updated
Jun 14, 2026
LibreWolf takes Mozilla Firefox, removes everything that phones home, locks down the settings most people never touch, and hands you the result.
It is not a new engine or a reinvention of the browser - it is Firefox with the privacy work already done for you.
If you have ever opened Firefox's settings and wished someone had pre-configured all of it for maximum privacy, LibreWolf is that configuration shipped as a finished product.
The current release is version 151.0.4, which tracks closely behind Firefox's own release cycle.
What LibreWolf Actually Does - in Plain Terms
LibreWolf is built from the same source code as Firefox, so pages render identically and your existing extensions work without changes.
The difference is in the defaults. Telemetry and data collection are removed entirely rather than just toggled off. uBlock Origin, widely regarded as the strongest content blocker available, comes pre-installed.
The default search providers are privacy-respecting options like DuckDuckGo instead of Google.
Settings that reduce browser fingerprinting are switched on from the first launch, and cookies and site data are cleared when you close the browser unless you tell it otherwise.
The trade-off is honest: because LibreWolf clears data on exit and blocks aggressively by default, you will sometimes need to re-login to sites or relax a setting for a page that misbehaves. That is the cost of defaults tuned for privacy rather than convenience, and LibreWolf does not hide it.
Who LibreWolf Is For - and Who Should Look Elsewhere
LibreWolf is for the person who already likes Firefox but does not trust themselves to harden it correctly, or does not want to spend an afternoon doing so.
It is for privacy-conscious desktop users on Windows 10 and 11 who want a sane, secure baseline without becoming a configuration expert.
It is not for everyone. If you need deep anonymity - hiding your location and identity from a network observer - LibreWolf is the wrong tool, and the developers say so plainly: use the Tor Browser instead, because mixing a regular browser with the Tor network actually makes you easier to identify.
If you want privacy protections with optional rewards and a Chromium base, Brave Browser is the closer fit.
And if your priority is a customizable Firefox-based interface over maximum privacy, Floorp Browser or Zen Browser may suit you better.
How LibreWolf Compares to Firefox
This is the question most people arrive with. Standard Mozilla Firefox is already a strong privacy browser - it has Enhanced Tracking Protection and is independent of the Chromium monoculture.
But Firefox ships with telemetry enabled, a Google default search, and Firefox Sync turned on, all of which you can change but most users never do.
LibreWolf makes those choices for you and goes further by removing the telemetry code rather than disabling it, bundling a content blocker, and turning on anti-fingerprinting by default.
The practical difference: Firefox is privacy-capable, LibreWolf is privacy-by-default. If you are willing to configure Firefox manually you can get most of the way there yourself. LibreWolf exists so you do not have to.
Before You Install: One Thing to Know
LibreWolf does not auto-update. This is deliberate - auto-update mechanisms are themselves a privacy and security surface the project chose to avoid. Updates instead come through your package manager or by re-downloading.
In practice the project releases very quickly after each Firefox stable build, usually within a few days, so staying current is just a matter of checking back periodically.
For a privacy browser, manually applying updates is a reasonable trade, but it is worth knowing going in so you are not running an outdated build for months.
Get LibreWolf Browser 151 Free for Windows 10/11
LibreWolf is free and open source under the Mozilla Public License, with no premium tier, no account requirement, and no telemetry.
It runs on Windows 10 and 11 in 64-bit, and builds are also available for macOS and Linux. Setup is the same straightforward installer Firefox users will recognize.
If you reach LibreWolf and decide you would rather have a more mainstream option, the full web browsers category covers everything from Google Chrome to Vivaldi.
