Zen Browser 1.19.4b

Zen Browser is a privacy-focused, open-source Firefox-based browser with tracker blocking, fast browsing, and powerful customization via Zen Mods.

Razvan Serea News Reporter Neowin · Mar 27, 2026 08:54 EDT with 0 comments

Zen Browser

Zen Browser is a privacy-focused, open-source web browser built on Mozilla Firefox, offering users a secure and customizable browsing experience. It emphasizes privacy by blocking trackers, ads, and ensuring your data isn't collected.

With Zen Mods, users can enhance their browser experience with various customization options, including features like split views and vertical tabs. The browser is designed for efficiency, providing fast browsing speeds and a lightweight interface.

Zen Browser prioritizes user control over the browsing experience, offering a minimal yet powerful alternative to traditional web browsers while keeping your online activity private.

Zen Browser’s DRM limitation

Zen Browser currently lacks support for DRM-protected content, meaning streaming services like Netflix and HBO Max are inaccessible. This is due to the absence of a Widevine license, which requires significant costs and is financially unfeasible for the developer. Additionally, applying for this license would require Zen to be part of a larger company, similar to Mozilla or Brave. Therefore, DRM-protected media won't be supported in Zen Browser for the foreseeable future.

Zen Browser offers features that improve user experience, privacy, and customization:

Privacy-Focused: Blocks trackers and minimizes data collection.
Automatic Updates: Keeps the browser updated with security patches.
Zen Mods: Customizable themes and layouts.
Workspaces: Organize tabs into different workspaces.
Compact Mode: Maximizes screen space by minimizing UI elements.
Zen Glance: Quick website previews.
Split Views: View multiple tabs in the same window.
Sidebar: Access bookmarks and tools quickly.
Vertical Tabs: Manage tabs vertically.
Container Tabs: Separate browsing sessions.
Fast Profile Switcher: Switch between profiles easily.
Tab Folders: Organize tabs into folders.
Customizable UI: Personalize browser interface.
Security Features: Inherits Firefox’s robust security.
Fast Performance: Lightweight and optimized for speed.
Zen Mods Customization: Deep customization with mods.
Quick Access: Easy access to favorite websites.
Open Source: Built on Mozilla Firefox with community collaboration.
Community-Driven: Active development and feedback from users.
GitHub Repository: Contribute and review the source code.

Zen Browser 1.19.4b changelog:

New Features

Updated to Firefox 149.0
Optimized the performance glance and its animations, making it more responsive and smoother than before.
Added a 'Un-split tabs' context menu item when right-clicking on a tab inside a split view to quickly un-split it.
Many PDF files will now load significantly faster thanks to hardware acceleration.
Zen now automatically blocks notifications and permanently revokes permissions for any website flagged as malicious by SafeBrowsing. This prevents unsafe sites from sending background notifications to users, commonly used for ads, spam or phishing.
The WebRender layer compositor is now enabled on Windows, reducing power usage during full-screen video playback and improving WebGL/WebGPU performance.

Fixes

Fixed background grain not showing properly (#12765)
Fixed not being able to switch spaces with scroll actions (#12816)
Fixed closing blank windows when asking for confirmation (#12922)
Increased robustness of HTTP/3 upload performance for unstable network conditions.
Other minor bug fixes and improvements.

Changes

Live folders will now perform a refresh when waking up the computer to make sure the content is up to date.
On Linux, Zen will now default to the XDG portal file picker if available, rather than the GTK3 one, which is usually better integrated with the user's desktop environment, and more powerful.
On Windows, Zen will use the modern Windows.Devices.Geolocation API for geolocation instead of Windows 7 location API.