How to change your search engine in three steps

You can change which search engine opens when you search from your browser's address bar in under a minute. The steps differ slightly by browser, but the principle is the same: you go into settings, find the search engine section, and pick a new default from a list of options. Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, and Yahoo are built into most browsers already. If you want something else — Ecosia, Startpage, or another engine — you can add it manually in most browsers, though the process takes a few extra steps.

Your choice matters because different search engines collect different amounts of data about what you search for. If you arrived here from the article on search history, you already know that Google stores your searches tied to your account by default, and that switching engines is one way to reduce that tracking. Changing your default search engine does not erase your old search history — that stays in your Google account or wherever it was stored — but it stops new searches from being added to that record.

Key Takeaways

  • You can change your default search engine in your browser settings in under one minute, and the option is available in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge.
  • Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, and Yahoo are pre-installed options in most browsers; other engines require you to add them manually first.
  • Changing your default search engine only affects new searches going forward and does not delete searches you have already made.
  • Some search engines like DuckDuckGo and Startpage do not store your search history by design, while others like Bing still collect data similarly to Google.

How to change your search engine 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 under "Search engines used in the address bar." Google is usually the default. Click on whichever engine you want to use instead — DuckDuckGo, Bing, or Yahoo are common alternatives — and it becomes your new default when ready.

If the search engine you want is not in the list, click the Manage search engines and site search option at the bottom. Click the Add button, type the name of the search engine, type its short name (a one or two letter abbreviation), and paste the search URL. For DuckDuckGo, the search URL is https://duckduckgo.com/?q=%s. For Startpage, it is https://www.startpage.com/sp/search?query=%s. Once you add it, you can set it as your default the same way.

How to change your search engine in Firefox

Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines (the menu button) in the top right. Select Settings. On the left, click Search. Under "Default Search Engine," you will see a dropdown menu showing your current default. Click it and select a different engine from the list. Firefox includes Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, Ecosia, and Wikipedia by default, depending on your region.

To add a search engine that is not in the list, scroll down to the "One-Click Search Engines" section and look for the engine you want. If it is there, click the star icon next to it to add it. If it is not there, you can visit the search engine's website, right-click in its search box, and select "Add a Keyword for this Search" — Firefox will then offer to add it as an option. Once added, go back to the default dropdown and select it.

How to change your search engine in Safari

Open Safari and click Safari in the top menu bar. Select Settings (or Preferences on older versions). Click the Search tab. Under "Search engine," click the dropdown menu and choose from Google, Yahoo, Bing, or DuckDuckGo. Safari does not allow you to add custom search engines through the settings menu the way Chrome and Firefox do.

If you want to use a search engine not in that list on Safari, you have two options. You can visit the search engine's website directly and bookmark it, or you can use a browser extension designed to add custom search engines. Some search engines like Startpage offer Safari extensions that integrate them into the address bar search.

How to change your search engine in Microsoft Edge

Open Edge and click the three horizontal dots in the top right. Select Settings. On the left, click Privacy, search, and services. Scroll down to the "Search engine" section. Click the dropdown under "Search engine used in the address bar" and select a different option. Edge includes Google, Bing, Yahoo, and DuckDuckGo by default.

To add a search engine not in the list, scroll down in the same section and click Manage search engines. Click Add, fill in the name, short name, and search URL, then click Add as default. The process is nearly identical to Chrome, since Edge uses the same underlying engine.

What happens to your old search history when you switch

Changing your default search engine does not delete searches you have already made. If you have been using Google and you switch to DuckDuckGo, your Google search history stays in your Google account. You can view it, read it, or delete it from your Google account settings, but changing the search engine does not do that automatically.

Your new searches will go to the new engine instead. If you switch to DuckDuckGo, which does not store search history by default, your new searches will not be saved. If you switch to Bing, which does store search history, your new searches will be saved there instead. The key point is that the switch only affects what happens going forward, not what has already been recorded.

Which search engines store less data about you

DuckDuckGo does not store your search history, your IP address, or your search queries. It also blocks many trackers by default. Startpage is a privacy-focused engine that does not store your searches and uses Google's results without passing your data to Google. Ecosia does not store your search history and uses Bing's results; it also plants a tree for every 45 searches you make.

Bing and Yahoo both store search history and user data similarly to Google, though the details of what they collect vary. If your main goal is to reduce tracking, DuckDuckGo or Startpage are the clearest choices. If you want to stay with a major engine, you can also adjust your privacy settings in Google, Bing, or Yahoo to limit what they store, though they will still collect some data by default.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my search engine make me anonymous online?

No. Changing your search engine reduces what that search engine knows about you, but your internet service provider, your browser, and the websites you visit can still see your activity. A privacy-focused search engine is one part of protecting your privacy, not the whole solution.

Can I use different search engines for different searches?

Yes. In most browsers, you can type the search engine's name or a keyboard shortcut in the address bar to search with a different engine for that one query. In Chrome and Firefox, you can also right-click in the address bar and select which engine to use. You do not have to change your default.

What if I want to go back to Google?

You can change your default search engine back to Google the same way you changed it the first time. Go to your browser settings, find the search engine section, and select Google from the list. Your Google search history will still be there in your Google account.

Do I need to change my search engine on my phone too?

Yes, if you want to use a different search engine on your phone. The steps are similar but slightly different depending on whether you use Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or another browser on iOS or Android. Most phones let you change the default in the browser settings, though some phones also have a system-wide default search engine in their main settings.

Will a different search engine give me worse search results?

DuckDuckGo and Startpage use Google or Bing's results behind the scenes, so the quality is comparable. Ecosia uses Bing's results. The main difference is usually in how results are ranked and what ads or sponsored content appear, not in whether the results exist. Most people find the results good enough, though some prefer Google's ranking.