Set Google as your default search engine in three steps
Your browser has a default search engine — the one that runs when you type words into the address bar without a full web address. If you want that to be Google instead of Bing, Yahoo, or whatever came with your browser, you change it in your browser's settings, not in Google itself. The steps differ slightly by browser, but the principle is the same: find Settings, locate the Search Engine section, and pick Google from the list.
This matters because your default search engine is where your search history lives. If you've been searching in Bing by accident, your searches are stored there, not in Google. Switching your default means your future searches go to the engine you actually want to use — and where you can manage your history if you choose to.
Key Takeaways
- Your default search engine is set in your browser settings, not in Google or any search engine's website.
- Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge all store the default search engine setting in their own preferences menu.
- Changing your default search engine does not delete old searches from other engines — it only affects new searches going forward.
- If your default keeps changing back, a browser extension or unwanted software may be resetting it without your permission.
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 that appears. On the left side, click Search engine.
You will see a list of search engines Chrome has detected. Google should be in that list. Click the radio button next to Google to select it as your default. If Google is not in the list, click the Manage search engines and site search option, find Google in the full list, and click the three dots next to it, then select Make default.
Close the Settings tab. Your default is now set. The next time you click the address bar and type a search, it will use Google.
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 the Default Search Engine section, you will see a dropdown menu showing your current default. Click it and select Google from the list. Firefox saves this change automatically — you do not need to click a Save button.
Close the Settings tab. Your searches from the address bar will now go to Google.
How to change your default in Safari
Open Safari and click Safari in the top menu bar (on a Mac) or the settings icon (on an iPhone or iPad). Select Preferences or Settings.
Click the Search tab. You will see a dropdown menu labeled Search engine. Click it and select Google. Close the window — Safari saves the change automatically.
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 the Search engine section. Click the dropdown menu next to Address bar search engine and select Google. Edge saves this when ready. Your address bar searches will now use Google.
What to do if your default keeps changing back
If you set Google as your default and it keeps reverting to something else, a browser extension or unwanted program is likely changing it without your permission. This is common with certain ad-related software or poorly-behaved extensions.
First, check your installed extensions. In Chrome, click the three dots, go to More tools, then Extensions. Look for anything you do not recognize or remember installing. Click the trash icon to remove it. Do the same in Firefox by clicking the three lines, selecting Add-ons and extensions, and removing anything suspicious.
If you use Windows, open Control Panel, click Programs, then Programs and Features. Look for software you do not recognize — particularly anything with names like "Search Protect", "WebSearch", or generic-sounding toolbars. Uninstall anything suspicious. Then set your default search engine again.
On a Mac, open Applications, then Utilities, and run Activity Monitor. Look for processes with unusual names running in the background. If you find something suspicious, force-quit it and delete the process from your Applications folder. Then reset your default.
The difference between your default and your search history
Changing your default search engine does not move or delete searches you made in other engines. If you searched in Bing for the past year, those searches are still in your Bing history. Changing your default only affects where new searches go.
If you want to see or delete old searches from a different engine, you need to go to that engine's history settings directly. For Bing, visit account.microsoft.com and look for search history. For Yahoo, go to search.yahoo.com and find your account settings. Google's search history lives at myactivity.google.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will changing my default search engine delete my old searches?
No. Your old searches stay in whichever engine you used to search with. Changing your default only affects new searches going forward. If you want to delete old searches from another engine, you must go to that engine's website and delete them there.
Can I have different default search engines in different browsers?
Yes. Each browser has its own settings and keeps its own default. You can set Google as your default in Chrome and Bing in Edge, for example. Your choice in one browser does not affect the others.
What if Google is not showing up in my search engine list?
Google should appear automatically in most browsers. If it does not, try searching for something in Google's website directly, then return to your browser's search engine settings — most browsers will detect Google and add it to the list. If it still does not appear, you can usually add it manually through a "Manage search engines" option in your browser's settings.
Does my ISP or internet provider control my default search engine?
No. Your internet provider cannot set your default search engine. Only your browser settings control it. If your default keeps changing and you have removed extensions and unwanted software, restart your computer and check again — sometimes a restart clears out background processes that were interfering.