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Firefox thinks they own me, creating a special page highlighting my searches, and no matter how I can't delete any of Firefox's 'creative' choices. I'm angry!

  • 24 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 6 views
  • Last reply by Mkll

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When I want to do a Firefox search I get a page with all my recent searches all laid out pretty, with a big picture, including my recent interest in setting up an online banking account. I changed my mind but the account format is still up displayed like the star on a Christmas tree. I don't need Firefox or whoever is doing this to make pretty pictures for me of my Internet searches. I have tried everything to delete the banking thing in particular, and it won't go away. I just want to have a search engine, not a webmaster. Maybe Microsoft is doing this? It's outrageous! How totally rude. This is my computer and I don't need anybody to arrange my searches in some artistic page for me to see. I keep trying to delete things and they won't leave. I'm really angry about this, and seems like a virus. It's not nice, not okay. I also can't get rid of pocket, but that's another issue. Who owns this computer anymore? Not me it seems!

When I want to do a Firefox search I get a page with all my recent searches all laid out pretty, with a big picture, including my recent interest in setting up an online banking account. I changed my mind but the account format is still up displayed like the star on a Christmas tree. I don't need Firefox or whoever is doing this to make pretty pictures for me of my Internet searches. I have tried everything to delete the banking thing in particular, and it won't go away. I just want to have a search engine, not a webmaster. Maybe Microsoft is doing this? It's outrageous! How totally rude. This is my computer and I don't need anybody to arrange my searches in some artistic page for me to see. I keep trying to delete things and they won't leave. I'm really angry about this, and seems like a virus. It's not nice, not okay. I also can't get rid of pocket, but that's another issue. Who owns this computer anymore? Not me it seems!

Chosen solution

Happy, I got my answer from MKII -- which is to go to the cog wheel and uncheck things. Simple. I don't feel so bad now -- that other people didn't know that was the way to fix the problem, simple.

The solution did not permit me to selectively delete the banking and keep the rest, but it is good enough. Even I might use it in the future, now that I know how to control it, which is easy as pie. Nothing like those handy icons that are stuck around for us to use. Once we know how to use them, we're good to go.

Thank you so much for your kind help, and also the rest of you. Please don't be doing anymore searching for me. I'm surprised more of you didn't know about the cog wheel.

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All Replies (20)

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But it is not your Program, did you pay for it...... Wait till go to Windows 10 are you in for a surprise. It is up to you to learn how to control the information you put in as that is yours to protect. That is why there is a Help Button as well as Options.

Since you do not say where this page is or what engine you use, I have no idea with out information. I can surmise it is in the drop down from from the Address Bar suggest you Copy/Paste about:preferences#search into the Address Bar and Enter and remove the checks in Provide and Show Search Suggestions.

If you are logged into a Search Engine then that is up to you to control by logging out or removing or setting up preferences on their site.

Click Privacy and Security to the left after dealing with Search. Go through the list there and set it up as you wish.

fyi read 1st :

Your Flash ver 27 is a security risk with 100+ Please update Flash Player Version: 28.0.0.126 Current Version https://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/otherversions/ Step 1: Select Operating System Step 2: Select A Version (Firefox, . . . .) Note: Other software is offered in the download. <Windows Only> Pocket

Please let us know if this solved your issue or if need further assistance.

Modified by Shadow110

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suggest you Copy/Paste about:preferences#search into the Address Bar and Enter and remove the checks in Provide and Show Search Suggestions.

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I have not gone to computer school to learn how to program a computer. I just know how to use one. This is outrageous that I can't even delete any of these things. Firefox does not have the right to do these things to me. As to Windows 10 I will NEVER have that program. NEVER.

If I check that thing you said to do, will that mean I can't have history anymore? Why do I need this artsy thing stuck on my Firefox search? If I uncheck things -- what address bar? Where do I go to copy about:preferences#search into?

Why is Firefox doing this to me? It's not my program, true. But I want a browser, not a web designer, to put up my private searches and even an attempt to set up a bank account displayed and not allow me to delete anything! Come on.

