Many Firefox users have recently noticed a small ‘pin’ icon appearing on their shortcuts on the new tab page. This visual change, introduced with Firefox 139, has sparked quite a bit of discussion online. Some users find it adds unnecessary “visual noise” and prefer a cleaner look. If you’re among those who want to get rid of this new addition, you are in the right place.
The good news is, there’s a simple way (h/t u/fsau) to revert this change and restore your new tab shortcuts to their previous appearance. You won’t need to download any extra tools or be a tech wizard. The solution lies within Firefox’s advanced configuration settings, often referred to as ‘about:config’.
To begin, open a new Firefox tab and in the address bar, type about:config and press Enter. You’ll likely see a warning message. Don’t worry, it’s just telling you to be careful when changing settings here. Accept the risk and continue.
Once you’re in the about:config page, you’ll see a search bar at the top. In this search bar, type browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.newtabShortcuts.refresh. This specific setting controls the visual refresh of the new tab shortcuts, including the controversial pin icon.
You should see an entry for this setting. Its value will likely be set to ‘true’. To remove the pin icon, simply double-click on this entry. This action will toggle its value from ‘true’ to ‘false’. As soon as you make this change, you might notice the pin icons disappear from your new tab shortcuts immediately, or after a quick refresh of the page.
Here’s how it should look after you make the tweak:
Users like ‘Japi1’ on Reddit, who tried this fix, expressed their relief, saying, “Thank you so much, I hate the new look.” Another user, ‘DerogatoryMale,’ commented, “Thank you for this. I don’t need to know what is pinned. I pinned it there.”
This simple tweak allows you to take back control of your Firefox new tab page and enjoy a cleaner, less cluttered interface. Give it a shot and let me know if it worked for you in the comments section below.
Featured image credit: u/adamantium_bender / Reddit
Dwayne Cubbins
1035 Posts
For nearly a decade, I've been deciphering the complexities of the tech world, with a particular passion for helping users navigate the ever-changing tech landscape. From crafting in-depth guides that unlock your phone's hidden potential to uncovering and explaining the latest bugs and glitches, I make sure you get the most out of your devices. And yes, you might occasionally find me ranting about some truly frustrating tech mishaps.
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