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

This thread was archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

search engine has disappeared

  • 3 replies
  • 91 have this problem
  • 2 views
  • Last reply by lookman

omniwolf
omniwolf
more options

hi, one day, my search engine (just the default - google) has gone from my search engine field next to the address bar in firefox.

if i click the drop down button and go "search engines", there's nothing listed in there, and the "restore defaults" button is greyed out.

i have uninstalled FF, and deleted the profiles directory, but still when i reinstall there's still no seach engines available..

i've tried deleting the search.sqllite file in the profile and it doesn't help (of course - deleting the whole profile doesn't work).

any ideas?

hi, one day, my search engine (just the default - google) has gone from my search engine field next to the address bar in firefox. if i click the drop down button and go "search engines", there's nothing listed in there, and the "restore defaults" button is greyed out. i have uninstalled FF, and deleted the profiles directory, but still when i reinstall there's still no seach engines available.. i've tried deleting the search.sqllite file in the profile and it doesn't help (of course - deleting the whole profile doesn't work). any ideas?

Chosen solution

You can try to delete search.sqlite and search.json in the Firefox Profile Folder

You can also look at http://kb.mozillazine.org/Corrupt_localstore.rdf

Do you still have the default search engines in the searchplugins folder in the Firefox program folder?

Read this answer in context 👍 1

All Replies (3)

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

Chosen Solution

You can try to delete search.sqlite and search.json in the Firefox Profile Folder

You can also look at http://kb.mozillazine.org/Corrupt_localstore.rdf

Do you still have the default search engines in the searchplugins folder in the Firefox program folder?

Modified by cor-el

omniwolf
omniwolf Question owner
more options

thanks, i had already recreated my entire profile, so deleting those search files didn't help. however i had a look at that searchplugins folder - it was corrupted and i couldn't even open it or delete it! i ran a chkdsk and it fixed the error, i then deleted it and reinstalled firefox - bam! search engines appeared again.

thanks for pointing me in the right direction!

lookman
lookman
more options

I have no address bar so I cannot access VIEW to reload my tool and search bars