Strange problem with Firefox 3 ā return key not working on address bar
Since upgrading to Firefox 3, I’ve had an intermittent problem, both on my work and my home PC’s. Every now and then the enter key will refuse to submit a URL entered in the address bar.
The strange things is that selecting a bookmark from the bookmarks drop down, or from the bookmarks toolbar still works as normal. A restart of the browser does of course fix it, but it seems an odd little bug.
Anyone else experience this?
UPDATE
A number of people in the comments below have reported that disabling some of the plug-in may affect it. Such as the Delicious or AVG Safe Search plug in.
gabs
Yes, I experience the the exact same problem.
I find it very annoying..
.gabs
wurst
I have the same problem (WinXP machine). Happens at least once a day. I’ve tried to selectively disable extensions. Not success yet. What I noticed is that the search box keeps working.
Chris Lamothe
I suffer from the same problem running Firefox 3.0 on OSX 10.5.4 (had same issue with 10.5.3). I’ve got the following Add-ons:
Adblock Plus 0.7.5.5
Delucious Bookmarks 2.0.64
PicLens 1.7.0.3458
Web Developer 1.1.6
Chris Lamothe
I should also mention that Bugzilla has an unconfirmed bug number 438932 concerning this issue. I’m also wondering if it has something to do with the number of tabs I currently have open (46).
Daniel
Same problem at least once a day, and I agree it is very annoying, I hope their is a fix soon, for we need the return button! Sheesh
admin
Thanks for the info Chris, at least they are aware of it now.
Let’s see if it progresses.
Andy Ford
I’ve been having this problem on mac. Pre and post Leopard and with Firefox 2 and post Leopard with ff3
Axel Alviso
I’ve the same problem
leon
Yes – I confirm I’ve had the same problem on OS X 10.5 and Win XP. I believe I’ve even experienced it on my OpenSuse 11.0 machine but I can’t remember for sure.
Gradualist
I have same problem of the return key and the little blue go arrow not working on Firefox 3, on OS X 10.5. Its not to do with the number of tabs as it happens to me with none or a few. If you go to the bugzilla page Chris Lamothe has linked to above, and signup, you can Vote for this bug, which might help get it fixed?
Travis
I wonder if it’s maybe due to the del.icio.us extension. I hadn’t noticed this problem until today when I installed it. Someone else mentioned they had the del.icio.us extension as well.
Joe Smith
Try restarting your system. It’s possible an update has thrown things out of whack.
Aamir Afridi
For Apple:
Goto System Preferences…
Keyboard and mouse
on the bottom click Select (All controls)
It should start working or else try restarting ur machine.
Blake
I was just experiencing this, as well. I had the del.icio.us extension installed, disabled it, restarted and it was fixed. But, I’m not sure if just the restart might have corrected it.
Matt Wynne
I’ve also been experiencing this. A restart of firefox (without disabling any of my plug-ins) seems to have fixed it for the time being.
I also have the delicious toolbar, so let the rumours and conjecture begin…
Nicole
Well, I have been experiencing this problem for quite a while now, it’s really annoying. It happens when I spend a lot of time in firefox without restarting it… I also have the delicious add-on, and restarting fixes the bug, but soon after, it messes up again…
Mark
I’ve had the same problem on both my Windows and Mac systems, and especially after visiting a site that requires Java. I was able to reproduce the problem after visiting a particular site. After having read through this thread, I tried disabling my delicious plug-in. Restarted Firefox, went through the same scenario that always created the problem before, and this time, no problem.
Given this, I’m not sure if it is just delicious, or if it is a problem with delicious and web site that require the Java JRE.
jules
same here. also have delicious
Manny
I’m having this problem on Safari and I’m running OS 10.4. Whenever I hit ‘Return’ in the address bar (and in other places, I have to hit it several times before it responds. But I noticed that when I’m writing an email, I cannot hit ‘Return’ to get a carriage return at all. In TextEdit and Word, Return also doesn’t work at all. But if I hit ‘enter,’ that does work. It’s extremely annoying and I cannot figure it out…does anyone know how to solve this problem?
MarkR
Im also having a similar problem. It doesn’t happen all the time and seems quite random. The problem occurs in firefox search bar, in Mircosoft Word and Excel, and for example if I write an email in google mail. Both enter keys fail to work. It seems to happen for a time and then go away. It is not however a problem with the physical keyboard as the enter key always works on the Vista login screen. I am running Windows Vista Home edition on a less the 1 month old Compaq A905TU laptop. I thought it might be a virus but virus scans/cleans have failed to correct this problem.
Mark.
Cap'n Ken
Same problem; OS X 10.5. Had delicious add-on; saw suggestion here that it could be causing; removed it … problem solved! Bye, delicious add-on.
dej
but i like the delicious add-on and i use the delicious toolbar buttons pretty often…does anyone know how to fix this problem without getting rid of the add-on altogether?
Rohit
I work on FF 3 Beta 2. I have been facing this issue. After looking around i found my AVG anti-virus link scanner add-on disabled the return key. I also have FF 3.0.6 installed on the same machine. I don’t face this problem with it.
