How to change your search engine in three steps

Your browser comes with a default search engine — usually Google, Bing, or Yahoo depending on which browser you use. You can change it to a different one in your browser settings, and the change takes effect when ready. The steps differ slightly between Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge, but all three take less than a minute.

The search engine you choose affects what results you see when you type in the address bar, what ads appear alongside those results, and what data the search company collects about your searches. Some people switch for privacy reasons, others for different search results, and others because their workplace or school requires a specific engine.

Key Takeaways

  • Your default search engine is set in your browser settings, not your operating system, so you can use a different one in each browser you have installed.
  • Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge all let you change your default search engine without installing anything new — the option is built into settings.
  • Some search engines like DuckDuckGo and Startpage focus on privacy and do not track your searches, while others like Google and Bing use your search history for ads.
  • If your browser keeps switching back to a search engine you did not choose, a browser extension or malware may be changing it without permission.

How to change your search engine in Chrome

Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select Settings, then click Search engine in the left sidebar. You will see a list of search engines Chrome has detected on websites you visit. Click the one you want to use as your default, and it becomes active when ready.

If the search engine you want is not in the list, you can add it manually. In the same Search engine section, scroll down to Other search engines and click Add. Type the name of the search engine, the shortcut you want to use (for example, "d" for DuckDuckGo), and the search URL. The search URL is usually found on the search engine's website — for DuckDuckGo it is https://duckduckgo.com/?q=%s, where %s is replaced with whatever you type.

How to change your search engine in Firefox

Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines in the top right corner. Select Settings, then click Search in the left sidebar. Under Default Search Engine, click the dropdown menu and select the search engine you want. Firefox includes Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, Ecosia, and Wikipedia by default.

To add a search engine that is not in the list, visit that search engine's website, right-click the search box, and select Add a Keyword for this Search. Firefox will save it and add it to your search engine list. You can then set it as your default in the same Settings menu.

How to change your search engine in Safari

Open Safari and click Safari in the menu bar at the top of the screen. Select Settings (or Preferences on older versions), then click the Search tab. Click the dropdown menu next to Search engine and choose from Google, Yahoo, Bing, or DuckDuckGo. The change takes effect when ready.

Safari does not have a built-in way to add a custom search engine like Chrome and Firefox do. If you want to use a search engine not in that list, you will need to visit the search engine's website directly and bookmark it, or use a browser extension designed to add custom search engines.

How to change your search engine in 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 to select a different one. Edge includes Google, Bing, Yahoo, and DuckDuckGo by default.

To add a custom search engine, scroll down further to Address bar search engine and click Manage search engines. Click Add, then enter the name, the shortcut, and the search URL. Once you add it, you can set it as your default in the main search engine dropdown.

What to do if your search engine keeps changing

If you set a new default search engine but your browser keeps switching back to a different one, a browser extension or piece of malware may be changing it without your permission. Open your browser's extension or add-on menu and look for anything you do not recognize or remember installing. Right-click it and select Remove or Uninstall.

If removing extensions does not fix it, run a malware scan using Windows Defender (on Windows) or Malwarebytes (on any system). Restart your browser after the scan completes and check whether your search engine setting has stuck. If it still keeps changing, try resetting your browser to its default settings — this removes all extensions and resets all preferences, so back up any bookmarks or passwords first.

Popular search engine options and what they do differently

Google is the default in most browsers and returns the most results for most searches. It tracks your search history and uses it to show you targeted ads. Bing, Microsoft's search engine, works similarly but has a different algorithm and shows different results for some searches. Yahoo uses Bing's results but adds its own interface and news content.

DuckDuckGo does not track your searches or build a profile of your interests. It shows the same results to everyone searching for the same thing, and it does not use your search history for ads. Startpage is similar — it does not track you, but it pulls results from Google without attaching your search to your Google account. Ecosia uses Bing's results and donates a portion of its ad revenue to tree-planting projects. None of these alternatives are "better" — they are different trade-offs between result quality, privacy, and what the company does with your data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my search engine affect my bookmarks or browsing history?

No. Your bookmarks, history, passwords, and all other browser data stay exactly as they are. Changing your search engine only changes what happens when you type in the address bar or click a search box — nothing else is affected.

Can I use a different search engine in each browser?

Yes. Each browser has its own settings, so you can set Chrome to use Google, Firefox to use DuckDuckGo, and Safari to use Bing all at the same time. You can also use different search engines in different browser profiles if your browser supports profiles.

What is the search URL and why do I need it?

The search URL is the web address that the search engine uses to process your query. It usually contains %s as a placeholder for whatever you type. For example, if you type "weather" into a search box using DuckDuckGo's URL, the browser replaces %s with "weather" and sends you to the results page. You only need to find and enter this if you are adding a search engine that is not already in your browser's list.

Does my search engine choice affect my internet speed?

No. All major search engines return results in roughly the same amount of time. The speed you experience depends on your internet connection, not which search engine you use.

Can I change my search engine on my phone or tablet?

Yes, but the steps are different from desktop. On iPhone, open Settings, scroll to Safari, tap Search Engine, and pick a new one. On Android, open Chrome, tap the three dots, go to Settings, then Search Engine, and select a different option. The process is similar in other mobile browsers.