How can Firefox possibly think they can help me to choose what I want to display in some artistic arrangement concerning my searches? I do searches to find things, not to display them. This is not proper or decent to do this to people and to tell me that it's not my program and therefore you can do anything you want to me is -- wrong. If what you're saying is go find another search engine, then yeah. I can do that. I can take my computer into the shop. But I'm not happy about it. Why can't you at least make this feature of displaying stuff at YOUR choosing and not mine -- at least GIVE PEOPLE THE OPTION OF DELETING SOMETHING. I don't want my banking thing up there. I don't want my searches all displayed. I have no way to delete any of it. None of it. Even after I delete the search itself, the pictures and all the rest stay there. Telling me that Windows 10 will be worse, is not helpful. I won't be getting Windows 10. Ever. In fact, I'm already planning to replace with a Mac, Lord willing. I am good for another few years with what I have. Meantime, I don't understand why Firefox is creating a website for me with my banking on it when all I am asking for is a search engine to help me search the web. I already have History, so why do I need this artistic thing stuck up there, that doesn't even let me delete anything?

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What address bar are you talking about where I go and paste in about:preferences#search?

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You have given me a lot of things to read and study and try to figure out. I'm not a computer programmer. I don't even know what you mean by address bar.

I just want to know why Firefox is creating a website for me displaying my banking information and not allowing me to delete anything. This acts like a virus to me. Firefox is causing me so much distress and angst. How do I get rid of this? WHere is the address bar you speak of?

I'm sorry to be upset, and I'm not wanting to make major changes like getting another browser or computer. I just want to know where to go to fix this. I can't study all that stuff on Geek, all that stuff. I'm not a computer programmer. I didn't put this in my computer, and I didn't ask for it, and I definitely hate it, and don't know why Firefox is doing me a website. I just want a search engine.

What address bar are you speaking of? I have no idea how to program Firefox. I'm not a computer programmer. Where is the place on Firefox to make changes? I would like to know that. Also, I don't know what the words mean. The words only mean something to people who are in the know. They are words with special meanings to people. This is confusing to me. Maybe a teenager could figure it out, but I'm not a teenager.

If these things are permanent changes that Firefox is making, then you just need to tell me that and maybe give me advice on a different browser that would work better for me. How is Firefox able to decide out of all my searches what to feature in this website you've made for me, that I can't even delete banking off it?

Modified by CAB4

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Stop with the huffing and puffing please am a Volunteer trying to help.

The Address Bar is where the URL is for the address to a web page http://mozilla.org or i34.56.36.94 Those are Addresses and there is only one address Bar on a any browser. The same place on them all. You could have googled that.

I gave those URL's to you to read, they are simple straight forward and small to help you adjust to Quantum and if had curiosity what makes it tick, and where is that. These how to's do that very quickly. So for going above and beyond what I was asked for you get upset......... You can ignore them if you so wish it was only done to benefit you. Your Welcome.

You know in your ranting and raving I have no idea what you are talking about also, works both ways.

Modified by Shadow110

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We are not communicating. I don't understand you and vice versa.

I have a search engine called Firefox. When I click on the icon, I get a page for Firefox to search with. On this page is a website somebody has made for me, that has some of my latest searches (and older ones too) featured. I would not mind this feature if I could delete things that I don't want that are on it. But I can't. I already have two places that Firefox is showing me most recent and most used places I like to go. So this third feature is redundant and also I can't delete from it. Firefox has even chosen to feature my banking. I don't want that up there, and there is no way for me to delete anything off this page that has been created for me.

Does that explain my problem better?

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CAB4 said

We are not communicating. I don't understand you and vice versa. I have a search engine called Firefox. When I click on the icon, I get a page for Firefox to search with. On this page is a website somebody has made for me, that has some of my latest searches (and older ones too) featured. I would not mind this feature if I could delete things that I don't want that are on it. But I can't. I already have two places that Firefox is showing me most recent and most used places I like to go. So this third feature is redundant and also I can't delete from it. Firefox has even chosen to feature my banking. I don't want that up there, and there is no way for me to delete anything off this page that has been created for me. Does that explain my problem better?

You have a Browser Called Firefox When you click on a link you get a page in the Address Bar/ Awesome Bar/ Location Bar communicates and calls the page you want.

More reading...........

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/change-your-default-search-settings-firefox In this page go to it in Firefox and take the ticks out of the boxes / remove the checks in Provide and Show Search Suggestions.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/settings-privacy-browsing-history-do-not-track Privacy and Security remove the ticks in the Location Bar Boxes

Please let us know if this solved your issue or if need further assistance.

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I clicked your link and this is all about changing my default browser, or whatever. It has nothing to do with my problem. I don't want my BANKING displayed front and center when I go to Firefox to search the Internet. That is my problem.

