Firefox Community Forum

All of a sudden, my default search engine changed to Google. I didn't do it and don't want it. The "settings" still show Firefox as my default, but it doesn't stop Google from hijacking my searches. I want to get rid of it.

Why is the address bar now a search? This is annoying. How can I change this? I have already change about:config settings to false and nothing changes.

Thank you Rafal

Until the most recent update, when I opened a new tab a box with the message "Search the web" appeared, and I could enter a query to search. This was exactly what I wanted. Now, the box still appears, but as soon as I type a character the input jumps to the small box at the top left where I would expect to enter a URL. I don't like this, because (a) the jump is disconcerting when I'm trying to type, (b) I want what I type in the URL box to be always taken as a URL, not as a search query, (c) the box in the middle of the new tab is just a waste of space: something held out then snatched away. The solution I have found suggested is to set the resource browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.improvesearch.handoffToAwesomebar to false, but this causes an error message to appear in the search box. I'm sure there must be a way to have the old behaviour back - any help gratefully received.

It is very annoying that you suddenly change the way most users got used to searching in Firefox. I am not the only one who complains about this particular and sudden change, after updating Firefox. Please reinstate the central search bar of Firefox asap. It makes one wonder what else you might think of changing with the next Firefox update! At least give the users of Firefox a previous notice of what changes come with every update. I am thinking very seriously of dropping Firefox and use Brave, if the problem is not solved asap. One of your staff mentioned that this problem would have been solved by 10th March. Till this very moment nothing has happened!! This is not a thread but a serious complaint. I have been using Firefox for a long long time. I would like to be able to use it provided I can use it the way I am used it.

"You can turn it off by entering about:config in the URL bar and switching browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.improvesearch.handoffToAwesomebar to false."

That doesn't work anymore. Since the last update, the search went back to the adress bar, doesn't matter if that option is mark as true or false.

Please stop making that the searches go to the adress bar. Nobody likes it.

First, please explain the relationship among Firefox, Mozilla and DuckDuckGo. Second, how to make Firefox open when compuetr starts. Third, how to make DDGo the search engine. Finally, how to delete email contacts. I have been doing some, but others show a red triangle and say "cannot delete this". Thank you for helping me, someday,soon, I hope , to escape the greedy clutches of MS. Gail

I have done every step I can find to change this setting, nothing works, why did this change all of a sudden and how do I fix it, this is ridiculous, why would you change my settings without asking me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have turned all search features off in settings and changed all relevant entries to False in About:config and it is still happening! Why did this change, I do not want this, I did not ask for this and I want it to be returned to how it worked before! NOW!

I've been using 2 search bars for quite some time.

I use the top bar for URLs and the bar mid screen for ad-hoc searches.

(I know I can use the top bar for both but I'm long since retired, quite set in my ways and would rather not have to change unless absolutely necessary😉)

I was able to restore the mid screen search bar functionality using an about:config setting from memory when I first noticed the search bar consolidation a few years back.

It's been working fine until the latest update.

Latest update lets me activate the mid screen bar with a mouse click but any attempt to then enter anything causes focus to move to the top bar so text input on the mid screen bar is no longer possible.

I've tested this on 2 Win 11 desktops and 1 Win 10 desktop and see the same 'issue' arising after the update.

Has that functionality been removed entirely with the latest update or is there an about:config setting that can restore it?

I would like the web search feature back, what is the point of having it available to look at but it does not work? The box is there... why is there not an option for me to continue to use it? You have done this in the past but there was a work around. What work around I found through AI does not work:

"To restore the search box in Firefox 148.0, type "about:config" in the address bar, accept the risk, and search for "browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.improvesearch.handoffToAwesomebar." Set this preference to false to enable the search box again."

This is disappointing, maddening too. I have used your product for many years.