topic Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar in Discussions

Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

Buttons59 — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 23:11:13 GMT

Hi Mozilla Team,

Our desktop computers just updated to 148.0 and now we can't use the search bar. When we type in the search bar it defaults to the address bar.

I have tried the about:config, handoff, browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.improvessearch.handoffToAwesomebar preference and switched the value from true to false and it didn't work.

I tried about:config, browser.urlbar.updates and set to false. I searched for browswe.urlbar.openViewOnFocus and tried to set it to false, I don't think this appears anymore.

Please Firefox Team fix this issue, we want and need to use the search bar not the address bar.

Do I need to take our computers into a Computer repair shop to fix this please?

Thank you,

Maureen

Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

946f1d38087540f — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 00:12:25 GMT

I'm getting tired of this too. Every so often it seems like Mozilla gets the great idea of shunting any search in a new tab off to the address bar. MAKE THIS GO AWAY! I've spent the better part of today trying to figure out how to prevent this, but it seems you guys are getting more clever each time. I may have to change my browser to BRAVE!

Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

Agentvirtuel — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 05:49:28 GMT

Hello

Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

PaulFirefoxUX — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 11:57:03 GMT

Hello!

Firefox search UX designer here.

It sounds like you have been using the unsupported config setting that allowed the search bar in the middle of the homepage screen to work instead of jumping you up to the address bar.

As a result of seeing other threads on Connect and on Reddit about this, we've decided to revive this config setting asap. You can track this from comment 7 here: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=2017049#c7

For context: we're working on an improved search experience for the homepage so that everybody can have a much better search without being bounced to the address bar. (we call this bounce the 'handoff', and we know it's not a good user experience).

The first part of prepping for that work was to change the code for the existing homepage search bar – but we hadn't ancitipated that some people were using the unsupported 'disable the handoff' config setting as an accessibility workaround.

Since we saw that that was happening, we're reinstating it until the longer term improvements are ready.

Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

PaulFirefoxUX — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 18:35:54 GMT

Hello 👋

This config setting is back and available to use in Firefox Nightly now, and if everything goes to plan it should be in the 148.0.1 release of the main browser on March 10.

Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

Buttons59 — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 23:22:23 GMT

Please update us when this issue is corrected.

Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

PaulFirefoxUX — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:36:55 GMT

Firefox Nightly gets updates every day (its our test release we use to try out new and unfinished features). It's the third link here:
https://www.firefox.com/en-GB/channel/desktop/

The issue is fixed already for anyone using that version of Firefox.

For everybody else, it will be fixed in the March 10 update.

Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

cfnordstrom — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:44:04 GMT

It seems that Mozilla has a bad habit of changing things that don't need to be changed. And now the about:config fix doesn't fix it. Mozilla is getting more and more like that other M company with their "our way or the highway" attitude. Come on Mozilla, do better.

Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

Mircea — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 05:31:21 GMT

The solution you offer does not work.

Setting browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.improvesearch.handoffToAwesomebar= false does nothing.

Setting keyword.enabled. = false does not work

I need this fixed within 72 hours or I will be using Brave who speak English and understand the meaning of "I will never use the address bar for searches."

Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

Agentvirtuel — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 05:58:49 GMT

Hello

This config setting is back and available to use in Firefox Nightly now.

browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.improvesearch.handoffToAwesomebar

@PaulFirefoxUX wrote:

Hello ‌👋‌

This config setting is back and available to use in Firefox Nightly now, and if everything goes to plan it should be in the 148.0.1 release of the main browser on March 10.

Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

JIGSAW — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 12:18:34 GMT

eish ... March the 10th is still so far off ... this address bar search is gonna drive me mad. Why did you devs mess with this??? ...

Why have a dedicated home page with a search in the middle of the screen and then when people want to type in that area you handoff to the top address bar ???.... Makes no **bleep** sense.

The same with tabs below the address & bookmarks bar ... we ALL want it, but NO, you force it all the way to the top ... WTF? ...

We want it like this ...

Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

AskUs1st — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 17:46:55 GMT

Paul,

Great news! Can't wait for March 10 and the release of 148.0.1.

I agree with everyone who expressed complete frustration with the handoff of searches from the search box to the Awesome Bar (who thought it was a good idea to call the address bar the "Awesome Bar"- it is not awesome- and I had to google "Awesome Bar" to figure out what it was).

Like others, I knew about the old fix using about:config. So the frustration was magnified when that fix did not work.

My workaround (which is not all that convenient) is to have a bookmarked tab for Google.com available for searches, so that I can continue to use the search box in the middle of the page. It adds an extra step, so instead of just opening a new tab and searching in the search box, I now have to open a new tab, click on my Google.com bookmarked tab and then start my search. Apparently many of us are using Firefox on desktops with large monitors and we prefer the search box because of its visibility. I hope you keep that in mind before making changes to the user interface.