How do I get rid of my banking being displayed on that website Firefox created for me?   It is all so easy for you because you are a programmer.   I am just an ordinary person who doesn't want my banking put up on my Firefox search page.   It just looks like an opportunity for people to hack me.   I just don't like the looks of it.   And I also don't really like all those fancy pictures up there.   Not that I have anything to hide, but it is personal stuff and I don't want it up there looking at me when I just want to search the net.  I already have History to find old searches, and I have another little box that pops up when I click Firefox that has my searches I make a lot.   So why is this third thing displayed so blaringly everytime I want to use Firefox to make a search?   Reminding me of where I've been before.   I already know where I've been by my little box with my main searches (weather, etcetera) and from History.   This is redundant and just doesn't feel right either.  Is there a reason why this is there?  I feel like I have a web designer messing with my computer, which of course I don't, but why?  Why is this happening to me, and for what purpose?

If you know the answer, great. If you don't, and you are 'just a volunteer,' then don't get angry with me because I'm huffing and puffing as you say. And you may be trying to help me, but lecturing me that I am wrong to want my banking info taken off my Firefox search page -- that is not helpful. Also, your icon is scary.

I'm giving Mozilla honest feedback that should be helpful to them as they construct a new Firefox. So I think you are being rude to me to lecture me about why I should accept something that I don't like or want, ie because someday I will have Windows 10. Which I WON'T have it, Lord willing.

I am an older person and m y memory doesn't work so well as yours, and there is no use in me studying up in Geek. I don't have that kind of brain. I just want to know how to get that darned banking off my Firefox search front page.

Modified by CAB4

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Instead of saying I am 'huffing and puffing,' can you just give me an answer, if you know, as to why Firefox is creating a website for me with my banking on it, a website that I am not able to delete anything from? That I have to take a course and read a lot of things that maybe when I'm done I will know how to delete the banking off the page that Firefox created for me without me wanting it or asking for it?

If you don't know the answer to this question, then I'm not yelling at you for that. I don't expect you to know everything. Maybe you could just pass my problem on to whoever it is that is making these decisions to create redundant help for people to get to their searches. What other reason would there be to put up a page like this?

If you don't know the purpose of this page, then can you see if you can find out and tell me? I don't have any interest in learning a lot of Geek stuff. I just want to know why Firefox is doing this, and why I can't at least delete things off this page, like my banking information.

I don't think I'm asking for too much.

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Dear CAB4,

Pretty confusing, all this computer-stuff, eh  ?

It sound to me like, when you click on your Firefox icon, it takes you to what's known as the New Tab page - it shows thumbnails of your most visited sites.

If you want Firefox to open with your preferred search engine ( Firefox is not a search enige, but like Pkshadow said : a browser) : then you could change the URL of your shortcut on the desktop to whatever search engine you want to open. You could make that shortcut open your homepage, and you could set your search engine to be your home page, see :

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-to-set-the-home-page

But that New Tab page what I think you're seeing now when you click your Firefox icon : does that by any chance show the thumbnail to your preferred search engine (like e.g. Google)  ? If so, all you have to do is click on it, and it will open the page that you want.

In case I totally misread your posts : my apologies .......

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Thumbnails to my most visited sites? NOT. I don't want my banking information front and center when I use my browser (Firefox). Yes, I do know that a browser is different than a search engine. My browser is Firefox. I click on the Firefox icon to go do a search, and there is this thing I call a 'website.' On this website along with the Firefox address bar for me to do my search is a banking link I made. I want to get that deleted, but there is NO WAY TO DELETE IT.

I already have History to find my searches. I already have a little box that pops up when I click the Firefox icon that shows me my favorite places to go (like weather, etcetera). But once I actually click on Firefox in that box to get in there to do a search, now I find myself on a big page that looks like a webpage somebody made for me, with pretty pictures of things I was shopping for, and other things, youtube pages I went to. Also BANKING. So I say okay, that's pretty, that's nice, maybe helpful to some degree, but I want to get that banking off there. So I click on it and try to get it to go away but it WON'T. Even tho I have taken it off other places, it is determined to stay on this page.

I don't know if I can ever explain this to anyone. But Firefox might be interested to know that I don't like having my banking put out on a big front page where I do my search. I don't care if I can go straight to Google, and I don't want to put Google in charge of my searches. Google is a tyrant and I use Google but I use it carefully, making sure there are other search engines there for me to choose from, so Google doesn't get any ideas about me committing to Google. I don't want to do that. One reason I use Firefox.

This thumbnail thing as you call it is redundant. If Firefox wants to create a pretty website for us when we pull up Firefox to do a search (using Google but please don't go there) ... then at least give us the option to delete things!

