Most people install Firefox and leave it untouched. But if you’re serious about privacy, performance, and control, the default setup is just the beginning. In this article, I’ll walk you through exactly how I configure Firefox ESR (Extended Support Release) using BetterFox, a few custom tweaks, and my self-hosted SearXNG meta-search engine.
By the end, you’ll understand:
- Why Firefox ESR is still worth using in 2025
- How BetterFox’s
user.jsdramatically improves privacy and speed - How to remove telemetry, Pocket, and unwanted clutter
- How to replace Google Search with your own self-hosted SearXNG
- How to set up powerful custom search shortcuts (
:b,:d,:gn,:gm) - And how to automate it all with the ButterScripts tool]
So, let’s dive in.
Disclaimer:
This article involves editing browser configuration files and optionally hosting open-source software (SearXNG). These changes are safe but advanced. Back up your Firefox profile before proceeding. If you use Firefox for work or depend on certain extensions, test this setup separately first.
1. Understanding Firefox ESR and Why I Use It
Before customizing Firefox, let’s understand why the ESR version is special.
What Is Firefox ESR?
ESR stands for Extended Support Release. It’s a version of Firefox that receives major updates only once per year—ideal for users who value stability and consistency over bleeding-edge features.
- ESR currently sits at version 128.14 on Debian’s Bookworm and Trixie repositories.
- Version 140.2 was released recently, and an update is expected for Debian Trixie users around September 16.
So, if you’re using Debian, you’re not stuck forever on an older build—updates are rolling out soon.
Why ESR Over Regular Firefox?
I’ve always preferred ESR for a few simple reasons:
- It’s less likely to break extensions or user.js tweaks.
- It’s available directly in Debian’s official repos, making it easy to install and update.
- It avoids the constant experimental UI changes that Mozilla tends to roll out.
For me, stability and privacy come first—and ESR delivers both.
2. The Problem With Default Firefox
Let’s be honest: default Firefox isn’t perfect.
When you first launch it, you’ll notice:
- The default search engine is Google, which provides Mozilla with about 90% of its revenue.
- You’re greeted with “Top Sites,” “Pocket,” “Recommended by…” cards, and sponsored content.
- Firefox automatically fills addresses and credit cards unless you disable them.
None of that is inherently bad, but if you’re building a private, minimal workflow, it’s unnecessary clutter.
So, what I wanted was:
- A cleaner start page, without Pocket, top sites, or sponsored content.
- No telemetry or data collection.
- A setup that’s fast and distraction-free.
And that’s where BetterFox comes in.
3. Setting Up BetterFox for Ultimate Privacy
Now we’re getting to the fun part. Let’s move to how to configure Firefox with BetterFox, a project that makes Firefox faster, more private, and more responsive through a curated configuration file.
What Is BetterFox?
BetterFox is an open-source configuration system that uses a user.js file to override Firefox’s default settings. It focuses on:
- Disabling telemetry and tracking
- Hardening privacy controls
- Improving performance (page rendering, UI speed)
- Streamlining memory usage
You can find the official project here:
🔗 https://github.com/yokoffing/Betterfox
Step-by-Step: Installing BetterFox user.js
Let’s go step by step so you don’t miss anything.
Step 1: Close All Firefox Instances
Before editing configuration files, make sure no instance of Firefox is running.
You can check this by using the terminal:
ps aux | grep firefox
If you see running processes, close them all.
Step 2: Locate Your Firefox Profile Folder
Open your file manager or terminal and navigate to:
~/.mozilla/firefox/
Inside, you’ll see one or more profile folders, such as:
xxxxxx.default-esr
That’s the one we’ll be working with.
Step 3: Backup Existing Files
Before changing anything:
cp -r ~/.mozilla/firefox/xxxxxx.default-esr ~/.mozilla/firefox/backup-default-esr
This ensures you can restore Firefox if something goes wrong.
Step 4: Copy the user.js File
Download the BetterFox user.js from GitHub or copy it into your profile directory.
Then remove existing files in the profile folder (to force a fresh rebuild):
cd ~/.mozilla/firefox/xxxxxx.default-esr
rm -rf *
cp ~/Documents/user.js .