Isn't there a way that Mozilla could warn users about SIGNIFICANT changes in functionality before they are implemented? This way we are not blindsided by them, plus you could give us an opportunity to weigh in and comment about whether we would be affected negatively? Also, why not provide the reasons for the proposed changes, ie, explain how/why this an improvement?

Anyway, thanks for admitting that a mistake was made and course correcting.

Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

Anonymous — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 21:52:41 GMT

wrote:
... the unsupported config setting ...

Moderators and developers keep emphasizing on an accusing tone that we are using something unsupported. We're not doing that because we like but because we were forced to when somebody decided that the address bar should become some 'awesome' Swiss army knife. We need something to search with in the center of our 27 or 32" screen where our mouse pointer and visual focus is most of the time. Not somewhere at the top.

Mozilla seems surprised that so many people were using this tweak, but you would not be if you followed the feedback here. This topic is running for almost 4 years know without a single comment from a Mozilla official.

It is not this accident as such that causes so much irritation but the fact that something like this happens every 2 months or so. I really appreciate all the work that is being done to keep Firefox safe and up-to-date and I absolutely love real added-value functionality like the multi-account containers but don't change the UX any more that absolutely necessary. I need Firefox 60 hrs per week to get my own core business done. I'm not using it to get new experiences all the time. Don't change my tools while I'm working.

Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

Jiya33 — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 16:37:41 GMT

Hi Maureen, you definitely don’t need to take the computers to a repair shop – it is a settings issue, not a hardware issue.
In new versions of Firefox, it is possible for the search bar to be disabled during updates.
You can try going to Menu (☰) > Settings > Search and ensuring “Add search bar in toolbar” is enabled.
If it is already enabled, you could try right-clicking on the toolbar > Customize toolbar and dragging the Search Bar option back in.
You could also try going to Menu (☰) > Settings > Search > Address Bar and ensuring any options for forcing search through the address bar are disabled.
If you are still having issues, you could try restarting Firefox in Troubleshoot Mode.
You could also try creating a new Firefox profile and seeing if it is a profile issue.
If you are still having issues, it could be a temporary bug with Firefox 148.0 and you could try reporting it through Firefox > Help > Report Site Issue.

Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

Buttons59 — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 01:26:03 GMT

Hello Jiya33,

Unfortunately suggestions you have provided don't work, because: Menu (☰) > Settings > Search and ensuring “Add search bar in toolbar” is enabled does not exist and Menu (☰) > Settings > Search > Address Bar and ensuring any options for forcing search through the address bar are disabled, does not exist either, I looked into Mozilla Firefox settings.

This config setting is back and available to use in Firefox Nightly now, and if everything goes to plan it should be in the 148.0.1 release of the main browser on March 10.

So I will just wait until 3/10 for the new release and hopefully we will be able to use the search bar instead of the address bar.

Thank you for your help,

Maureen

Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

Agentvirtuel — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 05:59:54 GMT

Hello

For information, since the release of Firefox 122 https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1852044 Add the Search bar to your Firefox toolbar https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/add-search-bar-firefox-toolbar

Extra Information, Add the Search bar to your Firefox toolbar, https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1529798#answer-1757532 if, you drag the Search bar

Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

unbecoming — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 05:11:18 GMT

This exactly how you lose a customer base. Stop trying to reinvent the wheel. Stop trying to fix/improve things by breaking them. " New and improved " is usually just bs marketing. This is the equivalent of Chevy deciding to put the steering wheel on the right side and in the back seat of the car and calling it improved just because they changed something. Just face it. It's just a browser and there's only so much you can do and actually less is more. Try concentrating on keeping solid basics. That alone seems like a big enough challenge for the bright idea ppl at mozilla. Guess we will see Mar 10 if they can accept the fact that despite all of their efforts people just actually want to be stop being messed with.

Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

DTMOC — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 16:00:39 GMT

What is really puzzling about all of this is Firefox represents themselves as a secure web browser - and I believe in most ways they are. But to redirect text entered into a search engine to an active URL bar in your own interface?

Worse, if Firefox "logic" thinks it is a URL - you just directs to the site instead of searching as intended!? I cannot imagine what developer would think of this foolishness - or why management would approve it. As MANY have stated in various threads that is an EXTREME risk.

So do not wonder why so many looked for a workaround for this. Consider also that Firefox had a tweak for this - it did not get there by accident. It was recognized as a need.

It's great that finally you're working on this issue that is probably 4-5 years old but the point is - it never should have happened and it is FAR too long after the fact. It's also great that you will restore the about:config tweak... but it is quite questionable why they would remove it before fixing the real issue(s). It is also great (without an added exception) to see some employee posts here to explain things.

