2004669 - Private Window options are still available via Firefox View tab when private browsing is disabled

Status: VERIFIED FIXED

(Firefox :: Enterprise Policies, defect, P3)

Description

[Simona Badau, Desktop QA]

Found in

• Nightly 147.0a1

Affected versions

• Nightly 147.0a1
• Firefox 146
• Firefox 140.6.0 ESR

Tested platforms

• Affected platforms: Windows 11, Ubuntu 24.04 and macOS 14

Preconditions

• The "DisablePrivateBrowsing" policy is set to true via a policies.json file placed in the distribution folder inside the Firefox installation directory.

Steps to reproduce

1. Open the Firefox View Tab.
2. Navigate to the History section.
3. Click on the "Options button" (...) located in the right side to open the dropdown menu.
4. Observe the available options.

Expected result

• The "Open in New Private Window" option should be hidden or disabled (grayed out), because private browsing is disabled by policy.

Actual result

• The "Open in New Private Window" option is still visible and functional, allowing users to open private windows despite the "DisablePrivateBrowsing" policy.

Regression range

• Reproducible on all current Firefox versions.

Additional notes

• On Windows enabling the "DisablePrivateBrowsing" policy via GPO shows the same behavior.

Comment 1

[Mike Kaply [:mkaply]]

Attachment: Bug 2004669 - Missed hiding a private window option with policy. r?kcochrane

Comment 2

[BugBot [:suhaib / :marco]]

The severity field is not set for this bug.
:mkaply, could you have a look please?

For more information, please visit BugBot documentation.

Comment 3

[Pulsebot]

Pushed by [e-mail]:
https://github.com/mozilla-firefox/firefox/commit/174ee0b6ace4
https://hg.mozilla.org/integration/autoland/rev/25b7deb94056
Missed hiding a private window option with policy. r=kcochrane,fxview-reviewers

Comment 4

[Sandor Molnar[:smolnar]]

https://hg.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/rev/25b7deb94056

Comment 5

[BugBot [:suhaib / :marco]]

The patch landed in nightly and beta is affected.
:mkaply, is this bug important enough to require an uplift?

• If yes, please nominate the patch for beta approval.
  • See https://wiki.mozilla.org/Release_Management/Requesting_an_Uplift for documentation on how to request an uplift.
• If no, please set status-firefox147 to wontfix.

For more information, please visit BugBot documentation.

Comment 6

[Phabricator Automation]

firefox-beta Uplift Approval Request

• User impact if declined: Allows access to private browsing when disabled by policy.
• Code covered by automated testing: no
• Fix verified in Nightly: yes
• Needs manual QE test: no
• Steps to reproduce for manual QE testing:
• Risk associated with taking this patch: low
• Explanation of risk level: Straightforward change
• String changes made/needed: None
• Is Android affected?: no

Comment 7

[Mike Kaply [:mkaply]]

Attachment: Bug 2004669 - Missed hiding a private window option with policy.

Original Revision: https://phabricator.services.mozilla.com/D277066

Comment 8

[Phabricator Automation]

firefox-esr140 Uplift Approval Request

• User impact if declined: Allows access to private browsing when disabled by policy.
• Code covered by automated testing: no
• Fix verified in Nightly: yes
• Needs manual QE test: no
• Steps to reproduce for manual QE testing:
• Risk associated with taking this patch: low
• Explanation of risk level: Straightforward change
• String changes made/needed: None
• Is Android affected?: no

Comment 9

[Mike Kaply [:mkaply]]

Attachment: Bug 2004669 - Missed hiding a private window option with policy.

Original Revision: https://phabricator.services.mozilla.com/D277066

Comment 10

[Pulsebot]

https://github.com/mozilla-firefox/firefox/commit/518fb55ce1b2
https://hg.mozilla.org/releases/mozilla-beta/rev/e8e567ed995e

Comment 11

[Pulsebot]

https://hg.mozilla.org/releases/mozilla-esr140/rev/930773b036fd

Comment 12

[Simona Badau, Desktop QA]

Verified as fixed in Firefox 140.7.0 ESR (Build ID: 20260106170501), Firefox 147 (Build ID: 20260105210555), and Nightly 148.0a1 (Build ID: 20260107160934) - the Private Window option (Open in New Private Window) is no longer displayed in the History section of the Firefox View tab.

However, when the user is logged into Sync, the Open in New Private Window option is still displayed in the Options (…) dropdown menu in the following sections:

• Tabs from other devices
• Recent Browsing → Tabs from other devices.

Comment 13

[Mike Kaply [:mkaply]]

However, when the user is logged into Sync, the Open in New Private Window option is still displayed in the Options (…) dropdown menu in the following sections.

Can you open a new bug? I forgot to test sync.

Comment 14

[Simona Badau, Desktop QA]

(In reply to Mike Kaply [:mkaply] from comment #13)

However, when the user is logged into Sync, the Open in New Private Window option is still displayed in the Options (…) dropdown menu in the following sections.

Can you open a new bug? I forgot to test sync.

Sure, I logged Bug 2009176.

Based on this and Comment 12, I am marking this report as Verified Fixed.