1818428 - (settings-search) [meta] Settings search phase 1

Status: ASSIGNED

(Firefox for Android :: Settings, enhancement, P2)

Description

[Joe M [:jmahon]]

Settings search

Add a search field so users can search for specific settings, similar to "Find in Settings" feature on Desktop.

Comment 1

[debojyoti452]

Can I get UI for this enhancement? So I can add this

Comment 2

[Joe M [:jmahon]]

[e-mail] thanks for your interest in working on this! But, I'm sorry, we don't have UI for this yet, and it's being planned out by someone internally already. If that plan falls through, we can needinfo you to alert you that it's available for someone else to pick up!

Comment 3

[BugBot [:suhaib / :marco/ :calixte]]

The meta keyword is there, the bug doesn't depend on other bugs and there is no activity for 12 months.
:bclark, maybe it's time to close this bug?

Comment 4

[BugBot [:suhaib / :marco/ :calixte]]

The meta keyword is there, the bug doesn't depend on other bugs and there is no activity for 12 months.
:royang, maybe it's time to close this bug?

Comment 5

[Roger Yang [:royang]]

We should keep this open. This is a good feature to have, just not enough resources.

Comment 6

[[:harrisono]]

Summary:
Add a “Search settings” capability to Fenix so users can quickly find settings across all preference screens. The feature adds a search icon in the Settings toolbar that opens a dedicated SettingsSearchFragment (working name) with a search field and results list. Results are powered by a lightweight, in-app settings index built from existing preferences and mapped to existing navigation actions. Tapping a result navigates to the correct screen and scrolls to the matching preference.

Motivation

1. Usability: Fenix’s settings are split across multiple screens. Users must remember which category contains a setting and then scroll to find it. A search reduces navigation steps and guesswork.
2. Efficiency: Direct navigation to a specific preference cuts multiple taps and scrolls.
3. Parity: Many Android apps (and Android settings itself) with complex settings offer in-app settings search.

How:
Proposal overview

Comment 8

[[:harrisono]]

Figma designs:
https://www.figma.com/design/ctk1Pw1TBxUwVgTTOvjHb4/2025-Android-Fundamentals?node-id=3245-1570&t=yx78SLLBjwQ2QtS4-1