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How to configure Firefox mobile to always show the URL in the address bar instead of page title?

  • 4 replies
  • 25 have this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by Tatiane

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Firefox mobile default is to show the page title in the address bar after the page is loaded, this title most likely is the content of the tag <title></title> from HTML's <head></head> section.

I'd like to configure Firefox mobile to always show the page URL in the address bar, since this is the default behavior in all browsers, including Firefox for desktop.

I'm also concerned with security issues related to not seeing the actual URL of pages I'm accessing.

So it doesn't matter to me what is the explanation to how this came up on Firefox mobile. I want to see current page URL in the address bar, period.

Firefox mobile default is to show the page title in the address bar after the page is loaded, this title most likely is the content of the tag <title></title> from HTML's <head></head> section. I'd like to configure Firefox mobile to always show the page URL in the address bar, since this is the default behavior in all browsers, including Firefox for desktop. I'm also concerned with security issues related to not seeing the actual URL of pages I'm accessing. So it doesn't matter to me what is the explanation to how this came up on Firefox mobile. I want to see current page URL in the address bar, period.

All Replies (4)

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This is not possible at this time.

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I tried to find something on about:config on Firefox mobile. There are many options for the address bar (browser.urlbar.*), but none of them seem to help in this case.

It was great news when Firefox mobile was finally available for Motorola Xoom with Android ICS.

But now it looks like I'll have to switch back to Android default browser, I think it's based on Chrome. :-(

It's sad to leave this forum with the feeling that it simply doesn't matter.

I still think it's a security issue not to see the actual URL in the address bar. I know I can touch the address bar to see what it is. But I don't see a reasonable motive not to let people configure what they see in the address bar if they're really concerned.

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There is only a minimal amount of space available for UI elements. The UX, development and security team were willing to make this trade-off. The most parseable of this for users is the HTML <title>. This has been raised before and is generally considered to be a minor attack vector by the Mozilla security team. https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=605206

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Firefox mobile has 102,401 downloads on Google Play [play-store].

According to Mozilla Press Center, Firefox has 450 million users worldwide [mozilla-press].

By Jan 2011, according to an UN report, the number of Internet users worldwide have reached 2 billion [engadget]. So I'll take the number published by Mozilla Press Center.

With this data and some very basic math, today Firefox mobile users account for 0.02275578% of Firefox user base.

I don't have more details, but my guess is that it's considered a "minor attack vector" because very few people use Firefox mobile compared to Firefox on desktop.

It is a security issue, there's nothing one can say to prove otherwise. The thing here is that there isn't yet enough users to make it a target for phishing attacks right now.

Aware of this vulnerability, someone could start a phishing attack targeting mobile users. It shouldn't be out of sight that there's potential of growth on the number of users of Firefox mobile.

I'm not suggesting the app to be completely redesigned!

My point is that there should be at least an option to show the URL instead of the page tittle.

I'm front-end developer and unfortunately I don't have the programming knowledge required to code this solution. I would code it myself if I could, instead of making useless noise in a forum. :-(


Links: [play-store] https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.mozilla.firefox [mozilla-press] http://blog.mozilla.org/press/ataglance/ [engadget] http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/28/un-worldwide-internet-users-hit-two-billion-cellphone-subscript/