Firefox bottom navigation bar removed from Nightly builds, possibly to be replaced with new toolbar

Firefox users who test experimental features in the Nightly builds for Android have noticed a significant change recently. The option for a bottom navigation bar, which many found convenient, has disappeared. This has left some users wondering if the feature is gone for good.

The bottom navigation bar, which allowed users to have navigation controls like back, forward, new tab, and tabs at the bottom of the screen while keeping the address bar at the top, was never a mainstream feature. It was tucked away in the “Secret Settings” of Firefox Nightly, an area for developers and adventurous users to try out upcoming functionalities. Many who enabled it grew to appreciate the split layout, finding it made one-handed use easier, especially on larger phone screens.

Naturally, many users have taken to Reddit and Mozilla’s own forums to seek an official response about the disappearance. Users like “mgw” expressed their disappointment, stating, “Really hope this style of Android navigation wasn’t permanently removed. I use Firefox Nightly specifically because I found this navigation layout (address bar on top, toolbar on bottom) to be so great.”

Another user, TevinH, asked, “Is this option gone now? I loved using it but the secret setting g just dissappeared from Nightly.” For some, this layout was a primary reason for using Firefox Nightly over other browsers.

It appears the removal isn’t just a temporary glitch. A Bugzilla report, a platform Mozilla uses for tracking issues, shed some light on the situation. Jason Kwok reported the “Enable Navigation Toolbar” toggle missing from Secret Settings.

Chris Peterson, a Mozilla developer, responded in the bug thread, stating, “I’m no longer working on the toolbar redesign (Navigation Toolbar) project, but my understanding is that the project is paused and will be replaced by a different new toolbar design.” The bug was subsequently marked as “RESOLVED WONTFIX,” suggesting that the specific iteration of the navigation toolbar is indeed not coming back.

This change also has a knock-on effect. The “Enable Menu Redesign,” another experimental feature, was apparently designed to work in conjunction with this navigation toolbar. Without the toolbar, users have noted that the redesigned menu feels incomplete, missing some navigation elements that were moved to the now-absent bar.

While the current bottom navigation bar seems to be shelved, Peterson’s comment offers a glimmer of hope for those who prefer improved bottom-of-the-screen accessibility. The mention of a “different new toolbar design” suggests Mozilla might be exploring alternative ways to enhance the user interface.

However, until more details emerge, users who relied on the old layout are left to either adapt to the standard interface or, as some have mentioned, consider rolling back to older Nightly versions, a solution that isn’t ideal for long-term use.