Firefox Logo: Who Designed It and How It Changed (2004-2026)

Who designed the Firefox logo, the fiery fox wrapped around the globe? This article tells the story behind the original 2004 design by Jon Hicks, Daniel Burka and Stephen Desroches, and how the Firefox logo has changed up to 2026.

Quick answer: The original Firefox logo was a concept by Daniel Burka, sketched by Stephen Desroches and rendered by UK designer Jon Hicks. It first appeared with Firefox 0.8 in 2004. Mozilla refreshed it in 2009, 2013 and 2017, and the current, simpler logo arrived with Firefox 70 in 2019.

Who designed the Firefox logo?

Firefox is easily recognised by its logo, which sat on hundreds of sites and computers thanks to fans who wanted to spread Firefox. When we first wrote about it in 2005, few people knew who had actually created that clean, memorable identity.

DeviantArt reported that the logo was designed by Jon Hicks, a freelance designer based in the UK, who shared the creative process on his own website. Hicks himself explained that the chosen design was a concept from Daniel Burka, sketched by Stephen Desroches, and then rendered by him.

How the original logo was made

• Concept: Daniel Burka came up with the idea of a fox curled around the globe.
• Sketch: Stephen Desroches drew the sketch that set the pose and shape.
• Rendering: Jon Hicks rendered the final artwork in Fireworks MX. He preferred it to Illustrator or Photoshop for icon work because you see the result in pixels rather than smooth vectors.
• Icon sizes: Hicks also showed how the Firefox icon was hand-tuned for different sizes, so it stayed sharp from large desktop icons down to tiny toolbar versions.

Firefox logo history: 2004 to 2026

• Before 2004: the browser was first called Phoenix and then Firebird, and early artwork showed a phoenix.
• 2004: the fox and globe logo debuted with Firefox 0.8.
• 2009: a small refresh with Firefox 3.5 changed the shapes of the continents.
• 2013: less detailed textures on the globe and fox.
• 2017: with Firefox 57, a flatter fox and a textureless globe.
• 2019: announced in June and shipped with Firefox 70 in October, a simpler fox with no legs and a purple globe. Mozilla also introduced a separate Firefox brand mark, an orange flame swirl, which many people mistook for the new browser logo.

The 2019 logo is still the one you see on the Firefox download page today.

Design lessons from the Firefox logo

• Collaborate: the best idea came from one person, the sketch from another and the polish from a third.
• Design for small sizes: an icon must work at 16 pixels as well as on a poster. Our guide on how to create a favicon online free covers the basics.
• Simplify over time: each Firefox redesign removed detail to suit flat, high-resolution screens.
• Build a brand, not just a logo: read our steps to create a brand for your blog.

FAQ

Who designed the Firefox logo?

Jon Hicks rendered the original 2004 logo from a concept by Daniel Burka and a sketch by Stephen Desroches.

Is the Firefox logo a fox or a red panda?

The logo shows a stylised orange fox wrapped around a globe. The name “firefox” is also a nickname for the red panda, which is a common source of confusion.

When did the Firefox logo last change?

The current logo came with Firefox 70 in October 2019.

What software was used to create the first logo?

Jon Hicks rendered it in Macromedia Fireworks MX.