Need a browser that changes once a year rather than every month, but still gets security fixes? Firefox ESR is Mozilla’s extended-support edition, with regular security updates and a slower schedule for major changes.
How does ESR’s release cycle work?
Firefox ESR is intended for organizations that need time to test browser changes across their workflows. ESR gets one major release a year, while standard Firefox moves to a new version every four weeks. Security updates continue during ESR support, while major feature changes arrive less frequently.
Add-ons, internal web tools, and staff instructions are less likely to face a major browser change at short notice, although organizations still need to apply security updates.
What can administrators manage?
Firefox ESR supports enterprise policies for configuring the browser across an organization. On Windows, administrators can use Group Policy with Firefox policy templates to apply settings centrally.
- Set selected browser behavior through managed policies.
- Use policy templates as part of a controlled deployment.
- Choose an MSI package for Windows deployment.
What is the day-to-day browsing experience?
ESR remains Firefox: users browse websites, work with web apps, and use browser extensions in the familiar browser environment.
Pros
- Enterprise policies support centralized browser configuration
- Policy templates are available for managed deployments
- ESR receives regular security updates between major releases
Cons
- New Firefox features arrive less often than in the standard release
System requirements: Windows 10, Windows 11 · 32-bit and 64-bit · 1 GHz or faster compatible processor or SoC · 1 GB RAM (32-bit); 2 GB RAM (64-bit) · 500 MB hard drive space
Does Firefox ESR still receive security updates?
Yes. ESR receives regular security updates during its support cycle.
Can an organization manage Firefox ESR with Group Policy?
Yes. Firefox policy templates support centralized configuration through Group Policy on Windows.
How often does Firefox ESR get a major release?
Once a year.