Zen Browser: Built for privacy, powered by Open-Source
Zen Browser is a privacy-focused, open-source web browser built on Mozilla Firefox, offering users a secure and customizable browsing experience. It emphasizes privacy by blocking trackers, ads, and ensuring your data isn't collected.
With Zen Mods, users can enhance their browser experience with various customization options, including features like split views and vertical tabs. The browser is designed for efficiency, providing fast browsing speeds and a lightweight interface.
Zen Browser prioritizes user control over the browsing experience, offering a minimal yet powerful alternative to traditional web browsers while keeping your online activity private.
Zen Browser's DRM limitation
Zen Browser currently lacks support for DRM-protected content, meaning streaming services like Netflix and HBO Max are inaccessible. This is due to the absence of a Widevine license, which requires significant costs and is financially unfeasible for the developer. Additionally, applying for this license would require Zen to be part of a larger company, similar to Mozilla or Brave. Therefore, DRM-protected media won't be supported in Zen Browser for the foreseeable future.
Zen Browser offers features that improve user experience, privacy, and customization:
- Privacy-Focused: Blocks trackers and minimizes data collection.
- Automatic Updates: Keeps the browser updated with security patches.
- Zen Mods: Customizable themes and layouts.
- Workspaces: Organize tabs into different workspaces.
- Compact Mode: Maximizes screen space by minimizing UI elements.
- Zen Glance: Quick website previews.
- Split Views: View multiple tabs in the same window.
- Sidebar: Access bookmarks and tools quickly.
- Vertical Tabs: Manage tabs vertically.
- Container Tabs: Separate browsing sessions.
- Fast Profile Switcher: Switch between profiles easily.
- Tab Folders: Organize tabs into folders.
- Customizable UI: Personalize browser interface.
- Security Features: Inherits Firefox's robust security.
- Fast Performance: Lightweight and optimized for speed.
- Zen Mods Customization: Deep customization with mods.
- Quick Access: Easy access to favorite websites.
- Open Source: Built on Mozilla Firefox with community collaboration.
- Community-Driven: Active development and feedback from users.
- GitHub Repository: Contribute and review the source code.
Zen Browser 1.9b changelog:
Fixes
- Fixed pinned tabs being subject to appearing on the essentials container
- Fixed opening bookmarks on empty tab pages
- Fixed automatic Glance opening from the edge of the screen
- Fixed background gradients not showing the colors in the correct order
- Fixed creating essentials being in the wrong order
- Fixed watermark not waiting enough time and startup layout
- Fixed reordering tabs not being correctly saved for pinned tabs
- Fixed bookmark items not opening
- Fixed not hiding empty tab from add-ons, crashing the browser on some cases
- Fixed compact mode sidebar animating on an empty state and not animating properly when having the URL bar floating
- Fixed expanding glance not opening in the correct position when having container specific essentials
- Fixed external links not opening in the correct workspace container
- Fixed the AppImage version not being able to set itself as the default web browser
- Fixed closing the browser in an empty state opening about:blank on startup
- Fixed Linux users crashing when closing the laptop lid
- Fixed dragging tabs from different windows crashing the browser if they are from different containers
Features
- Updated to Firefox 136.0
- Added support for a drag-and-drop tab split feature that also groups tabs in a nice UI!
- Implemented a more complete JPEG XL decoding and OS support, allowing things such as animated images and more
- Allow having full URL without https in sidebar (zen.urlbar.show-domain-only-in-sidebar)
- Add preference to hide one-off search buttons (off by default, zen.urlbar.hide-one-offs)
- Added martial arts emoji to the default emoji set
- MacOS users can now control what window material they have (zen.widget.macos.window-material, 1 to 7, default is 2)
- Added support to drag-and-drop tabs from other windows while in compact mode
- Small changes to padding around the website and URL bar
- Favicons should render with better corners now
- Did some changes to the default onboarding essentials selection as some people had concerns about them