Monthly update: October 2026

The first beta release of the next version of Clippings is delayed in part because of the new Nova redesign that was recently rolled out in Firefox 157. Besides the rather controversial rounded borders on buttons and browser tabs, the UI accent color has also changed to purple. Suddenly, Clippings -- and indeed, all the Firefox extensions from AE Creations -- now look out of place.

In designing the UI of my extensions, I strive to make them blend in with the rest of the host application, while maintaining distinct details to set them apart. It's a balancing act that has worked out quite well, but is now upended with the release of Firefox Nova. The blue accent color in the extension UI now clash with the purple that is used throughout Firefox. And while I'm not a fan of the rounded borders on buttons, the button shapes in my Firefox extensions appear too squared.

So I'm making a few UI changes in Clippings to improve integration with the new Nova look. Purple will now be the accent color on buttons, checkboxes and radio buttons. I'm experimenting with increased corner rounding of modal dialogs, buttons and menus, but doing so without going overboard. A checkbox option in the extension preferences page will be added to let you bring back the blue accent color if that's preferred.

The goal is to roll out these changes in the next version of Clippings, and testers will get a chance to see them first in a beta release that will be out soon. The UI redesign won't be brought over to Clippings for Thunderbird, as Thunderbird is a separate product with its own UI standards, so changes there will be minimal. 

Monthly update: September 2026

Work on the next version of Clippings continues, with the goal of a first beta release by the end of the month. As always, the beta release and a call for testers will be announced on this blog. Also look for a maintenance release of Read Next in the next few weeks. 

Monthly update: August 2026

Work has begun on the next version of Clippings, the Firefox extension that saves frequently-entered text for pasting later. In addition to behind-the-scenes maintenance, Clippings 7.2 will contain a few improvements, including some much-requested features. Many of these will also be found in Clippings for Thunderbird 7.2.

There will be one more minor update to Clippings 7.1 later this month to fix a bug affecting Firefox. As always, it will be announced here once it's released. 

Monthly update: July 2026

I haven't made much progress on the planned work for the next version of Clippings due to ongoing efforts to get Start Menu for Mac ready for version 1.0. I've just released a Preview Release of this macOS app, and am targeting mid-July for the first public release. Once things settle down with Start Menu for Mac, I hope to dedicate more time on Clippings as well as catch up on maintenance for the other Firefox and Thunderbird extensions from AE Creations.

Leave a Review!

If you're enjoying any of the AE Creations extensions for Firefox and Thunderbird, take a few moments to leave a review on their Firefox Add-ons (AMO) or Add-ons for Thunderbird (ATN) page:

• Clippings: AMO, ATN
• Check Links: ATN
• Read Next: AMO
• Panic Button: AMO

Please refrain from posting support requests or bug reports to the review pages, as I would not be able to answer them from there. Use the GitHub issue tracker for the respective product, or post to the Groups.io forum.

Monthly update: June 2026

I'm continuing to focus my attention on Start Menu for Mac, the new customizable app launcher for macOS -- just today, I released version 0.9, a major milestone on the road to version 1.0.

In between learning, research, writing code, testing and troubleshooting for Start Menu for Mac, I've used whatever spare time I can find to think ahead about upcoming work for Clippings and other Firefox and Thunderbird extensions from AE Creations. A bug fix for Clippings will be coming in an update which is planned for release later this month. I'm also planning new features and improvements for the next version of Clippings which is the next project after Start Menu for Mac 1.0 is released.

Monthly update: May 2026

This month, expect updates to Clippings, Read Next and Check Links with updated translations and other minor improvements. As always, they will be announced here on the blog once they are available.

Work is also progressing on the other project that I've mentioned in past monthly updates. I'm close to publishing the first beta release for testing, so keep an eye on this blog for the beta release announcement and a call for testers.

Localize Check Links using Crowdin

Check Links, the Thunderbird extension that lets you review the links in a draft message before sending, is now available on Crowdin for localization.

If you're fluent in English and another world language and would like to help translate Check Links, you're invited to join the Crowdin project! New translations will be reviewed and added to future releases.

Monthly update: April 2026

Firefox 149 introduces Split View, a new feature that lets you view two browser tabs side by side. Panic Button, the extension that hides all browser windows with a click of a button, doesn't currently support Split View. If the Panic Button action is set to Hide and Replace, the tabs that were joined in Split View at the time the Panic Button action was triggered will be separated out when the browser windows are restored. A fix for this issue is not yet available, so it's something to keep in mind for now.

Minor updates for Clippings and Read Next were recently released with updates to the French localization. Thanks to the Crowdin contributors that provided the updated translations! If you're interested in having my Firefox and Thunderbird extensions translated in your language, consider contributing them to the Crowdin project for the extension; links can be found in the extension home page on the AE Creations website.

