What you need to know
- Firefox has landed in the new Microsoft Store, making it the "only independent browser with its own engine" in the store to date, according to Mozilla Corporation.
- Firefox utilizes the Gecko engine, which prevented it from embracing the previous Microsoft Store due to the store's terms.
- Microsoft's new terms and openness to browsers in its refreshed store have been a selling point for it.
Firefox has joined the new Microsoft Store and is available today for download directly through the storefront, meaning there's no more need for a web-based download of the browser. It's not alone, either. Other browsers, including Opera, have been namedropped by Microsoft in its push to educate consumers on its refreshed store's updated philosophies on openness and app availability.
In its announcement of the news, Mozilla reiterated that Firefox is the only independent browser that utilizes its own engine available on the Microsoft Store to date. "By maintaining its own engine with Gecko, Firefox is able to enforce its privacy protection features like Total Cookie Protection and Enhanced Tracking Protection, and provide users with lightning fast rendering using WebRender, secure sandboxing using Site Isolation, and a performant styling engine known as Quantum CSS."
Mozilla mentioned that Microsoft's old store policies wouldn't allow for Firefox because of the Gecko element, but now that issue is a thing of the past. Whether you're on Windows 11 or Windows 10, you can enjoy access to Firefox directly through Redmond's storefront.
Of course, being that Firefox uses its own installer, all its updates come via the browser itself and not the Microsoft Store.
Update: Firefox is using Microsoft's MSIX installer, which means it's a "proper" Store app and should auto-update through the store itself.
And browsers aren't the only thing coming to the store. Already, we're seeing storefront-ception what with the Epic Games Store being available in the Microsoft Store. Apps such as Discord have made their way over as well. These arrivals come in large part due to Microsoft's revised policies and rules.
In case all of this is news to you and you didn't know Microsoft was doing anything to improve its storefront, check out what's new with the Microsoft Store.
The Microsoft Store is welcoming in browsers from out of town, and Firefox has arrived.
