Google Search has started throwing reCAPTCHA challenges at Firefox 147 users with annoying frequency. We’re talking nearly every search for some people.
The Reddit thread in r/firefox blew up two days ago when users realized this wasn’t just them. One person noted their Edge browser works perfectly fine on the exact same network, but Firefox? Instant captcha. Reports also suggest that the usual fixes don’t help here. Disabling uBlock Origin and Privacy Badger changes nothing.
Here’s where it gets interesting. A Mozilla employee actually jumped into the Reddit thread and confirmed they’re investigating. The official bug tracker (Bugzilla issue 2010196) shows Firefox 146.0.1 doesn’t have this problem. Neither does Firefox 148 beta.
So why just version 147? One theory floating around the Bugzilla comments suggests Google’s bot detection might be flagging something specific in Firefox 147’s user agent string. That would explain the version-specific weirdness.
Private browsing users are getting hit especially hard. Makes sense when you think about it. Google relies heavily on cookies and browsing history to decide if you’re trustworthy, and private mode wipes that slate clean every time.
Some have already bailed to DuckDuckGo rather than prove they’re human fifteen times a day. One user went as far as reinstalling Windows entirely before realizing the issue wasn’t their system.
There’s a workaround if you’re technical enough: override your user agent in Firefox’s config to pretend you’re running version 146. A user shared the steps on the Reddit thread that you can check out below:
go to about:config
search for “general.useragent.override” (should not exist unless you manually created it before or you have an addon/extension that can manage/change user agent strings)
if “general.useragent.override” does not exist, select “string” and then paste in the Firefox 146 user agent string: “Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64; rv:146.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/146.0”
Mozilla hasn’t given a timeline for a proper fix. If you want to track progress, the Bugzilla page has all the ongoing investigation details.
And if you’re curious about what else Mozilla’s been up to lately, they just rolled out an improved Windows HDR video support in Firefox Nightly.
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Dwayne Cubbins
1406 Posts
For nearly a decade, I've been deciphering the complexities of the tech world, with a particular passion for helping users navigate the ever-changing tech landscape. From crafting in-depth guides that unlock your phone's hidden potential to uncovering and explaining the latest bugs and glitches, I make sure you get the most out of your devices. And yes, you might occasionally find me ranting about some truly frustrating tech mishaps.
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