How-To

How to Fix Google Search Not Working in Firefox

By Brian Burgess

Published December 8, 2023

When search isn’t working correctly in Firefox, it is frustrating. So, here we’ll show you how to fix Google Search not working in Firefox.

When you are using Google search in Firefox, it can be frustrating when Firefox isn’t working right. So, you’ll need to take steps to fix Google search not working on Firefox, and you have options.

There are different reasons why Google search will stop working on Firefox. For instance, the problem could be a corrupt browsing cache, interfering extensions, or that another search engine is configured as the default.

Google is the most-used search engine for conducting research and finding the content you want for work or play. But if it’s not functional during your Firefox experience, we’ll show you how to fix it in this guide.

How Do I Enable Google in Firefox?

One of the first things to check is that Google is configured in Firefox as the default search engine. This is a simple troubleshooting step that can save some time since if Google got replaced as your default search engine, it’s easy enough to set back.

1. Launch Firefox on your desktop and click the menu button in the top right corner.
2. Select Settings from the menu that appears.
3. When the Preferences page opens, select Search from the left panel.
4. Scroll to the Default Search Engine section on the right and select Google from the dropdown menu. Note that this sets Google as the default search engine for the address and search bars.

That’s it. Now, Google should be the default search engine and work as expected. If not, try the following options.

Restart Firefox

If you are in the habit of keeping Firefox always open with multiple tabs, there could be an app conflict or other glitch causing Google not to work. So, restarting the browser could fix the problem.

To Ensure a Full Firefox Restart

1. Right-click an empty area on the taskbar and select Task Manager from the menu that appears.
2. Select the Processes tab, right-click Firefox, and choose End task from the menu.
3. Once Firefox is fully closed, relaunch it and see if Google is working as your search engine.

Clear Firefox Browsing History and Cache

Like other browsers, Firefox keeps cookies and browsing history for a faster browsing experience. But that content cache can get too large or become corrupt and stop Google search from working. Luckily, you can clear the browsing cache in Firefox to fix the problem.

To Clear Firefox History Cache:

1. Launch Firefox on your computer.
2. Press Ctrl+Shift+Delete on your keyboard.
3. Select all items on the Clear Recent History screen, choose a time range, and click Clear Now.
4. Restart Firefox and see if Google Search is working. If not, choose a more extended time range — choosing Everything might be your best option.

Disable Extensions and Add-ons in Firefox

A Firefox extension or add-on could conflict with the search function and cause the issue. So, our next step to turn off all extensions and find out which one isn’t working properly.

To Disable Extensions in Firefox

1. Launch Firefox, click the menu button in the top right corner, and select Add-ons and Themes from the menu.
   
2. A screen will open listing all the extensions enabled in Firefox. Toggle off all installed extensions and restart the browser.
3. Reenable each extension one at a time and test Google Search until you find the one causing the problem. Once you find the culprit, you can uninstall that extension, reinstall it, and ensure the search feature works.

Refresh Firefox

If you continue to have a problem with Google Search not working on Firefox, you can refresh (reset) the browser. A refresh will fix performance issues, remove extensions, and reset customizations.

To Reset Firefox

1. Click the menu button and select Help from the menu.
2. Click More troubleshooting information under the Firefox help section.
3. When the Troubleshooting Information screen appears, click Refresh Firefox under the Give Firefox a tune up section.
4. Click Refresh Firefox when the verification message appears.
5. Once the refresh begins, the browser will close, show data restored successfully, and launch to a Success message. From here, you can restore all your previous windows and tabs or select only the ones you want.

Fixing Google Search Not Working on Firefox

When Google Search isn’t working in Firefox, it can be frustrating. Luckily, you can use the options above to get it working again. Of course, if the refresh option doesn’t work, you can also uninstall and reinstall the browser.

Hopefully, it doesn’t come down to a reinstall, as that is the “nuclear” option to resolve the problem. However, if the options above don’t work, reinstalling the browser should get Google Search working again.