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Edit (Sep 6 at 21:52): This question is about how to keep Firefox deb updated, not about how to install it. The question has been answered in the comments and may now be closed.

I have installed Firefox deb on Ubuntu 24.04 because I was tired of my Downloads folder filling up with files only viewed and wanted the use of /tmp for "Open with" back. After asking for advice in How can I stop Firefox from automatically saving a copy of files viewed with "Open with" in the Downloads folder? , I first followed the instructions on https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/install-firefox-linux#w_install-firefox-deb-package-for-debian-based-distributions and then under Is there a setting to make Firefox not directly download PDFs to Downloads when using "Open With"?

Having given up the snap version, now I need to learn how to keep Firefox updated and managing security myself.

I noticed on previous Ubuntu releases that Firefox did not update when running the Software Updater (or apt upgrade) and actually never found out what to do about it. So what is the best way of keeping Firefox up to date? Preferably, it should update automatically or at least fairly easily.

In an answer to the question How can I keep Firefox and Thunderbird automatically being updated to the newest version? I found this:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-mozilla-security/ppa
sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade

Would that work in my case also or should I do it another way? If this is indeed the right procedure, I assume that the first line is necessary only once but should I then run the command in the second line regularly, e.g. whenever I run the Software Updater?

Another procedure is described in How do I install the latest stable version of Firefox? but the question is rather old and I am not sure if the answer is still valid.

Apart from keeping Firefox updated, what else should I do or monitor in order to prevent any security issues?

marie
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1 Answers1

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If you want to disable the snap and install the Extended Support Release (ESR) of Firefox I think you just need to do:

sudo snap disable firefox
snap remove --purge firefox
sudo apt remove --autoremove firefox

Then:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mozillateam/ppa
sudo apt update
sudo apt install firefox-esr

firefox-esr will remain updated as long as the ppa remains. Ubuntu distribution releases normally disable 3rd party ppa's so you may need to add the ppa again after any distribution upgrade.

If you want the rapid release version of firefox (firefox rather than firefox-esr) then I think you have to do a bit more, but I have never done it. See one guide here. The reason is that Ubuntu firefox deb is just a dummy which installs/runs the snap. You have to change the deb package priority to make the Mozilla firefox package the default.

codlord
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