We're calling on all EU-based Mozillians with iOS or iPadOS devices to help us monitor Apple’s new browser choice screens. Join the effort to hold Big Tech to account!

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.

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

Firefox hijacking Goolge search

  • 3 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 7 views
  • Last reply by SFwriter

more options

I'm trying to completely turn off the address search bar function in Firefox. It' so annoying! I go to google. Start to type in the search bar on the page but all my typing ends up in the address bar. So frustrating! If I wanted to search from the address bar I wouldn't have gone to Google to do it. I DON'T want to search from the address bar EVER! So please don't say 'why don't you just..x,y or z'. I've managed to turn off all the address bar suggestions and whatnot with about a dozen different setting which is ridiculous. Turning off the rich results should fix everything but it doesn't. No mater what I try I cannot get text to appear in the Google search bar. So basically Firefox has stolen the functionality of the Google webpage for me. I've been using Firefox for a long time but lately I'm been questioning why a lot. Anyway, any suggestions to stop Firefox from hijacking my search would be appreciated.

I'm trying to completely turn off the address search bar function in Firefox. It' so annoying! I go to google. Start to type in the search bar on the page but all my typing ends up in the address bar. So frustrating! If I wanted to search from the address bar I wouldn't have gone to Google to do it. I DON'T want to search from the address bar EVER! So please don't say 'why don't you just..x,y or z'. I've managed to turn off all the address bar suggestions and whatnot with about a dozen different setting which is ridiculous. Turning off the rich results should fix everything but it doesn't. No mater what I try I cannot get text to appear in the Google search bar. So basically Firefox has stolen the functionality of the Google webpage for me. I've been using Firefox for a long time but lately I'm been questioning why a lot. Anyway, any suggestions to stop Firefox from hijacking my search would be appreciated.

Chosen solution

A preference in about:config is forcing that to happen. Open a new tab, enter about:config in the urlbar, accept the risk then find the following preference and change it to false. browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.improvesearch.handoffToAwesomebar

Read this answer in context 👍 1

All Replies (3)

more options

Chosen Solution

A preference in about:config is forcing that to happen. Open a new tab, enter about:config in the urlbar, accept the risk then find the following preference and change it to false. browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.improvesearch.handoffToAwesomebar

more options

Thank you! That finally did it. 'Awesomebar'? Not the name I would have chosen given the frustration it's caused and the amount of research and the huge number of settings it's taken just to disable it.

more options

Well done... I knew it had an odd name but couldn't remember it... Appreciate your insights... (Awesomebar, indeed! Does everybody secretly hate it?)