VPN Extension for Firefox
The vpn.now extension for Firefox is an encrypted proxy that protects what happens inside Firefox. Other apps on your device are not covered. For protection across your whole device, install the full vpn.now app.
Get the vpn.now app for Firefox
The fastest way to get started is our app: install it, sign in, and press connect. The manual steps below are here if you would rather set things up by hand.
Set up vpn.now on Firefox
The whole process takes about five minutes. You will need a free vpn.now account before you start.
Step 1: Install from Firefox Add-ons
Open the Firefox Add-ons site, search for vpn.now, and click Add to Firefox. Approve the permission prompt and the extension icon appears in your toolbar.
Step 2: Sign in to your vpn.now account
Click the icon and sign in with your vpn.now email and password. The extension registers as one device on your plan, the same way a phone or laptop does.
Step 3: Pick a location
Choose a server from the location list. A nearby server gives you the best speed. A specific country makes your Firefox traffic exit from there.
Step 4: Switch it on
Turn the toggle on. The icon shows a connected state, and from that moment all of your Firefox browsing goes through the encrypted proxy.
Prefer to configure things by hand? See the manual setup guide.
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 vpn.now account, free or paid
- 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 includes one device, and the extension counts as your device. Running it alongside a full app on another device needs a paid plan.
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.
Protect your Firefox device today
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