Floorp v12.18.0 update adds redesigned Floorp Hub, idle memory reclaim feature, and more

The Floorp v12.18.0 update is now available with a redesigned Floorp Hub and improvements to the first-run setup. There’s also an experimental feature for reclaiming memory while the browser is idle. Furthermore, this version adds new controls for how Release Notes appear after updates.

You can view a screenshot of the announcement below, and information about the update was officially shared in a blog post.

The most noticeable user-facing change is the redesigned Floorp Hub and first-run setup. Floorp has refreshed its settings interface with a more consistent layout and controls, alongside responsive light and dark interfaces for different screen sizes. The update also improves settings search, save-error messages, and the handling of unsaved changes.

The first-run experience has been improved as well. New users can go through language selection, key Floorp features, Floorp Hub, themes, search engines, and Release Note preferences. The setup also includes interactive demonstrations of Floorp features such as Workspaces and Web Panels.

This update also introduces “idle memory reclaim” as an experimental feature. When enabled, Floorp attempts to reclaim memory after a configurable period without needing any keyboard or mouse input. Users can configure the idle time, minimum interval between runs, and the memory-usage threshold. The feature is, however, disabled by default, and the amount of memory recovered depends on the pages being used.

There are some important caveats to this feature. Memory reclamation may temporarily pause the browser. Floorp also notes that video or music playback can still be considered idle when there is no user interaction, potentially interrupting audio or increasing CPU usage.

Speaking of the Release Notes, the browser now offers three choices: 1. Do not open them automatically, 2. Open them with the user’s blocker settings, or 3. Open them while allowing ads to support Floorp. The “support” option restricts several blockers, including uBlock Origin, AdGuard, Adblock Plus, AdBlock, and Ghostery.

Apart from these changes, the update also brings some fixes to Split View, URL opening, double-click, and sidebar ordering. It also moves the Firefox base to v156.0.1. The entire list of changes and fixes is available here.

In other Floorp news, the browser is now available for testing as a beta (via TestFlight) on iOS. More on that here.

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