Firefox Focus has been out for iOS for a while now, so it's about time Mozilla began porting the app over to Android. It's an amazingly private browser that protects you from trackers and ads when you're surfing the web. It blocks a wide range of online trackers, erases your browsing history, hides passwords, and deletes cookies. This essentially means ads won't be able to follow you around, in the sense that you won't see ads related to your last ten searches on Google.
However, the Android version still hasn't been released yet. The source code is up on GitHub, though, which means Firefox Focus is coming to Android at some point soon. You can even compile the app right now to use on Android, but that can be confusing if you don't know how to use GitHub. If you're interested in using Firefox Focus before it goes public and mainstream on Android, keep on reading. I've compiled an installable APK, and it does seem pretty darn stable, so let's take a look at how to use it below.
Requirements
Download & Install Firefox Focus
Begin by downloading the Firefox Focus APK from below by tapping the link on your Android device. From there, hit the Download complete notification to bring up Package Manager, then tap on "Install" when prompted.
Check It Out & Browse Around
After you've installed the APK, open up Firefox Focus and check it out for yourself. I gotta say, I'm digging the color scheme and the browser itself is amazingly stable. The welcome screen gives you a brief description on what exactly Firefox Focus blocks, and then you have a two-in-one search and address bar.
In Firefox Focus' Settings, you can change the default search engine and toggle the Privacy trackers, as well as set Firefox Focus as your default browser. There are a couple of other useful settings which are worth checking out, though not necessarily privacy related.
But maybe the best feature is a floating action button at the bottom of the screen that lets you destroy all browsing history and trackers in one tap. In this way, it's a lot like Chrome's Incognito Mode, but you have total control over how long data is saved. If you want to keep cookies active, just don't hit the button — but otherwise, all traces of your browsing history can be deleted in one tap.
Firefox Focus is a barebones browser which does exactly what it's supposed to, and it's good at that. The tracker blocker used is a modified version of Disconnect.me, which is a great app and extension. Be sure to leave a comment down below telling us what you think of Firefox Focus!
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Cover image and screenshots by Dallas Thomas/Gadget Hacks
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