Latest Waterfox Android update swaps Yahoo for Qwant as default search engine

Waterfox for Android has another new default search engine.

The latest update, version 1.2.5, replaces Yahoo with Qwant, making the privacy-focused search engine the new default for fresh installations. The release also upgrades the browser to the Gecko 152 engine and bundles the latest security fixes.

If this change feels familiar, that’s because Waterfox has switched default search providers several times in recent months.

Startpage was originally the browser’s default choice for a long while. That changed earlier this year after Startpage asked the Waterfox team to remove its search engine from the browser. The desktop version was affected first, with 1.org temporarily taking over as the default search provider.

Android followed the same path in late May. Waterfox 1.2.4 removed Startpage and made Yahoo the default instead. As it turns out, Yahoo wasn’t there for long.

With version 1.2.5, Qwant now takes over that spot. Startpage is still missing from the browser’s list of available search engines, so users who preferred it won’t be able to switch back.

The move makes sense given Waterfox’s focus on privacy. Qwant doesn’t build advertising profiles or track users in the same way many larger search engines do, which fits well with Waterfox’s own approach of keeping telemetry and tracking to a minimum.

If you’ve already selected a different search engine, there’s nothing to worry about. The update shouldn’t overwrite your existing preference. The new default mainly applies to new installations or users who never changed the search engine in the first place.

Search isn’t the only thing changing in this release. Waterfox 1.2.5 also brings the browser up to Gecko 152, which includes the latest platform improvements from Mozilla. The update also incorporates fixes from recent Mozilla security advisories.

We’ll now have to see if Qwant stays as the default or the team picks another candidate in the near future.

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