Before you go thinking I am a Mozilla hater... I have faithfully used their products for more years than I can count. I have used and recommended Firefox because I felt it was the best option. I am getting closer to rethinking that than I ever have been in the past.

You've got to know, these kinds of issues are not good reflections on Mozilla and are not going to get you more users/installations in a very competitive browser market.

Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

PaulFirefoxUX — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 16:20:36 GMT

This config setting has now been reinstated 🙂 (in 148.0.2 – released today, March 10)

And more good news: we hear what people are saying in this thread and others like it, and we agree! We're moving towards making the search bar on the Firefox homepage work for everybody, without needing a hidden config setting.

Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

JIGSAW — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 17:25:24 GMT

Thanks ... I tested and it's working.

But also take note of my post above and look into that also. You'll find 100's of post about that on here, where most of us want an option to move address bar, bookmarks bar and tab bar the way we want ... for most we want the tabs at the bottom, AND NOT FORCED TO THE TOP.

Check these posts/discussions, you'll find many many complaints about it !! 😉😉

Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

PaulFirefoxUX — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 18:06:38 GMT

I work on search I'm afraid, not tabs / toolbar. But I know that team do a lot of user research, so I'm sure that if it's a widespread requirement then it would be captured in their research.

I know it's not what you asked for, but in the absence of tabs being under the address bar, you might try vertical tabs. That puts the address bar at the very top of the screen. It takes some getting used to, but I now find it so much easier to see all my tabs in a vertical list (on either the left or the right, it's customizable) as I can control how much of each tab's title is visible, and I don't have to do an unnatural horizontal scroll.

Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

Agentvirtuel — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 18:05:18 GMT

Hello

About, the subject, Customize Firefox controls, buttons and toolbars
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/customize-firefox-controls-buttons-and-toolbars

Tabs on bottom: Firefox no longer has a built-in setting; you can restore it using userChrome.css (advanced). See Tabs on bottom.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1520202

Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

PaulFirefoxUX — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 18:09:08 GMT

Thanks for sharing this! Looks like this is exactly what JIGSAW needs.

Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

AskUs1st — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 22:11:18 GMT

Thanks, Paul. The search box on the new tab is working for me too. One less thing to stress about!
I also appreciate that it is no longer necessary to know the about:config fix in order to avoid the search diverting from the search box to the address "Awesome" bar.

Thanks for all your work with Firefox- but go easy on us with the changes. As you saw from the tone of the complaints in this thread, users do not want to have to keep figuring out how to navigate this browser. They just want it to work. Take care.

Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

JIGSAW — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 22:15:47 GMT

We've been asking and complaining for over 10yrs, so the team researching that isn't doing much to bring that option back.

@Agentvirtuel ... yes, I am using a userChrome hack ... how do you think I got my screen shot to look like it does above? ... but every so often FF devs messes with a setting that throws out the hack and everyone has to hunt for a new solution .... it get tiresome !!

Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

Buttons59 — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 23:42:38 GMT

Thank you Paul.

The search bar is now working. Please when Firefox team does this, think about the customers, like they say If It Isn't Broken, Don't Fix It.

Thank you,

Buttons 59

Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

Agentvirtuel — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 05:32:56 GMT

Hello

This an other subject https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/ideas/please-please-allow-us-to-place-the-tabs-at-the-bottom/idi-p/216

Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

TechHorse — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 19:32:42 GMT

Good to see that the new tab search box has been restored.

Like many others, I have concerns with using the address bar for searching. I once wanted to check whether a site was safe and unthinkingly pasted text along the lines of 'somesite dot com' into the address bar and pressed enter. Of course rather than getting the Google search results that I had intended I was taken straight to the site.

Fortunately it turned out to be a safe site, but that experience did make me wary. I know that a lot of other users have pointed out such pitfalls involved with having a hybrid URL / search string box.

So yes, having dedicated search boxes such as the New Tab search and the independent toolbar search are essential as far as I am concerned.

Not to mention the fact that searching from the address bar requires you to make a choice between having the previous search terms or the current URL displayed. I use the independent search bar because I like having both types of information available and editable if needed.

Once again, thanks to the developers for restoring one of the alternative dedicated search boxes.

Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

946f1d38087540f — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 20:26:17 GMT

Not for Linux, we're usually a day or 7 behind every other op system.

Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

Agentvirtuel — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 05:06:58 GMT

Hello

Install Firefox on Linux
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/install-firefox-linux

System Firefox installation (for advanced users) that's my installation.

Firefox is up to date.

Re: Firefox 148.0 is not allowing me to use the search bar it default to the address bar

JIGSAW — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 07:21:54 GMT

148.0.2 is out for Linux also ...

https://download-installer.cdn.mozilla.net/pub/firefox/releases/148.0.2/linux-x86_64/en-US/firefox-148.0.2.tar.xz