New Method to Enable Classic Print Preview Dialog in Firefox 101 and Later
Finally there is a new working way to disable the new modern print preview UI and restore classic system print preview dialog box in Mozilla Firefox 101 and later versions.
History of New Print Preview Overlay UI in Firefox
When Mozilla team released Firefox version 85.0, the classic print preview dialog box was replaced with a new modern print preview overlay UI as shown in following screenshot:
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The new redesigned print preview UI was similar to the one present in Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge web browsers.
Many Firefox users didn’t like the new print preview fly-out UI and started complaining about it. Fortunately, Mozilla team provided a hidden secret preference/flag to disable the new print preview UI and enable system print preview dialog box. We shared the method in following article:
[Tip] Restore Classic Print Preview Dialog Box UI in Mozilla Firefox
Following screenshot shows classic system Print Preview dialog box restored in Mozilla Firefox:
Unfortunately, Mozilla team removed the preference/flag from Firefox 97.0 version. So users who upgraded their Firefox browser to version 97 or later, were forced to use the new print preview overlay UI. There was no way available to bring back the classic print preview dialog box in Firefox any more.
Mozilla Removed Preference to Restore Classic Print Preview in Firefox 97 and Later
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We posted a workaround of silent printing to overcome the issue in following article:
[Tip] Disable New Print Preview UI in Mozilla Firefox
New Working Way to Restore Classic System Print Preview Dialog Box in Firefox
Now the good news is that after receiving feedback and complaints from users, Mozilla team has added a new preference/flag to Firefox 101 and later versions which can be modified to restore the classic print preview dialog box again.
If you are using Firefox 101 or later versions, following steps will help you in getting rid of the new modern print preview overlay UI and restoring the old classic print preview dialog box in Firefox web browser:
1. Open Firefox and type about:config in the addressbar and press Enter. It’ll show you a warning message, click on “Accept the Risk and Continue” button. It’ll open Firefox’s hidden secret advanced configuration page i.e. about:config page.
2. Now type print.prefer in Search filter box and look for following preference in the window:
print.prefer_system_dialog
The preference value is set to false by default, which means the new Print Preview UI is activated and enabled in your Firefox version.
3. To deactivate and disable the new modern Print Preview UI and bring back classic Print Preview dialog box, double-click on print.prefer_system_dialog preference and set it to true. Alternatively, you can click on the Toggle icon given next to the preference name.
That’s it. Now try to print a webpage in Firefox browser by pressing Ctrl+P keys together and you’ll get the good ol’ classic Print Preview dialog box back in Firefox.
PS: To restore default and new Print Preview UI in Firefox again, set the above mentioned preference to false.
Big thanks to our reader “VaclavTrpisovsky” for sharing this information…
Also Check:
[Tip] Restore Classic Print Preview Dialog Box in Chrome and Microsoft Edge
I never liked the ‘New Print Preview’ interface so I was excited when I came across this article – alas it does NOT bring back the ‘Old Print Preview’ It merely by-passes the ‘New Print Preview’ and it is just as if you clicked on “Print Using The System Dialogue…” it opens directly the installed printer settings.
What I would like back is the ‘Old Print Preview’ where there was an actual ‘Print Preview’ link in the top menu bar ‘File’ tab. Clicking on it would open a new full screen page with a top menu bar where all the printer settings are (margin, what page/s to print, etc…).
I don’t think we will get that back as it would mean adding the old code back in….
I agree with Pierre:
The key ‘print.prefer_system_dialog’=True does NOT bring back the old ‘Print preview’, which contained options to modify header / footer. In FF 101 ff, the UI to edit the print headers/footers is simply gone (except in about:config, which I don’t consider as UI)
This is excellent news and it actually works. No more pdf UI type s**t. But if they remove this option yet again, I shall dump Firefox for good, there won’t be no going back .
I uninstalled the latest Firefox version and installed Version 92. It is the last version that had the good old Print Preview selections. In the Updates settings you have to click “Check for updates but let you choose to install them.” Then when you get their annoying daily update notifications, click Dismiss. It’s worth the aggravation.
Is there a way to save this setting for all users of a device? This setting only applies to the local user account.
It’s all well and good to have the classic print dialog box again, BUT the BIG issue is that the classic PRINT PREVIEW is gone and remains gone. One used to be able to restore it with the tab_modal option, but Mozilla in its questionable wisdom killed that off awhile back. Since I have been forced to finally upgrade my browser by my financial institution, I’m stuck to this new print overlay that is horrible (as 1000s of users attest). We need a way to go back to the simple, easy to use, and fast native to Windows print preview. No one cares that this looks like Chrome or chromium-based browsers. They should be the one’s changing to simpler things that work as this USED to.
Totally agree with Jim above! This does NOT restore the Print/Preview window. All it does is bring up the regular system dialog box to make changes. The reason I use Firefox (and have from the VERY beginning!!!) is because it’s NOT the same as other browsers. Why would you copy something from a browser that I don’t want to use? Firefox and Thunderbird used to be so much more customizable — for the USER — HELLO!!!!! Either stop changing things that most users like, or allow the Users to get back to things we like that were removed or changed. So sad.
Thank You!
This was *exactly* what I was looking for. The subset of printer settings in the Firefox dialog was not what I wanted at all.