Independent search box toolbar no longer lets you hit enter to go to your default search provider

[shin0bi272]

I just noticed in firefox 128.0 that I can no longer click in the search box and hit enter to go to my default search provider's homepage.  That was the way I got to that page for years and now all of a sudden it doesnt work.  While sure I can just search using that search provider in that box, that box also keeps a record of my searches while going to the search provider homepage doesnt. 

[robg]

A solution that turns a simple mouse click into a mouse+keyboard shortcut is not a solution.

As a workaround, for now, I've set one of my mouse keys to insert a space.

[Brianb253]

I too would like to thank you for taking into consideration those of us who like things they way they were. With that, my two options are to downgrade to 127 or to divorce myself from Firefox all together. The former is doable, the latter will take time as to trying to decide who is closer to FF and how much of my profile with be transferable.

Making us wait is the wrong attitude for a company to have. Changing for the sake of change is also wrong. This is how companies will eventually close or lose a large portion of the clients. Take BudLite and Harley Davidson as an example of what happen when you do something that was in the whim of either the management or the engineers.

With that in mind, I find the solution you presented as unacceptable. I am sorry you have gone this route but I applaud you for allowing me to have the fortitude to move on.

Again, thanks.

[iwannabeakiwi]

Hi all, I'm downgrading to an earlier release, and there's a prompt for whether to create a new profile. Will that option maintain my saved bookmarks and such? I have FF sync enabled.

[skizlock]

Yes, the bookmarks will remain. The customized settings in Firefox as well as extensions will be gone.

[wordleunlimited]

Why does the independent search box toolbar no longer let me hit enter to go directly to my default search provider? This used to be a quick and easy way to search, but now wordle it seems broken or unresponsive. Is this a bug or a change in functionality? Any advice or solutions would be appreciated!

[skizlock]

They have dropped the feature on a false assumption that it is not being used by many people.

[Standard8]

Please see here for the latest update: https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/discussions/independent-search-box-toolbar-no-longer-lets-you-hit-ent...

[117649]

It is until this day I didn't think about why was I want do a hit enter on empty search bar to open a new search engine tab and do search there.

What I'm looking at is the last search query I've input lingering in the search bar after I close the results tab.

I want hit enter on empty search bar to open a new engine tab is because I want not leave a trace in the search bar!

And this reveal the true intension behind this so called fix which is make you leave more trace for collect.

For a company speak of proceting customer's privacy where ever they go.

Mozilla you just make me sick now.

[Standard8]

By default, your history, including the search terms entered on the address & search bars are not sent to Mozilla. They go only to the search engine partner(s) you are using, and we record them on your machine in your Firefox profile. If you use Firefox Sync, then your profile data is encrypted before it is uploaded, so that Mozilla can't read it.

If you turn on "Improve the Firefox Suggest experience", only then may your search terms may be sent to Mozilla as part of the feature.

If you do not want the search bar to save the search terms locally, you can go into Settings -> Privacy & Security, and look for the History section. You can select to customise and turn off "Remember search and form history" option. We are going to look at expanding this in future.

[jscher2000]

---

@117649 wrote:

What I'm looking at is the last search query I've input lingering in the search bar after I close the results tab.

---

Do you mean the optional short search bar you can add to the main toolbar? That is the classic behavior for that bar. Users who add the bar often cite being able to edit their query over and over without having to start typing it again from scratch as the reason they prefer using the search bar over the address bar. If you do not find this behavior useful, you can remove the optional short search bar and run your searches from the address bar (the default configuration).

[ololuki]

Please revert this stupid change. I used search box not only to search something on different pages, but also to open main pages, e.g. google to go to maps or another that uses search box. I like to just click magnifying glass button and then click with left or middle button to open homepage on this or in the new tab.

[Kayayayaya]

Yet another feature Firefox removed because "people don't use it" despite the fact that it is something I used frequently. "Get a new workflow" is a horrible response to people who already had something that worked perfectly fine and didn't need to be removed for a bug that is seen by probably even fewer users than people who used blank searches.

[Flashheart8]

Please put this back how it was, I don't want to go to the Chrome side but needs must!

[skizlock]

The developers have apparently disregarded our feedback on the proposed solution which essentially is an insult to our protest.

They have even changed the previous bug for restoration of the feature to the following enhancement issue to address it:

https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1907034

Do comment on it to let them know your thoughts.

[Kayayayaya]

They are also trying to add telemetry, which will inevitably be used to remove it again later since no power user is sending telemetry data. Same fate as the "open image" link from the right click menu.

https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1915252

[skizlock]

Yes, I as a power user have telemetry turned off as well.

[Brianb253]

As already mentioned, I do believe that monetary reward at Mozilla with regards to Search Engines is the driving force. If it was otherwise just a random change they would have put it back by now. Money speaks louder that loyalty. Before I could put 150mm=in in the searchbar and get an answer without hitting return. That does not work anymore. I have to hit return which activate a search function, hence monetary thanks to Mozilla.

Guys, forget it. Nothing will happens. Bark all you want but the powers that be smell profit in lieu of good customer relations.

