Google search bar from center of firefox screen now defaults to URL screen -its VERY sloppy and distracting
I have used mozilla firefox for over 5 years. It have always had a GOOGLE search bar in the center of the screen and it has worked correctly - now whenever i try to input words into the GOOGLE search bar located in the center of the screen it defaults and jumps to the URL/Web Address Bar at the near top off the screen - this jump to the address bar is VERY distracting and inconvenient! How can I revert to using ONLY the search bar in the center of the screen? I have worked on this for two solid days and none of the recommended fixes have worked. I have uninstalled and reinstalled Google and Firefox numerous times but now it always defaults any Google search to the address bar! THIS MUST STOP!!! Thanks!!! Sincerely!!!
Chosen solution
You can turn it off by entering about:config in the URL bar and switching browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.improvesearch.handoffToAwesomebar to false.
WARNING: Changing preferences through this interface not officially supported Hidden settings edited using the about:config tool are explicitly not supported, which means that Mozilla makes no guarantees they will be supported in the future, or that Mozilla will fix them if they break. Mozilla does not test these preferences, and will not in the future. That includes security and performance testing which these preferences may affect.
[Warning added by moderator.]
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Chosen Solution
You can turn it off by entering about:config in the URL bar and switching browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.improvesearch.handoffToAwesomebar to false.
WARNING: Changing preferences through this interface not officially supported Hidden settings edited using the about:config tool are explicitly not supported, which means that Mozilla makes no guarantees they will be supported in the future, or that Mozilla will fix them if they break. Mozilla does not test these preferences, and will not in the future. That includes security and performance testing which these preferences may affect.
[Warning added by moderator.]
Modified by Chris Ilias
OMG... THANKS!!! In your photo you look more "woodsy" than "techy" but you for sure solved my problem, which took me 2 days to not accomplish on my own! Thank you VERY MUCH! I cannot tell you how many times, based on directions in other posts, I went to "about:config" changed a setting to "false" and I still could not use my GOOGLE Search Bar, so I was skeptical, but your solution worked! I have used, built and installed OS's on computers since the late 1980s and one tends to get comfortable using "things" in specific ways. I can adapt but sometimes I don't really want to! Haha! I still use "Windows 7 Ultimate" and prefer it! Since the first time I got online, I have always searched from the "search bar" in the center of the screen, so when it started defaulting to the URL Bar I was PO'd, as every letter I input created more "babel/suggestions and unwanted websites" in the URL Bar. I created a temporary work around but was still disappointed with the new clunky nature of even a basic GOOGLE search! Your solution fixed my problem, first try and I'm back to wasting time at my computer again... thanks!!! Sincerely! YES, I'm screaming! THANKS!!! OMG, that was ridiculous!