What you need to know
- The latest Firefox update introduces a longtime iPadOS feature that will make Android foldables and tablets just as good for web browsing as iPads.
- Firefox for Android version 133 will now load desktop sites by default on big-screened Android devices.
- The change might make Firefox more appealing than Chrome, which only defaults to desktop webpages on "premium" Android tablets.
Firefox for Android is gaining a highly-requested feature that will make the experience of web browsing on Android foldables and tablets better. The latest version of Firefox for Android, version 133, loads webpages in desktop mode by default on all large devices, including foldables and tablets. Mozilla announced the change in the release notes for Firefox for Android v133, as first spotted by 9to5Google.
"Desktop mode browsing is now enabled by default for large devices," the release notes explain. "This can be controlled via a preference under Settings in 'Site settings' previously named 'Site permissions.'"
The change is significant because Firefox becomes the first major Android browser to load desktop sites by default on all big-screened Android devices. This matches functionality Apple has made available on iPadOS for years; iPads go a step further, presenting themselves as macOS clients to web providers. Firefox's widespread, and default, support for large Android devices will make it a top option for people who want the best browsing experience on their tablets and folding phones.
Chrome supports desktop pages by default on "premium" Android tablets, limiting the experience. It also doesn't support default desktop sites for folding phones, even on the best ones, like the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6.
While the behavior change for desktop sites on large Android devices is certainly the highlight of Firefox for Android v133, there's one other change worth noting. Clipped content in Private Browsing mode will now be treated as "sensitive content," and on Android 13 or higher devices, Firefox will mask clipboard notifications for privacy.
Importantly, Firefox doesn't appear to be limiting the default preferences for desktop sites to high-end devices, like Chrome has done since 2023. That means you should be able to start using desktop mode in Firefox without activating it manually on your Android foldables and tablets starting now, after you update to Firefox for Android v133.
