I can't change my homepage because safe search is under important locked preferences, how do I change this?
I have been trying to remove Safe search from my homepage setting. I discovered it is listed as a "Important Locked Preference" which I cannot change. I have removed the safe search tool bars and other bits of it elsewhere, but still cannot get rid of it as my homepage for Mozilla.
All Replies (6)
It sounds like you have a third party program that has taken over your search engine, home page, and/or the default new tab page. Fortunately, this can be remedied easily:
- Click the menu button
and choose Add-ons.
- In the Add-ons Manager tab, select the Extensions panel.
- Select the toolbar you wish to remove.
- Click the Remove button.
- Click "Restart now" if it pops up. Your tabs will be saved and restored after the restart.
After Firefox restarts, install the Search Reset Tool. This add-on will remove the rest of the traces of this program from your Firefox and then uninstalls itself.
For further information, please read Remove a toolbar that has taken over your Firefox search or home page.
Did this fix the problem? Please let us know!
If the above does not help,
You may have ad / mal-ware. Further information can be found in the Troubleshoot Firefox issues caused by malware article.
Run most or all of the listed malware scanners. Each works differently. If one program misses something, another may pick it up.
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-to-fix-preferences-wont-save
Note: Some software, like Advanced SystemCare with Surfing Protection, can protect files in the Firefox profile folder against changes. If you have such software then check the settings or uninstall this software.
Do a clean reinstall and delete the Firefox program folder before (re)installing a fresh copy of the current Firefox release.
- Download the Firefox installer and save the file to the desktop
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/all/
If possible uninstall your current Firefox version to cleanup the Windows registry and settings in security software.
- Do NOT remove "personal data" when you uninstall your current Firefox version, because this will remove all profile folders and you lose personal data like bookmarks and passwords including data in profiles created by other Firefox versions.
Remove the Firefox program folder before installing that newly downloaded copy of the Firefox installer.
- (32 bit Windows) "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\"
- (64 bit Windows) "C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\"
- It is important to delete the Firefox program folder to remove all the files and make sure that there are no problems with files that were leftover after uninstalling.
- http://kb.mozillazine.org/Uninstalling_Firefox
Your personal data like bookmarks is stored in the Firefox profile folder, so you won't lose personal data when you uninstall and (re)install or update Firefox, but make sure NOT to remove personal data when you uninstall Firefox as that will remove all Firefox profile folders and you lose your personal data.
By the way, where do you see "Important Locked Preference"? I've never heard of that in Firefox.
Quote: By the way, where do you see "Important Locked Preference"? I've never heard of that in Firefox.
That is a section on the "Help > Troubleshooting Information" page, just under "user.js Preferences".
I have never seen anything listed on any user.