The address bar makes it easier for you to find what you’re looking for. Enter search terms or a specific web address to get search suggestions, your top sites, bookmarks, history and search engines – all within the same field.
You can also update Firefox or fix performance issues right from the search results. On occasion, you may see a tip from Firefox on how you can save time while searching.
Keep reading to learn more about the address bar’s powerful features.
Note: Some of the search engines introduced here are regionally bound and may not be accessible from every location. To ensure a smooth experience, make sure the search engine you are interested in adding or using is compatible with your region.
Searching with the default search engineWhen you search using the address bar, this will use your default search engine. Simply do this:
To change your default search engine, see Change your default search settings in Firefox.
You can't search for every search term in this way; for example, when it's treated as a web address, a search engine keyword or a bookmark keyword. To be able to search for every search term, do one of the following before typing it:
Your top sites are those you visit the most (a combination of your most recently and frequently visited sites), as well as the sites you’ve pinned. You can access your top sites from the drop-down list that appears when you click the address bar. If you’ve installed Firefox for the first time, it suggests top-ranked sites by default.
Top sites appear in the same order as the shortcut tiles in your New Tab page (you can customize them on your New Tab page).
Search shortcutsWhen you click in the address bar, clicking a search engine in the drop-down list (like Google or Amazon) will autofill the address bar with a search engine shortcut (for example: @amazon) so you can perform a search without having to load the search page. Just enter your search term after the search shortcut to perform your search (for example: @amazon adventure books).
You can assign shortcuts to search engines. When you type @ into the address bar, a list of the first 10 web search engines that have a shortcut is shown. You can select one by pressing ↓ or by clicking it.
You can also use shortcuts to search Firefox Add-ons, Bookmarks(*), Tabs(%) and History(^).
Tip: If you don't want to use the mouse or a search shortcut does not appear in the list, you can type in the shortcut or just the first part (for example: @a or @amazon) then press EnterReturn or →, and type in your search term.
Use Google Trending SearchGoogle trending searches are the topics and search queries that a large number of people are currently exploring on the internet. With Firefox, you can easily tap into this dynamic stream of online trends directly from your address bar, and stay updated on what's capturing the online world's attention. To access trending search terms:
For details, see our Using Google Trending Search guide.
Use a different searchWhen you start typing a search term in the address bar, you'll see icons to search instead with: other search engines, Bookmarks, Tabs or History.
You can also choose a search type by pressing Alt + ↓ or Alt + ↑option + ↓ or option + ↑ repeatedly.
For more information on using alternative search engines, see Change your default search settings in Firefox.
Search suggestionsFirefox suggests relevant search terms and even solutions related to the answer or task you may be looking for. Here are some examples of search suggestions.
Keyword suggestionsWhen you start typing in the address bar, Firefox suggests relevant popular searches provided by search engines like Google, Bing, etc. When search suggestions are enabled, the text you type is sent to the default search engine, which analyzes the words and displays a list of related searches.
Write a ? before your input (for example: ?mozilla support)
When you are using a search shortcut, the keyword suggestions come from the chosen search engine.
Smart keywords do not make keyword suggestions.
Site suggestionsAs you type into the address bar, Firefox may offer relevant site suggestions, such as websites from your browsing history, bookmarks and open tabs, to help you quickly and easily navigate the web. To learn more, see Address bar autocomplete suggestions in Firefox.
URL autocompleteAs you type a web address or search term in the address bar, the URL autocomplete feature automatically finishes what you’re typing based on matching websites in your bookmarks, history or popular websites. This lets you visit websites in just a few keystrokes (no mouse needed). Just press EnterReturn when Firefox finds a match.
Prevent URL autocomplete when searchingIf your search term autocompletes to a web address that you don't want to visit, press Del, BackspaceDelete or Space before pressing EnterReturn.
You can also begin your search with a ? to prevent autocomplete (for example: ?mozilla.org). This will also prevent your search from autocompleting with bookmarks, smart keywords and search shortcuts.
Firefox Solution buttonsFirefox lets you get solutions to popular tasks, like downloading, updating or fixing Firefox. When you start typing a task, Firefox will suggest a solution, so you can fix the problem and get back to the things that are important to you.
For example: Entering “Download Firefox” when you already have Firefox installed.
This feature is currently only available in English.
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