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How do I get my home page in a new tab in firefox 13

  • 22 replies
  • 42 have this problem
  • 7 views
  • Last reply by discooby

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So they have locked the thread that relates to this question, on the spurious grounds that FF13 has a new new tab interface. But that new interface actually prevents you getting your homepage in a new tab. I used to use New Tab Homepage add-on, but that hasn't worked for several versions. So I then used NewTabUrl, but now they have decided to break that.

I am thoroughly fed up with firefox continually making me re-learn the interface of my browser every couple of weeks. I have more important things to do than spend hours trying to fathom what some vacuous 'designer' now thinks is a really cute way for me to get to where I want to go.

All I want is a new tab to give me the page of my choice, not some ridiculous irrelevant algorithm devised in a conference room with too many whiteboards and not enough common sense.

So they have locked the thread that relates to this question, on the spurious grounds that FF13 has a new new tab interface. But that new interface actually prevents you getting your homepage in a new tab. I used to use New Tab Homepage add-on, but that hasn't worked for several versions. So I then used NewTabUrl, but now they have decided to break that. I am thoroughly fed up with firefox continually making me re-learn the interface of my browser every couple of weeks. I have more important things to do than spend hours trying to fathom what some vacuous 'designer' now thinks is a really cute way for me to get to where I want to go. All I want is a new tab to give me the page of my choice, not some ridiculous irrelevant algorithm devised in a conference room with too many whiteboards and not enough common sense.

Chosen solution

OK, many hours later: Partial solution 1: do about:config, search for newtab, locate the entry for browser.newtab.url and enter your preferred home page e.g. http://www.google.com

This does ensure you avoid getting the tiled thumbnails, BUT, the focus is in the url bar, not in the google search box. Why Firefox think they are entitled to steal focus in this way is beyond me and drives me crazy - just how likely is it that the first thing I want to do is type an url?

Partial solution 2: Use yet another add-on https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/custom-new-tab. This has an option whether you want the focus in the url bar or not. I disabled my existing NewTabUrl add-on, just in case of conflict.

Now you do get your preferred home page in a new tab, and new tabs have the focus in the google search bar.

But the first home page, when you first open firefox, still steals the focus and puts it in the url bar. At the moment I can find no way of preventing this - clearly the idiots at Firefox know much better than me how I should use my home page. Utterly exasperating.

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Chosen Solution

OK, many hours later: Partial solution 1: do about:config, search for newtab, locate the entry for browser.newtab.url and enter your preferred home page e.g. http://www.google.com

This does ensure you avoid getting the tiled thumbnails, BUT, the focus is in the url bar, not in the google search box. Why Firefox think they are entitled to steal focus in this way is beyond me and drives me crazy - just how likely is it that the first thing I want to do is type an url?

Partial solution 2: Use yet another add-on https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/custom-new-tab. This has an option whether you want the focus in the url bar or not. I disabled my existing NewTabUrl add-on, just in case of conflict.

Now you do get your preferred home page in a new tab, and new tabs have the focus in the google search bar.

But the first home page, when you first open firefox, still steals the focus and puts it in the url bar. At the moment I can find no way of preventing this - clearly the idiots at Firefox know much better than me how I should use my home page. Utterly exasperating.

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Sorry you have problems, and we are not providing suitable answers. Not too sure I understand what you are asking, but I will have a stab at a quick initial reply.

Software extensions come and go to a certain extent, but popular ones tend to continue being maintained, or near equivalents get produced. You may be interested in this blog: http://blog.mozilla.org/addons/2012/05/24/addons-firefox-3-6/

No doubt you are aware that from the add-ons page you can search for other add-ons.

The new tab interface can be easily toggled on and off, -- click the grid icon top right in the new tab page -- or if you wish reset to the old behaviour. If you merely wish to have a blank tab as one of a list of homepages that is rather easy to do.

See also

I am not too sure which locked thread you are referring to, but I imagine it may have been locked as it is old with outdated information.

I hope my reply helped, please post back if you need further information.

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Our posts crossed.

You have now discovered how to turn off the new page feature permanently.

I am not sure exactly what you did, but the usual old style blank page is obtained using about:blank

  • if you enter that into the address bar, even with the new tab feature active you will open a plain blank page.
  • if you use that while setting up as a list of home pages, or as the alternative to NewTab page again you will get a plain blank page

On Firefox in the default state there are effectively three Google search bars.

