How to enable the Unified Search Button & other search improvements in Firefox 137?

[firebird]

I just updated to Firefox 137 and want to try out the new search features mentioned here: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/137.0/releasenotes/

But I don't know how to do it. I know I can enable Tab Groups in about:config but how do I do that for the search features?

Thanks!

I thought it would also be good to have a thread to discuss the search features, so this thread doubles as that!

[Agentvirtuel · Accepted solution]

Hello

Is it browser.urlbar.scotchBonnet.enableOverride https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/discussions/address-bar-updates-now-live-in-firefox-nightly/m-p/77151...

[Agentvirtuel]

Hello

For information purposes.
About Studies https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/shield

[DarkThoughts]

I'm glad this setting works the other way around as well, because I honestly don't understand why you'd go through the effort to require people to make one additional click in order to search their tabs or whatever. Complete step backwards imo.

[firebird]

I agree it's more work to get to now, but I never used the omnibar to search to begin with, so it hasn't impacted me.

I have two suggestions for you:

1. If you really prefer the old interface, right-click the top bar and click "Customize Toolbar". Then add a search bar widget next to your omnibar. It uses the old icon interface that functions exactly the same way, but as a bonus, your most recent search term will remain even as you load more pages. Very handy, in my opinion, and one of the reasons I've been using it for years.

2. Add keyboard shortcuts to your search engines. e.g. `@m` for Mojeek. Then you can search in the omnibar very quickly by just typing `@m` + tab + your search term.

That being said, there are two benefits to the new design:

1. There's now a name next to every search engine icon which tells you clearly which search engine is which. Before, you only had blurry favicons. Most of the time I could tell which was which, but because of how compact it was, I struggled to find search engines.
2. For people who don't know the "search-once" feature exists, the search icon with the down arrow is a clear visual indicator that this feature exists. I think it's more discoverable now.

Hope this helps!

[Agentvirtuel]

Hello

Add the Search bar to your Firefox toolbar
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/add-search-bar-firefox-toolbar

About

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@firebird wrote:

 your most recent search term will remain

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Have you also tested, Show search terms in the address bar on results pages

Information

If, you drag the Search bar into the toolbar, the option, Show search terms in the address bar on results pages, not appears.

If, you drag the Search bar out of the toolbar, the option, Show search terms in the address bar on results pages, appears.

[Agentvirtuel]

Hello

Additional information, about, add search engine.

By way of illustration, add search engine.
https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/ideas/add-startpage-private-search-as-option/idc-p/94269/highlight/tr...

Since the release of https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/140.0/releasenotes

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Custom Search Engines: Firefox now supports adding even more search engines. To add a custom engine, right-click a search field of a supported website and select “Add Search Engine”, or go to Settings > Search > Add (below the search shortcuts table) to manually enter a search URL.

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Since the release of Firefox 140.0, the preference, browser.urlbar.update2.engineAliasRefresh, set to true, by default.

https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/ideas/adding-custom-search-engines/idc-p/99106/highlight/true#M52351

Add a custom search engine in Settings
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/add-or-remove-search-engine-firefox#w_add-a-custom-search-engin...