Download The latest version of Firefox can be found at Mozilla’s website – the creator of Firefox. Firefox Download Link
Installation Process
Run the installer after the download completes. It starts the installation wizard. It is basically a welcome screen of the setup wizard, which asks you to close all other applications so that it can make changes to system files without having to reboot computer. Click “Next” to continue.Installation Type
The wizard asks you to choose an installation type in the next screen.
The Standard installation sets all the configuration options for you, and directly installs Firefox. The custom installation lets you configure all the settings with your preferences, after which the wizard installs Firefox. I will go forward with the custom installation. If you choose standard installation, then you may want to skip directly to the summary step.
Install Location
The first screen of custom installation lets you specify the folder location of the Firefox installation.
The default folder is the “Program Files” folder of your system drive (which is usually C: drive). You can, however, change it to anything you like.
Maintenance Service
The User Account Control of Windows usually asks your permission before installing software in order to avoid malicious programs getting installed. However, it is merely an annoyance when UAC keeps asking your permission even when updating Firefox. So, Mozilla provides a background program called Maintenance Service. This service takes the permission from UAC to update Firefox without having to take your permission. So, you can go through a smooth and silent update. This step of the wizard asks you whether or not to install the Maintenance Service.
If you opt out of the installation, then UAC will prompt you every time Firefox tries to install an update; and trust me, the updates are going to happen a lot of time.
Firefox Icons
Next, you can specify if you want icons created on your Desktop and Start Menu. The latter option, however, doesn’t apply to Windows 8 as there is not Start Menu.
This step completes the customization of your Firefox setup. Click “Next” to go to the summary page.
Summary
This step is like your final confirmation before Firefox is installed. Here, you can specify whether or not you want Firefox to be the default browser.
Clicking “Install” starts the installation.
The installer copies its files to the specified install location, and configures Firefox settings.
This completes the installation. The wizard gives you the option to launch the browser as soon as the setup exits.
Add-on Compatibility Check
When Firefox launches, it checks for the computability of add-ons, if any installed.
Usually, the newest versions of Firefox renders the add-ons compatible by default, and turns them off later.
Welcome Page
The browser then launches and greets you with its welcome page.
Making Firefox Default Browser
If you opted out of this option earlier during the installation, but now want to make Firefox default for opening webpages, then go to Firefox Menu -> Options -> Advanced Tab -> Check “Always check to see if Firefox is the default browser on startup” option.
Now, Firefox will always check if it is the default browser when it launches, and will prompt you to make it default if found otherwise.
Pin Firefox
In Windows 8, you can quickly access a program from 3 places – Desktop, Taskbar and Start Screen. Go to the installation folder and right click on “Firefox.exe” file.
To put a shortcut on desktop, Send to -> Desktop.
To pin it on taskbar, Pin to taskbar.
To add it to Start Screen, Pin to Start.]]>
All Comments
The Start Menu option in Firefox setup DOES apply to Windows 8. Selecting that option will Add Firefox to the “All Apps” menu in the start screen, which is what you want. Understand that for retaining compatibility, the start menu folder directly impacts the start screen’s “All Apps” menu. So, any programs that modify the start menu will modify the start screen.
Windows 8 is still Windows. Start menu is not dead; it’s just different.