Firefox 'start' page.
 

Firefox is instructed to start with the Google search page (which it does when first started), but, if I 'Open a new Tab' using the + on the top it always opens at:- MSN UK | Hotmail, Outlook, Skype, Bing, Latest News, Photos and Videos

I find this annoying and consider it to be spam, but how do I inhibit this?

I cannot find where this URL is hidden.

If I click on the 'Firefox Start Page' icon it opens the Google search page as requested, but a new Tab always invokes the MSN page.

I want rid of it!

type "about:config" into address bar; search for 'browser.newtab.url'.
enter what you like (e.g. "about:newtab" for an empty page).

Mine just opens with a blank page. To get this, open new tab, then pres the gear symbol that (should) appear top right and select blank.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/new-tab-page-show-hide-and-customize-top-sites

MD

Thanks - I'll try your suggestions.

It's configurable. Default is to offer you a selection of options based on stuff you've visited often (or that's what I think mine did before I changed it).

What people forget is that your 'home page' can be on your computer!

I have such a home page that lists the URLs of my most accessed webpages.

Sort of a super bookmark page.

A little knowledge of HTML or an application such as Frontpage can help create such a page.

MS Word
 

For some, Microsoft Word, save as "Web page" or "Single file web page" might be easier. Just have to look up how to create a link, it's easy. Files are huge and "inefficient" but who cares for one or a few pages stored locally.

Old "Black menu bar" google page.
 

Setting any of these as your home page gets you back the old Google "black menu bar page".

"Search Image Maps ... gmail ...

http://www.google.co.uk/?noj=1
https://www.google.co.uk/?noj=0

http://www.google.com/?noj=1
https://www.google.com/?noj=0

For me the new "apps menu" screen means
1. Scrolling the screen over to get the Apps icon back from the right hand side.
2. Clicking the new apps icon
3. Finally getting to say gmail that I can get with one click on the "black menu" page.

Until I noticed the "noj" thing after much searching I was planning to do a local home page.

Google seem to have lost their minds - again - can't blame this on on Marissa.