How to Configure Firefox

Okay so I'm getting a little weary of having to hunt around for all the options that I like to have set everytime I upgrade to a new version of Firefox (I prefer to do a clean install everytime). Hence the following are some notes I took on how to configure Firefox or, more precisely, notes I took on what I did to Firefox to make it work for me. You may find them useful.

This tutorial applies to Firefox 3.0.10 which is the latest version as of this writing (May 7th, 2009). If you don't have it yet then you can get it here.

Alright, away we go...

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Set the Home Page

1. Use Firefox to go to the web page you wish to set as your home page.
2. Click on Tools » Options » Main » Use Current Page
3. Click OK to apply settings.

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Turn Off Bookmarks Toolbar

1. Click on View » Toolbars
2. Click to clear Bookmarks toolbar.

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Hide the Bookmarks Toolbar Folder in the Bookmarks Menu

This will hide the Bookmarks Toolbar Folder item in the Bookmarks dropdown menu. If you know what you're doing then just copy the CSS code in the text box below and save it as (or in) your userChrome.css file in your Firefox profile 'chrome' directory. Then restart Firefox to apply the setting.

Okay so I hear some saying, "Uhhhh..... Who the what now....??!?"

(...*chuckle*...)

Alright never mind that. If this is your first time editing your userChrome.css file then try this two part procedure instead~

1. Bookmark this page (to enable you to return here quickly after restarting Firefox)
2. Install the ChromEdit extension.
   
   (Need help?)

   Installing the ChromEdit Extension

   
   (This extension will allow you to easily locate and edit your Firefox configuration files.)
   
   First of all, I'm assuming that you running Firefox 3.0 or above and you are running Windows XP or above.
   
   Now...
   
   If after clicking on the Install link, you get a warning running across the top of Firefox saying:
   
   

   

   Firefox prevented this site (www.ironspider.ca) from asking... (etc.)

   
   Click on the Allow button in the top right corner in order to allow ironspider.ca to install this add-on (extension) in Firefox. You may now proceed with installing the ChromEdit extension.
   
   To configure Firefox so that you can install any or all extensions listed on this site, do the following:

   1. Click on Tools » Options... » Security
   2. Beside "Warn me when sites try to install add-ons", click on Exceptions
   3. In the Address of web site text box, enter the following:

   4. Click on Allow and then click Close and OK to close all dialogs and apply settings.

   
   An alternative method to install this extension:

   1. Download the extension.
   2. In Firefox, click on File » Open File
   3. Navigate to the directory your downloaded extension is located in.
   4. Click to select the extension file (*.xpi) and then click Open

   
   
   
   
   
   
3. After installing ChromEdit, click on Restart Firefox and then continue on with Part Two below.

1. Click inside the text box below to select all code.
   /*hide bookmark toolbar folder from bookmarks menu */ #bookmarksToolbarFolderMenu { display: none !important;} #organizeBookmarksSeparator { display: none !important;}
   
2. Right click on the selected code and click on Copy
3. Click on Tools » ChromEdit Plus » ChromEdit
   (This will open your newly installed ChromEdit extension. The userChrome.css tab should be selected by default.)
4. Click anywhere inside the userChrome.css edit window and then press Ctrl + End on your keyboard to place your text cursor at the end of the file (if it's not there already).
5. Press Enter on your keyboard twice to create a couple of line breaks.
6. Press Ctrl + V on your keyboard to paste the code in.
7. Click on Save.
8. Click on Restart.

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Set Up the Download Manager

1. Click on Tools » Options » Main
2. In the Downloads section, click to select Always ask me where to save files
3. Click OK to apply settings.

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Set Up Tabbed Browsing

This will make Firefox always display a tab in the browser window even when only one tab is open and it will disable the warning that pops up should you attempt to close multiple tabs at once (Right-click on a tab » Close Other Tabs).

1. Click on Tools » Options » Tabs
2. Click to check Always show the tab bar
3. Click to clear Warn me when closing multiple tabs
4. Click OK to apply settings.

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Turn Off Automatic Updates

PLEASE NOTE: As some Firefox updates represent security releases, you should only make the following configuration if you trust yourself to regularly stop in at the Firefox download page to make sure that you have the latest version.

1. Click on Tools » Options » Advanced
2. Click on the Update tab
3. Under Automatically check for updates to:
   1. Click to clear Firefox
   2. Click to clear Installed Add-ons
   3. Click to clear Search Engines
4. Click OK to apply settings.

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Customize the Navigation toolbar

The Navigation toolbar is the bar running across the top of Firefox that contains the Back, Forward, Reload buttons, etc. The following configurations will remove the Search box, add a History button and add a New Tab button.

1. Right click anywhere on Navigation toolbar and click Customize.
2. Drag and drop the search box off the Navigation toolbar into the Customize Toolbar dialog.
3. Drag and drop the History icon from the Customize Toolbar dialog onto the Navigation toolbar to the right of the Home icon.
4. Drag and drop a Separator from the Customize Toolbar dialog onto the Navigation toolbar in between the Home and the History icon.
5. Click Done

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Disable Autocomplete in the Location Bar

This will completely disable the list of URLs that drops down from the location bar if you type in something that is a partial match to a web address you've previously visited. This is also known as the autocomplete function.

1. Type about:config in the location bar and hit Go. (If you get a big 'scary' warning saying "This might void your warranty!", click on "I'll be careful, I promise!")
2. In the Filter box, type in "maxrichresults" (without the double quotes)
3. In the Preference Name section, one listing should appear named browser.urlbar.maxRichResults. Right-click on this and click on Modify
4. Enter -1 in the Enter integer value box and click on OK.
5. Shut down and restart Firefox.

Wahoo! Bye-bye, autocomplete! Don't let the doorknob bump you in the arse on the way out!



See also:

• Mozilla Firefox
• Firefox - Best Extensions

• Seamonkey
• Best Seamonkey Extensions

• Internet Explorer
• Netscape Navigator
• Opera

Last updated: Thursday May 07, 2009 Firefox 3.0.10 compatible

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