Waterfox

ApplicationBrowserWorks Ltd

Also called waterfox browser, waterfox g3

BrowserWorks LtdBrowsers

A Firefox-based browser aimed at older extension habits and 64-bit Windows. The process is waterfox.exe.

What you need to know

Waterfox is waterfox.exe. It is not Firefox Rapid Release.

BrowserWorks ships a Firefox-based browser with its own update channel and profile. Stock Firefox is firefox.exe under Mozilla Firefox. Classic Waterfox is an older line.

What is it?: Web browser
Still current?: Yes, see Current status
Official download?: Use the vendor link in this article

Feex says

If waterfox.exe is the heavy process, I would treat it as Waterfox, not Mozilla Firefox. Closing firefox.exe does not quit this browser.

What is Waterfox?

Waterfox is a Firefox-based desktop browser from BrowserWorks. The Windows executable is waterfox.exe.

If you have never used it

If you want a Firefox-family browser that is not Mozilla Rapid Release, this is Waterfox. Download it from waterfox.net. The process is waterfox.exe. Current Waterfox is the G-series, not the old Classic XUL build. Stock Firefox from mozilla.org is a different train.

What is it used for?

Gecko browsing without Rapid Release branding

Daily tabs on a Firefox-family engine with Waterfox settings and update channel.

Extension habits from Firefox

Modern WebExtensions install. Classic-era XUL packs belong to old Waterfox Classic, not current G.

A second Firefox-family profile

waterfox.exe keeps its own profile. It does not share mozilla.org Firefox sync by default.

Who is it for?

People who want Firefox-family browsing without Mozilla Rapid Release
Users who kept Waterfox from the 64-bit era
Anyone comparing waterfox.exe with firefox.exe

Current status

Waterfox (2011) is a current web browser from BrowserWorks Ltd. The vendor still points Windows users at https://www.waterfox.net/.

How old is it?

Waterfox started in 2011 as a 64-bit Firefox build. Classic and Current were later split. Today BrowserWorks ships the G-series on a Firefox base. A 2013 64-bit only page is history.

Versions

Major channels first. Exact build numbers are not all verified here.

Current Windows build

System requirements

Values follow the publisher's public guidance. Workload still changes the real need.

Minimum

Minimum system requirements
Operating system	A current supported Windows 10 or Windows 11 release, per the vendor
RAM	Enough for Windows plus this app. Heavy projects want more.

Resource profile

CPU demand: Follows what you open inside the app
RAM demand: Follows documents, tabs, or libraries

Installed processes

These executables belong to this product when it is installed.

Installed processes
waterfox.exe	Main Windows executable

Startup components

Waterfox can restore the last session. That is a Waterfox setting.

File locations

Common Waterfox locations
Typical install	C:\Program Files\Waterfox\

File formats

HTMLPDFPNGJPEG

Common problems

Classic add-ons on a G-series install

Old XUL extensions do not load in current Waterfox G. That is the version split, not a broken GPU.

Two Gecko browsers at once

Firefox and Waterfox are separate profiles. Uninstalling one leaves the other.

Getting unstuck

Confirm waterfox.exe in Program Files\Waterfox

firefox.exe under Mozilla Firefox is stock Firefox. This product uses its own folder.

Read Waterfox docs for G versus Classic

If a 2016 guide talks about Classic, you may be on the wrong line.

Install only from waterfox.net

A Waterfox portable from a forum pack is a common junk path.

Alternatives

Mozilla Firefox Rapid Release or ESR if you want the Mozilla channel. LibreWolf if you want stricter defaults on Gecko.

Official help and downloads

Start with the vendor. Random exe sites are not a support channel.

Official contacts
Download	www.waterfox.net/ Official installer or vendor page
Help	www.waterfox.net/docs/ Vendor support
Official site	www.waterfox.net/ Start here, not a random exe host

Related hardware

RAM and a current GPU driver, same class as Firefox.

Technical details

Vendor version numbers change. This article does not pin a build.

Sources and verification

Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. How we research.

Waterfox official site · Vendor product page
Waterfox help · Vendor support
Foxhole process map · First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.

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