[Bug]about:config does not work

[freebrowser1]

Steps to reproduce

Use Fenix 5.2.0 and type about:config in the address bar.

Expected behavior

The advanced settings should appear

Actual behavior

An error message appears. The about:config is a very useful feature of firefox for e.g. setting a permanent user agent which shows a decent web page.
Currently Fenix only shows a WAP version of some websites as the word 'mobile' is in the user agent whch cannot be changed permanently. Only it can be done once by clicking on 'Show desktop version' which only works one time for one site.

Device information

• Android device: MI Pro 8
• Fenix version: 5.2.0

┆Issue is synchronized with this Jira Task

[cadeyrn]

This is not a bug but expected - about:config is only enabled on pre-release channels. But you say that you use Firefox Preview 5.2.0 - users of 5.2.0 were migrated to the Nightly channel and there is about:config enabled. Also on the beta channel about:config is enabled. Firefox 78 Beta is based on Fenix 5.2.0 and the current version is Firefox 79 Beta. about:config works in Firefox 79 Beta. A stable Firefox release with the Fenix code base does not exist yet after 5.2.0 was migrated so all current Fenix builds have about:config enabled. Your version is outdated.

For stable releases your issue is a duplicate of #7865 and others.

[freebrowser1]

But, when Fenix is released, will it then be possible to access about:config, or at least change the user agent permanently to a normal 'desktop' one without 'mobile' in it, i.e. rendering a normal web page ?

[cadeyrn]

or at least change the user agent permanently to a normal 'desktop' one without 'mobile' in it, i.e. rendering a normal web page ?

This is #7039.

[nbmrjuhneibkr]

Apparently, Mozilla thinks that users who want to have access to additional options such as UserAgent switching should only be using unstable builds of the browser. Want to have a stable build and additional customization? Can't have both, because Mozilla won't let you.
This is unacceptable.

[klint]

Apparently, Mozilla thinks that users who want to have access to additional options such as UserAgent switching should only be using unstable builds of the browser. Want to have a stable build and additional customization? Can't have both, because Mozilla won't let you.
This is unacceptable.

Beta builds are pretty stable, on the contrary to nightly ones (and even those ones are ok on general) in my experience. And I've been using beta builds as my main browser for years.

[kbrosnan]

Closing as a duplicate

[Diapolo]

This needs to be re-enabled ASAP, Firefox is currently unusable as power user!

[Diapolo]

Apparently, Mozilla thinks that users who want to have access to additional options such as UserAgent switching should only be using unstable builds of the browser. Want to have a stable build and additional customization? Can't have both, because Mozilla won't let you.
This is unacceptable.

Beta builds are pretty stable, on the contrary to nightly ones (and even those ones are ok on general) in my experience. And I've been using beta builds as my main browser for years.

You / we should not be forced to use a Beta to be able to change advanced browser options, this is paternalistic!

[andreicristianpetcu]

What sort of power user is afraid of beta? 😄