Yes? Would you like YOUR banking information put up front and center on your Firefox browser? Maybe it's perfectly safe, but I don't feel safe having it there, and if I want something off I should be able to delete it. What if I was a porn addict, which I'm not and I don't ever look at trash, but what if I did and do you think people want that to be featured in a webpage when they go to use Firefox?

There are three records of my searches now. I don't care if you make 3 or 4 or 5 records, but there should be a way to delete. I can delete from History, and I don't know why I can't delete from this thing that looks like a website to me that is now up there when I go to use Firefox.

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Hello, the address bar is on the top of your Firefox window, it is where you enter website URLs.

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Click the cog or wheel on your new tab page, then uncheck every box except for Search.

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It's not just the banking either. I check into health and nutrition and lots and lots of websites. I don't want big pictures screaming at me about things that I was thinking about yesterday but not today.

I don't want to make Google my browser. I don't want to make Google my official search engine.

I just want thumbnails to go away. Or at least give me the ability to delete the ones that I don't want screaming at me off the page when I go to my browser (Firefox).

I know I can go get a Mac or whatever. I just want to know how to fix this problem without having to take my computer into the shop and without selling my soul to Google.

Am I making myself any plainer? I would like to know the REASON why Firefox is being redundant to the point of giving us at least 3 records of our searches now. One: History; Two: the little box that pops up when I first click on the Firefox icon has my most visited sites right there for me, and then Three: when I click on Firefox now a second time to get in and make another new search I get this WEBSITE (thumbnails).

PROBLEM: The thumbnails have other things on there that are NOT recent searches or even popular ones necessarily but just random ones, and ones that make no sense that should be up there -- LIKE BANKING.

That's annoying, but I can live with that problem IF I CAN AT LEAST DELETE THINGS I DON'T WANT THERE. But I can't delete anything!

Please ask Firefox honchos why they are doing this, their rationale for this? It makes no sense to me, and it is causing me distress. They might appreciate getting some feedback. I would not mind this thing I call a 'website' IF, IF, IF I could easily delete things I don't want there. I say EASILY DELETE, meaning just click and it's gone. It should be built into this new feature, and not expect me to jump through a lot of hoops to manage this 'website' thing Firefox has invented.

And no, I don't want to switch to Google or whatever else as my official search engine. I just want to be able to either not have the thumbnails or else be able to easily delete them if I don't like one, right there on my browser page without making any concessions to Google. I want to be able to do that without switching browsers or giving Google any special rights over my searches.

Modified by CAB4

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I'm fairly certain these are generated from Cookies, to remove these thumbnails:

Go to about:config, type it in your url bar, and press enter, promise to be careful, there is no warranty etc, and create a new boolean pref: browser.pagethumbnails.capturing_disabled and set it to true. You might need to restart the browser for this to have the intended effect.

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Why is Firefox allowing this to happen to me? Firefox is the one who is behind all of this. Cookies? That is secondary to Firefox opening the door to this happening. I am not a programmer. You are telling me things to do that you admit can screw up my computer really bad.

I want FIrefox to get my banking off my front page browser page --

This is Firefox's doings. Firefox is responsible to give me a clean page that I can go and do a search on, that I can choose my search engine and be safe there. I am NOT SAFE if my banking is put up there, and lots of other things too. It is creating an actual WEBSITE of my searches. If somebody clicks in they can see at a glance what's been on my mind. NO PRIVACY. I thought Firefox was all about privacy.

So Firefox needs to fix this. Not me. Please pass this on to the head honchos at Firefox?

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Hi,

The people who answer questions here, for the most part, are other Firefox users volunteering their time (like me), not Mozilla employees or Firefox developers.

I've given you plenty of possible solutions to your issue, Firefox is not creating a website, this is activity stream, which is the new home and new tab pages respectively, you can customize them. For more information: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/customize-new-tab-page

If you want to leave feedback for Firefox developers, you can go to the Firefox Help menu and select Submit Feedback... or use this link. Your feedback gets collected by a team of people who read it and gather data about the most common issues.

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@ CAB4 :

Would this article make things a bit clearer for you  ?

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/about-new-tab-page

If not : could you possibly provide a screenshot of the page that you are referring to  ? If you need help to create a screenshot, please see  : How do I create a screenshot of my problem?

Once you've done this, attach the saved screenshot file to your forum post by clicking the Browse... button below the Post your reply box.
This will help us to visualize the problem.

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@ CAB4 :

You marked Mkll's post about the location of the address bar as 'Chosen Solution' - I somehow got the idea that the location of the address bar isn't you're only problem ........

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