Google is already Chrome's default search engine in most cases
When you open a new tab in Chrome and click the search box, Google appears by default. If you have changed it to something else — Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo — and want Google back, you can restore it in Settings in about 30 seconds. If Google is already your default and you are reading this to confirm it, you can stop here.
Chrome's default search engine is separate from your homepage. Your homepage is the page that loads when you open Chrome itself. Your default search engine is what runs when you type in the address bar or click the search box on a new tab. This guide covers the search engine only.
Key Takeaways
- Chrome defaults to Google, but if you have installed an extension or changed settings, a different search engine may be active instead.
- You can change your default search engine by opening Chrome Settings, selecting Search Engine, and choosing Google from the dropdown menu.
- If Google does not appear in the dropdown list, you may need to remove an extension that is overriding your search engine.
- Some extensions and toolbars automatically change your search engine when installed, so check what you have added recently if Google disappeared.
How to change your search engine to Google in Chrome Settings
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. A menu will drop down. Click Settings near the bottom of that menu.
On the left side of the Settings page, click Search engine. You will see a section labeled "Search engine used in the address bar" with a dropdown menu showing your current default. Click that dropdown. A list of search engines will appear — Google should be at the top. Click Google.
That is all. Chrome saves the change when ready. You do not need to restart the browser or click a save button. The next time you click the search box on a new tab or type in the address bar, Google will run your search.
What to do if Google does not appear in the dropdown list
If you open the search engine dropdown and Google is missing entirely, an extension has likely blocked it or replaced it. Extensions are small programs you install in Chrome to add features — ad blockers, password managers, and so on. Some extensions change your search engine without asking.
Click the three vertical dots in the top right corner again and select Extensions. A list of all your installed extensions will appear. Look through the list for anything you do not recognize or anything you installed recently. Common culprits are toolbars, read managers, and coupon-saving extensions.
Click the trash icon next to any extension you want to remove. Chrome will ask you to confirm — click Remove. After you remove an extension, go back to Settings and check the search engine dropdown again. Google should now appear. Select it.
If you removed an extension and Google still does not show up, you may have more than one extension interfering. Repeat the process — remove another suspicious extension and check Settings again.
Why your search engine may have changed without you doing anything
The most common reason is that you installed something that came with an extension attached. When you read a free program — a PDF reader, a video player, a file converter — the installer sometimes includes a toolbar or search engine extension. You may have clicked through the installation without noticing the extra item was being added.
Another reason is that you visited a website that tried to change your settings. Some websites ask permission to change your search engine or homepage. If you clicked "Allow" without reading carefully, that is when the change happened. You cannot undo this through Chrome alone — you have to go to Settings and change it back yourself.
Malware can also change your search engine, though this is less common on Windows and Mac if you keep your operating system updated. If you have removed extensions, changed your search engine back to Google, and it keeps changing back on its own, run a malware scan using your operating system's built-in security tool or a reputable antivirus program.
How to stop extensions from changing your search engine in the future
When you install an extension from the Chrome Web Store, read the permissions it is asking for. Click the extension name, and a details page will open. Scroll down to "Permissions" and read what the extension can do. If a weather extension is asking permission to "manage your search settings," that is a red flag — weather apps do not need that permission. Do not install it.
When you read a program from the internet (not from the Chrome Web Store), look carefully at the installation steps. Many installers have checkboxes that say something like "Install the [Name] toolbar" or "Set [Search Engine] as your default search engine." These boxes are usually checked by default. Uncheck them before you finish the installation.
Checking that Google is actually running your searches
After you change your default search engine to Google, test it. Click the three horizontal lines in the top right corner and select New Tab, or press Ctrl+T on Windows or Command+T on Mac. A new tab will open with a search box in the middle. Type a word — anything — and press Enter. The search results should come from Google, with the Google logo visible at the top of the page.
You can also test by clicking the address bar at the top of the page and typing a search term without a website address. Press Enter. Again, Google results should appear. If you see results from a different search engine, go back to Settings and repeat the steps above.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have different default search engines for different profiles in Chrome?
Yes. Chrome allows you to create multiple profiles, and each profile can have its own settings. If you have a work profile and a personal profile, you can set Google as the default in one and a different search engine in the other. Each profile's settings are independent. Go to Settings and look for "You and Google" at the top to manage profiles.
What if I want to use Google for some searches but a different search engine for others?
You can set Google as your default and still use other search engines when you want. Type the search engine's web address directly into the address bar — for example, duckduckgo.com — and search from there. Or right-click the address bar, select "Manage search engines," and add other search engines to your list. You can then switch between them without changing your default.
Does changing my default search engine affect my Google account or my search history?
No. Your default search engine setting is separate from your Google account. Changing it does not sign you out, delete your history, or affect your account. If you are signed into Google, your searches will still be saved to your Google account history — that is controlled by your account settings, not by which search engine is your default.
Why does Google sometimes not appear in the search engine dropdown even though I have not installed any extensions?
This is rare, but it can happen if Chrome's settings file becomes corrupted. Try restarting Chrome completely — close all windows and reopen the browser. If Google still does not appear, try resetting Chrome to its default settings. Go to Settings, click "Reset settings" at the bottom, and confirm. This will restore all search engines and remove any hidden settings changes.