I-Firefox Community Forum

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.

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.

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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.

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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?

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

Hallo Ich Spreche kein Englisch nur Deutsch - Ich habe seit einiger Zeit ein Problem, wenn ich einen meuen Tapp öffne komme ich wie gewohnt auf die FireFox Seite mit dem Google Suchfeld, wenn ich zum Beispiel in das Suchfeld Monstera eintipe Lande ich immer auf der Yahoo Seite. . Siehe nachfolgenden Link: https://de.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?p=Monstera&hspart=iba&hsimp=yhs-syn_launcham¶m2=9dUI1n2R0BLDxNuWfiP4aSFOTltNdSPoIx38%2BUf%2FiXrvPdoGmStdlfwLFZYDvqkAfvapUGDUlfVlBewW80EIyUr%2FsL%2B6E7sphFDlHyc9MgKJkZdnv%2BHAlYnNmFYhvoP666n25XuOWv2sNdW8LTl0ed79U3FBxDdDwESS2zTq7MplmsM64d5ifOY1gGVSACrO7oUVwz0Q6xN0p0HcFuihGvHl6o1wvCWTRhetcVW5mTc%3D¶m3=HpCyCT2cXaKG4CVDR00rqgObRQahimQNt2d5ZCR7Jy3IZoD3T11qaq2nywASZYgKs7Nov2iksjjR3%2F2QWiII6Us00JMQsgWelCh2xqUG22J0U1jSZgy29Nx6hJbvJxhO09UrrPrifdWwZ%2FK6RGUiPErlOzWN1cnTdWlcb0giNPrORW3TU4942RitciCf1Ex2C%2FU510yVW%2BSczbZLYlOESKcxP97Z8OMm14rdAu%2FgEAfm5r74rG9U9ShM2YpG9AR4mVsOA2d22%2FdQcBQQJbYxSA%3D%3D&type=f2%3A%3B.6850610d4680680b2811f3dcdca6be379af%3B5.ac48522a20946644e52a8ef8e64166f19c0ca9cd289925759ba5c0534a4ff17f5111f70ddaee787ec4b4d80 - Leider bin ich mit der Suche mit Yahoo nicht zufrieden, ich habe die Einstellungen von FireFox, mehrfach kontroliert, aber nichts gefunden weshalb ich immer bei Yahoo lande. - Ich bedanke mich schon im voraus für ihre hilfe. mit freundlichen Grüßem Albert Schankula

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.

It's frustrating, no matter what you set, the search always jumps to the address field. I enter known addresses in the address field. I SEARCH in the SEARCH FIELD. And I want that in the future too. How do I make it possible, permanently, to be able to search in the search field??? The following doesn't work (anymore).

(1) In a new tab, type or paste about:config in the address bar and press Enter/Return. Click the button accepting the risk.

(2) In the search box in the page, type or paste handoff and pause while the list is filtered

(3) Double-click the browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.improvesearch.handoffToAwesomebar preference to switch the value from true to false

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