This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Avatar for Username

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

Hierdie gesprek is in die argief. Vra asseblief 'n nuwe vraag as jy hulp nodig het.

cannot add-on ask.com as a search engine

  • 4 antwoorde
  • 2 hierdie probleem
  • 6 views
  • Laaste antwoord deur ydaltak

ydaltak
ydaltak
more options

when i click on ask.com to add the search engine to my list, i get a pop-up that says "sorry, you must use a mozilla based browser (such as firefox) to install a search plugin." and of course, i am using the latest version of firefox.

when i click on ask.com to add the search engine to my list, i get a pop-up that says "sorry, you must use a mozilla based browser (such as firefox) to install a search plugin." and of course, i am using the latest version of firefox.

Gekose oplossing

The way the site works, it checks certain browser capabilities. Here is a way to double-check.

Open the Web console by pressing Ctrl+Shift+k

Next to the caret (>), paste the following (it's all one long line) and press Enter: 

if(window.external && window.external.AddSearchProvider) alert("OK"); else alert("FAIL");

I'm guessing you'll get FAIL because that's how you get the "sorry..." message on the add-ons website.

(You can close the web console by pressing Ctrl+Shift+k again.)

I'm not aware of any built-in way to disable this function. I wonder whether one of your add-ons might be blocking it? Could you restart in Safe Mode and try adding it again?

Help > Restart with Add-ons Disabled

Click the Restart in Safe Mode button, not the Reset button.

More info on Safe Mode: Diagnose Firefox issues using Troubleshoot Mode.

Lees dié antwoord in konteks 👍 2

All Replies (4)

jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

Are you trying to add it from here?

https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/askcom/

ydaltak
ydaltak Vraag-eienaar
more options

no, that wasn't where i was trying to add it from, but that location gave me the same error message.

jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

Gekose oplossing

The way the site works, it checks certain browser capabilities. Here is a way to double-check.

Open the Web console by pressing Ctrl+Shift+k

Next to the caret (>), paste the following (it's all one long line) and press Enter: 

if(window.external && window.external.AddSearchProvider) alert("OK"); else alert("FAIL");

I'm guessing you'll get FAIL because that's how you get the "sorry..." message on the add-ons website.

(You can close the web console by pressing Ctrl+Shift+k again.)

I'm not aware of any built-in way to disable this function. I wonder whether one of your add-ons might be blocking it? Could you restart in Safe Mode and try adding it again?

Help > Restart with Add-ons Disabled

Click the Restart in Safe Mode button, not the Reset button.

More info on Safe Mode: Diagnose Firefox issues using Troubleshoot Mode.

ydaltak
ydaltak Vraag-eienaar
more options

i restarted in safe mode and was able to add ask.com. thanks!