Google becomes your default search engine when you change the setting in your browser
Your default search engine is the one that runs a search whenever you type words into your browser's address bar instead of a full web address. Right now, your browser is set to use one search engine by default — it might be Google, Bing, Yahoo, or something else. You can change it to Google in a few clicks, and the process is slightly different depending on which browser you use.
The change only affects your own device and your own user account. If someone else uses the same computer, their default search engine stays separate. If you use the same browser on a different device, you'll need to change the default there too.
Key Takeaways
- Your default search engine is set inside your browser settings, not on Google's website.
- Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge all let you change the default in their settings menu, and the process takes under a minute.
- Changing your default search engine does not change which search results you see when you click a search link — only what happens when you type in the address bar.
- If your browser keeps switching back to a different search engine, a browser extension or unwanted software may be overriding your choice.
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 that appears. On the left side, click Search engine. You'll see a list of search engines Chrome has detected. Click the radio button next to Google to select it as your default.
If Google doesn't appear in the list, click the dropdown that says Search engines used in the address bar and select Manage search engines and site search. Scroll down to find Google in the full list, then click the three dots next to it and select Make default.
How to change your default search engine in Firefox
Open Firefox and click the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) in the top right. Select Settings. On the left, click Search. Under Default Search Engine, you'll see a dropdown menu. Click it and select Google.
Firefox also lets you set different search engines for the address bar and the search bar (if you have one). The setting under Default Search Engine controls the address bar. If you want to change what appears in a separate search box, look for Search Shortcuts below and adjust those separately.
How to change your default search engine in Safari
Open Safari and click Safari in the top menu bar. Select Settings (or Preferences on older Macs). Click the Search tab. You'll see a dropdown menu labeled Search engine. Click it and select Google.
Safari's setting applies to searches you type in the address bar and in the search box. Unlike some other browsers, Safari doesn't let you set different defaults for each one.
How to 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, click Privacy, search, and services. Scroll down to Search engine and click the dropdown. Select Google.
Edge may also show you a list of search engines you've used recently. If Google isn't in the dropdown, scroll to the bottom and click Manage search engines. Find Google in the full list, click the three dots next to it, and select Make default.
What to do if your default search engine keeps changing
If you set Google as your default but your browser keeps switching back to a different search engine, a browser extension or unwanted software is likely overriding your choice. Check your browser extensions first. In Chrome, click the puzzle piece icon in the top right and look for any extensions you don't recognize. Click the three dots next to each one and select Remove. In Firefox, click the menu button and select Add-ons, then look for suspicious extensions under Extensions.
If removing extensions doesn't help, run a full scan with your antivirus software or a dedicated malware scanner like Malwarebytes. Some unwanted programs install themselves at the system level and can't be removed through the browser alone. After scanning and removing anything suspicious, restart your browser and reset your default search engine again.
Why your search engine choice matters
Different search engines collect and use your search history differently. Google stores your searches in your Google account if you're signed in, and uses that data to personalize results and ads. Other search engines like DuckDuckGo don't store search history at all. Bing and Yahoo have their own data practices. Changing your default doesn't change how any search engine works — it just determines which one runs when you type in the address bar.
Your choice of default search engine is separate from your search history settings. Even if you set Google as your default, you can still control whether Google stores your searches by visiting your Google Account settings and turning off Web & App Activity. That setting works the same way whether Google is your default or not.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will changing my default search engine delete my old search history?
No. Your search history stays in whichever account it was stored in. If you were using Bing and signed into a Microsoft account, your Bing searches stay there. Switching to Google as your default doesn't touch that old history. New searches will go to Google and be stored in your Google account if you're signed in.
Does my default search engine affect which results I see when I click a search link?
No. Your default search engine only controls what happens when you type words into the address bar. If you click a search link on a website, that link goes to whatever search engine the website chose, regardless of your default. Your default only matters when you initiate the search yourself through the address bar.
Can I set different default search engines for different browsers?
Yes. Each browser has its own settings, so you can set Google as default in Chrome and Bing as default in Firefox if you want. The changes don't affect each other. You can also have different defaults on different devices — your phone and laptop can use different search engines.
What if Google doesn't show up in my search engine list?
Google should appear automatically in most browsers. If it doesn't, try visiting google.com in your browser, then go back to your search engine settings and refresh the page. Most browsers detect search engines from websites you visit. If Google still doesn't appear, you may need to manually add it by finding the "Manage search engines" option and entering Google's search URL.