In the digital age, online privacy is a major concern. As users surf the web, many websites embed tracking parameters in their URLs, stealthily gathering data on visitors’ activities and preferences. The aim? To tailor advertisements and content to the user’s unique profile. Thankfully, browsers are stepping up to bolster online privacy. The lauded Mozilla Firefox, in its Version 102, has rolled out a noteworthy feature designed to shield users from unwanted digital scrutiny. Nestled under the Enhanced Tracking Protection umbrella, this addition automatically purges URLs of these covert trackers when browsing on Windows 11 or 10 systems. Whether it’s a seemingly innocuous sorting filter like /dresses?sort=a-z or location-based tags such as /hotels/Seattle-wa?rating=5-star, Firefox’s latest feature identifies and eliminates these trackers. Employing a comprehensive list of known trackers, Firefox meticulously cleans URLs, ensuring most unwanted parameters are discarded. Yet, it’s worth noting that if a tracker is unfamiliar or not part of Firefox’s list, the URL remains untouched. Notably, popular social networking platforms often employ such trackers to garner insights into users’ browsing habits, facilitating targeted advertising. Firefox’s innovative Query Parameter Stripping function serves as a bulwark against this, putting user privacy at the forefront. Dive into this risewindows guide to discover how to harness this feature, fortifying your online privacy when using Firefox on Windows 10 or 11.
How to Automatically Remove Trackers from URLs in Firefox on Windows 11 or 10?
Do these steps to automatically remove trackers from URLs in Firefox on Windows 11 or 10:-
Step 1. Open the Firefox browser.
Step 2. Tap on the Open application menu (Three horizontal lines) to select Settings in the drop-down menu.
Step 3. Pick Privacy & Security on the left side of Firefox Settings.
Step 4. Choose the Strict option under the “Enhanced Tracking Protection” section.
Step 5. At last, pick the Reload All Tabs button under “Strict.”
After completing the above steps, the next time you open a URL in Firefox with some tracking parameter, it will automatically clean the URL before loading the page. Also, you will have a clean URL in the address bar.
Though you have enabled the Strict tracking protection, this option works for regular windows only and not for private mode. So, if you want to enable it for private mode, you must perform some more steps.
Do these steps to enable automatic tracker remover from URLs in Firefox on Windows 11 or 10:-
Step 1. Open the Firefox browser.
Step 2. In the address bar, type the following, and press Enter key on the keyboard:-
about:config
Step 3. Check or uncheck the option “Warn me when I attempt to access these preferences.”
Step 4. Tap on Accept the Risk and Continue button.
Step 5. After that, the Advanced Preferences page will open.
Step 6. Type privacy.query in the Search box.
Step 7. Double-click on privacy.query_stripping.enabled.pbmode to set the status of this preference from false to true.
Then, exit Firefox and start it again. It will now automatically remove trackers from a URL in private mode, also.
This feature is undoubtedly worthwhile. However, it may be possible that some sites may not work fine after enabling this feature. You can change the Enhanced Tracking Protection to Standard or Custom. Also, you need to set privacy.query_stripping.enabled.pbmode preference to false again.
Conclusion
Mozilla Firefox’s Version 102 has come forward with a significant upgrade to ensure online privacy for its users. With the introduction of the Query Parameter Stripping feature, Firefox aims to protect users from unwanted digital trackers by automatically cleaning URLs. As digital surveillance continues to be a pressing concern, steps like these by reputed browsers amplify the importance of safeguarding user privacy. This guide delineates the process for activating this feature, empowering users to establish a safer online presence.
