Where to find and change your search engine

Firefox comes set to use Google as its default search engine, but you can change it to Bing, DuckDuckGo, Wikipedia, or several others in about thirty seconds. The setting lives in Firefox's preferences, not in a search bar or toolbar — most people look in the wrong place first.

Open Firefox and look at the top right corner. Click the three horizontal lines (called a hamburger menu) to open a dropdown. From that menu, select Settings. On the left side of the page that opens, click Search. You are now in the search settings panel.

Under the heading "Default Search Engine," you will see a dropdown menu showing your current engine — probably Google. Click that dropdown to see all available options. Firefox includes Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, Ecosia, and Wikipedia by default. Select whichever one you want, and the change takes effect when ready. You do not need to restart Firefox or confirm anything.

Key Takeaways

  • Your default search engine is in Firefox Settings under the Search section, not in the search bar itself.
  • Firefox offers Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, Ecosia, and Wikipedia as built-in options without installing anything extra.
  • Changing your default search engine takes effect right away and does not require restarting Firefox.
  • The search bar at the top of the page will use whichever engine you set as default, but you can override it by typing a different search engine's name directly into the address bar.

What happens when you search after changing the engine

Once you change your default search engine, any search you type into the search bar (the box to the left of the address bar) will use that engine. If you search for "weather" using DuckDuckGo as your default, Firefox will send that search to DuckDuckGo instead of Google.

The address bar at the very top of the page — where you normally type website addresses — also searches using your default engine if you type words instead of a web address. So if you type "weather" into the address bar, it will search DuckDuckGo (or whatever you set as default) rather than taking you to a website.

Adding a search engine that is not in the default list

If you want to use a search engine that Firefox does not include by default — like Startpage, Qwant, or a specialized search tool — you can add it through Firefox's add-ons. Visit the Firefox Add-ons website, search for the engine you want, and install the add-on. Once installed, that engine will appear in your search engine dropdown and you can set it as default the same way.

Some websites also let you add themselves as a search engine directly. When you visit a site with its own search function, right-click the search box and look for an option like "Add a Keyword for this Search" or "Add as Search Engine." If the option appears, click it and Firefox will remember that site as a search option.

Removing search engines you do not use

If your search engine dropdown is crowded with options you never use, you can remove them. Go back to Firefox Settings, click Search on the left, and look at the list under "Default Search Engine." Hover over any engine in that list (except your current default) and an X button will appear. Click the X to remove it.

You cannot remove your current default search engine — Firefox will not let you delete the one you are actively using. If you want to remove an engine, you must first switch your default to something else, then remove the one you no longer want.

Searching with a different engine without changing your default

You do not have to change your default search engine if you only want to use a different one occasionally. Click the search bar and look just to the left of the text box — you will see a small icon (usually a magnifying glass or the search engine's logo). Click that icon and a dropdown will appear showing all your available search engines. Select the one you want to use for that single search, type your search term, and press Enter.

This method is useful if you prefer Google most of the time but occasionally want to search with DuckDuckGo for privacy, or use Wikipedia to look something up. You can switch engines search by search without changing your default setting.

Why your search engine might not change

If you change your default search engine but searches still go to Google, check whether you have installed any browser extensions that override your settings. Some extensions, toolbars, or malware can force Firefox to use a specific search engine regardless of what you set in preferences. Go to Firefox Settings, click Extensions and Themes on the left, and look through your installed extensions. If you see anything unfamiliar or anything you did not install yourself, click it and select Remove.

If you have not installed any extensions, restart Firefox completely — close all windows and reopen the browser. Sometimes the change does not take effect until Firefox restarts. If searches still go to the wrong engine after restarting, your computer may have malware. Run a full scan with your antivirus software or contact a technician.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use different search engines for different types of searches?

Not automatically, but you can switch engines search by search using the dropdown next to the search bar. For routine searches you can use your default, and click the engine icon to switch to a different one when you need it. Some extensions let you set rules (like "use Wikipedia for definitions"), but Firefox does not offer this built-in.

Will changing my search engine affect my browsing history or saved passwords?

No. Your search engine setting is completely separate from your history, passwords, bookmarks, and other data. Changing it will not delete or change anything else in Firefox.

What is the difference between the search bar and the address bar?

The search bar is the box to the left of the address bar, usually with a magnifying glass icon. The address bar is at the very top where you type website addresses. Both use your default search engine if you type words instead of a web address, but they are separate boxes.

If I remove a search engine, can I add it back?

Yes. If you removed an engine that came with Firefox by default (like Bing or DuckDuckGo), you can add it back by going to Firefox Settings, clicking Search, and looking for an option to restore default search engines. If you removed a custom engine you added yourself, you will need to install the add-on again or re-add it from the website.