Is Fennec Browser on Android Fail to Load Pages After the 142 Update? Here’s What to Do

Why Does Fennec Browser Say ‘Not Secure’ and Get Stuck Loading? A Simple Guide for Android Users.

If you use the Fennec F-Droid browser on your Android device, you might be facing some frustrating issues after updating to version 142. Many users have reported that the browser is having trouble loading websites, leaving them with error messages and stalled pages. This article will explain what’s happening with Fennec version 142 and what you can do to fix it.

Understanding the Fennec F-Droid Browser

The Fennec F-Droid browser is a version of the popular Mozilla Firefox browser, specially built for the F-Droid app store. F-Droid is an alternative to the Google Play Store that only offers free and open-source software. Fennec is appealing to many users because it removes proprietary elements and telemetry (data collection) that are present in the standard Firefox browser. This makes it a great choice for people who are conscious about their online privacy.

However, it’s worth noting that even with these changes, Fennec may still connect to some of Mozilla’s services, which could potentially track user activity. This is why F-Droid sometimes flags it as having “potentially unwanted content”.

The Problem with Fennec Version 142

Recently, users who updated to Fennec version 142.0.0 have been experiencing a significant bug that makes the browser almost unusable. When you first install or update to version 142, everything seems to work fine. You can open the browser and visit websites without any problems.

The issue appears after you close and reopen the app. When you try to load a website, either by typing in the address or using the search bar, the page fails to load. You might see a “not secure” warning, and the loading bar gets stuck at around 20%. This problem has been reported by many users and is not an isolated incident.

What Is Causing the Issue?

The problem seems to be directly related to the use of browser extensions. Users have found that the issue occurs when they have extensions like NoScript, uBlock Origin, or Privacy Badger enabled. In fact, some reports suggest that having any extension enabled in Fennec version 142 can trigger this bug. Disabling all extensions seems to resolve the issue, but that defeats the purpose of using a privacy-focused browser for many people.

It’s important to note that this is a bug specific to the Fennec F-Droid version of the browser. The official Mozilla Firefox browser, version 142, does not have this problem. This suggests that the issue lies in how Fennec F-Droid version 142 interacts with extensions.

How to Check if You Are Affected

If you are using Fennec F-Droid and are not sure if you’re experiencing this bug, here’s how you can check:

1. Make sure your Fennec browser is updated to version 142.0.0.
2. Open the browser and try to visit a website. It should load normally.
3. Now, completely close the app. You can do this from your phone’s app switcher.
4. Reopen Fennec and try to visit a website again.

If the website fails to load and the loading bar gets stuck, you are likely affected by this bug.

What You Can Do Now: Solutions and Workarounds

At the moment, there is no official fix for this issue in Fennec version 142. However, there are a few things you can do to get your browser working again:

Revert to an Older Version

The most reliable solution is to uninstall Fennec version 142 and install the previous version, 141.0.2. This will restore your browser’s functionality while you wait for a patched update. You will need to find the APK file for the older version, which can usually be found on the F-Droid website or other trusted sources.

A Temporary Workaround

Some users have found a strange but effective temporary fix. If you open a webpage in a different browser (like Chrome) and then quickly switch back to Fennec, the page will load correctly. This is not a practical long-term solution, but it can be helpful if you need to access a page quickly.

Use the Official Firefox App

Since the official Mozilla Firefox browser is not affected by this bug, you can switch to using it until the Fennec issue is resolved. This might not be an ideal solution for those who prefer Fennec for its privacy features, but it is a stable alternative.

The F-Droid community and Fennec developers are aware of the problem, and a fix is likely in the works. It’s a good idea to keep an eye on the F-Droid store for any new updates to the Fennec browser.