Mozilla releases Firefox 157 with Project Nova visual redesign

Mozilla has released Firefox 157, featuring a major visual overhaul codenamed ‘Project Nova’. Described as the browser’s biggest visual refresh in years, the update introduces a modernized look with rounder tabs, menus, address bars, and settings interfaces. The design utilizes subtle pastel gradients and a more cohesive icon set for both light and dark themes to create a cleaner, more consistent appearance.

Key functional updates include the return of a ‘compact mode’, which reduces spacing in toolbars and menus to maximize web content area—a feature particularly useful for smaller screens or split-screen multitasking. The update also improves multi-tab workflows by making tab grouping and vertical tab access more intuitive.

On the performance side, Firefox 157 adds hardware AV1 decoding support for WebRTC video calls. This allows compatible hardware to handle decoding, which reduces CPU load and helps conserve battery life during video sessions. Additionally, the update addresses technical issues such as color inaccuracies in 8-bit HDR video playback and audio-video synchronization errors.