  1. the search bar -- top right -- by default that is a google search, with other options available as from a dropdown menu.
  2. the address bar itself -- top left -- in some instances it searches using google
  3. the standard default Firefox home page, this now has a selection of control icons on it but in the centre it has a Google search option. You may also obtain that page by using about:home in the address bar.

P.S.
search bar focus

I have just tried on two separate Firefox versions with different profiles and both when set to use the standard home page as the first listed homepage have the focus on the Search Bar in the centre of the page.

Maybe you should try safe mode to see if an extension is interfering

  • hold shift as you start, or use the dropdown option restart with add-ons disabled
  • no need to make changes in the options list window, just click on continue

If I merely use about:home by typing it in directly, or using it as a bookmark, again I have focus on the search bar in the centre of the page,

Modified by John99

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John99 - thank you for trying, but no, it doesn't. I want my home page to be google.co.uk, and I want to have the focus in the search box on my home page. I think this is reasonable.

I don't want to search using any boxes that Firefox, in their wisdom, think are better for me. Which all seem to give google.com anyway, though probably I could blow another couple of hours finding out how to configure FF to do what FF wants me to do.

I don't consider the about:homepage to be the home page I want - it gives google.com, it's formatted in some way that FF like, not me, and I'm not clear whether I am really just searching google or telling Firefox something about my search preferences. I could waste a couple of hours verifying all this, but I don't want to.

With google.co.uk set as my home page, when FF starts, the focus is NOT in the search box, it's in the address bar, whether I start in safe mode or not.

You say: "I have just tried on two separate Firefox versions with different profiles and both when set to use the standard home page as the first listed homepage have the focus on the Search Bar in the centre of the page". What is 'the standard home page'? If you mean the home page set in Tools - General - Options - Home Page, then I assure you Firefox doesn't open with the focus in the search box.

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mine too, it doesn't open with the focus on the search bar of the page, but if i it ENTER, then the page reloads and the focus appears in the google search box on the page.

Modified by Jingarelho

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You might look at the following thread for some solutions; also look at the add-on (mentioned in that thread) for setting the focus:


If this reply solves your problem, please click "Solved It" next to this reply when signed-in to the forum.

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I understand this thread is long-winded, but the point is that I DO already have the add-on you recommend installed (Custom New Tab). That add-on succesfully ensures that new tabs open in my google.co.uk home page, with the focus on the google search box.

But it doesn't affect the cursor position when you first start Firefox - presumably because it is a new tab add-on, and the first page you get isn't a new tab, at least as far as the add-on is concerned.

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Firefox offers a lot of options but I wonder if maybe you are making things over complicated.

There are two separate factors

  1. the NewTabs Page - do what you want with that or disable it, but not sure why you wish to try to convert it to a google page
  2. the home page
    • you can in fact have a list of multiple home pages, or any single page of your choice
    • I have just added google.co.uk to the front of my list as expected it opens with focus on the search bar
    • you could easily just replace about:home with google.co.uk, and you will open on the google uk page as your home page, which seems to be what you want.
    • see how to set the home page

Additionally there is a search bar top right, by default that is Google.com, with drop down options, it is easy to also set that to Google.co.uk

As for focus not being on the search bar in the centre of pages, I suspect that is down to the additional software extensions in use, try using safe mode to see if you get focus as I do, then add back extensions to find which one is causing the problem.

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Yes, there are 2 separate factors. 1. I do want to 'convert' (as you put it) the 'newtabs page' to google.co.uk - I don 't think of it as the 'newtabs page', I think of it as a new tab. And what I want in a new tab is google, because 9 times out of 10 I start from there. This is working, because I have installed the Custom New Tab add-on, which not only eliminates all the unwanted page images, but also sets the focus to the google search box.

2. I want just one the one home page, thanks. I have set google.co.uk as that page. I used the tools menu, but in about:config browser.startup.homepage shows as google.co.uk, as you'd expect. Firefox does open that page when Firefox is opened. But for the 3rd time, it DOES NOT place the focus in the google search box. Regardless of whethe I start in safe mode or not. I have not disabled all my add-ons, because starting in safe mode makes no difference and starting in safe mode eliminates add-ons anyway.

I know Firefox don't want me to search from the google home page, and will do almost anything to prevent me from doing so, but that's what I want to do. I do have google.co.uk set up as a bookmark thanks. I don't want to have to click some 'fast key' every time I want to do something - that click makes it a 'slow key' given that the alternative, which I want, is no key at all.

