Keeping Your Firefox Updated

Firefox is ever changing, there are lots of updates to the browser itself and depending on which extensions you use those can have frequent updates as well. Firefox by default wants to install ALL these updates automatically for you. Not a good idea, I prefer to have some control and know what I am installing so if there is a problem I can have something to work with. First thing we will want to do is to disable the automatic installation of Firefox updates. To do this:

• From the Tools Menu, select 'Options...'
• On top of the Options Window click the 'Advanced' Icon
  
• Click on the 'Update' tab
• In the section 'When updates for Firefox are found:", click the button for 'Ask me what I want to do'
• Click 'OK"
  

With this setting, Firefox will prompt you when there is an update for the browser itself and ask you if you want to install it. Now, if you decline the upgrade at first you can get the notification again by going to Help menu, 'Check for Updates...'

Prior to version 1.5, Firefox had its own built-in extension update notifier. With Firefox 1.5, that went away in favor of automatic updates. However with the Update Notifier Extension, it will check (from ever 6 to 24 hours) for new versions of your extensions and themes. Just make sure once you have the extension installed you go into the settings and disable the install options.