Firefox gets mascot Kit and free VPN
Mozilla gives Firefox a hand-drawn mascot named Kit. Additionally, version 149 brings an integrated VPN and Split View.
(Image: Mozilla)
Mozilla has given the Firefox browser its own mascot: Kit is intended to accompany users in the future when getting started and discovering new features. The character is based on the proportions of the Firefox logo and combines attributes of a fox and a red panda with its own imaginative touch – complete with "fire magic," as Mozilla calls it.
As Mozilla explains in a blog post, Kit is consciously not an AI assistant or chatbot, but a hand-drawn companion. The creative agency JKR and illustrator Marco Palmieri developed the character from pencil sketches to digital iterations in Adobe Illustrator. A particularly important aspect was an expressive tail for emotions and movement, as well as the absence of a mouth – Kit communicates solely through its eyes, posture, and body language. Palmieri said about his design approach: "I tend to stay away from the computer at the beginning. I want as few obstacles as possible between me and what I’m trying to see."
Kit appears in the browser during onboarding, when users discover new features, or after "small successes" such as a changed setting. The character also appears outside the browser – on Mozilla's product page, on social media, in campaigns, and as wallpaper on the new tab page. Mozilla emphasizes that Kit is a companion, not a commentator: the character signals support and otherwise recedes into the background.
Firefox 149: VPN, Split View, and more
In addition to the new mascot, Mozilla introduced a series of new features for Firefox 149 in another blog post. The new version is scheduled for release on March 24, 2026, and for the first time, Mozilla is integrating a free VPN directly into the browser. The in-browser proxy routes traffic to hide the IP address and location. Users in the USA, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom will receive 50 GB of data volume per month. The VPN does not offer system-wide coverage – it remains limited to the browser. Mozilla did not disclose whether an expansion to other countries such as Austria is planned.
Also new in version 149 is Split View: two web pages can be displayed side-by-side in one window, with independent scrolling, drag & drop between views, and a resize handle to adjust the width. The function is activated via right-click using "Add Split View" and offers options to reverse, split, or close the split view.
AI features remain opt-in
The AI assistance called Smart Window – previously called AI Window – offers context-specific functions such as definitions, summaries, and comparisons directly on web pages. Mozilla adheres to the opt-in principle: the function must be actively enabled. Local models are preferred; for cloud providers, their terms of use apply, with Mozilla itself not storing any data. Interested parties can join a waiting list. Further innovations include Tab Notes for notes on individual tabs, which are expected to be available in Firefox Labs from Firefox 149.
(fo)
