Change your default search engine in three steps

Your browser's default search engine is the one that runs when you type words into the address bar instead of a full web address. If your browser is set to Bing, Yahoo, or another search engine and you want Google instead, you can change it in your browser settings — the process takes less than a minute and works the same way on Windows, Mac, and Linux.

The exact steps depend on which browser you use, but the principle is identical: open your browser settings, find the search engine section, and select Google from the list. Your browser already knows about Google; you are just telling it to use Google by default instead of whatever it is using now.

Key Takeaways

  • Your default search engine is what runs when you type a question into the address bar, and you can change it to Google in your browser settings without installing anything.
  • Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge all let you pick your default search engine from a dropdown menu in their settings — no restart required.
  • If Google does not appear in your search engine list, your browser may have been set up by your computer manufacturer or employer, and you may need to add Google manually.
  • Changing your default search engine does not affect your browsing history, passwords, or any other settings — it only changes which search engine runs when you use the address bar.

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.

On the left side of the Settings page, click Search engine. You will see a section called "Search engine used in the address bar" with a dropdown menu showing your current default. Click that dropdown and select Google from the list. Chrome saves the change immediately — you do not need to restart the browser or click a save button.

If Google does not appear in the dropdown, scroll down to the "Other search engines" section. Find Google in that list, hover over it, click the three dots on the right, and select Make default.

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.

On the left side, click Search. Under the "Default Search Engine" heading, you will see a dropdown showing your current search engine. Click it and select Google. Firefox saves the change right away. If you want Google to be your default on the address bar and in the search box separately, you can set them independently using the two dropdowns in this section.

Change your default search engine in Safari

Open Safari and click Safari in the top menu bar (on the far left). Select Settings or Preferences depending on your macOS version.

Click the Search tab. You will see a dropdown labeled "Search engine" showing your current default. Click it and select Google. Close the settings window — Safari saves the change automatically.

Change your default search engine in Microsoft Edge

Open Edge and click the three dots in the top right corner. Select Settings.

On the left side, click Privacy, search, and services. Scroll down to the "Search engine" section. You will see a dropdown showing your current default search engine. Click it and select Google. Edge saves the change immediately.

What to do if Google is not in your search engine list

If you have looked through your search engine dropdown and Google is not there, your browser may have been configured by your computer manufacturer, workplace, or internet provider to use only certain search engines. This is more common on computers bought from a retailer with pre-installed software.

In Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, you can add Google manually. In Chrome, go to Settings > Search engine, scroll to "Other search engines," and click Add. Type "Google" as the search engine name, "google.com" as the shortcut, and "https://www.google.com/search?q=%s" as the URL. Click Add. Then go back to the "Search engine used in the address bar" dropdown and select Google.

In Firefox, the process is similar: go to Settings > Search, scroll down to "One-Click Search Engines," and click the + button next to Google if it appears. If it does not, you may need to visit google.com in your browser first, then return to this section and add it.

If you are using a work or school computer and Google still does not appear after these steps, your organization may have restricted which search engines you can use. Contact your IT department or system administrator.

Verify your change worked

Click on your browser's address bar and type a word or question — for example, "weather" or "how to bake bread." Press Enter. If your default search engine is now Google, you will see Google search results. If you still see results from a different search engine, return to your browser settings and repeat the steps above, making sure you clicked the correct dropdown.

Some browsers have separate defaults for the address bar and the search box (a dedicated search field next to the address bar). If you want Google in both places, check both settings. In Firefox, for example, you can set them independently — make sure you change the one labeled "Search engine used in the address bar" if that is where you type your searches.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my default search engine delete my browsing history or passwords?

No. Changing your default search engine only changes which search engine runs when you use the address bar. Your browsing history, saved passwords, bookmarks, and all other browser data stay exactly as they are.

Can I use different search engines for different searches?

Yes. Even after you set Google as your default, you can go directly to any other search engine's website and search there instead. You can also use search engine shortcuts in most browsers — for example, typing "!b" before your search in Firefox will send it to Bing instead of your default.

Why does my browser keep switching back to a different search engine?

Some software, browser extensions, or malware can change your default search engine without your permission. Check your installed extensions (in Chrome, go to Settings > Extensions; in Firefox, go to Settings > Extensions & Themes) and remove any you do not recognize. If the problem continues, run a malware scan using Windows Defender or a similar tool.

What if I want to change my search engine on my phone?

The steps are similar but vary by phone. On an iPhone using Safari, go to Settings > Safari > Search Engine and pick Google. On an Android phone using Chrome, tap the three dots > Settings > Search engine and select Google. On Android Firefox, tap the menu > Settings > Search and choose Google.

Does Google track me more than other search engines?

Google collects search data tied to your Google account if you are signed in. If you want to search without being tracked, you can use private or incognito mode in your browser, or switch to a privacy-focused search engine like DuckDuckGo — the process to set it as your default is identical to setting Google.