# Trying to get Norton Safe Search to Work in Firefox



## SeaBreeze (Aug 15, 2020)

On both my desktop and newer laptop, I have Norton Security and Xfinity as my ISP and homepage.

On my desktop, I can use the Norton Safe Search for my address bar searches automatically, and still keep my Xfinity as my homepage.

On my laptop, the search bar uses Google, and I recently clicked on a website that attacked my computer.  I want to use the Norton Safe Search in Firefox, instead of Google as the default.

When I add Norton Safe Search to Firefox, it works in the search bar.....but it changes my homepage to Norton.  I cannot use the search feature and change my home page back to Xfinity default without disabling the Norton Safe Search add on.......which takes away the search feature.

I don't remember how I did that on my older desktop, but it seems with the laptop it's either all or nothing at all with Norton.  If I want to add their search, I'm stuck with their Norton homepage. 

Any advice on what's happening?


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## MarciKS (Aug 15, 2020)

Does it matter what your homepage is? I don't like Google cuz it brings in viruses of the search bar. I only have it for the purpose of online courses we are mandated by state to take at work. Sometimes the videos in them will only play on Google. Otherwise I don't use it.


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## Camper6 (Aug 15, 2020)

SeaBreeze said:


> On both my desktop and newer laptop, I have Norton Security and Xfinity as my ISP and homepage.
> 
> On my desktop, I can use the Norton Safe Search for my address bar searches automatically, and still keep my Xfinity as my homepage.
> 
> ...


The *Search* panel in *Firefox* Options lets you customize your *search* options. You can add or remove *search* engines, change your *default search engine*, turn the *search* bar on or off and choose whether to display *search* suggestions first or not at all.
*Change your default search settings in Firefox | Firefox Help*

There are further options below this screenshot where you might be able to add another search engine other than the ones listed.


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## macgeek (Aug 15, 2020)

so you want to change the home page?  in the preferences, under home> choose *custom URLs*... enter what home page you want there?  its a weird setting that is not easy to find.


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## MarciKS (Aug 15, 2020)

SeaBreeze said:


> On both my desktop and newer laptop, I have Norton Security and Xfinity as my ISP and homepage.
> 
> On my desktop, I can use the Norton Safe Search for my address bar searches automatically, and still keep my Xfinity as my homepage.
> 
> ...


If you absolutely can't avoid the Norton homepage with your toolbar...perhaps you can go to the Xfinity page & bookmark it so you can go to it when you need to?


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## Camper6 (Aug 15, 2020)

macgeek said:


> so you want to change the home page?  in the preferences, under home> choose *custom URLs*... enter what home page you want there?  its a weird setting that is not easy to find.
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 118122


Not the home page.  The default search engine is what he is trying to accomplish.


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## macgeek (Aug 15, 2020)

ok got ya. I was not sure what he was asking. that is done in *preferences> search* I believe.


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## Camper6 (Aug 15, 2020)

Check my edited post.  I have added a screenshot for the options in Firefox.

Firefox has suggested search engines but Norton is not listed.


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## SeaBreeze (Aug 15, 2020)

MarciKS said:


> Does it matter what your homepage is? I don't like Google cuz it brings in viruses of the search bar. I only have it for the purpose of online courses we are mandated by state to take at work. Sometimes the videos in them will only play on Google. Otherwise I don't use it.


It's just our preference since we've had computers to have our homepage be the same as the ISP, which has been Xfinity for quite a few years now.  After I log on in the morning and click on Firefox icon in the taskbar, I immediately am directed to my homepage, which is fine on my desktop, and goes to Xfinity.


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## macgeek (Aug 15, 2020)

Camper6 said:


> Firefox has suggested search engines but Norton is not listed.



Norton is not really a search engine so it would not be listed in there.


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## Camper6 (Aug 15, 2020)

I have Google as the default.
I have been reading that Duck Duck Go is a safe search engine.


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## SeaBreeze (Aug 15, 2020)

Camper6 said:


> Check my edited post.  I have added a screenshot for the options in Firefox.
> 
> Firefox has suggested search engines but Norton is not listed.


Thanks Camper, I was able to set my preferences in Firefox.  Norton Safe search was not in the options and didn't come up in their search.  I used an AddOn to get it there and was able to choose it for my search bar.  

But, Norton took over my webpage, there was a notice that the addon also controlled the home page.  I could not select any default homepage as usual, and it said I had to disable the addon to do that.  Of course when I disabled the addon, it also removed the search choice and went back to google.


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## Camper6 (Aug 15, 2020)

macgeek said:


> Norton is not really a search engine so it would not be listed in there.


I know. But on the screen shot I had posted you can add more search engines.  Norton Safe is what he had before and he can't remember how he did it.


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## Camper6 (Aug 15, 2020)

SeaBreeze said:


> Thanks Camper, I was able to set my preferences in Firefox.  Norton Safe search was not in the options and didn't come up in their search.  I used an AddOn to get it there and was able to choose it for my search bar.
> 
> But, Norton took over my webpage, there was a notice that the addon also controlled the home page.  I could not select any default homepage as usual, and it said I had to disable the addon to do that.  Of course when I disabled the addon, it also removed the search choice and went back to google.


Looks like Norton doesn't want anyone else's search interfering.  You are using it for security with the software you have installed.

I have Firefox and Google as defaults.

But I tried to find Norton Safe and I posted a screen shot and there are more search engines listed.   But there are 7 pages of suggested search engines and I didn't go through them all.


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## SeaBreeze (Aug 15, 2020)

MarciKS said:


> If you absolutely can't avoid the Norton homepage with your toolbar...perhaps you can go to the Xfinity page & bookmark it so you can go to it when you need to?


Yes, I could.....but both my husband and I use the same computer and we both like the convenience of opening with Firefox and having it right there without using bookmarks.  I know, picky, picky, picky....but I don't like to change things that have been good for us for years.


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## SeaBreeze (Aug 15, 2020)

Camper6 said:


> I know. But on the screen shot I had posted you can add more search engines.  Norton Safe is what he had before and he can't remember how he did it.


That's true, it showed in the options when I added the app.  I don't know how I set that up on my desktop years ago, I know I didn't go through all of this stuff.


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## Camper6 (Aug 15, 2020)

Years ago you didn't have Windows 10.  There was lots of stuff you could do in Windows XP that you can't anymore in Windows 10.

One other suggestion.  Perhaps changing the start up Menu where you access the default browser you want?


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## SeaBreeze (Aug 15, 2020)

MarciKS said:


> If you absolutely can't avoid the Norton homepage with your toolbar...perhaps you can go to the Xfinity page & bookmark it so you can go to it when you need to?


Thanks @MarciKS .  After spending much too much time on this and getting confused by following online directions, your recommendation seemed most simple and easy.  My husband rarely, if ever, uses the laptop....he always goes on the desktop.

So now I have a tab set up for my Xfinity startpage in my Firefox toolbar, next to the one for Senior Forums and a couple of others.  It's best that I did this now for secure web searches like I'm used to with Norton Safe Search.

Thanks to everyone in this thread for your time and advice.


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## MarciKS (Aug 15, 2020)

When all else fails sometimes alternate routes are just as good. LOL


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## SeaBreeze (Aug 15, 2020)

MarciKS said:


> When all else fails sometimes alternate routes are just as good. LOL


I hear ya!


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