3

After the latest update in google chrome (36) when I search in the omnibox there is no search field on the google results page and it is possible to search only in the omnibox which is extremely annoying.

How can I disable that "improvement" of user experience?

This article from last year describes the problem

http://www.seroundtable.com/google-search-box-16418.html

D.Iankov
  • 1,864
  • 1
  • 16
  • 16
  • `This article from last year describes the problem http://www.seroundtable.com/google-search-box-16418.html` You should be able to simply edit the custom-search engine and remove the parameter (`&espv=101`) from the URL. That said, I tried the sample URL with it, but it did not remove the search box. – Synetech Apr 20 '14 at 14:22
  • FWIW: this change also prevents use of the the Tab key to jump to the first search result. Applying the solution below, that behaviour is restored too. – smhg Aug 19 '14 at 10:20

3 Answers3

4

Apparently, this behavior is caused by Chrome sending the special GET parameter &espv=101 in the URL.

You should be able to fix it by simply removing the parameter (along with all the other junk that Chrome sends by default):

  1. Right-click the Omnibar
  2. Select Edit search engines…
  3. Select Google (Default) and click [Edit] (or just double-click it)
  4. Replace the URL field with https://www.google.com/search?q=%s
  5. Click [OK] and [Close]

Now, when you type something in the Omnibar, it will go to a nice, simple, encrypted Google search without sending all kinds of extra information to them, and without removing the search box.

Figure 1: Editing the custom-search engine to simplify Google searches and prevent the input-box removal

Fixing Chrome search by editing custom search

Synetech
  • 68,243
  • 36
  • 223
  • 356
  • The parameter `espv` was an experimental feature added in Chrome 29 as an option, which has now become default in version 36, avoidable only by the workaround described above. Even its controlling `chrome://flags/` parameter mentioned in my answer has now unfortunately disappeared. – harrymc Apr 20 '14 at 19:35
2

Although they have edit the Chrome version for Android too, the search is displayed instead of the URL for that page and similar thing would have happened here too.

Actually this annoying thing is a part of their User Experience, so I don't think from 36version onwards you'll be using the Google web page's search on Chrome.

If you want to do so, you'll either have to go back to a pervious version. Or use some other browser.

Afzaal Ahmad Zeeshan
  • 173
  • 2
  • 11
0

This feature used to be enabled in Chrome 29 by chrome://flags/ via "Enable Instant Extended API". Search to see if this setting still exists and can be disabled.

Otherwise, there are extensions such as Search Center that could help.

harrymc
  • 455,459
  • 31
  • 526
  • 924
  • The setting is missing. Managed to fix it by adding goodle as a custom search engine - and setting the new one as default. – D.Iankov Apr 19 '14 at 14:59
  • @D.Iankov, `The setting is missing.` Because (the first half of) harry’s answer only applies to an extremely outdated version (the second half is irrelevant to your question). `Managed to fix it by adding goodle as a custom search engine - and setting the new one as default.` Then post that as the answer and accept it so that anyone else who isn’t using an extremely outdated version will know what to do. – Synetech Apr 20 '14 at 14:18
  • @Synetech: The poster might have used the Search Center extension to solve his problem via a custom search engine and your answer explains why. Your answer does an excellent job of explaining the problem and its solution, which my answer doesn't do at all (even if it led to the solution for the poster in a rather left-handed way). I don't mind if your answer gets accepted instead of mine, to avoid friction between us. – harrymc Apr 20 '14 at 19:30
  • Note: The parameter `espv` was an experimental feature added in Chrome 29 as an option, which has now become default in version 36, avoidable only by the workaround described in [Synetech's answer](http://superuser.com/a/743947/8672). Even its controlling `chrome://flags/` parameter mentioned above has now unfortunately disappeared in version 36. – harrymc Apr 20 '14 at 19:36