Step 5: Relaunch Firefox
Open Firefox again. You’ll notice it repopulates the folder, but now with BetterFox settings applied.
What Changes Does BetterFox Make?
Here’s what I noticed immediately:
- Pocket and “Top Sites” disappeared.
- Credit card and autofill prompts were gone.
- Telemetry and data collection were disabled.
- Privacy mode defaulted to Strict instead of Standard.
- Startup was visibly faster.
Essentially, Firefox transformed into a clean, distraction-free browser that respects your privacy.
So far, so good! But there’s still one big issue—the search engine.
4. Fixing the Search Problem in Firefox
Even with BetterFox, Firefox still defaults to Google Search. That’s fine for some, but if privacy is your priority, Google isn’t your friend here.
Every search query is logged, analyzed, and used to build a profile of you. If that makes you uncomfortable, you’re not alone.
So the next step is to replace Google with something better.
And that’s where SearXNG comes in.
5. Introducing SearXNG – Your Self-Hosted Private Search Engine
Now, before we change Firefox’s search engine, let’s talk about what SearXNG is and why it’s so powerful.
What Is SearXNG?
SearXNG is a self-hosted, open-source meta-search engine.
Instead of relying on one company (like Google or Bing), SearXNG fetches results from multiple search engines and merges them.
Here’s what makes it incredible:
- No user tracking — it doesn’t log IP addresses or build profiles.
- Meta-search — pulls results from DuckDuckGo, Brave Search, Startpage, Wikipedia, and others.
- Completely self-hosted — you control the server and data.
- Customizable ranking & filters — choose which engines to use and in what order.
- Fast and clean UI — minimal ads or distractions.
You can either host your own instance or use a trusted public one (but hosting yourself is best for privacy).
How I Host SearXNG on TrueNAS Scale
In my setup, SearXNG runs as a containerized application inside TrueNAS Scale.
If you’re using Docker or TrueNAS Apps, setup looks like this:
- Open the Apps section in TrueNAS Scale.
- Search for SearXNG.
- Set a custom port, e.g.
30053. - Deploy it.
Once installed, you can access your SearXNG instance at something like:
http://192.168.254.x:30053
Later, we’ll integrate this address into Firefox so that all searches go through your private engine.
6. Customizing Firefox Search Shortcuts
Firefox supports keyword shortcuts—small text triggers that let you switch search engines directly from the address bar.
Let’s take a quick pause here and appreciate how powerful this feature is once customized properly.
Instead of typing long URLs or navigating search pages, you can simply use prefixes like :b for Brave, :d for DuckDuckGo, or :gn for Google News.
Why Use Custom Shortcuts?
They let you:
- Instantly change search providers without switching tabs.
- Control when and how you use Google (if ever).
- Speed up your workflow dramatically.
Let’s move to the actual configuration part now.
7. Setting Up Custom Search Engines in Firefox
There are two ways to do this: manual setup or automated script. I’ll show both.
Method 1: Manual Setup (No Script Required)
- Open Firefox > Settings > Search.
- Scroll down to Search Shortcuts.
- Remove the ones you don’t want—Amazon, Wikipedia, etc.
- Add your own:
| Engine | Keyword | URL |
|---|---|---|
| Brave | :b | https://search.brave.com/search?q=%s |
| DuckDuckGo | :d | https://duckduckgo.com/?q=%s |
| Google Web (text-only) | :gw | https://www.google.com/search?tbm=web&q=%s |
| Google News | :gn | https://news.google.com/search?q=%s |
| Google Maps | :gm | https://www.google.com/maps/search/%s |
| SearXNG (self-hosted) | :s | http://192.168.254.x:30053/search?q=%s |
This method is perfect if you only need a few engines and prefer doing it visually.
Method 2: Automated Setup with ButterScripts
If you like automation, there’s a faster way.
You can use ButterScripts, an open-source project that simplifies browser and search setup.
📎 Custom Search Documentation
📎 Custom Search Script
Steps to Use the Script
- Clone the ButterScripts repo:
git clone https://github.com/drewgrif/butterscripts.git cd butterscripts/browsers - Run the script:
./custom_search.sh - The script will ask:
- Do you want to use SearXNG as your default search engine?
