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How do I stop the new Firefox browser from opening, even though I remove it?

  • 4 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 7 views
  • Last reply by satovey

TD
TD
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Ever since the newest update to Firefox, every time I try to do a search using Duckduckgo, the Firefox default search engine opens instead. I have removed it at least 5 times, and am getting really tired of doing it. How do I get it gone permanently?

Ever since the newest update to Firefox, every time I try to do a search using Duckduckgo, the Firefox default search engine opens instead. I have removed it at least 5 times, and am getting really tired of doing it. How do I get it gone permanently?

Chosen solution

It may also be worth considering you may have an unwanted toolbar, or some adware or malware

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All Replies (4)

Scribe
Scribe
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Hi, you say 'Firefox default,' but don't say which search engine is opening - is it Yahoo or Google perhaps?

Anyway, please look at Change your default search settings in Firefox to see if that solves your problem.

If your question is resolved by this or another answer, please take a minute to let us know. Thank you!

John99
John99
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Chosen Solution

It may also be worth considering you may have an unwanted toolbar, or some adware or malware

TD
TD Question owner
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I had done something yesterday - what I don't really know - that finally removed the Firefox search engine the added when Firefox recently updated. But the "Remove a toolbar" was helpful for the future.

satovey
satovey
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You do not necessarily have to uninstall Firefox to kill unwanted secondary windows. Follow these instructions and it will in most cases, correct the problem.

Here is the process I use when this happens and it has never failed to end secondary windows. 1. Open Firefox. 2. When the second unwanted window opens, do not close it. 3. Switch to the second unwanted window and move it to the side so that you can see the tabs bar in your desired window. 4. Click on the tab that is in the second unwanted window and drag it over to the tab bar in your desired window. If there is more than one tab in the secondary unwanted window, do this with every tab. When you drag the last tab, the secondary unwanted window will close. 5. Shut down Firefox, 6. Open Windows Task Manager and click on the processes tab. 7. Press the F key to move down the lists and look for the Firefox process. 8. If the Firefox process is not showing, restart Firefox. 9. Firefox should start with a single window and you can now close the tab or tabs that were opening in the unwanted secondary window.

A possible cause, sometimes a secondary window opens up because your the left button on the mouse sticks and you inadvertently drag a tab off of the window which causes a secondary window to open.

When this happens, just drag the tab back to the primary window and the secondary window will close.

Hope this helps