Installing Firefox on Windows

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Revision as of 15:58, 1 December 2007 by Alice Wyman (talk | contribs) (added "Completing the installation" section, linked to default browser.)
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This article provides a visual guide for installing Firefox on Windows, including Standard and Custom installations.

Downloading the installer

Make sure your computer meets the system requirements, then go to Mozilla.com using any browser and download the Firefox installer or "setup file". The file that you download will be named for the Firefox version number, for example, "Firefox Setup 2.0.0.10.exe" is the setup file for Firefox 2.0.0.10. You can save the setup file to the desktop or any other location on your hard drive. When the download is finished, close the browser and any other running programs.

Starting the installation

Double-click the Firefox Setup file. The Mozilla Firefox Setup Wizard will open.


Review and accept the License Agreement, then click the Next button.


You will see the Setup Type dialog, where you can choose between a Standard or Custom install.

Standard installation

The "Standard" option is selected by default. Click the Next button to install Firefox with the recommended components and options. The Completing the Mozilla Firefox Setup Wizard dialog will then appear. Click the Finish button. If you leave the "Launch Mozilla Firefox now" box checked, Firefox will then start (see below).

Custom installation

Select "Custom" in the Setup Type dialog (shown above) if you are an experienced user. You will have the choice to select some optional components, decide where to install Firefox and what shortcuts to create.

Choose Optional Components

You will have the choice to select the DOM Inspector, which is not installed when you choose the Standard setup. You can also choose whether or not to install the Quality Feedback Agent, which is installed by default in the Standard setup.

Choose Install Location

This option allows you to choose the "Destination Folder", where Firefox is installed. The default is C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\.

Set Up Shortcuts

You can choose create a Firefox shortcut icon on the Desktop, Firefox shortcut icons (for both a normal and a Safe Mode startup) in the Windows Start Menu Programs folder, and a Firefox shortcut in the Windows Quick Launch bar. These shortcuts are created by default in the Standard setup.

Warning: If you choose not to create Firefox shortcut icons in the Windows Start Menu Programs folder, then the Mozilla Firefox (Safe Mode) shortcut will not be created. See the Safe Mode article for more information.

Choose Start Menu Folder

The default Start Menu Programs folder for Firefox shortcuts is "Mozilla Firefox".

Click the Install button to complete the installation.

Completing the installation

After Firefox is installed, the Completing the Mozilla Firefox Setup Wizard dialog will appear.

Click the Finish button.
If you leave the "Launch Mozilla Firefox now" box checked, Firefox will then start.

Note: When Firefox opens, you may receive a prompt asking if you would like to set Firefox as your default browser, if another browser is currently the default. "Default browser" means the browser that opens when you click a link in your mail application or when you open an Internet shortcut or HTML document.

See also