How to Update Firefox

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There are so many security holes in Internet Explorer that I simply no longer use it. I use Mozilla Firefox instead. While Firefox is a significantly safer browser—we Firefox users don't have to worry about the drive-by spyware and adware installations that constantly plague Internet Explorer users—Firefox is not without its own share of security problems. In fact, in the last eight months or so, there have a BUNCH of vulnerabilities found in Firefox. Check out http://www.mozilla.org/projects/security/known-vulnerabilities.html if you don't believe me.

That doesn't mean that Firefox is a lousy browser. Rather it just means that, just as you need to update Windows to make sure your computer has all of the latest Microsoft security patches, you also need to update Firefox from time to time.

There are three ways to do this:

Download and install the newest version of Firefox.
Click on the hidden "Check Now" button inside of Firefox.
Click on the red update arrow icon whenever it appears in Firefox.

First, you can just go to mozilla.org, download the latest version of Firefox, and install it. You don't have to uninstall your old version—the Firefox installer automatically upgrades your old version to the new version and it also keeps your old Firefox bookmarks and settings intact.

The second way to upgrade to the latest version of Firefox is to go to Tools > Options. Under "Advanced," scroll down and under "Software Update" click on the "Check Now" button. [And between you and me, could they have made this button any harder to find?]
Check Now button in Firefox

This causes Firefox to call home and check to see if you have the latest versions. Just follow the on-screen prompts to upgrade to the latest version.

The third way to upgrade to the latest version of Firefox is to look in the upper right corner of your Firefox screen. If there is ever a security update for Firefox, you'll see a really small red arrow icon up in that corner.

Click on that arrow and it's just as if you clicked on the "Check Now" button in Tools > Options. Firefox calls home and automatically gets the updates.

All three of these methods—downloading and installing a new version, going to Tools > Options > Advanced, or clicking on the red arrow whenever it appears—check not only Firefox but also your Firefox extensions for any security updates you may be missing. The upgrade process itself is pretty straightforward. Click on "Install Now," sit back a bit while Firefox downloads the necessary updates, and then follow the on-screen prompts. That's it.

Since there have been a bunch of patches since Firefox was first offically released in November 2004, I strongly recommend that you update Firefox as soon as possible. You're going to be a LOT happier in the long run if you do. Once you've updated, just keep your eye out for that little red arrow icon and you should be okay.