More browsers have been integrating AI into their toolsets based on the notion that people are clamoring to use it as they surf the web. Chrome now offers direct access to Gemini, while Microsoft Edge shoves Copilot at you.
This new focus has sparked a backlash among many users who say they simply want clean, efficient, and reliable products, not a constant barrage of AI tools and tricks. Well, one company that’s gotten the message is Mozilla. The latest option in Firefox lets you disable AI so you can focus on your web browsing.
Introduced in Firefox 148, the AI kill switch allows you to block the integrated AI enhancements. You can easily disable all of them in one shot or choose which ones you want to allow. The switch helps you control automatic language translations, AI-based tab group suggestions, summaries in link previews, and the alt-text that’s automatically included with images that you add to PDFs in the browser. Plus, you’re able to block AI chatbot providers from appearing in the sidebar or choose the one you’d like to see by default.
Some of these enhancements sound more useful than others. That’s why Firefox’s developers get a thumbs up for giving you a choice as to which ones to block or allow. How does this work? Let’s check it out.
Update Firefox
First, make sure you’re running the latest version of Firefox on your computer. For that, open the browser, click the three-lined icon in the top-right corner, go to Help, and then select About Firefox. The browser will automatically determine if you need the latest update and then download and install it. Restart Firefox for the new version to take effect.
(Credit: PCMag / Mozilla)
Review the AI Enhancements
After restarting Firefox, head to Settings > AI Controls. The Block AI enhancements option lets you disable all of them in one go. Turn on the switch to disable all AI features. A confirmation window pops up. Click Block to proceed.
(Credit: PCMag / Mozilla)
But hang on. Maybe you should check each feature first to see which you want to allow. Mozilla promises to add more features to the block-list in the future. For now, here are the ones you’ll find.
1. Automatic Translations
This one automatically translates websites from other languages into your own native tongue. As you browse a specific site, Firefox continuously translates each page in real time. You can also highlight specific text to receive a translation. Even with this option turned off, you can manually ask the browser to translate a web page or text. But if you’re jumping from one page to another, you may want the translation to appear automatically.
On the plus side, Mozilla says the translations occur directly on your device and not in the cloud. So even if you enable this one, the pages and translations you see should be safe from prying eyes. To allow this, click the drop-down button that says Blocked and change it to Available.
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(Credit: PCMag / Mozilla)
2. Automatic Alt Text for Images in PDFs
Open a PDF in Firefox, and you can add comments, signatures, text, drawings, and even images to the file. For people with vision problems, a screen reader can read the text in a file but not the images. That’s where alt-text tags come in handy, as they provide descriptions of images. With this AI option enabled, Firefox automatically generates an alt-text tag based on its analysis of the image. But you still will want to review the tag for accuracy. With this disabled, you’d have to manually add the alt text description yourself.
(Credit: PCMag / Mozilla)
Here, Mozilla aims to preserve your privacy by running the AI alt-text creator directly on your device. That means your images and text don’t get sent to the cloud. The company also assures people that their data is never used to train the AI models used in this process.
If you frequently add images to PDFs using Firefox, you may want to turn this one on. Otherwise, keep it disabled. To turn it on, click the drop-down button next to the option and choose either Available or Enabled. Available means that the option is visible and usable. Enabled means that it’s automatically activated for you.
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3. Tab Group Suggestions
Firefox lets you create groups of tabs to organize different websites based on theme, interest, or other areas. With Tab Group Suggestions, the browser uses AI to suggest a name for a tabbed group as well as other open pages that you might want to add to the group. If you don’t use tabbed groups, then you can safely disable this one. If you do use it and would like a helping hand from AI, click the drop-down button for this one and change it to Available or Enabled.
(Credit: PCMag / Mozilla)
4. Key Points in Link Previews
Want to check out the page behind a link before you click on it? Firefox offers an option called Key points in link previews. Just click and hold a link, or right-click it and select Preview Link from the menu. Using AI, the browser displays a photo, summary, and a few key points to describe the linked page. This is a handy way to preview a link before you click it, especially if you’re visiting an unfamiliar web page. Don’t want or need this? Just leave the option disabled. Otherwise, click the drop-down button and change it to Available or Enabled.
(Credit: PCMag / Mozilla)
That brings us to an option that displays different AI chatbots in the sidebar. By default, clicking the toolbar icon displays a sidebar where you can switch between your bookmarks, browsing history, synced tabs, and AI chatbots. Pick the one for AI chatbots, and you’ll gain access to Anthropic’s Claude, ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Le Chat Mistral, and Microsoft Copilot. Having an AI at your fingertips is certainly tempting.
To control this one, click the drop-down button for AI Chatbot Providers in Sidebar. From the menu, you can make this option available, in which case all the chatbots will be at your command. If you like one AI over the others, choose that one from the menu. But if you neither want nor need this level of AI integration, you can keep it disabled.
(Credit: PCMag / Mozilla)
What’s the Verdict?
Depending on how you use Firefox and AI, you may want to disable all AI controls for now and see if and how that affects your ability to use your favorite websites. If you end up missing a particular AI feature, you can always re-enable it. But if your goal is to reduce your dependence on AI, you can easily do that in Firefox.
About Our Expert
Lance Whitney
Contributor
Experience
I’ve been working for PCMag since early 2016 writing tutorials, how-to pieces, and other articles on consumer technology. Beyond PCMag, I’ve written news stories and tutorials for a variety of other websites and publications, including , ZDNet, TechRepublic, Macworld, PC World, Time, US News & World Report, and AARP Magazine. I spent seven years writing breaking news for as one of the site’s East Coast reporters. I’ve also written two books for Wiley & Sons—Windows 8: Five Minutes at a Time and Teach Yourself Visually LinkedIn.
I’ve used Windows, Office, and other Microsoft products for years so I’m well versed in that world. I also know the Mac quite well. I’m always working with iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and Android on my various mobile devices. And these days, I write a lot about AI, so that’s become another key area for me.
My wife always jokes about all the tech products we have around the house, but I manage to put them to good use for my articles. I like Lenovo computers, so I own a couple of Lenovo desktops and several laptops. I have three MacBooks and a Mac mini. For my mobile life and work, I use an iPhone 16 Pro, iPad Pro, and iPad mini as well as an Apple Watch. But since I write about Android, I own several Android phones and tablets. Like any tech person, I have a cabinet full of cables, wires, and assorted mysterious gadgets. And when it’s time to take a break from writing, I have an old Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii, both of which I use for exercise and fitness games.
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