Bing is a Microsoft product FF has nothing to do with MS software. Did you install some MS software that included Bing search page? That is the only way you can get Bing installed. Even on IE11- I turned off Bing and it is gone from searches.

I make a conscientious effort to NEVER install anything that is not part of what I intend to install. ESPECIALLY BING. I did find find about 8 entries in about:config that referenced BING. Not any more do they.

LilBro said

I did find find about 8 entries in about:config that referenced BING.

Please right-click everyone of the preferences, one at a time. and use the Copy command, and then post each of them one at a time into this Post a Reply box.

I get 3 prefs for Bing.

Bing comes with the US versions of Firefox, and may come with some localized versions, too.

Yes, "... Mozilla has buried in the code ..."' in Firefox. Since Firefox 34.5 Mozilla "protects" their "supplied with Firefox" search engines and if the user removes them they will stay gone until the next update is installed. That was done first to protect Mozilla agreement with being paid by those search engines to be included with Firefox by default, and 2nd to be easier for Mozilla to add more or remove one or more quite quickly, and 3rd it protects those search engines from being tampered with by unwanted or nefarious that might get slipped in thru Application installations on Windows OS's.

Mozilla does nothing to force a user to use Bing or any other "supplied with Firefox" search engine. The user always has had to use whatever they want as their own default search engine, even search engines that are installed by the user.

Lovely. And after all these years I thought Mozilla was for the people, not profit. How silly of me to Mozilla would not install by default a bug infested, supehackable search engine. I switched to Firefox years ago to AVOID Microsoft's crappy browser. By the way, the settings returned after I fully exited Firefox and then started it again. NOT after an update.

LilBro said

And after all these years I thought Mozilla was for the people, not profit.

And how do you think Mozilla is able to keep operating without revenue from their search engine agreements and from the commissions from same? 1000+ employee's don't work for free.

And Mozilla isn't forcing you to use Bing, which just sits there ....

My guess is that you have some garbage installed that has hi-jacked searches done thru Firefox. We're willing to help get it fixed, but we do need some help from you.

I asked for the 8 about:config preferences you mentioned to try to help you. But just more illogical ranting.

Do you want help or not?

the-edmeister said

My guess is that you have some garbage installed that has hi-jacked searches done thru Firefox.

Hear, hear  !

See : https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Bing-Off-Your-Computer

Nope, there is nothing installed that hijacked because it was happening on three different computers - a Win7, a Win 10 and a MacPro Lion. As I said, I did a search in about:config and found six or eight references to Bing. I deleted or replaced Bing with Google. Problem solved. And since the bing entries were wiped, there's no way I can list the entries then, now is there.

Anyway, I believe these are the entries that kept reverting to bing: browser.search.order.3;Google browser.translation.engine;google browser.search.order.US.3;data:text/plain,browser.search.order.US.3=Google browser.search.defaultenginename;Google browser.search.defaultenginename.US;data:text/plain,browser.search.defaultenginename.US=Google browser.startup.homepage;www.google.com

Hopefully this will stay solved. If not, the most common reasons for your default search engine to change between Firefox sessions would be:

(1) Extension changing the setting at startup (2) Program folder infection (3) Settings protection software

For #1:

You can view, disable, and often remove unwanted or unknown extensions on the Add-ons page. Either:

• Ctrl+Shift+a (Mac: Command+Shift+a)
• "3-bar" menu button (or Tools menu) > Add-ons
• type or paste about:addons in the address bar and press Enter/Return

In the left column of the Add-ons page, click Extensions.

Then cast a critical eye over the list on the right side. Any extensions Firefox installs for built-in features are hidden from this page, so everything listed here is your choice (and your responsibility) to manage. Anything suspicious or that you just do not remember installing or why? If in doubt, disable (or remove).

It goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway, that the culprit probably does not mention Bing in its name.

For #2:

If you notice that the default search engine changes to "Bing Search Engine" instead of "Bing", see: help me get rid of bing, please!

For #3:

Your default search engine is stored in the search.json.mozlz4 and settings in about:config (which mirrors prefs.js) should not have any effect. Check for any programs like Advanced SystemCare that may protect you from unwanted browser settings changes by replacing settings files between Firefox sessions. They obviously do not know what is wanted and what is unwanted, so this feature can be more annoying than helpful.