- Enter your SearXNG instance URL (e.g.
http://192.168.254.x:30053)
- It will then automatically:
- Remove default search shortcuts (Google, Amazon, etc.)
- Add your preferred engines and keywords (
:b,:d,:gn, etc.) - Set SearXNG as the default engine.
When you reopen Firefox, your new search shortcuts will be live!
8. Testing the Setup
Now that you’ve installed BetterFox, cleaned Firefox, and integrated SearXNG, let’s see it all in action.
Example 1: Searching via SearXNG
Type baseball in your address bar.
Firefox now sends the query to your self-hosted SearXNG instance.
You’ll see results aggregated from multiple sources like DuckDuckGo, Brave, and Startpage—without tracking or profiling.
Example 2: Searching via DuckDuckGo
Type :d baseball → DuckDuckGo results appear instantly.
Example 3: Searching Google Web Mode
Type :gw baseball → You’ll get plain text-only results without image carousels or shopping boxes.
Example 4: Google Maps Shortcut
Type :gm pizza near me → Google Maps opens directly in search mode.
Example 5: Switching Between Engines
You can jump between search engines without opening Settings ever again. It’s clean, predictable, and privacy-friendly.
9. Troubleshooting and Firefox Policies
If you’ve used Firefox for a long time, you might notice something odd: sometimes, old search shortcuts reappear.
This happens because:
- Firefox occasionally re-enables default shortcuts after updates.
- Certain enterprise policies prevent full removal of preloaded search providers.
Fix:
- Manually remove extra engines from Settings > Search > Search Shortcuts.
- If issues persist, delete and recreate your profile (backing up bookmarks first).
10. Questions & Answers
Let’s answer a few common questions readers have about this setup.
Q1. Is it safe to delete everything in my Firefox profile?
Yes, as long as you’ve backed it up. Firefox will rebuild necessary files when restarted.
Q2. Will BetterFox break my extensions?
Usually no. It only changes Firefox’s preferences, not its extension APIs. But if an extension relies on telemetry or Pocket APIs, it might behave differently.
Q3. Can I use public SearXNG instances instead of hosting my own?
Yes. However, public instances vary in speed and may log traffic. Hosting your own on Docker or TrueNAS gives full control.
Q4. Does this setup work on Windows or macOS?
Absolutely. The same user.js and search setup process applies; just adjust the file paths.
Q5. Why keep Google shortcuts if privacy is the goal?
Sometimes Google’s specialized searches (like Maps or News) are genuinely useful. Keeping them as optional shortcuts gives flexibility without making them your default.
Q6. Can I sync this setup across multiple devices?
Yes, by copying your profile folder or using Firefox Sync (though that may re-enable telemetry unless you disable it again).
11. A Word of Thanks and Perspective
Before wrapping up, I want to express appreciation to everyone who supports open-source privacy tools like BetterFox, SearXNG, and the Firefox ESR community.
While Firefox’s market share continues to shrink, these projects keep the web open, private, and user-controlled.
Mozilla might rely on Google’s funding, but users like us can still shape how we use the browser—on our terms.
The beauty of open-source software lies in this freedom: you decide how private your browsing is, not a corporation.
12. Final Thoughts
If you’ve followed through, congratulations—you now have:
- A telemetry-free Firefox setup
- A fast, minimal browsing experience
- A self-hosted, private search engine
- Custom shortcuts that make searching intuitive and instant
This approach isn’t for everyone. It requires patience and a bit of technical curiosity. But once done, it’s liberating—you’re no longer relying on a single company to define your web experience.
So, whether you’re a Linux user, a privacy advocate, or just someone tired of digital noise, give this setup a try.
Official Links Mentioned:
- BetterFox: https://github.com/yokoffing/Betterfox
- SearXNG: https://github.com/searxng/searxng
- ButterScripts (Custom Search): https://github.com/drewgrif/butterscripts/blob/main/browsers/custom_search.md
Tags: Firefox ESR, BetterFox, SearXNG, ButterScripts, privacy, browser, open source, search engine
Hashtags: #Firefox #BetterFox #SearXNG #PrivacyFirst #OpenSource #Debian #ButterScripts
