Windows Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) responsible for downloading Windows Updates is going to download Firefox updates in the background even when the browser is not running or closed in upcoming Firefox release. Mozilla to use BITS for Firefox 68 to update browser whereas from version 70 onwards they are going to use BITS via a dedicated “Background Update agent” to install Firefox updates.

Mozilla is handling the Firefox update task over to BITS on Windows. The company is also working on to bring update agent for Firefox browser for the last two years and is targeting Firefox 70 to launch the feature.

Firefox Platform Engineer, Matt Howel puts update agent as like this: ” The update agent is being planned as a background process which will remain running after the browser is closed to download and apply updates.” FYI, the agent is aimed at users on slow connections.

When Techdows contacted Mozilla over the new update agent, they provided this statement to us via email: “Some Firefox users run out of date versions of Firefox and we designed the update agent to address situations where users on low bandwidth environments don’t run Firefox long enough to complete download of updates.”

If you now visit about:support page in Nightly, you’ll notice a new Update folder at this location:

“C:\ProgramData\Mozilla\updates\6F193CCC56814779”, yes Nightly is using new update procedure here.

Interested users can enable BITS in Firefox browser by turning on these preferences

app.update.BITSenabled.

app.update.BITS.inTrialgroup.

With the new update system in place, Firefox will no longer download updates when you check for updates in about dialog in the Help menu. Clarity will come when Mozilla provides more information about the new update method.

Related articles:

Firefox 63: Mozilla removes ‘Never check for updates’ option