Firefox 29 was released to Mozilla’s Release channel on April 29, 2014. It introduced Australis, a substantial redesign of Firefox’s interface, with curved tabs, a new upper-right menu, redesigned customization tools, and an interactive tour for people updating. It was a free browser download, not a physical product.
When was Firefox 29 released?
Mozilla first offered Firefox 29 to Release channel users on April 29, 2014. The release notes list the browser’s features and changes: Firefox 29 release notes.
What was the Australis interface?
Australis was Mozilla’s name for the interface redesign introduced with Firefox 29. Mozilla UX described it as an “interface streamlining, evolution, or complete overhaul, depending on who you talk to.” The aim was to make the browser’s controls and appearance feel more streamlined; Mozilla said the interface had been tuned to be “fast and simple.”
What changed on screen?
- Curved tabs: The redesigned tabs had a smoother shape and inactive tabs faded into the background, making the selected tab more prominent.
- New menu: Browser controls and tools moved into a menu at the upper right.
- Significant customization mode: Firefox overhauled toolbar customization, giving users a dedicated way to arrange controls.
- Interactive onboarding tour: People updating to the redesigned browser could take a tour of its new interface. Mozilla announced the onboarding experience on March 4, 2014: Mozilla Web Development.
What happened to Firefox controls and add-ons?
The redesign changed where some browser features lived, which mattered to people accustomed to older Firefox toolbars. Mozilla’s add-ons team documented the removal of the add-on bar and, on Windows, the Firefox button. Firefox 29 added the menu panel and reworked toolbar customization, so users might need to adjust their layout or look for controls in a different place.
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Those interface changes do not establish that Firefox 29 broadly broke add-ons. The documented changes concern the browser’s toolbars, menu, and customization workflow; they are not, by themselves, evidence that every extension stopped working. Compatibility could depend on an individual add-on, and the available release details do not provide a complete extension-by-extension compatibility list.
What else was new in Firefox 29?
Alongside Australis, Mozilla’s release notes listed these changes:
- Firefox Sync account setup.
- The Gamepad API was finalized and enabled.
- Yahoo searches used HTTPS for the en-US locale.
- Malay was added as a localization.
How to compare Firefox 29 with another release
For a useful comparison with Firefox 28 or a later version, focus on the actual areas Australis changed rather than treating the redesign as a simple color or theme update:
- Tabs: Compare their shape and how strongly the active tab stands out from inactive tabs.
- Controls: Check where browser commands appear and what is grouped in the upper-right menu.
- Customization: Compare how toolbar items are rearranged and which older bars or buttons remain.
- Onboarding: Check whether an interactive tour introduces the interface changes.
- Extensions: Verify compatibility for the specific add-ons you rely on rather than assuming the redesign affected all extensions equally.
Downloading Firefox 29 today
Firefox 29 was a downloadable software release when Mozilla shipped it in 2014. Its release notes document that historical version; they do not establish that Firefox 29 remains a current or secure choice today. Anyone looking to use Firefox now should obtain a supported release through Mozilla’s official Firefox download page: Download Firefox.
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