Firefox Update Adds Support for 120Hz ProMotion Display on Macs

Mozilla has started rolling Firefox 103 for desktops. It promises to deliver a smoother browsing experience on MacBooks with the ProMotion technology.

In October 2021, Apple launched its redesigned 14 and 16 inches MacBook Pro models with Liquid Retina XDR displays and ProMotion technology. That means the display’s refresh rate can adapt based on your current activity.

For example, the refresh rate could drop to 24Hz on web pages with little to no movement — thus, saving the device’s battery life. On the other hand, scrolling on the webpage or watching a movie could raise the refresh rate to 120Hz, resulting in an overall smoother experience.

There’s just one issue.

A limited number of web browsers support adaptive refresh rates on macOS. As a result, users that wanted to enjoy a smoother browsing experience had to stick with Apple’s Safari. Well, not anymore.

In its release note, Mozilla states Firefox 103 update improves performance on high-refresh rate monitors (120Hz+). In other words, owners of the 14 and 16 inches MacBook Pro can now enjoy the computer’s ProMotion technology on the Firefox browser.

There’s more.

Other Improvements on the Latest Firefox Update

Besides an improved performance on higher-refresh rate monitors, Firefox 103 comes with other new features.

The update promises improved responsiveness on macOS during periods of high CPU load by switching to a modern lock API. Also, users can now select buttons in the tabs toolbar using keyboard controls — Tab, Shift+Tab, and Arrow keys.

According to Mozilla’s release note, Firefox 103.0 will allow users to change the subtitle font size within a Picture-in-Picture (PIP) window. The update supports PIP subtitles on platforms such as Dailymotion, Funimation, Tubi, SonyLIV, and Hotstar.

Finally, Mozilla claims that the latest Firefox update fixes several bugs and security vulnerabilities. Firefox 103 for macOS is available for download on the Mozilla website.