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How to enable a Real Search Box in the middle of a New Tab Page

  • 4 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 2 views
  • Last reply by TyDraniu

xxq107a
xxq107a
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In the middle of the FF home page, the search box functions normally, but not on a new tab page. The box is fake and typing automatically goes to the address bar. I changed the setting in about:preferences#search to "Add search bar in toolbar." That resulted in adding a 2" search bar to the right of the address bar with a TINY font. VERY difficult to see.

Next in about:config, I switched this to false: "browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.improvesearch.handoffToAwesomebar ". But, that didn't fix it.

An article on askvg.com said to do the above, but to do it in FF's NIGHTLY. To get the search box to function in the center of the page, will I have to install Firefox Nightly alongside my normal Firefox Release and fix it there? Then will it sync over to my regular FF and fix it? Or, is there another way?

In the middle of the FF home page, the search box functions normally, but not on a new tab page. The box is fake and typing automatically goes to the address bar. I changed the setting in about:preferences#search to "Add search bar in toolbar." That resulted in adding a 2" search bar to the right of the address bar with a TINY font. VERY difficult to see. Next in about:config, I switched this to false: "browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.improvesearch.handoffToAwesomebar ". But, that didn't fix it. An article on askvg.com said to do the above, but to do it in FF's NIGHTLY. To get the search box to function in the center of the page, will I have to install Firefox Nightly alongside my normal Firefox Release and fix it there? Then will it sync over to my regular FF and fix it? Or, is there another way?

All Replies (4)

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
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Setting browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.improvesearch.handoffToAwesomebar = false should prevent this focus switch to the location bar. Note that in some cases closing and restarting Firefox is mandatory to apply pref changes.

jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
  • Top 25 Contributor
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Setting the ...handoffToAwesomebar preference to false works in regular windows. However, it doesn't work in private windows.

xxq107a
xxq107a Question owner
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Hi again, yes I closed FF and even restarted the computer. Is there a workaround to make it apply to private windows? Is there a way to make the tiny 2" search box in the the toolbar longer and the font larger? 

And, is there a suggestion or complaint link that I can contact Mozilla about correcting it in private windows?  thx u

Modified by xxq107a

TyDraniu
TyDraniu
  • Top 25 Contributor
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Yes you can contact them, but it will be ignored, as in bug 1713338.