How to get old awesomebar behaviour back in firefox 4 ?
Before Firefox 4, when typing (part of) the name of most popular websites in the address bar, it would automatically direct to these sites through some clever selective use of the Google 'feeling lucky' search. For example, typing 'firefox' and hitting enter would automatically take me to the Firefox page on the Mozilla website.
It seems that the default behaviour in Firefox 4 has changed to simply performing a Google keyword search like in most other browsers.
I don't think there's any option to change the default behaviour, but I'm guessing there's some configuration line that can be adjusted to mimic it. But which one ?
All Replies (7)
Chosen Solution
The LuckyBar addon is the easiest way to turn this feature back on https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/luckybar/
use mozilla lab kit, Its got an addon that does the job and many more experimental features https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/firefox/addon/mozilla-labs-lab-kit/
There's a second step that no one has mentioned and that these links don't make clear.
- Enter about:config in your address bar.
- There will be a message saying, "This might void your warranty!" Click "I'll be careful, I promise!"
- Find keyword.enabled, either by scrolling down or by typing into the Filter: box. If Value is set to true, do nothing. If it is set to false, double click it to change it to true.
- Then, find keyword.URL. Double click it to modify the value, and enter http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&sourceid=navclient&gfns=1&q= into the box (ignore the link--just copy & paste the whole string).
These instructions set Google's Browse by Name, which was the default in Firefox 3. It behaves exactly as it did in Firefox 3--if your terms match a result well, it sends you straight there; otherwise, you go to the Google search page.
Alternatively, if you do want to use a straight I'm Feeling Lucky search, then use http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&btnI=&q= instead (again, ignore the link--just copy & paste the whole string).
Several clients and I think this is great that you've changed the default. Going directly to a site has significant consequences for some businesses, especially for those whose competitors may have the geographic keyword for their location in their name, completely circumventing all the search optimization of everyone else on first page of Google. Readers, please leave your browsers set as they are so you see choices. (For those that think Firefox was always like this, it was not, only a few years ago it started going directly to a website. Their guess is not always best.)
Go to about:configin the address bar and agree to the warning.
Search for "keyword"
paste the following as the new value http://www.google.com/search?btnI=I%27m+Feeling+Lucky&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=
You are back to normal!
I appreciate your concerns and SEO efforts. However, I think this feature is mainly used as a shortcut to sites that the user already knows about rather than a search replacement. When I type 'google' in my address bar I'm expecting to be taken to the Google homepage, not a keyword search for the word 'google'. I also don't mind that it is no longer enabled by default, but rather that there is no simple option to turn it back on ! Users should not have to dig into the configuration to override this.