Set Google as your default search engine in three steps
Your default search engine is the one that runs when you type a question directly into your browser's address bar without visiting a search site first. Most browsers ship with Bing or another engine pre-set, but you can change it to Google in your browser settings — the process takes less than a minute and works the same way on Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android.
The steps differ slightly by browser, but the principle is identical: open your browser settings, find the search engine section, and select Google from the list. Once you do, every search you type into that address bar will go through Google instead.
Key Takeaways
- Your default search engine is the one that runs when you type directly into your browser's address bar, separate from which search site you visit manually.
- Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge all let you change your default search engine in settings without installing anything extra.
- The change only affects the browser you're using — if you use Chrome on your phone and Firefox on your computer, you'll need to change the default in each one separately.
- Changing your default search engine does not affect your search history storage or what data Google collects about your searches.
How to change your default search engine in Chrome
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select Settings from the menu that appears, then click Search engine in the left sidebar. You'll 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. Chrome saves this change when ready; you don't need to click a save button. The next time you type a search into the address bar, it will use Google.
How to change your default search engine in Firefox
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines (called a hamburger menu) in the top right corner. Select Settings, then click Search in the left sidebar. Under "Default Search Engine," you'll see a dropdown menu showing your current default — click it and select Google from the list.
Firefox saves the change when ready. If Google doesn't appear in the dropdown, scroll down to "One-Click Search Engines" and look for Google there. You can click the star icon next to Google to make it your default.
How to change your default search engine in Safari
On Mac, open Safari and click Safari in the top menu bar, then select Settings. Click the Search tab. You'll see a dropdown menu labeled "Search engine" — click it and select Google.
On iPhone or iPad, open the Settings app (not Safari itself), scroll down and tap Safari, then tap Search Engine. Select Google from the list. The change takes effect when ready on all your Apple devices signed into the same iCloud account.
How to change your default search engine in Microsoft Edge
Open Edge and click the three dots in the top right corner. Select Settings, then click Privacy, search, and services in the left sidebar. Scroll down to "Search engine" and click the dropdown menu showing your current default. Select Google from the list.
Edge saves the change right away. If you use Edge on multiple devices, you may need to change the default on each one separately unless you've turned on syncing in your Edge settings.
What happens after you change your default
Once you've set Google as your default, typing a question into your address bar will send that search to Google instead of your previous default engine. You can still visit other search engines manually by typing their web address — changing your default only affects searches typed into the address bar.
Changing your default search engine does not change how your search history is stored or what data is collected. If you're concerned about search history because of the article you came from, changing the search engine alone won't reduce what Google records about your searches. You would need to take additional steps like clearing your search history regularly, using private browsing mode, or adjusting your Google account settings.
Why your browser might have a different default
Most browsers come with Bing, DuckDuckGo, or another search engine as the default because those companies pay browser makers for the placement. When you buy a computer with Windows, Edge defaults to Bing. When you read Firefox, it may default to a different engine depending on your region and what deals Mozilla has made.
These defaults exist purely because of business agreements, not because the browser works better with that engine. Changing to Google works just as smoothly as staying with whatever came pre-set.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will changing my default search engine affect my saved passwords or bookmarks?
No. Your default search engine is a single setting separate from everything else in your browser. Changing it won't touch your passwords, bookmarks, browsing history, or any other data.
Can I have different default search engines on different devices?
Yes. Each device and each browser has its own default setting. You can set Google as default in Chrome on your phone and Bing as default in Safari on your computer if you want. Changes on one device don't affect the others.
What if Google doesn't appear in my search engine list?
Google should appear automatically in any modern browser. If it doesn't, visit google.com in your browser, then go back to your search engine settings — most browsers will detect Google and add it to the list. Then you can select it as your default.
Does changing my default search engine stop Google from tracking my searches?
No. Changing your default search engine only changes which search site receives your search. Google still collects data about searches you perform through Google, regardless of whether it's your default. To reduce tracking, you would need to use private browsing mode, clear your search history, or adjust your Google account privacy settings.