What changing your default search engine means
Your default search engine is the one that runs when you type a question into the address bar at the top of your browser, or when you click the search box on your browser's home page. Right now, you have one set — probably Google, Bing, or Yahoo depending on which browser you use and who installed it. Changing it means picking a different one and telling your browser to use that one instead.
This is different from just visiting a different search website. If you go to DuckDuckGo.com in your browser, you can search there once. But if you change your default, every time you search from the address bar, that new engine runs automatically. The change sticks until you change it again.
Key Takeaways
- Your default search engine is what runs when you type a question into your browser's address bar or search box.
- The steps to change it are different in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge — each browser keeps this setting in a different place.
- You can set your default to Google, Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, or several others, depending on which browser you use.
- Changing your default does not affect searches you do on a search website itself — only searches from your browser's built-in search box.
How to change your default in Chrome
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select Settings from the menu. On the left side, click Search engine.
You will see a list of search engines Chrome already knows about. Click the one you want to use as your default. If the search engine you want is not on the list, scroll down to Other search engines, click the Add button, and follow the prompts to add it. Once you have added it, you can set it as your default the same way.
How to change your default in Firefox
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines (called a hamburger menu) in the top right corner. Select Settings. On the left, click Search.
Under Default Search Engine, you will see a dropdown menu showing your current default. Click it and choose a different one from the list. Firefox includes Google, Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, and Ecosia by default. If you want to add a search engine that is not on the list, scroll down to One-Click Search Engines, find the engine you want, and click the star icon next to it to add it.
How to change your default in Safari
Open Safari and click Safari in the menu bar at the very top of your screen. Select Settings (or Preferences on older Macs). Click the Search tab.
At the top, you will see Search engine with a dropdown menu. Click it and choose Google, Yahoo, Bing, or DuckDuckGo. Safari does not let you add search engines that are not on this list, so your options are limited to these four.
How to change your default in Microsoft Edge
Open Edge and click the three dots in the top right corner. Select Settings. On the left, click Privacy, search, and services.
Scroll down to Search engine and click the dropdown menu under it. You will see Google, Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, and others depending on your region. Click the one you want. If you want to add a search engine that is not listed, scroll down to Search engines used in the address bar, click Manage search engines, and follow the steps to add a new one.
Why you might want to change your default
Some people change their default search engine for privacy reasons. Google and Bing collect information about what you search for and use it to build a profile of your interests. DuckDuckGo and Ecosia do not store your search history or use it for advertising. If you are concerned about how much data a search engine collects, switching to one with a stricter privacy policy is one way to reduce what gets tracked.
Others change their default because they prefer how a different search engine works. Some people find DuckDuckGo's results cleaner or Yahoo's layout easier to read. Some prefer Bing's image search. There is no single "best" search engine — it depends on what matters to you and what you are searching for.
What does not change when you set a new default
Changing your default search engine does not change which search engine you use when you visit a search website directly. If you go to Google.com and search there, Google still runs that search, even if your default is set to DuckDuckGo. Your default only affects searches you run from your browser's address bar or search box.
Changing your default also does not affect other browsers on your computer. If you change the default in Chrome, Firefox will still use whatever default you set there. Each browser keeps its own settings separate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a search engine as my default if it is not on the list?
It depends on your browser. Chrome, Firefox, and Edge let you add search engines that are not on the default list. Safari only lets you choose from Google, Yahoo, Bing, and DuckDuckGo. If you want to use a search engine Safari does not support, you would have to visit that website directly instead of using the address bar.
If I change my default, will my old search history disappear?
No. Your search history stays in your browser no matter which search engine you set as your default. Changing your default only affects new searches going forward. If you want to delete old search history, you can do that separately in your browser settings under History or Privacy.
Why does my default search engine keep changing back?
Some programs you install on your computer can change your browser settings without asking. Malware and unwanted software sometimes do this. If your default keeps resetting, run a malware scan using Windows Defender (on Windows) or Malwarebytes, then change your default again and check it weekly to see if it sticks.
Does changing my search engine make me more private?
Partially. Using a search engine that does not track you reduces what that company knows about your searches. But your internet provider can still see which websites you visit, and your browser still sends information to those websites. Changing your search engine is one step toward more privacy, but it is not the only one.