Hacks to Make Firefox Faster than Google Chrome: Google Chrome has now eclipsed Mozilla Firefox in the speed category. However, I still use Firefox as my main web browser because it is still better than Chrome in certain areas.
But just recently, I tried a few tweaks that significantly improved the speed of Firefox making it a little bit snappier than the latest version of Google Chrome when loading webpages.Here are some of the things that I did that helps make Firefox somewhat faster than Chrome:
1. Type about:config into the Firefox URL/address bar and hit ENTER. You will be warned that you might void your warranty if you change some advanced settings, but just go on and trust me :-)
2. Inside the Firefox configuration page, scroll down and look for the following entries:
network.http.pipelining
network.http.proxy.pipelining
Set their values to “true” by double-clicking each one of them.
3. Next up, find this entry:
network.http.pipelining.maxrequests
Double-click and set the value to 8.
4. Right-click anywhere inside the config page and select New --> Integer. Name it nglayout.initialpaint.delay and set the value to “0″.
5. Right-click anywhere inside the config page and select New --> Integer. Name it content.notify.interval and set the value to “500000″.
6. Right-click anywhere inside the config page and select New --> Boolean. Name it content.notify.ontimer and set the value to “true″.
7. Right-click anywhere inside the config page and select New --> Integer. Name it content.switch.threshold and set the value to “250000″.
8. Right-click anywhere inside the config page and select New --> Boolean. Name it content.interrupt.parsing and set the value to “false″.
That's about it. You should be able to notice the speed improvement immediately after applying the above tweaks.
Disabling Firefox addons that you don't use often, blocking flash content, and using a lightweight theme will also help speed up Firefox.
Your post is very excellent from which I benefited a great deal. Thank you!
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Very interesting! Could you please provide more informations about what these tweaks do?
Your post is very excellent from which I benefited a great deal. Thank you!
I have translated it into Chinese. Welcome to your return visit.
Oh wow... this is it! the guide that I'm looking for. I can't abandon my trusty FF. :D
Salamat sa pag share netong tweaks jun! :)
There's a Firefox Add-on called Tweak Network, that a very good job. It's been around for several years...
There is a Firefox Add-on called Tweak Network that has been around for several years now. It does a good job.
I agree with Daniele...
An explanation for what every tweak does would be better so I don't feel like I'm randomly making it "better"..
Thanks.
Dugg -> http://digg.com/software/Hacks_to_Make_Firefox_Faster_than_Google_Chrome_TechSource
I like to set this to True (or create a new Boolean and set this as the name, and make it True). It has sped things up significantly on my Debian setup, at least until IPv6 is useful:
network.dns.disableIPv6
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Network.dns.disableIPv6
"Some suggest that setting this preference to true on any OS will speed up connections, though this is probably a placebo effect."
True. Disabling IPv6 helps only on systems that pretend having working ipv6 while they do not.
If you are such case, then configure your OS properly.
I made the changes, and showed a significant increase in load times. Not the effect I expected.
I too would like to know what each of these hacks is doing. Am I sacrificing security for speed? If these additions are so great for performance why aren't they enabled in the first place?
Firefox version Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.9.1.9) Gecko/20100330 Fedora/3.5.9-1.fc11 Firefox/3.5.9 on my Fedroa 11 machine doesn't have the entries.
Should I add them?
"2. Inside the Firefox configuration page, scroll down and look for the following entries:
network.http.pipelining
network.http.proxy.pipelining
Set their values to “true” by double-clicking each one of them.
3. Next up, find this entry:
network.http.pipelining.maxrequests"
Don
Thank you!
According to the MozillaZine documentation, content.interrupt.parsing must be true for content.switch.threshold to take effect, otherwise content.switch.threshold is effectively 0.
also work in Windows. thanx
Very nice. Could you supply a script to apply these updates to prefs.js? I maintain 7 FF installations, 2 Linux, 5 Win.
Hi, thanks, but I am not a real fan of tweaking without knowing what I am doing, so would anyone mind to explain what exactly does these tweaks do and why is firefox faster after that? Thanks.
network.prefetch-next: false
This stops firefox from downloading pages (linked to on the current page) it thinks you might click on.
Saves bandwidth and speeds up browsing since it's only downloading the page you want (and it's contents.)
Followed your tips, eventhought i would appreciate an explenation of each tip, and it seems to be working...good job...
just use chrome, then you don't have to install extensions and do hacks to get speed
Any ideas how to reset all settings in about:config to default at once?
download plugin "Fasterfox Lite" & set it to "turbo charged" it will do all the above for you and maybe even some other tweaks :)
Awesome it works!
