Configuring your Browser

Options windows reference: http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Options+window (use this to create task-based configuration procedures)

Making Firefox your default browser

Firefox displays web pages on the Internet and on your computer. To easily open web pages, you can make Firefox your default browser.

Accessing Firefox Configuration Settings

You can configure Firefox by:

• Using the Tools > Options dialog
  
• Using the about:config page
  

Using the about:config page

You can access the  in your browser window by entering about:config into the Firefox window. You will receive the following warning:

Click I'll be careful, I promise! You're now on the advanced configuration page. From here, you have access to all Firefox configuration variables. You should have a solid grasp of the configuration variables before making any changes to avoid unwanted browser behavior.

You can search for a specific configuration variable by using the Filter field. To find a specific configuration variable, enter all or part of the configuration string in the Filter field or scroll through the list. Double-clicking a variable will allow you to change the value of that variable within the Firefox configuration by either switching the Boolean value or prompting you for a value.

Improving speed and efficiency

Managing different file types

Firefox can handle many types of files. However, for some files such as movies or music, Firefox needs Plugins or external applications that can handle those files. If Firefox doesn't have the needed Plugin or doesn't know what application to use to open the file, it can still save the file to your hard disk. When saving files, you can keep track of them using the Download Manager.

Plugins extend Firefox's functionality and run within it. Plugins like Sun Java, Adobe Flash, and RealNetworks RealPlayer allow Firefox to show multimedia files and run small applications such as movies, animations, and games. You can find common Plugins on the Plugins page at Mozilla Add-ons.

When files cannot be opened within Firefox, you can choose to open them with applications outside of Firefox. For example, you can use the media player of your choice to play MP3 files.

When you click on a file and Firefox doesn't know how to handle it, an Opening dialog box is displayed, offering these choices:

• Open with: Firefox opens the file using the default program in your system settings. You can also choose a different program by selecting Other… in the drop-down list.
• Save to Disk: Firefox allows you to select a location to save the file. If you have selected Save files to (this folder) in the Main panel of OptionsPreferences, the file will automatically be saved to the default folder; otherwise Firefox will ask you where to save it.
• Do this automatically for files like this from now on: When this is selected, Firefox will automatically perform the selected action the next time you download a file of this type.