Pale Moon is an open-source web browser developed by Moonchild Productions. Originally forked from the Firefox/Gecko codebase, it now runs on Goanna, an independently maintained rendering engine, and keeps a classic, highly customizable interface with support for legacy-style XUL extensions and themes. It appeals to users who want an alternative to the Chromium-based browser landscape.
Why Choose Pale Moon Over Chromium-Based Browsers
Most mainstream browsers today, including Chrome, Edge and Opera, share the same Chromium engine underneath. Pale Moon deliberately stays outside that ecosystem, running its own Goanna engine and preserving an older-style, fully customizable toolbar and extension system that many long-time Firefox users found stripped away from modern browsers.
Pale Moon Features
- Goanna Rendering Engine — an independently maintained engine forked from Gecko, giving Pale Moon its own release and security cadence
- Legacy-Style Extensions — supports classic XUL/Overlay-based add-ons for deep interface customization not possible in most modern browsers
- Full Toolbar Customization — rearrange, add or remove toolbar buttons and menus with a classic Firefox-like interface
- Complete Themes — apply full browser themes that change the entire interface, not just an accent color
- Session Restore — reopen exactly the tabs and windows you had open after a crash or restart
- Built-In Privacy Controls — includes tracking protection and granular privacy/security preferences
- Low Resource Use — designed to run comfortably on older or lower-spec hardware
- Independent Development — free from the design and telemetry decisions of large browser vendors
How to Install Pale Moon on Windows
- Open the official download page using the button on this page, which goes to palemoon.org.
- Pick the right build for your system — 64-bit Windows is standard for most modern PCs.
- Download the installer and run it, following the setup wizard's prompts.
- Launch Pale Moon and choose whether to import bookmarks and settings from another browser.
- Install add-ons and themes from Pale Moon's add-ons site if you want further customization.
Is Pale Moon really free?
Open Source. Pale Moon is free and open-source software, developed and maintained by Moonchild Productions with community contributions.
How to download Pale Moon safely
Use the request button on this page and we will email you the current link for www.palemoon.org — the publisher's own website — so you receive the authentic build. We do not host, mirror, patch or repackage this software in any way.
Avoid third-party "download manager" sites offering Pale Moon. They commonly wrap the genuine installer in their own bundler, which is how adware and browser hijackers get onto a machine that the user believed was clean.
Alternatives to Pale Moon
Other free web browsers software worth comparing before you decide:
Mozilla Firefox
The mainstream open-source Gecko-based browser with modern web standards support.
Waterfox
A privacy-focused Firefox fork that keeps compatibility with modern web extensions.
Vivaldi
A highly customizable Chromium-based browser aimed at power users.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pale Moon based on Firefox?
It originally forked from the Firefox/Gecko codebase, but today it runs on Goanna, an independently maintained engine, and is developed separately from Mozilla.
Does Pale Moon support Chrome extensions?
No. Pale Moon uses its own legacy-style XUL/Overlay extension system and is not compatible with Chrome or modern Firefox WebExtensions.
Is Pale Moon still actively updated?
Yes, Moonchild Productions continues to release updates and security fixes for Pale Moon.
Is Pale Moon available for macOS?
There is no official macOS build; Pale Moon officially targets Windows and Linux.
Is Pale Moon safe to use?
It's open source and receives ongoing security updates, though its smaller user base means fewer sites are actively tested against it compared to mainstream browsers.
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People also search for
The terms visitors use to find this page. Each one lands here because it describes the same program.
Searches from India
Pale Moon is identical worldwide — these are search phrasings, not different downloads. Every one of them gets the same official build from www.palemoon.org.
