Preview: These docs are available early so you can start using them now. Some pages may still be incomplete, outdated, or change as WebLibre develops.

WebLibre

WebLibre is an independent Android browser built on Mozilla’s Gecko engine — the same browser engine used by Firefox. It brings browsing and web apps into a private, personal environment, with separate spaces for different activities, built-in Tor, WireGuard VPN, and proxy connections, and on-device search of what you’ve read.

Start with familiar browsing on a phone, or use resizable side panels, a keyboard, and a mouse on a larger Android screen. Read How WebLibre Is Organized to see how your data, browsing spaces, web apps, and connections fit together.

This documentation is public early so you can start using it right away. Expect some missing pages, incomplete details, and step changes while WebLibre and its docs are still evolving.

What Makes WebLibre Different?

WebLibre is built around your activities and devices. These are the features most people notice first:

Keep activities and accounts apart

Use isolated tabs for individual sessions, containers for recurring activities, or profiles for a full split in data and settings. Containers share cookies by default; turn on Cookie Isolation when creating one if separate logins matter.

Use websites as apps

Install supported sites as web apps with their own windows and a choice of shared or isolated storage. Follow the work and personal web-app workflow to use the same service with separate accounts. Optional website notifications use a separate UnifiedPush delivery app.

Use Tor, a VPN, or a proxy for selected browsing

Use built-in Tor, import a WireGuard VPN configuration, or create other proxy connections. Send all regular tabs, private tabs, a cookie-isolated container, or a single isolated tab through them; other Android apps are not affected. If the connection a tab needs is stopped, the tab is blocked instead of using your normal connection.

Find and reuse what you’ve read

Local search brings tabs, bookmarks, history, saved feed articles, and indexed page text into the address bar. Read with Reader Mode or on-device translation, then export a page as PDF, Markdown, or an image. Bang shortcuts search specific sites; Small Web helps you discover independent ones.

Work on phones and larger screens

Adaptive layouts offer bottom controls on phones and resizable side panels on tablets, foldables, and larger Android windows. Combine tree-style tabs and tab groups with mouse or trackpad input, customizable keyboard shortcuts, or gestures.

Privacy, Extensions, and More

WebLibre starts with strict tracking protection, DNS over HTTPS, HTTPS-only protection, tracking-parameter removal, Global Privacy Control, and site isolation. Per-site controls help you handle exceptions without changing the whole browser’s settings.

Firefox-compatible extensions add more tools; Quick Start installs uBlock Origin automatically. Optional on-device AI can suggest container groups and names for open tabs, with confirmation before changes. Use Firefox Sync, profile backups, or settings exports to keep and move your setup.

Good to Know

  • Some privacy features can make a site behave differently. If a page does not load correctly, try changing the relevant privacy setting or adding an exception.

  • Features such as page translation or On-Device AI may need to download models before first use.

  • Tor, proxies, Sync, DNS over HTTPS, and extensions can improve privacy or convenience, but they each connect to their own networks or services when you use them.

  • The main Settings screen has a search field that finds entries across all categories and jumps straight to the matching setting.

  • WebLibre’s interface is available in English, German, Spanish, Indonesian, Russian, and Simplified Chinese. English stays the default until you choose another language.

  • Full-text indexing is enabled by default. Private tabs are excluded by default; manage or clear stored page text in Local Search Index.

Getting Started

New to WebLibre? Start here:

Where to Get WebLibre

F-Droid builds use different signing keys from GitHub and Google Play builds. Switching between them requires uninstalling WebLibre, which deletes all profiles and their data. First, create an encrypted backup of every profile you want to keep, save the backups outside WebLibre’s app storage, and keep their passwords safe. Leave Verify backup integrity enabled.

F-Droid builds and signs its own releases. Updates may arrive considerably later than on GitHub or Google Play; their timing depends on F-Droid’s build and review process.

Community & Support

Attributions

WebLibre is built on Mozilla’s Gecko engine (MPL-2.0). All builds — including Google Play and GitHub releases — are libre builds made possible through Fennec F-Droid (AGPL-3.0) via the fennec-components fork.