Minimap Scroller is a new browser extension for the Firefox web browser that adds a minimap that you can scroll to the web browser.

Minimaps are best known from computer games; they are used to provide orientation in games, and also often for navigating to certain locations using the map.

The browser extension adds a minimap of the active page as a sidebar to Firefox. This gives users some flexibility when it comes to the functionality, as you may display the sidebar in different locations and hide or show it on demand.

Minimap Scroller

The extension displays a zoomed out copy of the active web page in the sidebar when enabled. It highlights the active part of the page with a rectangular shape that it overlays on the minimap.

This shape changes position automatically when you scroll the page using normal means, for instance by using the scrollbar or keyboard shortcuts.

You can however use the shape as well to scroll quickly to a specific part on the page. This is usually a lot faster than using traditional means of scrolling, especially on very long pages.

The page scrolls automatically when you move the rectangle to a new position on the minimap. The minimap uses the same design as the actual web page which improves orientation significantly.

You can identify images and headlines for instance, and depending on the screen, sidebar width and browser resolution, may also be able to read the actual content on the minimap directly. Since the minimap displays more content than what is displayed as the visible part of the page in the browser, this provides you with options to read on directly using the sidebar.

The minimap may not display the whole page depending on its length. This means that it too will scroll when you move the rectangle on it. The width of the sidebar in Firefox affects the minimap sidebar. A wider sidebar makes text more readable, but it does reduce the area of the page that is visible without scrolling.

Note that you may need to reload a page if you change the width of the sidebar, as the typography is not adjusted automatically when you do.