But when u do it and u exit out of firefox when u start it the first time it says its already running... hmm that's weird.
but it stops after the first time :)
my fox got faster..
but not as fast as chrome!
}:(
keren bangeet infonya. thx
Many thanks for sharing :)
I found some interesting post here gulalisweet.co.cc/firefox-faster-load/
its a very simple trick so you can load firefox faster than before.. You should try this it works great on my firefox! the browser would load faster than before
True. Disabling IPv6 helps only on systems that pretend having working ipv6 while they do not. If you are such case, then configure your OS properly.
it's work men...nice,,your the best(^_^)
Thanks for sharing...I did felt the speed increase! Kudos!
This is Awesome i did this to my laptop and this computer and love it Thanks!!!!!!!!! So much faster almost load pages instantly now.
MY FIREFOX IS FASTER FINALLY... FINALLYFASTER.COM
LOL DOES THIS CHANGES THREAD MY SECURITY?
Thanks for sharing with us
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Yes it's true! It works. But still... Chrome is mush faster when it comes to ajax oriented applications with complicated javascript. For some reason Chrome's javascript engine outperforms everyone else :(
Anyway, thanks for sharing.
it worked! wow! thanks!
its like my firefox is on steroids now.
There is no way "javascript" can be outperformed in one browser to another...because it is just that a script. Chrome is only faster because it uses prefetch options to store data for startup and different scripts while browsing. You can do the same with firefox hacks without creating a prefetch program that is going to slow down your pc boot-up or run in the background during offline use. Chrome sucks, only ignorant people would believe the browser itself is faster. You can compress dll's to make it load just as fast as chrome (without any prefetch -> start learning about start up services on your pc, youtube has some good tutorials search under bootvis)http://www.techsupportalert.com/how_to_make_firefox_faster.htm ......
These mods will help you run information faster. There are also modifications to help you run script, or the easiest way is to just not run certain types of script unless you really need to visit every website or certain ones
this same mod has been done on IE for years and years
Try Thus One no Need to manually configure your FF Settings, NEW METHOD Speed Up Firefox In one Click..
Here is the Download link
http://filestrack.com/evbjws7git4k/NewFirefox_Optimizer.rar.html
mirror
http://www.duckload.com/download/1441627/NewFirefox_Optimizer.rar
I'm loving this. Thanks so much. You should really add a facebook like button on here. I don't always like to 'Share' things on there
dang,u are the best it actually made it faster than chrome,hurray
Simply AMAZING!!!!! Thank you!!
didn't work for me. firefox 4 is just too fast to be improved.
wow.... i try it..
thx for this man..
your the man!!! huray... for you jun.
Only ignorant people use chrome? wtf, i dont want and i dont have the time to read a shitload of websites on how to make my browser go faster! that's why I and other people choose chrome, firefox is good, but chrome is faster, get over it you firefox faggots unless you improve your browser you'll lose all of your users to chrome, opera and ie.
Only ignorant people use chrome? wtf, i dont want and i dont have the time to read a shitload of websites on how to make my browser go faster! that's why I and other people choose chrome, firefox is good, but chrome is faster, get over it you firefox faggots unless you improve your browser you'll lose all of your users to chrome, opera and ie.
I found some other ways to speed up firefox http://howtohacklife101.blogspot.com/2011/05/how-to-make-firefox-faster.html
weh...
THE NEW FIREFOX is a load of rubbish, the previous versions where quick, easy and simple to use, now FIREFOX with the latest update has LOST THE PLOT, now its slower, unstable, and also you have a plugin container.exe which strangles your CPU. In short i loved firefox i wish i never updated to a newer version but now that i have ive gone to chrome. Its fast, simple, quick, and really easy to use.....actually its a breath of fresh air compared to both firefox and i.e. Its EASY, FAST AND SIMPLE..the three keywords when developing a browser, firefox take note.
Great stuff, this is a 10 on the R scale
great tutorial keep on sharing..,,... a big thanks....
awesome tutorial!!! it really helped my ff to increase its speed ^^
as of Firefox 6 i think this post is obsolete... FF6 is _as_ fast as Chrome, baby!
great share.. thank you a lot
Great tweaks Thanks It really help my slow comp.
really working trick
Big thanks from France, but What is the price to be paid? :)
While I appreciate the intent behind this article, it would be vastly beneficial to explain what each of these changes does. I am hesitant to start editing configuration files unless I know what is affected.
Secondarily, of course, I am also very eager to learn more about the inner workings of Firefox on my CrunchBang Linux system.