Mozilla has released Firefox 156 for macOS, Windows, and Linux. The update is available for download or via auto-update.

The headline changes are performance boosts: a 45% faster start-up for the built-in PDF reader, improved memory and CPU usage for scaled JPEG images, and H.264 decoding for WebRTC video calling on Arm64 processors. These add up to better battery life and efficiency for laptop users.

The update also includes bug fixes: dragging an image in a rich-text editor now moves it correctly; high-sample-rate FLAC audio in MP4 plays on sites like Bilibili; subtitles appear in Picture-in-Picture when enabled after opening; bookmarks stay in folders when dragged together; the find bar remains available after reversing panes in Split View; sites load with DNS over HTTPS enabled; network connectivity is restored for users with the built-in VPN; and Windows auto-hiding taskbar issues are resolved. Various security fixes are also included.