Using a VPN in Firefox
A VPN add-on for Firefox can encrypt browser traffic and hide your IP from the sites you visit without changing system settings. The vpn.now add-on is still in development. To protect Firefox and every other app today, use the full vpn.now desktop app.
The native Firefox app is coming soon. You can connect today with the official tunnel app, below.
The vpn.now app for Firefox is on the way
Until the browser extension lands, install a full-device vpn.now app for your operating system. It protects Firefox plus every other app on that device.
Why run a VPN inside Firefox
Hide your IP from the sites you open
Pages you visit in Firefox see a vpn.now server's address instead of your real one, so your browsing is harder to tie back to your home network or rough location.
Safer on public Wi-Fi
On airport, hotel, or cafe Wi-Fi, the network sees one encrypted stream instead of the sites you open. Firefox's DNS lookups travel inside the proxy too, so the network cannot read those either.
One click, no system changes
It lives in the browser: no system tunnel, no admin rights, no drivers to install. Turn it on when you want it and off when you do not.
Choose where your browser appears
Pick a server location and your Firefox traffic exits there, handy when a site behaves differently depending on the country.
What the extension covers in Firefox
With the extension on, everything Firefox loads goes through an encrypted proxy. Sites see the proxy's IP address, not yours. The network you are on sees only encrypted traffic to one server. DNS lookups for your browsing ride through the proxy as well, so the local network cannot read the names of the sites you visit.
The boundary is the browser itself. Your mail client, chat apps, and system services keep using the network directly. No extension in any browser can change that, because extensions can only see browser traffic. We would rather state that limit clearly than let you assume more coverage than you have.
When you need the whole device covered, switch to a full vpn.now app, which runs a tunnel at the system level. Browse all vpn.now apps to find the one for your platform.
Private windows, containers, and the proxy
Firefox has strong built-in privacy tools. Private windows drop history and cookies when you close them, and containers keep site logins separated. These tools manage what is stored on your computer and how sites track you across tabs. None of them hide your IP address or your traffic from the network.
The proxy handles that other half. It hides your IP from websites and encrypts your traffic on the way out. Used together, a private window plus the extension covers both the local side and the network side. Our article on VPNs and private browsing explains the split in detail.
How the connection works under the hood
The extension routes Firefox through an encrypted HTTPS proxy. Firefox passes its traffic to the extension, the extension encrypts it with TLS, and a vpn.now proxy server relays it to its destination. Responses come back along the same encrypted path.
Our full apps use a system tunnel instead, which carries every packet from the operating system. The proxy is lighter: it lives in the browser and moves only browser traffic. Both approaches encrypt data in transit, they just sit at different layers. If you are curious how tunnels and proxies differ, start with how VPNs work.
One practical note: because the proxy needs no system access, it works on machines where you cannot install software. Whether the connection is protecting you is always visible from the toolbar icon.
What you need
- Firefox 102 or newer on Windows, macOS, or Linux
- A free vpn.now account
- Permission to install add-ons, which some managed profiles restrict
Having trouble? Our setup help section covers the most common issues, or you can contact support.
Firefox VPN questions
Does the extension protect apps outside Firefox?
No. It protects Firefox traffic only. Email clients, games, and other browsers are not covered. For everything at once, use the full vpn.now app, which runs a tunnel for the whole device.
Is this a real VPN?
It is an encrypted proxy for browser traffic, not a system-wide VPN tunnel. A browser extension cannot create a device-wide tunnel, so we describe it as what it is.
Can I use the extension on the free plan?
Yes. The free plan has no device limit, so you can use the extension and full apps on your other devices at the same time.
Do you keep records of what I browse?
Never. We keep no record of your browsing, your DNS lookups, or what your traffic contains. Only aggregate connection counts exist, and those are purged after 30 days. The details are on our transparency page.
Will pages load slower with the extension on?
Sometimes slightly. Traffic makes one extra stop at the proxy server, and encryption takes a little work. With a nearby server, most people cannot tell the difference in normal browsing.
Does it work with Multi-Account Containers?
Yes. Containers separate cookies and logins between tabs, while the extension handles the network layer for all of them at once. Every container tab browses through the same proxy location, so the two features stack without conflicting.
I already use Firefox DNS-over-HTTPS. Is the extension redundant?
No. DNS-over-HTTPS only encrypts your DNS lookups. The extension encrypts the actual page traffic too and hides your IP from the sites you visit. They cover different gaps, and running both is fine.
Using other devices too?
One vpn.now account covers all your devices. Set up the rest in minutes.
Protect your Firefox device today
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