Steve
I have also been experiencing this problem, namely hitting return in the address bar doesn’t work in FF 3.1b3pre and now also doesn’t work in 3.2a1pre. Following Rohit’s advice I too disabled AVG Safe Search add-on and everything is fine again.
HB
Third motion that AVG safe-search add on causes this problem. (using 3.1b2)
Silver
Fourth motion that AVG safe-search add on is the problem. I disabled it and lo and behold, no further issues with enter key.
I been living without enter-tastic web-browsing for close to a month and I am very happy to get that ability back.
Using Firefox 3.1 Beta 2. Thanks to Rohit for finding the solution.
Michael
Upgrade to FF 3.0.7 – — fixed it for me…
Joe
I have the same problem although I do not have the delicious extension.
Dominic
http://groups.google.com/group/mozilla.feedback.firefox.prerelease/browse_thread/thread/cb561039852c8e2e
Try Disable the AVG safe search add-on
Rein
Got Firefox 3.1b2 and got the same issue.
Disabling AVG safe-search add-on fixed the issue for me as well.
LegendTeller
thank you Dominic!
I Disabled the AVG safe search add-on and it solve the problem (:
rock
avg safe search add on was part of my problem too. I disabled it but also had to open avg and click on link scanner and disable all 3 safe search items there as well. Also had to remove the google search bar and use the smart bar instead.
Hari Prasad Reddy
avg safe search disabling will solve the problem….. thanks š
Sakkaravarthy
i too had the same problem past 2 days, it was a mess.. i literally thought some network issue. finally it was avg safe search.. after disabling it, Enter is working fine. Thanks guys.
faute
As many other have been saying, disable the avg safe search and the return key will work again. just did it my self and it works again.
will
I have the same problem: the return key won’t work when I start Firefox, and neither does the ‘go’ button. After a while, it does though. I do not have AVG; I’m using Avast. I repeat: no AVG on my PC. Tried running in Safe mode, and I have the same problem. Seriously considering rolling back to a previous version of Firefox now…
Kent N
I disabled AVG Safe Search long ago and still have the problem. Apparently Mozilla has no interest in fixing the bug. Time to try Opera.
a big ty
thank you faute, your solution proved right (at least for me :)) and fixed my problem, i’ve just downloaded the fox 3.5 and since it’s a pc in my office i was a little vexed about the not-working button
TY again š
Ian Fernando
well I got the ne version beta FF and when installing alexa sparky plugin my return key stopped working, disabled and its back working. so it may be certian adons
Matt
Yeah I got the same problem, resolved by disabling Alexa Sparky.
Ross
it was AVG Safe Addon that stopped mine working :s
HandyTechTipper
Try opening a new window (Ctrl-N) and then the Enter key works again š
I don’t have AVG addon installed – so Ctl-N worked for me.
I also upgraded to Firefox 3.5.6 which also fixed the problem: http://www.mozilla-europe.org/en/firefox/3.5.6/releasenotes/
Betty
AVG Safe Search is also my issue. Disabled it and the problem vanished. Haven’t found a place where AVG/Firefox has addressed this issue, but plenty have run across it.
http://digitalmutterings.com/blog/2009/3/22/your-enter-key-not-working-in-firefox.html
https://support.mozilla.com/tiki-view_forum_thread.php?locale=tr&comments_parentId=394639&forumId=1
Jeff
I have this problem on my vista 64 ultimate pc. It started about 2-3 weeks ago, I’ve been using firefox for years with no issue but suddenly this pops up. I don’t believe I have avg safe search installed as I dropped that anti-virus over a year ago but I’ll check the del.ico.us extension and see if it helps. It’s very annoying but all I have to do to get around it is go to file-> new window. and the new window doesn’t have the problem only the original one I tried.
Hu
AVG Safe Search was my problem too, thanks!
Andy
Dont have AVG Safe Search disabled all add-ons and still not working – doesnt work in the search bar either.
Philem
I have Firefox 3.5.7 and also still have thesame problem of not being able to use the Go button on the address bar and the search area too. I have uninstalled AVG 8 but it still didnt work. What else do I do
cadditguy
I have the same problem but with no similarities in add ons and extensions. If I open up two windows (not tabs) the first one will always fail to work but the second windows is fully functional. From what I have read this problem seems to span OS and doesnt seem to be affected by any one particular addon .
Bill Starr
I have Firefox 3.6 and have been having this very annoying problem for awhile. As suggested, disabling AVG Safe Search 9.0.0.716 just fixed it for me. The uninstall button is grayed out.
Columbus, Indiana
Sat, 6 Feb 2010, 6:46 pm EST
Lynn Kenney
I don’t have either AVG anti virus or delicious add-on. Running 3.6 FF. I am unable to begin typing on a new line, now. Holding down the carriage return or the Enter Key for many seconds does nothing. While typing this comment, I’ve trid disabling my Symantic virus software and closing several tabs. Still can’t insert a new line. I see other posts here that also don’t have any blank lines or short lines in the middle of their post so maybe they too had the same problem….. My inability to use the enter or carriage return seems to be confined to text boxes. CR works in the search box and the address bar.