My biggest priority for this month is the project that I've been alluding to in my recent monthly updates. Below is a screenshot -- more details to come!

Monthly update: March 2026

Following the recent release of Read Next 1.6, I'll check back occasionally to see if the added support for more cloud file hosts (Google Drive and OneDrive) drives up interest in this Firefox reading list extension.

Clippings 7.1.5, which contains a long-overdue bug fix, is awaiting review from the Firefox Add-ons editors. Clippings for Thunderbird 7.1.5 is ready to go, but I want to release the two extensions together. Since the Firefox Add-ons review has been delayed for more than a week, I may decide to go ahead and ship the update for Clippings for Thunderbird first.

March is going to be a busy month as I work on another major project, details of which I'll share when the time is right.

Monthly update: February 2026

The next version of Read Next, the reading list extension for Firefox from AE Creations, is now in beta, and delivers much-requested support for more cloud file hosts for syncing your reading list. Testers are needed to try it out and find any bugs before it's released to a wider audience, so if you're interested in participating, check out the blog post for the latest beta release!

Sync your reading list using Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive, in addition to Dropbox.

Translators are wanted for updating the UI text -- and of course, translations for additional languages are always welcome. If you're fluent in English and another world language, consider contributing a translation in the Crowdin project for Read Next.

I'm aiming for a release of Read Next 1.6 at the end of this month or early March. A minor update to Clippings is also planned for this month, so watch for a release announcement in the next few weeks.

Coming soon: Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive support in Read Next

Many of you have asked that Read Next, the reading list extension for Firefox from AE Creations, should have more choice of cloud file hosts to connect to for syncing your reading list. Currently, Dropbox is the only supported cloud file host.

Since this is a popular request, I've decided to revisit Read Next to add support for Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive. This will be available in an upcoming new version -- but for those of you who are keen in being one of the first to try it out, keep an eye out on this blog for a beta release announcement and a call for testers.

Monthly update: January 2026

Happy New Year! With a new year comes exciting possibilities and ideas for new projects. There are a few ideas that I'm still thinking about -- but other than that, I have a clearer picture of what I'll be working on in January.

On New Year's Day, I deployed improvements to the AE Creations website. There's a new site navigation menu to organize the extensions by host application to reduce crowding on the navigation bar and make room for future expansion.

The new site navigation menu. 

Look for minor updates to the AE Creations extensions over the next few days. I'm also going to start working on some projects, beginning with experimentation and development of prototypes. Some of these will become new versions of existing products, while others could be entirely new.

Monthly update: December 2025

This month, I'll be stepping back to get some much-needed rest and enjoy the holidays. I have some ideas that I'm planning to pursue in the new year, and I'll share more about them soon. Until then, Happy Holidays!

Leave a Review!

If you're enjoying any of the AE Creations extensions for Firefox and Thunderbird, take a few moments to leave a review on their Firefox Add-ons (AMO) or Add-ons for Thunderbird (ATN) page:

• Clippings: AMO, ATN
• Check Links: ATN
• Read Next: AMO
• Panic Button: AMO

Please refrain from posting support requests or bug reports to the review pages, as I would not be able to answer them from there. Use the GitHub issue tracker for the respective product, or post to the Groups.io forum.

Patreon and Buy Me a Coffee: More ways to donate

I've added more options for generous users like you to support my creations of Firefox and Thunderbird extensions. You can now donate through Patreon and Buy Me a Coffee!

Patreon

Become a patron and make a monthly contribution for as low as CA$4.99/month to support my work. Upgrade to have your name or your company's name listed on the AE Creations website!

Buy Me a Coffee

Make a contribution in an amount of your choice, and optionally make it a monthly payment.

Other Ways to Contribute

Liberapay and PayPal continue to be available as options for making a donation. 

Whichever way you choose to donate, your support will ensure the continued development of AE Creations extensions such as Clippings, and motivate me to create more cool, useful products that delight and inspire users like you. Show your support and make a contribution today!

Please note that contributions are not tax-deductible; therefore, tax receipts will not be issued.

Monthly update: November 2025

A recent donor and self-described "fanatical note taker" left a comment expressing heartfelt appreciation for how Clippings is helping them organize their notes on the web. It's great to learn that users are getting a boost in productivity with Clippings, and are using this extension for Firefox and Thunderbird in different and wonderful ways that I didn't expect!

Creating extensions for Firefox and Thunderbird is a passionate hobby that I work on in my spare time, and these donations are a great way to show appreciation for the work that I do and motivate me to keep on creating cool, useful Firefox and Thunderbird extensions. Show your support and make a contribution today! Donations are accepted through Liberapay or PayPal.

