Change your default search engine in Chrome settings

Chrome uses Google as the default search engine, but you can change it to Bing, DuckDuckGo, Yahoo, or another search engine in about 30 seconds. The setting lives in Chrome's search engine menu, and the change takes effect immediately across all your searches.

You do not need to reinstall Chrome or restart your browser. Once you pick a new default, any search you type into the address bar will use that engine instead of Google.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Chrome Settings, select Search engine, and pick a new default from the dropdown menu.
  • Chrome comes with Bing, DuckDuckGo, and Yahoo already in the list, so you can switch without adding anything new.
  • If your preferred search engine is not in the list, you can add it by entering its search URL in the "Manage search engines" section.
  • The change affects searches typed into the address bar but does not change search results you click from Google or other websites.
  • You can change your default back to Google at any time using the same menu.

Steps to change your default search engine

Step 1: Open Chrome Settings. Click the three vertical dots in the top right corner of your Chrome window. Select Settings from the menu that appears.

Step 2: Go to the Search engine section. On the left side of the Settings page, click Search engine. You will see a dropdown menu labeled "Search engine used in the address bar."

Step 3: Click the dropdown and select a new engine. Chrome shows you Bing, DuckDuckGo, Yahoo, and Google by default. Click the one you want to use. Your choice saves automatically.

That is all you need to do. The next time you type a search into the address bar, Chrome will use your new default engine.

Adding a search engine that is not in the list

If your preferred search engine does not appear in the dropdown, you can add it manually. Click Manage search engines below the dropdown menu. You will see a list of all the search engines Chrome knows about, with an option to add a new one.

Click Add next to "Search engines" at the top of the page. A small form will appear asking for three things: the name of the search engine (for example, "Ecosia"), a short keyword you can type to use it (for example, "e"), and the search URL.

The search URL is the tricky part. Go to the search engine's website, search for any word, and look at the address bar. The URL will have your search term in it somewhere. Replace your search term with %s, and paste that into the URL field. For example, if you search for "test" on Ecosia and the URL is ecosia.org/?q=test, you would enter ecosia.org/?q=%s. Click Save, then set it as your default in the dropdown menu.

Why Chrome might reset your default search engine

Sometimes Chrome changes your default search engine back to Google without you doing anything. This usually happens when you install a browser extension or a program that modifies your search settings. Malware and unwanted software can also change this setting.

If you notice your default search engine has changed on its own, check your installed extensions. Click the puzzle piece icon in the top right of Chrome, then click Manage extensions. Look for any extension you do not recognize or did not install yourself. Click the trash icon to remove it, then go back to Settings and reset your default search engine.

If you cannot find an extension causing the problem, run a malware scan on your computer using your antivirus software or Windows Defender (if you use Windows). Unwanted programs sometimes hide in your system and change browser settings without showing up in the extensions list.

Using different search engines for different situations

You do not have to pick just one search engine. Chrome lets you set up multiple search engines and switch between them without changing your default. In the Manage search engines menu, you can assign a keyword to each engine you add.

For example, you could set up DuckDuckGo with the keyword "d" and Wikipedia with the keyword "w". Then, when you want to search Wikipedia, type w and press space in the address bar, and Chrome will switch to Wikipedia for that search only. Your default search engine stays the same for regular searches.

What happens to your search history when you change engines

Changing your default search engine does not delete your search history or move it to the new engine. Your history stays in Chrome exactly as it was. If you want to clear your search history, you can do that separately in Chrome Settings under Privacy and security, then Clear browsing data.

Keep in mind that your search history in Chrome is separate from your search history on Google.com or Bing.com. If you sign into a Google account in Chrome, Google may still track your searches on Google.com even if you have changed your default search engine to something else. Check your Google account settings if you want to control what Google records about your searches.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my default search engine affect my bookmarks or saved passwords?

No. Changing your default search engine only affects which search engine Chrome uses when you type a search into the address bar. Your bookmarks, passwords, autofill data, and all other Chrome settings remain exactly the same.

Can I use a different search engine on my phone version of Chrome?

Yes. On Android, open Chrome, tap the three dots at the bottom right, go to Settings, then Search engine, and pick a new default. On iPhone, the process is the same: tap the three dots, Settings, Search engine. The change works the same way as on your computer.

What if I want to search Google even though I changed my default?

You can still use Google anytime by going to google.com directly in your browser, or by adding Google as a keyword search engine. In Manage search engines, add Google with a keyword like "g", then type g and press space in the address bar to search Google for that one search without changing your default.

Does changing my search engine affect searches I do on websites?

No. Changing your default in Chrome only affects searches you type into the Chrome address bar. If you use the search box on a website, that website's own search engine runs the search, not your Chrome default.

Can I set different default search engines for different user profiles in Chrome?

Yes. Each Chrome profile has its own settings. If you have multiple user profiles set up in Chrome, you can set a different default search engine for each one. The change you make in one profile does not affect the others.