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How to disable Firefox search function

Nov-284
Nov-284
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In most ways I'm happy with Firefox, but it does this neat trick where every time I hit my home button, it pops up the search function. I have never used that function. I didn't use it when google decided I no longer needed my home screen, I just deleted the app. If Mozilla also thinks I don't need my home screen, I'll just delete that app too. My phone is a Samsung galaxy s5 active. I tried clearing the default app next to Firefox, so that's a useless tip.

In most ways I'm happy with Firefox, but it does this neat trick where every time I hit my home button, it pops up the search function. I have never used that function. I didn't use it when google decided I no longer needed my home screen, I just deleted the app. If Mozilla also thinks I don't need my home screen, I'll just delete that app too. My phone is a Samsung galaxy s5 active. I tried clearing the default app next to Firefox, so that's a useless tip.

All Replies (3)

jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
  • Top 25 Contributor
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That's strange. Tapping the device home button should switch from Firefox to your device's home screen. I don't even know whether Firefox or a Firefox add-on could change that, I think it's handled by Android.

There is a function to show a search box when you tap and slide up on the home button. I have never used this intentionally before or set a default, so on my device (Nexus 5 KitKat) it shows I can use either Firefox Search or Google.

I'm not sure how you unset that if clearing defaults for Firefox didn't work, but perhaps the bigger problem is that it is getting triggered so often. Maybe there's something wrong with your home button?

jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
  • Top 25 Contributor
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Seems to be a Galaxy S5 + Android 4.4.4 update issue: http://forums.androidcentral.com/samsung-galaxy-s5/490111-home-button-my-s5-google-now.html (7 pages of unhappy customers and various fixes suggested)

Roland Tanglao
Roland Tanglao
  • Moderator
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Hi Nov-284

tl;dr:Jscher2000 is right. As of Android 4.4.4 and up, the Google Android Operating System on all devices except HTC devices wants to invoke some sort of app when you press and hold down the home button and there is no way to disable the "press and hold down the home button" functionality.

There are workarounds like deleting all the apps that provide press and hold down home button functionality (like Google Now, Firefox and many other apps) but there is no way on Google "vanilla android" like on Google Nexus Devices and on Samsung devices like the Note 4 and S5 to disable the prompt when pressing and holding down the home button

There is a way to disable the press and home button functionality on HTC Devices (Go to Android Settings|Display, gestures and buttons| Home | tap on "Swipe for Google Now, press and hold for menu".

So you are stuck with press and hold the home button invoking an app unless you switch to HTC or Google or Samsung add a preference to disable it like HTC did.