Coming Soon: Sync Clippings Helper for Organizations

Sync Clippings Helper is the companion app for the Clippings extension for Firefox and Thunderbird that quietly syncs your clippings between computers or multiple instances of those applications. To improve the installation experience of the Sync Clippings Helper app for Windows system administrators, a new installer of this application will be available soon, targeting IT professionals in schools, libraries, businesses and other large organizations.

Sync Clippings Helper for Organizations comes with these extra features:

• Available as an MSI package for easy deployment
• The sync file location setting is stored in the user's roaming profile folder, so the setting follows them when they use Clippings in Firefox and Thunderbird on different PCs belonging to the same Windows domain

Keep an eye out on this blog for the release announcement!

Monthly update: October 2025

This month, I'm working on Windows-specific improvements to Sync Clippings Helper, the companion app for the Clippings extension for Firefox and Thunderbird. I fixed a long-standing bug where it wasn't installed correctly for multiple users on the same PC. Currently, all users on the same PC who wanted to use Sync Clippings had to be Administrators, and each of them had to run the setup program, created using NSIS, to correctly set up their per-user settings. But this didn't work at all if users were Standard Users, even when entering an Administrator's credentials to allow the installation to proceed.

I was able to find the cause of the bug after realizing that Sync Clippings Helper wasn't correctly registered for Firefox and Thunderbird for all users on the PC. Fixing this bug also involved fixing the Sync Clippings Helper app so that it creates the per-user settings file, syncClippings.ini, during first run. This fix will get rid of the need for each user on the PC to run the setup program.

A beta release of an update to Sync Clippings Helper for Windows will be released soon for testers and early adopters. Users on macOS and Linux aren't affected by this issue, and can continue using Sync Clippings Helper 2.0.

While working on these fixes, I came up with some ideas for improving the installation experience of Sync Clippings Helper on Windows for IT-managed environments such as schools, libraries, businesses and other large organizations. These ideas will be considered for a future release.

The other priority for this month is to release the first public version of Check Links, the new Thunderbird extension that lets you review the web addresses of all links in a draft message before sending. Keep an eye on this blog for the release announcement!

An Update on Read Next

In a previous blog post, I had planned on working on a new version of Read Next, the reading list extension for Firefox from AE Creations. Due to low user numbers, I've decided to abandon this effort. Minor updates for Read Next with bug fixes and improvements to keep pace with Firefox will continue to be released as needed.

Monthly update: September 2025

Just in time for back to school or work after the summer holidays in the northern hemisphere, an update to Clippings has been released for Firefox, with an update for Clippings for Thunderbird coming shortly. This release contains a much-awaited update to the German localization.

Check Links 1.0, the first public release of the new Thunderbird extension that lets you review the links in a draft message before sending, is also coming soon. For now, a preview release is available for testers, early adopters, and translators.

I'm also planning to spend some time on some maintenance work on the Sync Clippings Helper installer for Windows.

Monthly update: August 2025

I was planning on slowing things down a bit to enjoy the summer, but that changed one day when I accidentally sent out an email with broken links (the URLs were incorrect). Since I was using Thunderbird for email, I searched for an extension that could allow a user to review the links in a draft message and hopefully prevent the mishap that I experienced. I wasn't able to find such an extension for Thunderbird... and so, Check Links was born!

I threw together a functioning prototype in a weekend, and spend the last two weeks polishing it further. The first beta build of Check Links came out last week, and another is due shortly as this new extension for Thunderbird gets closer to version 1.0.

This has caused me to set aside the work that I had planned for a new version of Read Next, but I plan to revisit it when Check Links 1.0 is released.

Monthly update: July 2025

The newest version of Clippings has arrived for Firefox! In Clippings 7.1, users can paste an HTML-formatted clipping into an HTML editor as plain text, and enjoy a few usability improvements. Thunderbird users will soon be able to add email-related placeholders (such as the subject line and recipient names and email addresses) to their clippings -- keep an eye out for the release announcement for Clippings for Thunderbird 7.1, which will be released shortly.

Although I'm going to slow things down a bit to enjoy the summer, I'll still take some time to work on the next update to Read Next that I teased about in a previous post. There is also a bug in Clippings that is occurring on macOS that was recently raised, and I'm working on a fix for that as well.

Donate Today! 

Consider showing your generosity and support for the extensions from AE Creations by making a donation! I'm working on these projects in my spare time, and your contribution is a great way to show appreciation for the work that I do and motivate me to keep on creating cool, useful Firefox and Thunderbird extensions. Donate today through Liberapay or PayPal -- and if you already have done so recently, thank you!

Monthly update: June 2025

June is going to be a busy month, with several projects happening all at once.

Panic Button 5.1, currently in beta, comes with much-anticipated support for Firefox tab groups, and will be released soon.

A beta release of Clippings 7.1 for Firefox was released last week, with a second beta release to be available this week. Meanwhile, work continues on Clippings for Thunderbird 7.1, with the first beta release available shortly.