How to update the Firefox search bar to use the new Google icon

by Ross McKillop on June 1, 2008

Firefox

As you likely know by now, Google has updated their favicon.ico from the boxed G (old google favicon)to a lower case (with no box) g (new google favicon). However, Firefox continues to use the old icon in the search bar.

old firefox search bar
Old Google Firefox Search Bar

new google icon to the firefox search bar
New Google Firefox Search Bar

To switch to the new icon in your Firefox Search Bar, keep reading.

To update Firefox and force the search box to display the new icon, download and install the Add to Search Bar Addon (previously reviewed here) – which works in both Firefox 2.x and 3. As with all Firefox addons, you’ll need to restart Firefox after it’s installed.

Now visit http://www.google.com. Right-click (ctrl-click for single-button Mac folks) in the Google Search box and select Add to Search Bar…

adding google to the firefox search bar

A small pop-up window will appear asking you to name (and select an icon) the new search. Leave the defaults and click OK

adding new google icon to the firefox search bar

Now you’ll notice the new Google icon in your Search Bar.

new google icon to the firefox search bar

To remove the old Google entry (and make the new one the default) select the arrow next to the new Google icon and choose Manage Search Engines… from the list.

manage firefox search bar engines

First, select your new Google entry and click the Move Up button until it’s at the top.

firefox search box search engines
click to enlarge

Once it’s at the top, highlight the “old” Google entry and click the Remove button. When you’re done, click OK

firefox search box search engines removing original google
click to enlarge

That’s it – you’re done. Enjoy your the new Google icon in your Firefox Search box.

new google icon to the firefox search bar
  • http://thehypefactor.com KrAzy Che3To

    Wow, that was a lot easier than I thought it would be. I hadn’t heard of that plugin before either, thanks!!

  • Alvin Brinson

    After installing the extension, finding out it is NOT compatible with 3.0RC1, enabling Nightly Tester Tools, forcing compatibility…. The option to Add to Search Bar is not present.

  • http://www.simplehelp.net Ross McKillop

    Alvin -

    Admittedly I did the install on FF 3B5, but assumed (I know) that since the addon page said “Firefox: 2.0 – 3.0.*” that included RC1. Sorry about that.

  • Alvin Brinson

    There is the possibility that there’s a conflict with another extension of course…

    I finally edited the XML file in the searchplugins and changed the icon there. But you have to convert the file to hex code and that was a process I’m still not quite sure how I did (it involved a commandline on Linux).. Would be nice if firefox accepted a URL for the search icon in the xml file.

  • http://ruralphysician.blogspot.com Rural Physician

    Wow! Thank you very much. It was so easy. And as said above, this blog only let me know about that add-on for the search engines.

    Regards,

  • Steffen

    Imho the REAL interesting thing is how to NOT get the sh*** icon in my firefox and get the old one back.
    The vast majority of users disagrees on the new icon for what i read on the blogs.
    Ill fiddle around .
    Cheers

  • http://makingrevenueonline.blogspot.com/ seo techniques

    Thanks a lot, very informative article. I was searching for how to update my firefox. This will really help me

  • paysdoc

    Te installation worked very well.
    There’s just one thing: with the new search bar I don’t get the automatic suggestions anymore.
    Is there a way to get those too?