topic Re: Search bar with multiple search engines in Firefox 149.0 in Discussions

Search bar with multiple search engines in Firefox 149.0

Momaday — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 08:06:20 GMT

Hi! The new way to handle multiple search engines for the search bar in firefox 149 is terrible. Until ff148 we used to type a search argument in the field, we highlighted our text and it opened a pool of search engines icons of ours to chose from & to chose which one to use. And simply by clicking on the engine icon of our choice (I have around 20 in total such like different sales platforms, imdb, wikipedia etc.) the search would be done in our tab.

Now there's a really inconvenient dropdown menu we have to choose from and once the search engine is selected we have to press enter or click the arrow for the search to start... It's slow, it's a time loss and a real issue for my productivity. I think the worst thing is the search bar keeps our last choice as the default engine. So we have to choose our default duck duck go engine back to make basic searches... It's unbearable.

I have been using firefox since version 1, so it's been years I'm used to my search tab. I don't want to get used to that, it's a real pain. That new dropdown menu is really a chore (if only by selecting the engine it could validate the search but not even!). Please give us back the ancient way.

Re: Search bar with multiple search engines in Firefox 149.0

Agentvirtuel — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 08:58:42 GMT

Hello

Is it, your question.

https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/discussions/update-149-0-made-searching-more-difficult/td-p/120608

Re: Search bar with multiple search engines in Firefox 149.0

Momaday — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 14:22:07 GMT

It is. Thanks a lot.

Re: Search bar with multiple search engines in Firefox 149.0

PaulFirefoxUX — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 21:17:54 GMT

Hello!

I'm a Firefox UX designer, new on the Search & Suggest team (these design changes were made before I joined the team).

The old version was removed as the default because it caused issues for accessibility. (i.e. problems for people who physically can’t use a mouse and have no choice but to use an alternative navigation method).
I'm keen to learn what could be improved about the new design that could make it as good as – or even better – than the old version for everybody.

In the new version, you can press alt-downarrow to open the list of search engines, and type the first letter of a search engine to select it.

Could you go into more detail about anything else that made the old version better for you, and how you would use it?

What is it that you'd miss? The icons being visible by default? The icons not having labels? The icons being shown in a grid? The keyboard shortcuts? How many search engines do you have listed?

If the new menu could show a grid of icons instead of a list, and somehow be pinned open by default (not in its current position of course) then would that help?

I’m here to listen to your feedback and take it back to the team to advocate for your needs. I can’t get it reverted, but I can make other changes.

And again, I wasn’t on the team when this was designed so I’d appreciate your help to make this work better for you.

Thanks!

Re: Search bar with multiple search engines in Firefox 149.0

pj74 — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 22:07:39 GMT

I remembering when Firefox was the search engine. I managed to put on my search list but it doesn't see to search anymore. Why is that ?? can I get Firefox to search for me? The settings like stories and other options are a drag. Duck duck go splits my screen with their Wikipedia stufg making the font is so small I can barely read it.

Re: Search bar with multiple search engines in Firefox 149.0

Didymus20X6 — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 01:57:41 GMT

Just change it back to the way it was in the previous version. And stop "improving" things by making them more complicated. I was used to being able to type my search, then click on a single icon. Now I have to type, click, then SCROLL and click again, four actions instead of two. This isn't an improvement; this is garbage.

Re: Search bar with multiple search engines in Firefox 149.0

Didymus20X6 — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 02:09:55 GMT

I just found this, and it helped me.

https://www.askvg.com/how-to-restore-old-classic-search-bar-in-mozilla-firefox-149-and-later/

Re: Search bar with multiple search engines in Firefox 149.0

Didymus20X6 — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 02:09:14 GMT

I just found this, and it seemed to help:

https://www.askvg.com/how-to-restore-old-classic-search-bar-in-mozilla-firefox-149-and-later/

Re: Search bar with multiple search engines in Firefox 149.0

BlueSnivyian — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 02:46:55 GMT

Don't lie that you "Weren't on the team when this was designed" these were changes that only just now got pushed.

You all have completely ignored criticism for MONTHS about these changes, and don't lie that you "can't revert it" when it's very clear you CAN just "revert it" if most of said UI elements were still in the program before the recent update (and it terms of PC still are, but hidden behind HIDDEN OPTIONS) You're probably the one that MADE these terrible changes just trying to save face/make people accept what you've made just judging by how much you are trying to lie about, despite people vehemently telling you WE DON'T WANT IT.

Simply just

Change

Back.

This goes for BOTH versions btw. PC and Mobile.

Re: Search bar with multiple search engines in Firefox 149.0

vermiceli — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 14:27:57 GMT

For me, the pain point is that after using a different search engine from the default in the search bar, the last used search engine has a x next to it instead of the down arrow. So to change the search engine with the mouse, you must first click the x (to go back to default engine), then click the dropdown arrow to select a different search engine. Before, after typing a search term, it was one click away to perform a search on any configured search engine. Now it is 4.

1. Click x to undo previous search engine

2. Click down arrow to see search engines

3. Click desired search engine

4. Click search

Search engine with the x next to it

The alt down keyboard shortcut does help, but the mouse input is a much worse experience in my opinion.

Re: Search bar with multiple search engines in Firefox 149.0

PaulFirefoxUX — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 19:29:50 GMT

Gotcha – I understand about the X thing.

Some people like it as it allows them to keep Google in their address bar and an alternative in their search bar permanently.

So to make this work for both groups, it sounds like that needs to be a cusomtizable control. Then you can make it always revert to your default, and the other group can have a different search engine in each. Leave it with me! I'll see what I can do.

Re: Search bar with multiple search engines in Firefox 149.0

vermiceli — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 23:20:10 GMT

Thanks Paul, one thing I just noticed is that even when there is an x, you can click the search engine icon to immediately start selecting a different search engine. This wasn't obvious at first for me. Maybe somehow that can be made more clear?

Another idea is that upon selecting a search engine, a search could be performed immediately instead of requiring a second click to actually search to save one click.

Re: Search bar with multiple search engines in Firefox 149.0

PaulFirefoxUX — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 10:18:22 GMT

Yup, we're already making the change about it running the search on selection. Thanks!

Hah! I hadn't spotted that clicking the search engine icon opened the list. Won't matter once we've got rid of the X anyway.

Re: Search bar with multiple search engines in Firefox 149.0

bdman — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 05:50:52 GMT

This "upgrade" needs to be canceled. Ive been a firefox user since the beginning of time. Now, I 'll have to move on. This search engine upgrade is total garbage.

Re: Search bar with multiple search engines in Firefox 149.0

jasomdotnet — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 08:17:39 GMT

I agree with concussion of Momaday (thread starter) on the "feature": noticeable loss of productivity + search is harder
Basically you want to:

> about:config
> set browser.search.widget.new to false
> set browser.urlbar.scotchBonnet.enableOverride to false

Re: Search bar with multiple search engines in Firefox 149.0

bdman — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 13:02:28 GMT

Thanks Jasomdotnet. It works. The old search engine style is back now.

Re: Search bar with multiple search engines in Firefox 149.0

Agentvirtuel — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 13:15:18 GMT

Hello

browser.urlbar.scotchBonnet.enableOverride https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1949207#c4 unless i have misunderstood.

browser.search.widget.new https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=2012951

browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.improvesearch.handoffToAwesomebar https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1574987

Re: Search bar with multiple search engines in Firefox 149.0

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