Search Suggestions have become messy...

[HH1]

I've been a Firefox user for well over a decade. For a few months now (probably most of 2025 and now 2026), I've noticed that the suggestions in the address bar have been all over the place and it's deeply frustrating.

What follows is for context only, not looking for technical support since it's not the place.

Right now my settings are as simple as can be: "search suggestions" turned off + "address bar" on "bookmarks" and "browsing history". Nothing else... Despite those settings (and I've tried a few combos), Firefox keeps the first suggestion (autofilled) on what really looks like trending websites or just randomly picked URLs. And what is suggested will also vary from one day to the next! Clicking "forget that website" doesn't even help. I did NOT select "show trending search suggestions" as part of my settings!

Example: historically I'd type "h" and expect to see "hotmail.com" autofilled FIRST. Now I have to type "hotmail.com" entirely myself otherwise the auto-filled suggestions are everything EXCEPT my own bookmarks or recent browsing. Random URLs back to back, such as "hollywoodreporter.com" "hiphopwired.com" "hostinger.com", it's infuriating... And if I'm lucky, "hotmail.com" (very much bookmarked), will be at the very bottom so it's faster to type it myself.

For years, I used to be able to type 1 letter (2 max) and primarily see websites I had bookmarked and/or frequently visited first, kind of like a shortcut. That was great, and frankly, it's what I got used to... so sudden changes are annoying, counterintuitive and demanding unnecessary effort.

Please, just bring back the old settings!!

[DK7777]

Yes!!!! It forced the update onto me now and I hate it!!!!
I visit a site that starts with M multiple times a day, but any time I try to put m and hit enter, its takes me to the japanese version of mangaplus now!!!!

[FanaticalApathy]

Exactly the same here. to<enter> now is tomshardware.com, instead of the site I've been going to every day for years.

[eloquence]

Yup, same experience. Even for autocompleting basic URLs I use routinely, the "awesomebar" has become distinctly less awesome than it used to be. I frequently have to type out a high frequency URL that would previously have been suggested for autocompletion.

This is with "semantic history search" and "suggestions from Firefox" DISABLED, and with the box "Show search suggestions ahead of browsing history" UNCHECKED. So it really should prioritize "dumb" high frequency matches, but it doesn't consistently do so.

[Standard8]

An issue is being worked on and a fix is being tested at the moment. It is planned to be released in Firefox 148 which is due out on 24 February.

[aliendude33]

I just updated my firefox and it still doesn't seem to be fixed.

[aliendude33]

Okay just kidding, I think it took some time to reindex but it seems like now the issue has been fixed.

[HH1]

Firefox 148 installed and the issue remains same as before... Not sure what fix aliendude33 is experiencing. So standard8, please update us if this is scheduled for yet another Firefox update. 

[aliendude33]

It should work after waiting a few minutes post upgrade + a potential restart. It took mine a few minutes after the upgrade for it to work.

[HH1]

Lucky you, it's just not the case for me. Two updates have gone by now. Still seeing messy suggestions and whatever was "fixed" was only the random trending URLs part, except now it's random URLs from my history (so STILL not what should be auto-filled or what was historically autofilled correctly...).
@Standard8 nudging as I see no replies/updates since Feb. Is there a full fix scheduled? Thanks.