Hello,

1. Go to your profile folder
2. Exit Firefox
3. Look for a file called user.js if it exist delete or rename it.
4. Also open the pref.js file, look for the entry:

   user_pref("keyword.url","xxx")

5. Erase this line and save it
6. Restart Firefox

I've provided 2 different sets of instructions, I recommend you try each of them, if one doesn't work try the other.

First Set of Instructions You can choose from different search providers such as Google, Yahoo or Bing when you search the Internet using Firefox. For more information, see the article Search bar - add, change and manage search engines on Firefox.

If you want to change the default search engine that Firefox uses,

In Firefox 33 or below:

1. Move the mouse cursor inside the search box at the top right of the Firefox window and click the down arrow next to the provider's logo.
2. If you would like to select another search engine, simply pick the engine from the dropdown list.

If you also want to change the order of the search engines, do this:

1. From the dropdown list, select Manage Search Engines....
2. In the upcoming window, you have all your search engines listed. To change the order, simply click one search engine and then select Move up or Move down from the buttons on the right side in order to change the order of the search engines.

Starting in Firefox 34:
Note: The following may not apply to localized versions of Firefox.

Use one of these methods to change the default search engine:

• Click the menu button and choose Options on Windows or Preferences on Mac or Linux, then select the Search settings panel.
• Click on the magnifying glass icon in the Search bar, then click on Change Search Settings, as shown here:

In the Search settings panel that opens, select a different search engine from the drop-down menu (see this screenshot).

Other set of Instructions It sounds like you have a third party program that has taken over your search engine, home page, and/or the default new tab page. Fortunately, this can be remedied easily:

1. Click the menu button and choose Add-ons.
2. In the Add-ons Manager tab, select the Extensions panel.
3. Select the toolbar you wish to remove.
4. Click the Remove button.
5. Click "Restart now" if it pops up. Your tabs will be saved and restored after the restart.

After Firefox restarts, install the Search Reset Tool. This will remove the rest of the traces of this program from your Firefox.

For further information, please read Remove a toolbar that has taken over your Firefox search or home page.

Did this fix the problem? Please let us know!

Thank you. I appreciate the suggestions. Yahoo continues to persevere.

The profile folder didn't have a user.js file and the pref.js didn't open; I got an error - Invalid Character code 800A03F6. There was also a prefs.js.lpbak that also wouldn't open.

I'm on Firefox 35.0.1. I have been able to remove the check from yahoo and to remove yahoo altogether but it still takes over. It does let me direct it to use a different engine but only on an individual search basis.

The extension panel didn't have a yahoo entry.

Try create a new profile.

thank you

goffen98attownisp.com said

I have deleted yahoo from my search options and it no longer shows up under choices but still is the default. How do i remove keyword.url

I had this problem also and found a very easy solution. Go to "tools"/"options"/"search" - at the bottom of the text, click on "Add more search engines" which will take you to another page with several options - click on "Google default" - that solved it for me.