The browser.newtab.url pref is no longer supported in Firefox 41 and later, so you can no longer use this to set the new tab page.

You can look at this extension to set the new tab page:

• New Tab Override: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/new-tab-override/

You can set the new tab URL setting via the Options/Preferences of the extension on the about:addons page.

Look at this extension to use the home page:

• New Tab Homepage: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/new-tab-homepage/

Classic Theme Restorer includes this feature as well. In CTR version 1.3.9 you can find the "New tab page url" in the Tabs (1) window.

You can use these special pages for the new tab page or use the URL of a web page.

• the default new tab page with the tiles is about:newtab
• the default home page is about:home
• for a blank page you can use about:blank

read solution as extension

vedro said

read solution as extension

The solution is to use an extension. Is that what you're saying, it works for you, or are you saying you don't want to use an extension even though you know that is the solution?

Just for completeness, I'll paste my whole spiel here.

Firefox 41 no longer uses the browser.newtab.url setting in about:config because it was constantly attacked by malware. Starting in Firefox 41, you need an add-on to change the new tab page.

Here are some options (I learn of more all the time):

• If you already use the Classic Theme Restorer extension: There is an option somewhere (!) in its extensive settings dialogs to select a different new tab page.

• If you want to use your home page on the new tab: Try https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/new-tab-homepage/

• If you want to set a different page or a completely blank page: Try https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/new-tab-override/

• If you want the cursor to move into a search box in the page: Try https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/custom-new-tab/

Please only use one of these methods at a time, otherwise there may be conflicts and dysfunctionality.

Setting up New Tab Override and Custom New Tab

After installing one of these extensions, you need to use its Options page to set the desired new tab page (instead of using about:config).

Open the Add-ons page using either:

• Ctrl+Shift+a (Mac: Cmd+Shift+a)
• "3-bar" menu button (or Tools menu) > Add-ons

In the left column, click Extensions. Then on the right side, find New Tab Override or Custom New Tab and click its Options button. (See first screen shot attached.)

New Tab Override

Depending on the height of your screen, you may need to scroll down to enter the desired address into the form. (See second screen shot attached.) For example:

• Page thumbnails (default) => about:newtab
• Blank tab => about:blank
• Built-in Firefox home page => about:home
• Any other page => full URL to the page

Then tab or click away from that form field and you can test using Ctrl+t.

Custom New Tab

Entering your preferred home page address is simple. If you do not check either of the boxes, the extension will set the focus in the page so, for example, the cursor will be in the Google search box. (See third screen shot attached.) I had to exit Firefox and start it up again before Custom New Tab started working, but this may have been due to testing so many extensions back-to-back.

Success?

the second one and by the way the title says it clearly.

ah sorry i found it now in that gear shaped icon on the right top of the new tab page (Show blank page).

The "gear" icon does not allow a specific URL to be used, only a blank page for new tabs. Like you, I do not want to use an addon or extension to get this basic feature back. Not sure why selecting a specific default newtab url to open is no longer supported but it does not seem like a move forward.

Hi ML66, I replied in your new thread on this topic: https://support.mozilla.org/questions/1089102#answer-794583