[Firefox Tips] Restore Search Box on Toolbar and Remove Extra Spaces Around Address Bar

If you are regularly following this website, you might be aware that newer versions of Mozilla Firefox web browser feature a brand new user interface called “Photon UI“. The new UI comes with lots of changes such as new icon set, square tabs, colored title bar, redesigned compact main menu, enhanced new tab page, re-organized preferences page and many more new features.

You can learn more about the new Photon UI in our exclusive review article given at the following link:

[Review] The New Photon User Interface (UI) of Mozilla Firefox

Today in this topic we are going to address two changes implemented in the new Photon UI present in Firefox 57.0 and later versions.

First thing is the addition of extra spaces around the address bar. Mozilla has added extra white spaces at the left and right sides of the address bar to align the address bar to the center. Look-wise it may look nice but those extra spaces waste the toolbar space and some people may find the spaces annoying.

Second thing is the removal of the search box from the toolbar. Mozilla has removed the classic search box from the toolbar as the search functionality has already been implemented in the address bar long time back, so basically the extra search box on the toolbar was useless as users can search using the address bar.

If you want to remove extra spaces around the address bar and want to restore the classic separate search box on the toolbar in Mozilla Firefox, this tutorial will help you.

TIP 1: Remove Extra Spaces Around the Address Bar

Removing the spaces is very easy and simple. Actually Mozilla has brought back the “Flexible Space” item in toolbar customize window which can be added anywhere on the toolbar to put some extra spaces between toolbar icons.

You just need to right-click on the extra spaces and select “Remove from Toolbar” option. It’ll immediately delete the extra spaces from the toolbar.

TIP 2: Restore Classic Search Box on Toolbar

To bring back the search box on toolbar, you’ll need to use following steps:

1. Right-click on the toolbar or tab bar and select “Customize” option. It’ll open toolbar customize window. You can also select the customize option from Firefox main menu.

2. Now look in the toolbar customize window and you’ll find the search box item present in the list.

3. Click and hold on the search box item and drag-n-drop it to the toolbar next to the addressbar.

4. That’s it. Click on “Done” button and the search box has been added successfully to the toolbar.

In future, if you want to remove the search box, right-click on the search icon present in the search box and select “Remove from Toolbar” option.

UPDATE:

Mozilla has added a new option in Firefox Preferences page to show/hide search box in Firefox toolbar. Open Firefox Options page, go to Search tab and enable “Add search bar in toolbar” option and it’ll immediately enable search box in toolbar:

Also Check:

• [Tip] How to Restore Classic UI in Mozilla Firefox (Sort of)
• [Firefox Tip] Restore Old Classic Options (About:Preferences) Page
• [Firefox Tip] Disable New Compact Menu (Photon UI) and Restore Classic Main Menu