Setting Google as your default search engine

The steps to make Google your default search engine depend on which browser you use. Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge all have different menus for this change, but the process takes less than a minute in any of them. You do not need to download anything or create a new account — you are just telling your browser where to send searches from the address bar.

Your default search engine is the one that runs a search whenever you type words into the address bar (also called the omnibox or search bar) instead of a web address. If you have never changed it, your browser may have set one automatically when you installed it. Changing it back to Google, or to Google if it is not already set, is a one-time change that applies every time you search from that browser.

Key Takeaways

  • Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge each have a different settings menu where you can choose your default search engine, and the change takes effect immediately.
  • On Chrome, go to Settings > Search engine > Google, then click Manage search engines if Google is not listed.
  • On Firefox, go to Settings > Search and select Google from the dropdown menu under "Default Search Engine".
  • On Safari, go to Preferences > Search and choose Google from the dropdown next to "Search engine".
  • On Edge, go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Address bar and search, then select Google from the dropdown.

How to 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. On the left side, click Search engine. You will see a dropdown menu that says "Search engine used in the address bar" — click it and select Google if it appears in the list.

If Google does not appear in the dropdown, click Manage search engines below the dropdown. Scroll down to find Google in the list of search engines. Hover over the Google row and click the three dots that appear on the right side, then select Make default. If Google is not in the list at all, you can add it: click Add at the bottom, type "Google" as the search engine name, type "google.com" as the URL, and then make it default the same way.

How to change your default search engine in Firefox

Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines (called the hamburger menu) in the top right corner. Select Settings. On the left side, click Search. Under the section labeled "Default Search Engine," you will see a dropdown menu. Click it and select Google from the list.

The change takes effect immediately — you do not need to restart Firefox or confirm anything. If you want to verify it worked, type a few words into the address bar and press Enter. Firefox should send your search to Google instead of whatever engine was set before.

How to change your default search engine in Safari

Open Safari and click Safari in the top menu bar (on Mac) or click the gear icon and select Preferences (on older versions). Click the Search tab. You will see a dropdown menu next to "Search engine" — click it and select Google.

Close the Preferences window and the change is complete. On iPad or iPhone, open Settings, scroll down and tap Safari, then tap Search Engine and select Google. The process is the same on all Apple devices.

How to change your default search engine in Edge

Open Edge and click the three horizontal dots in the top right corner. Select Settings. On the left side, click Privacy, search, and services. Scroll down to the section labeled "Address bar and search" and look for the dropdown that says "Search engine used in the address bar." Click it and select Google.

If Google does not appear in the dropdown, click Manage search engines below it. Find Google in the list, hover over it, click the three dots on the right, and select Make default. The change applies immediately the next time you search from the address bar.

What happens after you change your default search engine

Once you set Google as your default, every search you type into the address bar will go to Google instead of whatever engine was set before. This does not affect searches you do from Google's homepage directly — those always go to Google regardless of your default setting. It also does not change search results you get from other websites or apps.

Your default search engine is specific to each browser. If you use Chrome on your computer and Firefox on your phone, you can set Google as default in Chrome and a different engine in Firefox, and each will remember its own setting. If you sign into your browser account (like a Google account in Chrome), some browsers will sync your search engine preference across devices, but you can also change it separately on each device if you prefer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my default search engine delete my search history?

No. Your search history is stored separately from your default search engine setting. Changing the default does not affect any searches you have done in the past or any bookmarks you have saved. Your history will remain in your browser under whatever search engine you were using before.

Can I set different default search engines for different types of searches?

Most browsers do not have a built-in way to do this. You can only set one default search engine per browser. If you want to use Google for some searches and a different engine for others, you would need to manually go to that engine's website and search there, or use browser extensions that let you choose which engine to use on a per-search basis.

What if Google does not appear in my search engine list?

Google should appear automatically in most browsers, but if it does not, you can add it manually. In Chrome and Edge, click "Manage search engines," then click "Add" and type in Google's name and website address. In Firefox and Safari, Google is built in and should always be available in the dropdown — if it is not, try restarting your browser.

Will this change affect my Google account or Gmail?

No. Your default search engine setting is separate from your Google account. Changing it does not sign you out of Gmail, Google Drive, or any other Google service. It only changes where searches from your address bar are sent.

Can I undo this change and go back to my old search engine?

Yes. Follow the same steps for your browser and select your old search engine from the dropdown instead of Google. The change takes effect immediately, and you can switch back and forth as many times as you want.