How to set your default search engine in Chrome

Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner, then select Settings. Go to the Search engine section on the left sidebar. Under "Search engine used in the address bar," you'll see a dropdown menu showing your current default — click it to see all available options and pick a different one. Chrome will use whichever engine you select whenever you type a search directly into the address bar.

The change takes effect immediately. You don't need to restart Chrome or clear anything. If you want to add a search engine that isn't in the list, you can do that from the same Settings page by scrolling down to "Other search engines" and clicking Add.

Key Takeaways

  • Your default search engine is what Chrome uses when you type a search into the address bar at the top of the page.
  • You change it in Settings > Search engine, then pick from the dropdown under "Search engine used in the address bar."
  • Chrome comes with Google, Bing, Yahoo, and DuckDuckGo already available, so you can switch between them without adding anything new.
  • If you want to use a search engine that isn't listed, you can add it manually from the "Other search engines" section.
  • The change happens right away — no restart needed.

Where to find the search engine setting

The search engine setting lives in Chrome's main Settings menu. Click the three dots in the top right corner of any Chrome window — they're next to your profile picture or initials. A dropdown menu appears. Click Settings near the bottom of that menu.

Once Settings opens, look at the left sidebar. You'll see options like "Autofill," "Privacy and security," and others. Click Search engine directly. This takes you to the page where you control which search engine Chrome uses.

Choosing from search engines Chrome already knows

Chrome comes with several search engines already built in. Under the heading "Search engine used in the address bar," you'll see a dropdown menu. Click it to see your options: Google, Bing, Yahoo, and DuckDuckGo are the standard ones. Select whichever you prefer, and Chrome switches to it immediately.

Below that dropdown, you'll see a section called "Other search engines." This shows any search engines you've added manually or that Chrome discovered from websites you visit. If you've used a search engine on a website before, Chrome may have learned it and added it here automatically.

Adding a search engine that isn't in the list

If you want to use a search engine that Chrome doesn't have built in, you can add it yourself. Scroll down to the "Other search engines" section and click the Add button. A small form appears asking for three things: the name of the search engine, the shortcut you want to type (a short code), and the search URL.

The search URL is the tricky part. You need to find the exact web address that the search engine uses when you search. Most search engines show this in the address bar when you do a search — look for a URL that includes your search term, then replace your actual search words with %s. For example, if a search takes you to example.com/search?q=cats, you'd enter example.com/search?q=%s. Paste that into the URL field, then click Add.

Using keyboard shortcuts to search with different engines

Once you've added multiple search engines to Chrome, you can use keyboard shortcuts to search with any of them without changing your default. In the "Other search engines" section, each engine has a shortcut listed next to it — usually one or two letters.

To use a shortcut, click the address bar, type the shortcut (like d for DuckDuckGo if that's what you set), press Tab, then type your search. Chrome will search using that engine instead of your default. This is useful if you prefer one engine most of the time but occasionally want to use another without changing your settings.

What happens when you change your default

Changing your default search engine only affects searches you type into the address bar. It doesn't change search boxes that appear on websites themselves — those always use whatever search tool the website provides. It also doesn't affect search results you get by clicking a search link on a webpage.

If you use Chrome across multiple devices with the same Google account, your search engine preference will sync to all of them. If you don't want that, you can turn off sync for settings in Chrome's sync options, though this will also stop syncing other preferences like bookmarks and passwords.

Removing a search engine you added

If you added a search engine manually and want to remove it, go back to Settings > Search engine. Find it in the "Other search engines" section, click the three dots next to it, and select Remove. The search engines that come built into Chrome (Google, Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo) cannot be removed, but you can stop using them by switching to a different default.

Removing a search engine doesn't affect your search history or any other Chrome settings. It only deletes that engine from your list of available options. If you change your mind later, you can add it back using the same process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my default search engine affect my search history?

No. Your search history is stored separately from your default search engine setting. Changing which engine you use won't delete or hide anything you've searched for before. Your history stays the same regardless of which search engine you pick.

Can I use different search engines on different devices?

Yes. If you're signed into the same Google account on multiple devices, your default search engine will sync across them by default. If you want different defaults on different devices, you can turn off sync for settings on specific devices in Chrome's sync options.

What if I want to search with a different engine just one time?

Use the keyboard shortcut method. Click the address bar, type the shortcut for the engine you want (like b for Bing), press Tab, then search. This searches with that engine without changing your default.

Can I set different default search engines for regular browsing and incognito mode?

No. Chrome uses the same default search engine for both regular and incognito windows. The setting applies to your entire Chrome profile, not to individual browsing modes.

Why does Chrome sometimes suggest a search engine I didn't pick?

Chrome may suggest search engines based on websites you visit or your location. These suggestions don't override your default — they're just options Chrome thinks you might like. Your actual default search engine is always the one you selected in Settings.