How Firefox Hides HTTPS with browser.urlbar.trimHttps

In newer releases of the Mozilla Firefox web browser, the browser.urlbar.trimHttps preference changes how secure web addresses are visually presented to users. When activated, this setting removes the "https://" prefix from the address bar, leaving only the website's domain name and page path visible. This article explains the exact visual changes caused by this preference, how the address bar behaves when interacted with, and how you can manually toggle this setting in Firefox.

The Visual Change in the Address Bar

Traditionally, Firefox trimmed the insecure "http://" protocol from the address bar while keeping the secure "https://" protocol visible. The browser.urlbar.trimHttps preference reverses this standard by hiding the secure protocol as well.

When browser.urlbar.trimHttps is set to false:

  • A secure website displays as https://www.example.com.

When browser.urlbar.trimHttps is set to true:

  • The same secure website displays simply as www.example.com or example.com.

Despite the removal of the text, the security status of the website is still communicated to the user. Firefox retains the padlock icon on the left side of the address bar, which serves as the primary visual indicator that the connection is encrypted and secure.

Address Bar Behavior on Interaction

The trimming of the HTTPS protocol is strictly a visual change for when you are passively viewing a webpage. The full URL structure remains intact behind the scenes.

If you click inside the address bar to edit the URL or view the full path, Firefox immediately restores the https:// prefix to the display. Furthermore, if you highlight the trimmed URL and copy it to your clipboard, the pasted text will automatically include the full https:// protocol.

Why Firefox Trims the Secure Protocol

Mozilla introduced this preference to modernize the browser's user interface and align it with other major web browsers that already hide the HTTPS prefix. Because the vast majority of the modern web is encrypted, constantly displaying "https://" has become redundant.

Hiding the protocol declutters the address bar and places immediate visual emphasis on the actual domain name. This helps users quickly identify the website they are on, which can reduce the effectiveness of phishing attacks that rely on confusing, lengthy URLs.

How to Change the Preference

Users who prefer to always see the full protocol can easily modify this behavior through Firefox's advanced configuration page.

  1. Open Firefox and type about:config into the address bar, then press Enter.
  2. Click the Accept the Risk and Continue button to proceed.
  3. In the search box at the top, type browser.urlbar.trimHttps.
  4. Locate the preference in the results list.
  5. Double-click the preference (or click the toggle icon on the right) to change its value.
    • Setting it to true hides the https:// prefix.
    • Setting it to false forces Firefox to always display the https:// prefix.

The visual change takes effect immediately in all open tabs without requiring a browser restart. Note that for this preference to work, the master preference browser.urlbar.trimURLs must also be set to true (which is the Firefox default).