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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

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.

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.

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!

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 found Wikipedia to be biased and to contain much incorrect information. I would prefer to omit results from Wikipedia and to use data from Grokipedia instead. This presents two questions: 1. Will Mozilla add a general option to add or remove search sources? And 2. will Mozilla add Grokipedia to its list of sources?

In Firefox 148.0, I am encountering an issue related to input‑focus behavior on the default New Tab Page. I would like to confirm whether this behavior is now hardcoded or whether any configuration options remain available to modify it.

Issue description

When opening a new tab, Firefox displays a search box in the center of the page. In previous versions, this search box could function as a true input field. However, in Firefox 148.0, any attempt to type into this field results in the input focus being immediately transferred to the address bar (Awesome Bar). As a result, the central search box no longer accepts direct input and appears to function only as a visual entry point.

Configuration options already tested

Based on documentation and community discussions for earlier Firefox versions, I attempted to locate and modify the following about:config preferences:

• browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.improvesearch.handoffToAwesomebar
• browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.improvesearch.handoffToAwesomebar2

Neither preference exists in Firefox 148.0. I also reviewed other Activity Stream and URL bar–related preferences but did not find any that influence this focus‑handoff behavior.

Current observations

Testing suggests that Firefox 148.0 may have removed the internal toggles that previously controlled this behavior. The focus handoff from the New Tab Page search box to the address bar appears to be enforced at the application level, with no remaining user‑configurable switches exposed through about:config.

Questions for clarification

1. 1 Has the focus‑handoff mechanism for the New Tab Page been fully hardcoded in Firefox 148.0, making it no longer configurable through about:config?

1. 2 Is there a new or undocumented preference that restores the ability for the New Tab Page search box to receive input directly?

1. 3 Are there design documents, Bugzilla tickets, or release notes that describe the removal of the previous handoff preferences?

1. 4 If this behavior is now intentional and no longer user‑configurable, is using an extension (e.g., New Tab Override) the only remaining method to prevent focus from being redirected to the address bar?

Any technical insight or references from developers or community members would be greatly appreciated.

There is a search bar in the middle of my screen (Firefox/DuckDuckGo) It does not work. If I type in it, the cursor moves to address bar. This is very annoying as I am looking at the search bar and watching what I type. Then the search bar fades out so I can't even try to type in it anymore. From what I have read on the forum, Firefox has disabled the "fix" for this problem. So essentially they have made the visible search bar useless and have fixed it so that those of us who prefer to use it are completely out of luck. What does Firefox get out of this? I'm feeling really manipulated and will probably just switch back to Chrome. From reading other questions, I get the feeling they are planning an ever better search bar (can't image what that could mean, all I want to do is search). But why destroy the old one before the new one is ready?

It appears thousands of others have the same issue with NOTHING affecting the search bar handoff to the address bar (changing true/false in about:config does NOTHING, v148.xx). Why not just do away with any search bar and do everything from the address bar? That way enough will be annoyed they'll find an operational browser. Like too many "upgrades," this one went seriously backwards.

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