Hi SMed79, Firefox 41 no longer uses the browser.newtab.url setting in about:config because it was constantly attacked by malware. Starting in Firefox 41, you need an add-on to change the new tab page. I know this looks like a lot of work just to get a completely blank page for now, this is the way.

Here are some extension options (I learn of more all the time):

• If you already use the Classic Theme Restorer extension: There is an option somewhere (!) in its extensive settings dialogs to select a different new tab page.

• If you want to use your home page on the new tab: Try https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/new-tab-homepage/

• If you want to set a different page or a completely blank page: Try https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/new-tab-override/

• If you want the cursor to move into a search box in the page: Try https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/custom-new-tab/

Please only use one of these methods at a time, otherwise there may be conflicts and dysfunctionality.

Setting up New Tab Override or Custom New Tab

After installing one of these extensions, you need to use its Options page to set the desired new tab page (instead of using about:config).

Open the Add-ons page using either:

• Ctrl+Shift+a (Mac: Cmd+Shift+a)
• "3-bar" menu button (or Tools menu) > Add-ons

In the left column, click Extensions. Then on the right side, find New Tab Override or Custom New Tab and click its Options button. (See first screen shot attached.)

New Tab Override

Depending on the height of your screen, you may need to scroll down to enter the desired address into the form. (See second screen shot attached.) For example:

• Page thumbnails (default) => about:newtab
• Blank tab => about:blank
• Built-in Firefox home page => about:home
• Any other page => full URL to the page

Then tab or click away from that form field and you can test using Ctrl+t.

Custom New Tab

Entering your preferred home page address is simple. If you do not check either of the boxes, the extension will set the focus in the page so, for example, the cursor will be in the Google search box. (See third screen shot attached.) I had to exit Firefox and start it up again before Custom New Tab started working, but this may have been due to testing so many extensions back-to-back.

Success?

Hi jscher2000; the better choice it was to disable this option and give users ability to change requesting root/admin privilege.

What i think is the change is in relation with introducing advertisement on New Tab page.

• http://www.ghacks.net/2014/08/26/sponsored-tiles-in-firefox-here-they-are/
• http://www.ghacks.net/2015/05/15/mozilla-adds-suggested-sites-feature-to-new-tab-page/

Solved i really appreciate your help, Thanks! Med

If advertising was the dominant motivation, it probably would be a lot harder to remove than unchecking a box, and not as obvious in the interface. ;-)

Removing browser.newtab.url setting in about:config prevent malware attacks? The next step > browser.startup.homepage ;)

Regards, Med

If you want to suggest feature changes -- real or facetious -- support actually isn't the best place. Please see:

https://input.mozilla.org/feedback

Ok, Thanks again.

There are these bug reports about storing 'configuration outside of prefs':

• Bug 1083961 - Store "new tab page" configuration outside of prefs
• Bug 1051082 - Store homepage configuration outside of prefs
• Bug 1029148 - store "current search engine" configuration outside of prefs

Please do not comment in bug reports
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/page.cgi?id=etiquette.html

sorry if this is considered thread necroing, but I figured out how to do this with userContent.css:

@-moz-document url(about:newtab) { input#newtab-customize-button { display: none !important; } }

Spleeno said

I figured out how to do this with userContent.css

Works, Thanks you!

The browser.newtab.url pref is no longer supported in Firefox (41+), so it is no longer possible to set the new tab page via this pref.

You can look at this extension to set the new tab page:

• New Tab Override: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/new-tab-override/

You can set the new tab URL via the Options/Preferences of the extension on the about:addons page.

You can look at this extension if you use the home page as the new tab page.

• New Tab Homepage: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/new-tab-homepage/

Classic Theme Restorer includes this feature as well. In current CTR versions (1.3.9+) you find "New tab page url" in the Tabs (1) section.

You can use pages like these:

• the default new tab page with the tiles is about:newtab
• the default home page is about:home
• for a blank page use about:blank
• for Super Start use about:superstart
• use the URL of a web page

See the about:about page for available about pages.