LibreWolf for Windows
Private, telemetry‑free browser — unofficial installer

Privacy Settings

Quick answer: LibreWolf ships with privacy-first defaults. This guide explains the most important settings you can review or change on Windows — telemetry toggles, cookie handling, trackers, site permissions, and recommended about:config tweaks for advanced users.

Where to find privacy controls

Open the main menu ▸ Settings ▸ Privacy & Security. Most high-level controls — like Enhanced Tracking Protection, cookies, and permissions — are available in the UI. Advanced preferences are in about:config (use with caution).

Recommended UI settings (beginner)

  1. Enhanced Tracking Protection: set to Strict for maximum blocking of trackers and third-party cookies. Note: some websites may require Standard for compatibility.
  2. Cookies and Site Data: block third‑party cookies and enable "Clear cookies and site data when Firefox is closed" if you want ephemeral sessions.
  3. Permissions: set location, camera and microphone to "Ask" or "Block" by default; only allow sites you trust.
  4. Clear history on close: consider enabling for additional privacy on shared machines.

Advanced preferences (about:config)

Advanced users can fine-tune preferences in about:config. Below are common privacy-oriented keys. Editing about:config can change browser behavior — back up your profile first.

  • toolkit.telemetry.enabled = false — disables some telemetry (LibreWolf typically sets this).
  • datareporting.healthreport.uploadEnabled = false — disable health reports.
  • privacy.resistFingerprinting = true — enable fingerprinting resistance (may change site behavior).
  • network.cookie.cookieBehavior = 1 or 4 — control cookie policies (1 = block third-party, 4 = block all third-party and partitioning).

Note: LibreWolf builds include many of these changes by default; use this section to verify settings or to customize further.

Privacy-enhancing extensions

Consider the following extensions for layered protection:

  • uBlock Origin — efficient content blocker (recommended).
  • HTTPS Everywhere / Smart HTTPS — prefer secure connections where available.
  • Privacy Badger — automated tracker blocking (optional).

Avoid installing many overlapping privacy extensions — they can conflict and reduce performance. LibreWolf aims to provide a strong baseline so you only need minimal add-ons.

Privacy with portable vs installer

Both builds share the same privacy defaults. The portable build stores profile data in the portable folder (recommended for ephemeral sessions). If you need centralized profile management or enterprise policy application, prefer the installer with managed preferences.

Verify privacy & telemetry settings

Use these checks:

  • Visit amiunique.org to inspect fingerprinting surface.
  • Use privacytest.org to evaluate blocking strength.
  • Inspect about:config for keys listed above.

Want the default hardened profile?

LibreWolf ships with many privacy changes out of the box. If you build or install from source, use the project's profile and patches. For binary users, verify settings in Telemetry and apply any additional preferences in about:config as needed.

Further reading & related pages