Pale Moon is a free and open-source web browser licensed under the MPL-2.0 with a stated emphasis on customization. There are official releases for Microsoft Windows, FreeBSD, macOS, and Linux.
Pale Moon originated as a fork of Firefox, but has subsequently diverged. The main differences are its user interface, add-on system, and single-process architecture. Pale Moon retains the user interface of Firefox from versions 4 to 28 and supports both legacy Firefox extensions and NPAPI plugins.
Pale Moon was created by M.C. Straver (alias Moonchild). Straver currently serves as the primary maintainer and lead developer of the browser.
In 2016, starting with version 26, Pale Moon switched to using the Goanna rendering engine, a fork of Gecko. Prior versions of the browser had used Gecko.
In 2017, the Pale Moon team began the Unified XUL Platform (UXP) project due to major upcoming changes in the Mozilla codebase. The Basilisk web browser was developed to serve as a "reference application" for development before Pale Moon switched over to using UXP.
What is Pale Moon?
Pale Moon by Moonchild Productions is open-source Windows software in the web browsers category. The first release dates back to 2009. It is written in C, C++, and Cascading Style Sheets. Besides Windows, it is available for GNU/Linux, macOS and FreeBSD. Its interface is available in 3 languages.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides EXE (NSIS) installers for 64-bit and 32-bit Windows. The main installer is 36.3 MB. Installation asks for administrator rights. A silent install is possible with the installer’s documented switches.
Updates and version history
The current version is 35.0.3, released on October 27, 2026. The version history goes back to April 28, 2026: 10 releases, all linked to the official files. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
Wikipedia has an article about it in 22 of our languages. On Windows it registers 5 file types, including .html, .xhtml, .htm, .shtml and .xht. Similar programs include Brave, Waterfox and LibreWolf.
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Documented silent install
- Updated in the last two months
- Also runs on GNU/Linux, macOS and FreeBSD
- Mature project (since 2009)
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
- Installation needs administrator rights
In short: Pale Moon is an open-source web browser tool for 64-bit and 32-bit PCs. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Screenshots
Is Pale Moon safe to download?
- The file is served by rm-eu.palemoon.org, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
585C2FA5CDA8F717F942CA66C13144F17FEEABCC788F3B5EAA5C432D849131A9· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link answered when we last checked it (November 1, 2026)
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 10 versions ›| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35.0.3Latest | October 27, 2026 | 36.3 MB | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 35.0.2 | October 6, 2026 | 36.3 MB | 32-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 35.0.1 | September 22, 2026 | 36.3 MB | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 35.0.0 | September 17, 2026 | 34.8 MB | 32-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 34.3.2 | August 4, 2026 | 1 KB | 32-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 34.3.1 | June 24, 2026 | 1 KB | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 34.3.0.1 | June 10, 2026 | 1 KB | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 34.3.0 | June 2, 2026 | 1 KB | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id MoonchildProductions.PaleMoon -escoop install extras/palemoonpalemoon-35.0.3.win64.installer.exe /S /PreventRebootRequired=trueRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
brew install --cask pale-moonInformation
- Publisher
- Moonchild Productions
- Category
- Web browsers
- Licence
- MPL-2.0
- Price
- Free
- Written in
- C, C++, and Cascading Style Sheets
- Interface languages
- English, Russian, and multiple languages
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, 32-bit
- Installer
- EXE (NSIS)
- Other platforms
- GNU/Linux, macOS, FreeBSD
- Version
- 35.0.3
- Released
- October 27, 2026
- First release
- 2009
- Added to the catalogue
- April 28, 2026
- Versions listed
- 10
- Downloads on ExeAtlas
- 5
- Website
- palemoon.org
- winget ID
- MoonchildProductions.PaleMoon
- Scoop package
- extras/palemoon
File types it opens (5)
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Pale Moon free?
Yes. Pale Moon is open-source software under the MPL-2.0 licence.
Is Pale Moon safe to download?
The download comes from rm-eu.palemoon.org, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install Pale Moon with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Can Pale Moon be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does Pale Moon run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit and 32-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of Pale Moon?
The versions page lists all 10 versions with links to their official installer files, back to April 28, 2026.
What are alternatives to Pale Moon?
Brave, Waterfox, LibreWolf, qutebrowser and Safari. The alternatives page compares them.