Note: @Standard8 the issue with 150mm=in in the search bar was caused by me not having Search Suggestions checked. You mentioned that in a recent post. It has been resolved now. Thanks. I retract that statement.

[Standard8]

The search suggestions in the search bar are provided by the search engine itself, they are not managed by Firefox nor Mozilla. The change being discussed here does not alter your capability to see search suggestions in the search bar.

As far as I know, it is only Google that offers an answer to `150mm=in` in the search suggestions. If you default engine is not set as Google, or you have turned off search suggestions, then you will not see that result.

[Brianb253]

Thanks Standard8. My search engine has been Google for many years. Since the change to the searchbar, nothing happens. Now, there maybe something else that I am missing, I don't know. But as far as I can tell, I have changed nothing.

[jscher2000]

---

@Brianb253 wrote:

Before I could put 150mm=in in the searchbar and get an answer without hitting return. That does not work anymore. I have to hit return which activate a search function, hence monetary thanks to Mozilla.

---

Seems to still work in the address bar:

and in the classic short search bar:

assuming that search engine suggestions are still enabled.

[Wazz]

As 15+ years user of Firefox I find this ridiculous change very disappointing and frustrating. There is literally no reason to do that other than "we wanted to make your life worse". This functionality was there for like 10 years at least, that was one of main reasons why I always found firefox more user friendly than chrome. Why remove it now???

[TechHorse]

Standard8, first of all thank you to the developers for listening to the feedback and agreeing to restore the original functionality.

However, and apologies if this has already been explained somewhere, why change it so that the user now needs to shift+enter or shift+click? Why can't the original enter-only / click-only functionality be restored?

Is the explanation that some new action is intended for enter / click with an empty search box, and that is why a new shift press needs to be added for the original actions?

Also, if there is some reason why enter / click-only  can no longer be used, then why add in the shift key specifically, as opposed to the alt key say? To my mind adding a shift press should open something in a new window?

[Pizzacat]

Just adding to the comments, please revert this change, it is annoying and takes away from ease of workflow

[EzekyleA]

With this ridiculous change, I am using Edge for the first time since it's out.

I changed its start page to google. Now it's just one click to have the google search open.

You made me use another browser I wouldn't have even looked at before. Good work if that was your intention.

[mcfx]

This is nonsense. I need to reach the home of some sites (eg Youtube) because they give me content automatically. Also I need the site to guide my search because it has my history and knows what I want. Searching from the search bar isn't always the best choice, bring back the empty search please

[Reiben]

We need this back. Just make it an option. Removing possibilities is always a bad decision. TBH - this might be a reason for me to drop firefox.

[Brianb253]

It looks like Firefox is trying to be like Edge or Chrome or Internet Explorer. I really won't hold your breath waiting for FF to revert back to pre-127. Ain't gonna happen.

[jam0921]

I don't understand the decision they made.

If Firefox is trying to be like Edge or Chrome, why wouldn’t people just switch to those browsers?

Firefox is Firefox because it's different from them.

[RHimadiiev]

Dear Firefox! Bye! I am switching to another browser. Be stubborn! Be strong!

[BlaqBear]

Posting a comment to express how I'd like an option to have this function restored.

[jam0921]

I'm really disappointed that they just simply removed a function that a lot of people use every day.

This shouldn’t be a bug; it’s a feature for me, a 20-year Firefox user

[kywarai]

Please bring it back.

[kywarai]

Here's the demonstration:

[skizlock]

Firefox 127 you could even click the search engine icons to go to their homepages. Such a useful feature ruined.

The devs have implemented the shift+enter / shift+click "solution" though. Will arrive in Firefox 131.

[kywarai]

Yes, they don't know the value of these features at all.

This feature means you don't need to create bookmarks for websites like Google or Amazon, saving additional UI space. (Creating a bookmark for google.com is such a boomer move.)

The last time they messed up Firefox was when they changed the shortcut key for 'Copy Link Address' from 'A' to 'L'. Now I need a third party extension to fix this: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/copy-link-address-a 

[skizlock]

Well they have been screwing it over since a long time now. There had been many instances that I just had to rollback.

Especially how you can't manage the grossly verbose options in context menus which for some reason they have just kept on adding on the pile. Had to customize it in userChrome...

Fortunately, there betters have made such support a long while back for users who might opt to not go with later incompetents changing the real reasons, the UI is the way it is.

[2SS2]

I'm still waiting for them to bring it back....

[2SS2]

Click + Shift? Why add shift if you can make it done with just a click!!!

[skizlock]

There is a major change to be released much more down the line which according to them is incompatible with these having a click.

Yes, assuringly more disappointment is incoming.

Also this shift solution was after all rejected here, but they didn't listen same when they didn't ask the community before removing the feature.

[HikesinRain]

Only way I can see to restore it is to upgrade back to Firefox 127, the last one where it worked.  I've gathered everything I think I need, but so far I haven't had the time.  Suspending "upgrades" also sounds like a good option, unless or until they force it down our throats like they did with that terrible Thunderbird Supernova.