Table of Contents
Why does Google Search keep asking for CAPTCHA on Firefox 147?
Issue Analysis: Firefox 147 and Google Search Rejections
Users running Firefox version 147 are currently experiencing a severe disruption in their search workflow. Google Search is aggressively triggering reCAPTCHA challenges for these specific users. This phenomenon occurs on nearly every query. The frequency renders the search engine unusable for many.
This issue is isolated to the Firefox 147 build. Testing confirms that Microsoft Edge functions correctly on identical networks. Furthermore, earlier versions like Firefox 146.0.1 and the upcoming Firefox 148 beta do not exhibit this behavior. Standard troubleshooting steps, such as disabling privacy extensions like uBlock Origin or Privacy Badger, do not resolve the error.
Root Cause: User Agent Detection Failure
The technical evidence points to a false positive in Google’s bot detection protocols. The issue lies within the User Agent (UA) string specific to Firefox 147.
Google uses the UA string to identify the browser and operating system requesting data. Current analysis suggests Google flags the Firefox 147 string as suspicious or automated traffic. This triggers the defensive reCAPTCHA loop.
Users operating in “Private Browsing” mode face higher failure rates. Google relies on cookies and history to establish user trust. Private mode eliminates these signals. When combined with a flagged UA string, the browser receives an immediate block.
Immediate Workaround: Modifying the User Agent
Since Mozilla has not yet released a patch, you must manually override the browser identification to bypass the block. This process tricks Google into believing you are using the stable version 146.
Follow these precise steps to restore search functionality:
- Access Configuration: Type about:config in your Firefox address bar and press Enter. Accept the warning prompt if it appears.
- Locate the Preference: Search for the term general.useragent.override.
- Create the Override:
- If the preference does not exist, select String and click the Plus (+) button.
- If it exists, click the Edit (pencil) button.
- Input the Value: Paste the following string exactly:
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64; rv:146.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/146.0
- Save: Click the checkmark to save the setting.
Official Status and Next Steps
Mozilla engineers are actively investigating this anomaly. They have logged the error under Bugzilla issue 2010196.
This represents a server-side interaction conflict rather than a local system failure. Reinstalling your operating system will not fix the problem. Utilizing an alternative search engine like DuckDuckGo serves as a viable temporary solution if you prefer not to modify configuration files.
While waiting for the official hotfix, users interested in multimedia updates should note that Mozilla continues to develop features elsewhere, recently deploying improved Windows HDR video support in the Nightly build.