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Firefox address bar search keeps going to Yahoo even when it's set to Google

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  • 12 have this problem
  • 12 views
  • Last reply by tinpanalley

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Whenever I search using the address bar it keeps going to Yahoo. I already updated the configuration "keyword.URL" to "https://www.google.com/search?q=" but it doesn't work.

I have tried uninstalling FF and it still happens with a fresh install.

Please help me fix this. TIA.

Whenever I search using the address bar it keeps going to Yahoo. I already updated the configuration "keyword.URL" to "https://www.google.com/search?q=" but it doesn't work. I have tried uninstalling FF and it still happens with a fresh install. Please help me fix this. TIA.

Chosen solution

The Reset Firefox feature can fix many issues by restoring Firefox to its factory default state while saving your essential information. Note: This will cause you to lose any Extensions, Open websites, and some Preferences.

To Reset Firefox do the following:

  1. Go to Firefox > Help > Troubleshooting Information.
  2. Click the "Reset Firefox" button.
  3. Firefox will close and reset. After Firefox is done, it will show a window with the information that is imported. Click Finish.
  4. Firefox will open with all factory defaults applied.


Further information can be found in the Refresh Firefox - reset add-ons and settings article.

Did this fix your problems? Please report back to us!

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All Replies (7)

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Seçilmiş Həll

The Reset Firefox feature can fix many issues by restoring Firefox to its factory default state while saving your essential information. Note: This will cause you to lose any Extensions, Open websites, and some Preferences.

To Reset Firefox do the following:

  1. Go to Firefox > Help > Troubleshooting Information.
  2. Click the "Reset Firefox" button.
  3. Firefox will close and reset. After Firefox is done, it will show a window with the information that is imported. Click Finish.
  4. Firefox will open with all factory defaults applied.


Further information can be found in the Refresh Firefox - reset add-ons and settings article.

Did this fix your problems? Please report back to us!

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It worked! Thanks a lot!

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Okay, this has gotten weird. Whenever I type in just one keyword in the address bar, it redirects to yahoo. When I use 2 or more keywords, it searches Google.

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This happens to me to. @Wave87 - are you a BT internet customer by any chance?

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Hi everyone, I have the same problem. But what exactly does this affect if I reset Firefox because I'm not keen on reinstalling every extension again and all my browser settings that I finally have perfect.

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You can check for problems with preferences and rename or delete the prefs.js file and possible numbered prefs-##.js files and a possible user.js file to reset all prefs to the default values.


If you reset Firefox then a new profile is created and some of your data (bookmarks, history, cookies, passwords, form data) is automatically imported and your current profile will be moved to the desktop (Old Firefox Data).
You will lose extensions and other customizations (toolbars, prefs) that you've made.

It is possible to recover more data from the old profile, but be cautious to avoid carrying over the problem.

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So basically a bug in Firefox means I have to use a work around and lose my settings to use the browser how I want? Why is Google the default anyway? Aren't we far along into a Web 2.0 world now that we can ask people what they want their default address bar search to be? Or is this because Mozilla gets some kind of ad share/revenue for keeping Google as the default engine? So weird that Chrome is more open to letting people use whatever they want in any part of their browser. It's a shame because it's such an easy thing for you guys to QC and recode. Well, thanks for the answer but disappointing nonetheless.