Firefox is back in the race with this new version of its address bar, here are all the new features to discover

Mozilla has just rolled out a new version of Firefox's address bar. This discreet update hides many improvements. It could well transform the way you browse the web.

Faced with fierce competition, Firefox must reinvent itself to remain visible. The Mozilla browser struggles to compete with Chrome or Edge, despite its commitments to privacy. To get back on track, the company is focusing on essential features rather than secondary services. A new version of the address bar is part of this refocusing strategy.

Deployed with Firefox 138, this update brings several practical new features. In particular, it allows you to easily change search engines without losing your current query. Until now, switching from Google to Bing or DuckDuckGo erased the entered text. Now, it remains displayed in the bar, avoiding having to retype everything. It's a small change that can have a real impact for those who perform complex or repetitive searches.

Firefox improves its address bar with new tools and quick commands

The address bar also offers a new presentation of available search engines. With one click, you can switch between Google, Bing, Wikipedia, or even your personal history. This quick-choice logic extends to the browser's internal actions: you can now type commands like "clear history" or "take a screenshot" to execute them immediately. The bar then becomes a real command center, useful for moving faster without going through menus. Mozilla also integrates keywords like @bookmarks, @tabs, or @history to launch a targeted search in your bookmarks, tabs, or history. This principle is reminiscent of what Chrome offers with the Gemini assistant, which can be activated with commands from the address bar. These new features come at a crucial time for Mozilla. Its future is closely tied to Google, which finances 85% of its revenue through the default search engine agreement. If this contract were to disappear, it would simply disappear in turn.

The new functions of the Firefox address bar:

• Preservation of the original query when changing search engines
• Unified search button to switch between engines (Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, etc.)
• Smart keywords (@bookmarks, @tabs, @history, @actions) for targeted searches
• Quick commands accessible from the bar (clear history, open downloads, take a screenshot, etc.)
• Contextual shortcuts to access an already open tab or restart a search
• Simplified display of URLs with clear indication of unrelated sites secure