Link to release notes: https://zen-browser.app/release-notes/
I saw that the icon and UI changed, so I looked up the release information. They’re preparing for the first stable release!
If you encounter any issues, please report them on the issues page. Thanks everyone for your feedback! ❤️
This release introduces a new stage for Zen Browser, the beta stage! This means that we are getting closer to a stable release, and we are now focusing on fixing bugs and improving the overall experience. We’ve made some significant changes to the UI, including a new layout for the browser called single toolbar and much more!
Fixes
- Various fixes in version 20
- Fix pinned tab state and favicon handling #2853
- Prevent pins deletion from database on non explicit tab closes (window closing) #2875
- […]
Features
- New branding and logos!
- Updated zen glance animations for smoother transitions and adjust timing (Still in development)
- Add reset to pinned URL button to pinned tabs
- Made the URL bar background more rounded
- Updated to Firefox 133.0
- Added support for -moz-gtk-csd-reversed-placement on Linux
- Enhance workspace deactivation styles with grayscale filter for better visibility
- Windows and linux ARM64 builds are now available on the github for testing!
- Hide container label when URL bar is narrow
- Macos ARM64 builds will now ship with PGO, performance increase!
- Added different layouts for zen: single toolbar, multiple toolbars, and no toolbar
- The URL bar will now be floating on the top of the page
- Added native mica support for Windows 11
- Added hiding window controls support
- Created new animations for glance
- Added context aware animations for workspace switching
- New onboarding experience for new users!
- Started experimenting with horizontal tabs
For those unfamiliar, it’s a Firefox based browser with a nicer UI and some other features
Is the search bar moving down to the middle of the screen when I’m typing a bug? If not is there a setting for that somewhere?
None that I found, hopefully they add a setting
What I would prefer is:
Option 1. Move when hotkeys are used (default)
- if clicked, don’t move around. It’s disorienting, and if someone was trying to select part of the URL they’ll need to line up the mouse again
- if hotkey (CTRL-L or focus search hotkey), sure bring it down. It’s nice and you don’t have to move your eyes as much
Option 2. Never move down
I’m afraid to update ever since they removed the collapsed tab sidebar option, which was the entire reason I used Zen. To be fair, the dev brought it back after people complained, so they listened, but the fear remains 😬
Do be afraid. They rolled it back, and then the most recent update removed it again. It’s the only reason I liked using it as my side browser. Sidebery is great, but I liked the integration. Zen’s UI choices are good, but that was a smooth as fuck workflow I was able to get to.
That is true
The website says “customizable to the last pixel”, so I’m hoping they leave in all the options once they release properly. I might disable updates at some point waiting for that
I did the update and now the X to close in the top right doesn’t work anymore, for some reason.
My UI was being weird, but it settled down after I closed and reopened it / reloaded my tabs.
Once the stable release is out, I might do a full uninstall/reinstall and import in my settings