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.

ابحث في الدعم

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

when is http:// and www. not needed in the url typed in the address bar?

more options

I don't understand when it is necessary to add "http://" and when is it necessary to add "www." to the web address typed in the address bar? What does Firefox automatically fill in? Is there a way to configure what Firefox will autofill in the url?

I don't understand when it is necessary to add "http://" and when is it necessary to add "www." to the web address typed in the address bar? What does Firefox automatically fill in? Is there a way to configure what Firefox will autofill in the url?

الحل المُختار

When you request an incomplete URL from a server, it usually sends back a redirect to the correct address. Same if you request an insecure (HTTP) page on a server that wants you to use a secure (HTTPS) connection. Over time, these little delays add up, so if you are setting up a bookmark, your home page, etc., go ahead and use the full URL so you can avoid the extra step.

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (2)

more options

The www.prefix is part of the domain of a website and if the domain without this prefix doesn't exist (a DNS look up fails) then Firefox will automatically try another look up with the www. prefix.
The http:// prefix is the default protocol and uses port 80 to connect to the server.

See Domain Guessing:

more options

الحل المُختار

When you request an incomplete URL from a server, it usually sends back a redirect to the correct address. Same if you request an insecure (HTTP) page on a server that wants you to use a secure (HTTPS) connection. Over time, these little delays add up, so if you are setting up a bookmark, your home page, etc., go ahead and use the full URL so you can avoid the extra step.