Join the AMA (Ask Me Anything) with the Firefox leadership team to celebrate Firefox 20th anniversary and discuss Firefox’s future on Mozilla Connect. Mark your calendar on Thursday, November 14, 18:00 - 20:00 UTC!

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.

Location Bar Issue

  • 3 replies
  • 12 have this problem
  • 6 views
  • Last reply by TonyE

Pyroshane
Pyroshane
more options

In Firefox 3.6 when I would type the name of a webpage such as CNN, Youtube, or Yahoo into the Location Bar it would automatically take me to that website. Today I decided to give Firefox 4 RC1 a try a few days before the official release, and without changing any of my other settings, now when I enter in CNN without the .com after it, I go to the Google search page for CNN instead of the CNN website.

I have checked in about:config and browser.fixup.alternate.enabled is set to true.

In Firefox 3.6 when I would type the name of a webpage such as CNN, Youtube, or Yahoo into the Location Bar it would automatically take me to that website. Today I decided to give Firefox 4 RC1 a try a few days before the official release, and without changing any of my other settings, now when I enter in CNN without the .com after it, I go to the Google search page for CNN instead of the CNN website. I have checked in about:config and browser.fixup.alternate.enabled is set to true.

Chosen solution

The change between Firefox 3.6.* and Firefox 4 is how location bar search works. In Firefox 3.6 it uses Google "Browse by name" search. With the browse by name search, it performs a Google search and if there is a clear match it will take you to the site, otherwise it shows the Google search result. With Firefox 4 it just performs a Google search if you type something which is not recognised as a URL.

To get the Firefox 3.6 behaviour on Firefox 4 you need to change a hidden preference.

  1. Type about:config into the location bar and press enter
  2. Accept the warning message that appears, you will be taken to a list of preferences
  3. Locate the preference keyword.URL, double-click on it and change its value to the link shown below

http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=navclient&gfns=1&q=

Read this answer in context 👍 6

All Replies (4)

TonyE
TonyE
  • Moderator
more options

Chosen Solution

The change between Firefox 3.6.* and Firefox 4 is how location bar search works. In Firefox 3.6 it uses Google "Browse by name" search. With the browse by name search, it performs a Google search and if there is a clear match it will take you to the site, otherwise it shows the Google search result. With Firefox 4 it just performs a Google search if you type something which is not recognised as a URL.

To get the Firefox 3.6 behaviour on Firefox 4 you need to change a hidden preference.

  1. Type about:config into the location bar and press enter
  2. Accept the warning message that appears, you will be taken to a list of preferences
  3. Locate the preference keyword.URL, double-click on it and change its value to the link shown below

http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=navclient&gfns=1&q=

Pyroshane
Pyroshane Question owner
more options

Thanks a bunch, that worked perfectly!

TonyE
TonyE
  • Moderator
more options

You're welcome

tonylove99
tonylove99
more options

This is a great feature and I think firefox should keep this feature as a default instead of option of changing it. This is one big difference between FF and IE. Even if FF wants to keep this new setting, it should provide the solution on the home page so someone like us don't have to dig deep.