Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

I would like Google to be my default search engine for better or for worse. Currently Bing is active.

  • 3 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 2 views
  • Last reply by pinapl4life

more options

When I go to preferances/search/default search engine and clik on it, etc nothing appears. The same for onclick engines below! Help?

When I go to preferances/search/default search engine and clik on it, etc nothing appears. The same for onclick engines below! Help?

Chosen solution

Hi supersnaps, if the built-in search engines are invisible on the Preferences page, you may need to remove a Firefox settings file and let Firefox regenerate it. Here's how:

Open your current Firefox settings (AKA Firefox profile) folder using either

  • "3-bar" menu button > "?" Help > Troubleshooting Information
  • (menu bar) Help > Troubleshooting Information
  • type or paste about:support in the address bar and press Return

In the first table on the page, on the Profile Folder row, click the "Show in Finder" button. If Finder highlights an icon with a semi-random name like a1b2c3d4.default-release, double-click it to display the contents of that profile folder.

Leaving that window open, switch back to Firefox and Quit out (for example: Firefox menu > Quit).

Pause while Firefox finishes its cleanup, then rename search.json.mozlz4 to something like searchOLD.json.mozlz4.

Start Firefox back up again. It should rediscover the built-in search engines and allow you to check and modify the default.

Does that work?


Some users also encounter their home page changing to Bing -- that's the page that appears at startup or in a new window when you use Command+n. There is a separate setting for that: How to set the home page.

Read this answer in context 👍 1

All Replies (3)

more options

Chosen Solution

Hi supersnaps, if the built-in search engines are invisible on the Preferences page, you may need to remove a Firefox settings file and let Firefox regenerate it. Here's how:

Open your current Firefox settings (AKA Firefox profile) folder using either

  • "3-bar" menu button > "?" Help > Troubleshooting Information
  • (menu bar) Help > Troubleshooting Information
  • type or paste about:support in the address bar and press Return

In the first table on the page, on the Profile Folder row, click the "Show in Finder" button. If Finder highlights an icon with a semi-random name like a1b2c3d4.default-release, double-click it to display the contents of that profile folder.

Leaving that window open, switch back to Firefox and Quit out (for example: Firefox menu > Quit).

Pause while Firefox finishes its cleanup, then rename search.json.mozlz4 to something like searchOLD.json.mozlz4.

Start Firefox back up again. It should rediscover the built-in search engines and allow you to check and modify the default.

Does that work?


Some users also encounter their home page changing to Bing -- that's the page that appears at startup or in a new window when you use Command+n. There is a separate setting for that: How to set the home page.

more options

Thx jscher200,

No idea what I was really doing when i followed your instruction but it worked perfectly!

Thank you.

more options

If your home page or search settings are set by an add-on, they will be reset to their default settings (Bug 1549192) To change them back:

Home page

  1. Type 'about:preferences in your address bar.
  2. Click Home on the left panel.
  3. Choose your desired settings for the Home page and new windows and New tabs by clicking the drop-down menu next to each one.

See How to set the home page for more information.

Search

  1. Type 'about:preferences in your address bar.
  2. Click Search on the left panel.
  3. Choose a default search engine and additional search engines.

See Change your default search settings in Firefox Change your default search settings in Firefox for more information