Richard Siggins
I had the same problem start when I installed Miro. I uninstalled Miro, plus all the crap it installed but the problem remained. I was runniung FF 3.5.7 so I upgraded to 3.6 and the problem went away.
Paul
I have the same problem. Upgraded to 3.6.3 but problem persists. Also receiving a strange message from the AVG toolbar that it can access the AVG app and non of the AVG search shield stuff works. Not sure if this is related. But teh lack o an enter functionality is highly annoying.
Kane
hey i have had the same problem and the return button woulldnt work at all EVER!!!! However when i disabled certain add-on’s it would work most of the time. But i still think the problem is linked to a virus or glitch or something like that.
Kane š
Niall Fagan
Hey, I am having this issue for the first time but with Firefox 4 Beta – driving me nuts! I don’t have AVG on my macbook! help, anyone?
Derek
Same problem here – can’t press return, can’t even click the little > arrow at the end of address bar. Also, when I right-click a bookmark on the bookmark toolbar, the option to open it in a new tab is missing.
Running FF 3.6.12 on OS 10.6.5 Not running AVG at all.
Restarting FF fixes it, but it’s a pain.
Carter
I see that AVG has been mentioned, but I wanted to confirm that this was the problem, in my case. I noticed that AVG SafeSearch add-on was randomly reenabled, and it started happening. I disabled it and the problem was immediately fixed. I’m not going to uninstall AVG or anything, just not going to use that add-on.
Dinesh
It was AVG for me as well. Thanks š
Mark
Disabled the AVG Addins (Tools/Options/General – Manage Add-Ins), and now it works again š The problem started anyway since I had a problem with AVG (which I stil haven’t solved; AVG doesn’t work anymore and I also cannot un-install AVG because an AVG Service is running).
JiN
go to “tools” in between “bookmarks” and “help”
click on it and disable the avg safe search. it solved the problem for me.
Subhransu
This problem is due to AVG Safe Search Extension for Firefox. Go to Firefox’s
Tools–>Add-Ons–>Select Extensions then disable AVG Safe Search extension. After this restart your firefox browser.
Happy Surfing……………………..
Subhransu Sekhar Jena
Vik
Had the Enter key issue with my system too today.
Luckily, found this website and disabled the AVG Safe Search Add on…. And voila…its back to normal.
Thanks for the help guys.
Cheers
Gaurang
” Subhransu says:
April 5, 2011 at 2:40 pm ”
Check this post above. Simple solution which takes only 10 sec. and works perfectly…..
Thumbs up!!
Toxsik
Thank you, i was wondering, fix works on firefox 4 as well
prashanth
Thanx . worked like anything
Bob
I had the same problem with FireFox 4.0 I don’t remember having this problem prior to upgrading but Its fixed now… Thanks!
Cameron
Subhransu’s solution works for me. Ta muchly.
Mark
Excellent… thanks very much! Worked fine on latest v4.0.1
Brian
Thank you so much!! Very annoying problem solved in no time!!!
angga
thank’s it works….
Blubb
Awesome, worked fine with Aurora v6.0a2 and Nightly v7.0a1.
Subhransu
Thanks All
Charlie
Excellent Subhransu….
I had the problem before 15 days. But i did not find this solution.
But after 15 days i got your solution. This works fine and it takes only 5-10 sec
to solve that problem.
Thanks a lot.
Sarah Feng
Anybody know of another extension that causes this problem? I don’t use the AVG Safe Search…
KARIN LEI
there is no “AVG Safe Search” extension listed! what else could it be? heeeeelp!!!
KARIN LEI
answered my own question. just tried disabling the DELICIOUS extension and voila! no more bookmarking upon hitting the enter key…
pam
Another extension causing the same issue -in my case it was the “Ask Toolbar” by Ask.com
So far as I can tell, this problem has been reported fixed by disabling the following extensions (individually, different people disabled each extension):
Alexa Sparky 1.4.4, Delicious, “Ask.com Toolbar” , “ZoneAlarm Spy Blocker Toolbar”, or the “Fox-it toolbar”
If you have any of these extensions, individually try disabling each to see if it resolves the issue. If not, try disabling similar ones that you DO have.
Miq
I had the same problem. I checked out my extensions and found “AVG Safe Search”. Disabling it solved my problem.
Hi
You can just click on the “right Arrow” on the end on the Url bar, as a work-around
Soluna668
Turning off AVG Free’s ‘safe search’ worked for me.
UncleGrandpa
Disabling safe search worked for me also.
Jason
Disabled AVG and it worked. I just upgraded to 10.0.2 a day or two ago and the problem started yesterday.
BEN
I HAVE THE FIXXXX!!!!!!! for me It was the AVG SAFE SEARCH extension. go to ad ons click on extensions and disable it. then resart firefox and it works!
Jemmy
Disabling AVG Safe Search worked for me as well.
Nick Kind
Yes the AVG add on fixed it for me too – it’s amazing how something so simple is missed!
Andrew
Worked for me too, disabled AVG safe search extension and voila !!