- Firefox 148 introduces a new AI controls section that lets users disable all current and future AI features with a single toggle.
- Mozilla added the feature after strong backlash to its announcement that Firefox would evolve into an AI-powered browser.
- AI preferences persist across updates, so users do not need to reconfigure settings after each release.
- Supported AI features include translations, tab grouping, PDF alt text, link previews, and optional chatbots such as ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, and Claude.
Mozilla’s new AI kill switch in Firefox is one of those small features that instantly exposes a bigger gap elsewhere. Starting with the release of Firefox 148, you can disable all AI features using a single toggle. Meanwhile, Microsoft Edge continues to push deeper into AI without offering a comparable all-in-one off switch.
Mozilla’s AI plans did not land well at first
Back in late 2025, Mozilla announced plans to evolve Firefox into an AI-powered browser as part of a broader strategy under new CEO Anthony Enzor-DeMeo. The reaction was swift and largely negative. Longtime Firefox users raised concerns about privacy, bloat, and the company’s drift from its user-first roots.
The backlash felt familiar. It mirrored the criticism Microsoft received when it started framing Windows 11 and Edge as “agentic” platforms centered around AI.
Mozilla responded differently.
Rather than walking back its AI ambitions entirely, the company promised that AI features would remain optional and that users would get a clear, centralized way to opt out. At the time, Mozilla described this idea as an “AI kill switch.” Start with version 148 for the open-source web browser, that promise has now been fulfilled.
How the AI kill switch works in Firefox 148
Starting with Firefox 148, rolling out on February 24, you’ll find a new AI controls section in desktop settings. This section provides a single place to manage every AI feature in the browser.
You can either disable individual features or enable the “Block AI enhancements” toggle, which turns off all current and future generative AI tools in Firefox. Once the “AI kill switch” is enabled, the browser no longer displays prompts, pop-ups, or reminders related to AI features.
According to Mozilla, AI preferences persist across updates, so you don’t need to reconfigure settings each time the browser updates.
At launch, the AI controls cover features such as translations, AI-generated alt text in PDFs, AI-assisted tab grouping, link previews, and the optional AI chatbot in the sidebar. The chatbot supports multiple providers, including ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, Gemini, and Mistral.
Edge still lacks a unified off switch
Microsoft Edge, by contrast, has leaned heavily into AI. Copilot Mode began rolling out in 2025, followed by Copilot Actions and Journeys. At the same time, the browser is undergoing a visual refresh that makes it more closely resemble the Copilot app than Windows 11’s Fluent Design.
Disabling AI features in Edge is possible, but it is not simple. Copilot and related tools are spread across multiple settings pages, including Appearance, Languages, Privacy, and AI innovations. Some elements can be hidden. Others can only be partially disabled, and there is no single toggle to turn everything off.
A missed opportunity for Microsoft
Firefox’s AI kill switch does not weaken its AI strategy. It strengthens trust. Mozilla made it clear that AI is available to those who want it and invisible to those who do not.
Microsoft is trying hard to grow its browser user base beyond default installs. Offering a one-click way to disable Copilot and AI features would likely earn goodwill rather than cost adoption.
Firefox 148 shows that giving users control does not slow innovation. It simply respects choice. Microsoft Edge still has time to learn that lesson.
If you want to try the AI features and see how the control works, you can download Firefox 148 now as a nightly build (preview).
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert and founder of Pureinfotech in 2010. With over 22 years as a technology writer and IT Specialist, Mauro specializes in Windows, software, and cross-platform systems such as Linux, Android, and macOS.
Certifications: Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA), Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP), VMware Certified Professional (VCP), and CompTIA A+ and Network+.
Mauro is a recognized Microsoft MVP and has also been a long-time contributor to Windows Central.
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