Mozilla has made a significant announcement regarding the support for Firefox ESR 115, extending its availability for users on aging operating systems until March 2026. This decision particularly impacts those operating on Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and macOS versions 10.12 (Sierra) through 10.14 (Mojave), allowing them to continue receiving essential security patches for an additional six months.
Commitment to Legacy Systems
Ryan VanderMeulen, a Mozilla engineer, emphasized the organization’s dedication to mitigating forced obsolescence by maintaining support for software on platforms well beyond their official vendor lifecycles. Initially, Mozilla had set a deadline for Firefox ESR 115 updates for these legacy systems in September 2024, which was later revised to 2025, and has now been further extended to March 2026.
This extension provides a crucial reprieve for users who may be unable to transition to a more modern operating system, ensuring they continue to receive vital security updates that guard against web-based vulnerabilities. Nevertheless, Mozilla strongly encourages users to migrate to supported platforms to benefit from the latest features and enhanced browser stability.
Firefox ESR (Extended Support Release) is tailored for organizations, educational institutions, and users who prioritize stability and security over the latest features. The ESR builds adhere to a slower release cycle, typically supported for about a year. Firefox ESR 115, which debuted in July 2023, marks the final version compatible with the aforementioned legacy operating systems.
Interestingly, Windows 7 still represents approximately 3.6% of the global Windows OS usage, predominantly found in enterprise settings, embedded systems, and areas where hardware limitations hinder upgrades. Likewise, macOS versions 10.12–10.14 have reached the end of their support from Apple, leaving users dependent on third-party solutions for browser security.
Mozilla’s proactive approach to providing security patches for these platforms positions Firefox as one of the few mainstream browsers still offering secure browsing on deprecated operating systems. In contrast, Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge have ceased support for these platforms, making Firefox ESR the sole secure option for users who are either unwilling or unable to upgrade.
This initiative aligns seamlessly with Mozilla’s overarching philosophy of promoting user agency and accessibility. Earlier this year, Mozilla reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Manifest V2 extensions, a framework essential for the operation of robust privacy tools such as uBlock Origin. While Google is phasing out Manifest V2 in Chrome, leading to considerable disruption among privacy-focused users, Firefox remains committed to supporting both Manifest V2 and the newer Manifest V3, ensuring comprehensive ad blocking and advanced content filtering capabilities.
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