Discover the New Features of Firefox’s Upgraded Address Bar

The address bar serves as the core interface of your web browser, yet until recently, its functionality remained relatively basic. Fortunately, Firefox has rolled out significant upgrades to enhance the user experience for searching and browsing.

Seamlessly Switch Your Search Engine

Switching between different search engines within the browser’s settings can be cumbersome. In response, Firefox has introduced a new feature allowing users to easily choose their preferred search engine directly from the address bar. This improvement enables you to select your desired search engine, which may display an icon representing the engine, such as Google, Bing, or DuckDuckGo.

Selecting a search engine from the Firefox address bar.

To customize your search engine experience, scroll to Search Shortcuts where you can add a new engine by clicking Add, or finding more options by selecting Find more search engines beneath the shortcuts box. Your selected search engines will subsequently appear in the shortcuts list, allowing for quick access.

Additionally, you can organize your search shortcuts by dragging and dropping them to reorder your list, or easily remove any unwanted shortcuts.

One of the standout features is the ability to switch search engines on the fly. If your initial search on Google doesn’t yield the desired results, simply click the logo of the current engine at the left of the address bar and choose a different option, all while retaining your original query.

Utilize Keywords to Search Bookmarks, History, and Open Tabs

The Firefox address bar goes beyond entering URLs; it also serves as a powerful search tool for your bookmarks, browsing history, and open tabs. For instance, if you select Bookmarks, you’ll be presented with relevant suggestions. You can further refine your query to find specific bookmarks that may not appear in the initial list. Keep in mind, however, that only saved bookmarks will be searchable.

Quick Action Shortcuts for Efficiency

In addition to search capabilities, the newly introduced Actions feature significantly enhances productivity. You no longer need to navigate through multiple menus to perform tasks like managing extensions, saving pages as PDFs, or accessing various functionalities.

To use this feature, click on Actions and select any available icon. For quicker access, you can enter a relevant search term, such as typing “save”to quickly activate the “Save as a PDF”option.

Viewing actions from Firefox's address bar.

Shortcut Entry vs. Drop-Down Box Navigation

The comprehensive shortcut menu has truly revolutionized the Firefox address bar experience. For rapid access, you can utilize the @ symbol to trigger specific searches. For example, if you want to search using Brave, simply type @brave followed by your search query.

Similarly, for saving a document as a PDF, just type @actions save and choose the corresponding result. Typing the @ symbol will unveil a list of available shortcuts for prompt navigation.

Using shortcuts to find what you need in Firefox.

Contextual Search Suggestions for Enhanced Browsing

Firefox intelligently tracks your frequently visited websites and open tabs, enhancing its search suggestions based on your browsing behavior. For instance, if you have an open tab about hacking apps for Android, and you search for hacking apps in the address bar, Firefox will suggest the relevant tab, making your browsing experience more efficient.

If you prefer tailored suggestions, access the shortcut menu and select Search settings. Under Address Bar – Firefox Suggest, you can uncheck specific options to refine what suggestions appear.

Changing Firefox search suggest options.

For those concerned about privacy, consider disabling on-device AI models in Firefox settings as well.

Identify Insecure Sites with Ease

While HTTPS has become the standard for online security, some websites still operate without it. Always ensure the sites you visit use HTTPS, especially when entering personal information. The absence of this protocol can indicate potential risks.

Firefox aims to prioritize user safety by defaulting to HTTPS connections when possible. If a secure connection is not established, the address bar will clearly display a Not Secure message next to the URL, warning users of potential dangers.

Firefox's warning about not secure sites.

For sites that are secure, a padlock icon will appear, and the https portion of the URL will be ommitted, enhancing the clarity of the address bar.

These comprehensive upgrades to the Firefox address bar make web searching and browsing more intuitive than ever. If you’re considering making Firefox your default browser, be sure to customize your New Tab interface. Should you encounter performance issues, such as high CPU usage, consult available troubleshooting resources.

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