured to automatically update to the latest beta release of Firefox, using a separate profile.

Steps to Download

  1. Visit Firefox ESR download page.
  2. Search for English (US) or other appropriate language in the Search Languages field.
  3. Click the download link to download the installer for your language and operating system.
  4. Run the installer and follow the given steps.
  5. The next time you open Firefox, it should be Firefox ESR.
    Note: To check the version, view the instructions on the Firefox support page.

Steps to Install Plugins

Note: If you had installed a plugin which was disabled in later versions of Firefox, you may need to re-install it on Firefox ESR.

  1. Go to the Firefox add-ons page.
  2. Use the search or browse options to locate the plugin you want.
  3. Click on that plugin to visit its page.
  4. Click the Add to Firefox button.

Commonly Used Accessibility Plugins

Below are some links to commonly recommended Firefox accessibility plugins.

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