Change your default search engine in Firefox settings

Open Firefox and select the menu button (three horizontal lines) in the top right corner. Click Settings, then choose Search from the left sidebar. Under "Default Search Engine," you'll see a dropdown menu showing your current search engine — click it to see all available options and select a different one.

Firefox comes with several search engines pre-installed: Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, Wikipedia, and Amazon. Whichever one you choose becomes your default for searches typed into the address bar and the search box on the new tab page. The change takes effect immediately — you don't need to restart Firefox.

If you want to use a search engine that isn't in the dropdown list, you can add it manually. Scroll down to "One-Click Search Engines" and click the + button next to any search engine shown there. Some websites also let you add their search directly — visit the site, right-click the search box, and select "Add a Keyword for this Search" to create a shortcut.

Key Takeaways

  • Your default search engine is changed through Settings > Search > Default Search Engine, where you pick from Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, Wikipedia, or Amazon.
  • The change applies to both the address bar and the search box on new tabs, and takes effect immediately without restarting Firefox.
  • You can add search engines that aren't pre-installed by using the One-Click Search Engines section or by right-clicking a search box on any website.
  • Each search engine you add can be assigned a keyboard shortcut, so you can search a specific site by typing its shortcut in the address bar.

Remove search engines you don't use

If Firefox shows search engines in the dropdown that you never use, you can hide them. Go to Settings > Search and look at the "One-Click Search Engines" section. Hover over any search engine name and click the X that appears to remove it from your list. This doesn't uninstall anything — it just removes the shortcut from Firefox.

Removing unused search engines makes your dropdown menu shorter and easier to scan. You can always add them back later by clicking the + button next to search engines in the One-Click section. The search engines you remove are still available in Firefox; they're just hidden from your quick-access list.

Use different search engines for specific searches

You don't have to use your default search engine for every search. Right-click the search box on any website, select "Add a Keyword for this Search," and give it a short code — like "w" for Wikipedia or "a" for Amazon. Then type that code in the address bar followed by your search term, and Firefox will search that site instead of using your default engine.

For example, if you assign the code "w" to Wikipedia, typing "w climate change" in the address bar will search Wikipedia directly. This is faster than navigating to Wikipedia first and then searching. You can set up shortcuts for as many sites as you want, and Firefox remembers all of them.

Restore Firefox's default search settings

If you've made changes and want to go back to Firefox's original setup, go to Settings > Search and scroll to the bottom. Click Restore Defaults to return all search engines to their original state. This resets your default search engine to Google and restores any search engines you removed.

Restoring defaults does not delete your browsing history, passwords, or bookmarks — it only affects your search engine settings. If you change your mind after restoring, you can always reconfigure your search engines the same way you did before.

Search engine privacy differences

Different search engines handle your search history differently. Google and Bing store your searches and use them to personalize results and ads. DuckDuckGo does not store search history or use it for tracking. Wikipedia does not track searches at all. If privacy is important to you, DuckDuckGo is the most privacy-focused option available in Firefox's default list.

You can also add other privacy-focused search engines manually — Startpage and SearX are two examples. Visit the search engine's website, right-click its search box, and select "Add a Keyword for this Search" to add it to Firefox. This gives you more control over which companies see your search activity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing my default search engine affect my bookmarks or history?

No. Changing your default search engine only affects which search engine Firefox uses when you search from the address bar or the search box on new tabs. Your bookmarks, browsing history, passwords, and all other data remain unchanged.

Can I use a search engine that isn't in Firefox's list?

Yes. Visit the search engine's website, right-click its search box, and select "Add a Keyword for this Search." You can then assign it a keyboard shortcut and use it from the address bar, or add it to your One-Click Search Engines list.

What happens if I remove a search engine from my list?

Removing a search engine only hides it from your dropdown menu — it doesn't uninstall it from Firefox. You can add it back anytime by clicking the + button next to it in the One-Click Search Engines section.

Can I set different default search engines for different profiles?

Yes. Firefox lets you create multiple profiles, and each profile has its own settings. Create a new profile in about:profiles, and set a different default search engine for each one. This is useful if you share a computer or want to keep work and personal browsing separate.