Modified by anynick

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anynick,

Sorry seems to be a case of works-for-me.

You have sorted out a method of working with the newtab itself, and now only need to sort it out for the Home Page itself on startup.

When the home page is used, specifically changed to google.co.uk it works, in a few versions of Firefox that I have tried; but maybe it is something to do with me normally using Linux OS. I will reboot into Windows and see what that does.

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Yes problem is with using Windows. In Windows HomePage focus goes to the location bar if I use google.co.uk. Any Mac users watching this thread, how do Macs behave.

Probably little hope of them changing anything, but someone could consider filing a bug for a change, but it is possible that focus on the location bar on a revised home page is the desired action, and that the Linux action will be changed instead.

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Thank you for the comprehensive testing - very thorough. I'm not as accepting as you - I think this is rank arrogance by Firefox, not to say change for the sake of change, justifying too much time and money spent on unnecessary redesigns and developers with too much time and money on their hands.

It's pretty simple - I want as my home page one that has a search field, and I want that page to determine what happens next, not some Firefox designer who thinks he has the right to take control of my PC.

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John99:

On a Windows XP system, Firefox 13.0.1, separate profile with no Add-ons

  • setting google.co.uk as the home page, the cursor lands in the Google search box on that page everytime I restart (I have exited/restarted over a dozen times)
  • opening google.co.uk in a new tab, the cursor lands in the Google search box on that page everytime

So, it does not appear to be a "Windows problem", in my opinion.

Modified by SafeBrowser

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John99:

Further testing on the same XP system, different profile with many Add-ons:

NoScript is installed in this profile.

  • If google.co.uk is temporarily allowed in NoScript, page reloads with cursor landing in the Google search box on that page.
  • If google.co.uk is permanently allowed in NoScript with the home page set, restarting many times, the cursor will land in the Google search box on that page everytime.

Modified by SafeBrowser

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SafeBrowser,
thanks for running some checks

So in that case everytime you are getting the behaviour that anynick is wanting. I will leave it to you to convince anynick that is the default Firefox Windows behaviour.

( cor-el did not say what the system was in /questions/929071#answer-341361
It works for me with the about:home page in the Firefox 14 beta, but not with the Google site. )

When I tried in Windows 7 I was getting the cursor on the location bar on a google.co.uk homepage on startup.

However if I clicked on the homepage icon whilst Firefox was running it would then go to the searchbox.

I did not do any extensive testing as I realised that was different behaviour from testing Mozilla Firefox & Ubuntu Canonical Firefox builds on my Linux partition.

I am not really too sure what all the fuss is about. The Firefox homepage uses google.com but it includes a "uk" string in my search query, so it probably gives much the same results as google.co.uk and as I mentioned above there are several ways of easily getting a "proper" google.co.uk search anyway.

Modified by John99

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1. Safebrowser - thank you for doing all that checking, but I don't know what to say really. I think what you are suggesting is that with no add-ons then the cursor focus should be in the search box every time, but with some unspecified mix of add-ons then it doesn't, unless you add-on Noscript.

1a. If Noscript does what I think it does, then it either prevents all javascript, or makes me explicitly agree to all javascript every time I access a site, or makes me add the site to a list of sites that I am happy to have javascript for. I see the point, but really I visit so many sites, all of which use javascript, so I don't really want to install it. So I haven't tried.

1b. I don't think I should have to disable javascript to google.

1c. Just in case, I have manually disabled all my add-ons in the add-on manager, and this has no effect. EVERY TIME, the cursor is in the address bar. i.e. the same as if I start in safe mode. I don't really want to actually uninstall them - I have to believe that disabling them prevents them doing anything - else FF really is screwed. BTW I am using it on Windows XP. I have not experimented on my Win 7 machine - I have already spent too many hours trying to cope with changes from updates, so I have frozen my Win 7 machine on v10. I would try to revert this lousy v13 if I could, but that will take hours as well, if it can be done.

2. The 'fuss' is:

2a. I just want google.co.uk as my home page and I don't want to have to use the mouse to place the cursor every time I use it, which is a lot. It's simple enough and shouldn't take hours to set up.

2b. Just how many hours do you think is reasonable to spend restoring my browser after an unsolicited version update, so that I can google like I did before the update? My answer - none, zero. How many actually spent - about 5 so far.

