How to have the old address bar in Firefox 3

Firefox 3 has some very neat features, the address bar being one of them. However, some people (me included) simply hate that damn thing. Although it is useful to search for something you only know part of (for example you know it contains “Emporium” but you don’t know what it starts with), but if you want to access a specific URL it is simply a pain in the back side most of the time.

That’s why some choose to stick to the old address bar … and since the folks at Mozilla didn’t give us that option directly from the Options menu, an extension was created: oldbar.

Oh, and if you have problems installing from the direct page, try the version history one.

Improved version

It seems there is now an even improved version which not only makes the address bar look the same with the old one, but it restored its functionality and made the Go button visible all the time:

Download: Old Location Bar

Update (only works in the RC version)

It seems you can get the same result without the extension using a hidden option from about:config:

  1. Start Firefox.
  2. In the Address Bar type “about:config” and press Enter.
  3. Right-Click and select New->Boolean.
  4. A box requesting the Preference Name will popup and you should enter “browser.urlbar.richResults” (without the quotes). Press OK to continue.
  5. Select “False” from the box and press OK again.
  6. Restart Firefox

6 thoughts on “How to have the old address bar in Firefox 3

  1. Is there anyway to bring back the ‘Go’ button to the right of the address bar? FF3 removed it – I kinda liked that button.

  2. Yes, but keep in mind the Go button doesn’t really look the same in Firefox 3, it’s more like a Go arrow.

    Anyway, you need to go to you Chrome directory, it should be something like this:

    C:\Documents and Settings\[Your user name]\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\[random id].default\chrome\

    You should see two files there: userChrome-example.css and userContent-example.css.

    Create a new file called userChrome.css and write in it using a text editor:

    #urlbar[pageproxystate=”valid”] > #urlbar-icons > #go-button { visibility: visible !important;}

    An easy way to find the Chrome directory is to do a search for “userChrome”.

  3. Anyone know how to get back the old FF2 urlbar algorithm for FF3 final? Any method I’ve found on Google doesn’t work properly.

    For example, when I type ‘o’ I’d like to see ‘osnews.com’, not ‘addons.mozilla.org’, etc.

  4. Indy, #urlbar[pageproxystate=”valid”] > only makes the button always visible, it doesn’t place it to the right (like this UserScript, http://userstyles.org/styles/6584). The problem is, I have a theme & I cannot skin it properly myself; Can’t get the paths right, can’t find the right images 🙁 Any thoughts, please?!?? 🙂

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