How to add a custom search engine to Firefox?

Question

Is there a way I can add a custom search URL to the Firefox search bar? e.g. I'd like to provide a URL such as http://blahblah.com?search=%s, where Firefox replaces the %s with the content of the search box.

Both IE and Opera can do this, but I can't figure out how to set it up in Firefox.

Answer 1

Add keywords to the address bar:

For example, you can set up your browser to search for bread at stackoverflow.com by simply typing so bread into the omnibar.

Do this by right-clicking on the search bar on the website you commonly search. You can do this for the Search field on any website.

Specifically:

1. Go to the site you want to use to search
2. Right-Click on the search box you fill out on their page (not Firefox's)
3. Select "Add a keyword"
4. Enter the keyword to use when you want to search in that site (eg: "so")

Answer 2

I'd like to provide a URL such as "http://blahblah.com?search=%s" where Firefox replaces the %s with the content of the search box.

You can do this with Firefox! Add a bookmark with that URL, where %s is the search query, then simply set a keyword for the bookmark. You can then search using <key> <search term> in the address bar. For example, the bookmark http://www.google.com/search?q=%s with keyword g means you can type g stack overflow in the address bar to search Google for "stack overflow".

Alternatively, go to the site you want to search, right click in the search box and click "Add a keyword for this search".

Answer 3

The Add custom search engine extension lets you create a new search engine and customize it.

Answer 4

Your best bet is to go to the Mycroft Project and search for an already made search engine plugin.

If you can't find one you can create your own on the submissions page. Full instructions are available.

Answer 5

Ready2Search is also an available free service that helps you do this for any site. It makes search plug-in for Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, and Google Toolbar with great customization options (icons, query parameters, etc.).

Answer 6

The actual, no-bookmark solution for this task:

1. Open a web page that has a search on it (e.g. MDN: developer.mozilla.org).

2. In the address bar, find the icon with the three dots (for me, it’s on the right end of the address bar) and click it.

   

3. Click “Add Search Engine”. This adds the web page’s search to the search engines in your preferences.

If you want to set a keyword (e.g. mdn) for this search, follow these steps:

1. Open the search preferences (or type the following URI in your address bar: about:preferences#search)
2. In the table under the column for “Keyword”, double-click in order to set your own keyword.

Answer 7

Alternative way for custom search

For an example Google Translate string: https://translate.google.com/m/translate#auto/en/%s so top answer here doesn't work. So I found a workaround with the plugin: add-custom-search-engine

And here we go:

Goes to :

Answer 8

Here is a nice tutorial for Firefox's QuickSearch feature:

Quick search in a nutshell, allows you to turn a typical routined web search process into a command line shortcut. For example, instead of going to wikipedia.com to enter the search terms there, you can use “w mySearchTerm” from Firefox’s address bar.

There are only a few steps you'll have to take:

1. Right click on the search input field on the web page which provides the search form
2. Choose "Add a keyword for this search."
3. Give the custom search a name, you'll later use for searching (example: "mysrch" or a single letter)
4. Search by inserting "mysrch yourSearchTerm." in Firefox's address bar.

Answer 9

It's as simple as right clicking in a search field.

The other advantage is that this process creates a bookmark for you. If you use something like XMarks to synchronize your bookmarks, you can access the same search functionality across all synchronised computers.

Answer 10

You can also make complex searches with multiple parameters, and here’s how.

For instance, imagine you have a two field search like this fictitious example:

http:// mymusic.com/search?artist=david+bowie&album=ziggy+stardust

You can make a new search like:

javascript:q="%s";if(q.indexOf(",")>0){q=q.split(",");location.href="http://mymusic.com/search?artist="+q[0]+"&album="+q[1]}

Then you can directly search for: mm david bowie,ziggy startdust

I choose “,” as the separator, but it’s just an example. It’s perfectible, but you get the idea, and anything is possible.

※ Notice that you have to use a tab that has already loaded any page as blank new tabs don’t have a JavaScript engine ready, and there is the same limitation in Opera 12. That is only possible in Chromium and also in blank new tabs.

Answer 11

A bit late to the party, but for those finding this thread now you can click the search icon in the search bar when on the site you want if it has a green + icon on it.

Answer 12

Instead of creating it manually you can use a service like Searchplugins.net which provides an online form to generate your custom search plugin.

1. Search for the word "TEST" in the search engine of your choice and copy/paste the resulting url to the form. eg.

   http://blahblah.com?search=TEST

2. Fill out remaining info / click "create plugin"

3. Click "Install" which appears above the form. The plugin will be added to your search bar.

Answer 13

I believe he's referring to keyword.URL in Firefox's about:config page.

In Firefox's address bar type about:config, then search for keyword.URL and replace its contents with "https://blahblah.com/search?q=", for example.