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anynick:

I was simply responding to John99's comment "Yes problem is with using Windows" with my findings in experimenting on my old (fully updated) Windows XP SP3 system 1). in a profile with no Extensions and 2). in a different profile with many Extensions including NoScript and the effect that NoScript had in landing the cursor in the search box on the page google.co.uk.

Do not install NoScript until you find a solution to the problem that you have. I recommend NoScript to anyone who asks, even though it requires extra mouse clicks for me, I do appreciate the protection that it offers. Sites can be temporarily allowed (for the current session) or permanently allowed in NoScript.

Using an outdated version of any application, including Firefox, is risky, and I would not recommend using Firefox 10 as it has known, published vulnerabilities.

Obviously John99's results vary from my findings using a different version of Windows and it appears that he has no further suggestions. I also have no further suggestions as to a solution as I can not replicate your problem, other than interference from an Extension that I have installed in one of the scenarios that I presented above..

Some advice to you: When posting a question in this or any other forum

  1. stay on the topic shown in your original question instead of switching in mid-stream as you did in this thread. Switching mid-stream can cause misunderstandings in what you are asking and make it difficult for other users to find solutions. If you have a new question/problem, that occurs to you after posting you question, then start a new question.
  2. concisely state your question and what you have tried as solutions, omitting all of the general comments and complaints about the product and other "ramblings"
  3. include a list of your Extensions and other information in your initial question rather than giving that information piecemeal later in the thread ( in Firefox, click Help > Troubleshooting Information > Copy all to Clipboard, then paste that information in the "Troubleshooting Information" section when posting the original question)

Sorry, that I have not been able to help you with a solution. You might want to try some of the alternatives suggested by John99 above, even though they require an extra mouse click or two to accomplish your task.

If you are able to find a solution elsewhere, please post the details of the solution in this thread so that other users might benefit from your efforts.

Good luck.

Modified by SafeBrowser

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Right, well I duly consider myself suitably told off for wanting my home page to behave normally, and saying so.

I didn't imagine for one moment that there would be a solution; if you can't complain here, where can you complain.

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Hi anynick,

I just spend a few hours trying to fix this too... With a clean profile and a clean install of 13, setting the homepage to google does get the caret to the search box.

However, then the first change to make to fix the new tabs thing is changing the "browser.newtab.url" setting in about:config. When you make this change, then you get the behavior we are seeing (caret on the address bar). So, in a default ff13 install, you can have either the new tab window, or have a normal caret placing, but not both. Of course, this is a bug, changing the "browser.newtab.url" should have no consequences for the caret placing on the address bar instead of the search bar.

Now, for the fix, first reset the "browser.newtab.url" setting (context menu), then use a new tab extension (my choice is tabmix plus, but I assume the one you use would also be ok) Just remember to reset the "browser.newtab.url" setting.

And ps. yes, this is ridiculous, I totally agree with you. Someone (not me) should post a bug report on this.

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@ff13. Thanks for the response.

1. I have now found a solution when using Custom New Tab 1.6.4, which is the add-in recommended in this thread, higher up. For the fix, see this separate thread https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/929071#answer-345085. It appears that the problem is that you can't have a new tab of your choice without using an add-in, but most new tab add-ins either don't work with FF13, or don't set the focus on the google search box in the new tab. Custom New Tab 1.6.4. does both, but has a 'small bug' that means it doesn't work properly with the first tab - there is a simple workaround: set the home page in Tools - Options to a url excluding 'www' and use the url including the 'www' in the add-in setting.

2. I have not tried tabmix plus.

3. Not sure I understand exactly what you mean by 'reset the browser.newtab.url' setting.

To be honest, over the hours of toying, I have somewhat lost track of how my browser.newtab.url got set. I think it was set many moons ago, for a previous version of FF, when I added-in NewTabUrl 2.2.3 (which doesn't work with FF13). I think after the FF13 upgrade I toyed around with this setting, but it made no difference, and anyway it is currently set to what it always was i.e. my preferred home page (http://www.google.co.uk).

My memory (which may be wrong) is that, at least for FF10 and earlier, FF itself neither sets nor uses this config variable - it is set and used by the old NewTabUrl 2.2.3 add-in.

Whether either FF13 or Custom New Tab 1.6.4 now use this config variable, I am not sure - I don't think so, though it would take a lot of reinstallation and testing to be certain. So I don't think changing this setting has any effect, if using Custom New Tab 1.6.4. Of course, it might be the relevant thing to do for tabmix plus which, as I say, I have not tried.

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