Remove Customise New Tabs Icon?

[greybeard2012]

Just updated Firefox to the latest build and, again, they've been mucking about with something that didn't need mucking about with ie. the new tabs options.

Now we get an annoying icon in the top right of any new tab page from which we can choose either to load a new tab as a blank page or have it filled with numerous 'suggestion' tiles about where we might want to go.

I want to have new tabs load my home page as before: any way of doing this?

Failing that I will use the blank page option but in any case is there any way to get that tab option icon removed completely ?

I tried using View > Customise but apart from being able to drag the icon around in the Customise toolbar menu you can't actually remove it. All you appear to be able to do is put it on the toolbar as well but it still appears on the page when you open any new tab.

This new tab option could easily have been added to the View menu so why clutter up the page with an icon button you're likely only ever going to use once in a blue moon?

EDIT

Just downloaded and installed this Add-on:-

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefo ... -homepage/

It doesn't remove the icon from a blank tab but it resolves the annoyance of apparently not being able to set your homepage as the default for new tabs. A very simple and helpful solution but I'd still like to know if there is way to do the same thing without resorting to an Add-on eg. an about:config setting value that can be changed or menu option I've missed.

[the-edmeister]

In Firefox 41 that browser.newtab.url pref is gone. That pref was being hijacked by malware so frequently so Mozilla decided to remove that pref to eliminate that type of hijack. You will need an extension to restore it.






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[patrickjdempsey]

You can middle-click the Home icon to get your home page to load as a new tab.

[greybeard2012]

Thanks ^ ^^ both.

I didn't even know I had a middle click on my mouse until you mentioned it therefore never used it and so, of course, never even thought of trying it this case.

But you're absolutely right it works just as described. You learn something new every day.

Just thought of something - is a Home icon still default on the toolbar? I have it as I'm using the Classic Theme Restorer but I was wondering if others using default Firefox reading this might not .

[the-edmeister]

Yes, the default theme does have a Home button.






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[patrickjdempsey]

Yes, but in new Firefox configurations it's on the far right.... near the new tab button...

[mersey]

I've just upgraded and I think this is a retrograde step.

Have you noticed that when you click that silly cogwheel icon you also get the option "Learn about New Tab"

If you click that you get a page that says "More Choices for your New Tab" and then "The New Tab page offers convenience and more control of your browsing experience"

WELL IT DOESN'T GIVE ME MORE CONTROL - IT TAKES IT AWAY !!!!!

[WaltS48]

How?

If I click the cogwheel icon and enable "Show Blank Page", I get a blank page with the cogwheel icon, which I can use to control the New Tab page, should I decide to change my mind and have it show my top sites. I can even select not to "Include suggested sites" and the page isn't filled with suggested or sponsored tiles.

Once the New Tab page is filled with my tops sites, I can pin them or delete them at my whim.

If I install New Tab Override (browser.newtab.url replacement) :: Add-ons for Firefox and set the preference to about:blank I don't see the cogwheel.