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How to remove the add on for google search when new tab is selected.

  • 7 replies
  • 3 have this problem
  • 11 views
  • Last reply by FriedEgg

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The default cursor location is in the search box that displays when a new tab is selected. It was an add on for firefox. I would like to remove that add on. So that the cursor goes to the browser when a new tab is selected.

The default cursor location is in the search box that displays when a new tab is selected. It was an add on for firefox. I would like to remove that add on. So that the cursor goes to the browser when a new tab is selected.

Chosen solution

Hi cor-el

That did the trick. Now I have clean blank screens when I open my home page or open a new tab. I like the simplicity - I don't want to see adverts or loads of irrelevant guff when I use the internet. I like an uncluttered workspace, it makes me more relaxed and more productive. I am now very happy!

Many thanks for your assistance in resolving my problems.

And thank you to Monez01 for starting the discussion.

All best wishes, FriedEgg (keeping my Sunny Side Up!)

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All Replies (7)

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In order to uninstall a possibly unwanted extension, please do the following:

  1. From the Firefox window click the Firefox button at the top left and select Add-ons, or, if the Firefox button is not shown, click the Tools menu and click Add-ons.
  2. Once the Add-on Manager has opened in a new tab, click the Extensions button on the left side of the window.
  3. You should now see a list of your installed extensions on the right side together with buttons on the right side of each extension.
  4. To remove an extension from Firefox, simply click the Remove button. You should see a message that informs you about the successful removal of the add-on.
  5. Note that some add-ons require a Firefox restart to be removed completely. To perform a Firefox restart after the add-on removal, click the Restart now link in the message.

You can find further information about uninstalling extensions in the following articles:

Disable or remove Add-ons

Remove a toolbar that has taken over your Firefox search or home page

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Every time I open a new tab it automatically directs me to Google.co.uk. I want to have a blank tab. How do I stop Firefox automatically opening a link to Google?

There is nothing in the add-ons or extensions that mentions Google so the solution offered by iamjayakumars does not work.

By the way, the message under the Google search bar saying my version of Firefox needs up-dating is wrong. I am using the latest version. So not only does a new tab force me to visit Google.co.uk against my will but it also lies to me about the status of my browser.

What the h*ll???

Anyone know how to stop Firefox opening an unwanted link everytime a new tab is opened? How do I fix it so that I just get a blank page?

Thank you for your help.

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Your screenshot shows that you still use the old home page that old Firefox 3 versions used.
This page is no longer used, so if you still visit this page then yo need that message that is hard coded on the page and you see this with all browsers.

You can set the home page and if necessary the new tab page to their defaults.

You can use the SearchReset extension to reset some preferences to the default values.

Note that the SearchReset extension only runs once and then uninstalls automatically, so it won't show on the "Firefox > Add-ons" page (about:addons).

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@Cor-El

Thanks for the super-fast feedback, appreciated. I have not followed your steps because I found another work-around myself. I have not been able to get a blank page when opening new tabs but I have changed the page that opens when I click on a new tab.

I typed 'about:config' in the address bar (without the quotation marks), clicked through, and got the config file. I scrolled down to find the settings for the URL opened when a new tab is clicked and changed it from Google to BBC Weather.

See image.

I now have a blank home page and when I open a tab I see weather forecasts instead of Google. Only half a solution but good enough for me for now.

Not sure how to change this config setting to 'show blank page' instead of an URL. Any ideas on that one?

Many thanks.

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You can set a page to about:blank to get a blank (empty) page.

See als this article about the New Tab page (about:newtab):

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Thank you for your assistance.

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Chosen Solution

Hi cor-el

That did the trick. Now I have clean blank screens when I open my home page or open a new tab. I like the simplicity - I don't want to see adverts or loads of irrelevant guff when I use the internet. I like an uncluttered workspace, it makes me more relaxed and more productive. I am now very happy!

Many thanks for your assistance in resolving my problems.

And thank you to Monez01 for starting the discussion.

All best wishes, FriedEgg (keeping my Sunny Side Up!)