What is the website that you want to use as the new tab page?

Did you try the Custom New Tab extension

• https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/custom-new-tab/

I use google.co.uk as my homepage, cor-el. And as I said in my OP, I've tried the 'new tab' add-ons.

The one you link to has an option for cursor focus, but it makes no difference as it still defaults to the address bar, even when I've unchecked the relevant box in the options.

An alternative is to use a bookmark on the Bookmarks Toolbar and middle-click that bookmark to open it in a new tab. That should work unless another extension is interfering.

• https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Troubleshooting+extensions+and+themes

I've just tried the bookmark option and it does work - in as much as the cursor is placed in the google search box.

But this method takes even longer than having to remember to click in the search box before I begin typing, as I have dozens of bookmarks and would have to scroll all the way down to the bottom of the list before I reach it.

I'm on the latest version of Firefox and this only started happening about a week ago (after one of those auto updates, I think).

I suppose I'll just have to hope Mozilla are taking note, and patch it on the next update, as it seems there's no fix.

Best in such a case is to place the bookmark on the Bookmarks Toolbar and have this toolbar on display. When you use the new tab page then the outcome is not guaranteed.

You could install the search engine for this Google site and use the built-in about:home page to use its search bar. The about:home page uses the currently set default search engine.

• http://mycroftproject.com/google-search-plugins.html

Thanks for your continued help, cor-el, but I'm not sure what you mean. I followed the link you provided and installed the google.co.uk engine. This changed the little search box to the right of the address bar to google, but I want to be able to use tabs.

I don't know what you mean when you say 'use the built-in about:home page to use its search bar.'

Make the bookmarks toolbar visible by using View > Show/Hide > Bookmarks Toolbar.

Okay, got that now. Thanks to you both. This is probably the best workaround for now. I can middle-click the google bookmark and it opens in a new tab, with the cursor focus placed in the search box.

I don't like the fact that I now have even less screen size in my browser, with the extra bookmarks toolbar, but I don't suppose this can be helped.