Set Google as your default search engine in Chrome

Google is already the default search engine in Chrome for most users, but if you've switched to Bing, Yahoo, or another engine and want to go back, you can change it in Settings in under a minute. The process is the same whether you're on Windows, Mac, or Linux.

Chrome remembers your choice across all your devices if you're signed into your Google account. If you use Chrome on multiple computers or phones, changing the default on one device won't automatically change it on the others — you'll need to repeat these steps on each device where you want the change.

Key Takeaways

  • Your default search engine is what Chrome uses when you type a search directly into the address bar instead of going to a search website first.
  • You change your default search engine in Chrome Settings under Search Engine, not in a separate menu.
  • Chrome lets you set any search engine as default, but Google, Bing, Yahoo, and DuckDuckGo are the most common options.
  • If you've installed an extension that changed your search engine without permission, you may need to remove that extension before you can change the default back.

Steps to change your default search engine

Step 1: Open Chrome Settings. Click the three vertical dots in the top right corner of Chrome, then select "Settings" from the menu that appears.

Step 2: Go to the Search Engine section. On the left side of the Settings page, click "Search engine". You'll see a list of search engines Chrome has detected on websites you've visited.

Step 3: Select your default. Find Google (or whichever engine you want) in the list, then click the radio button next to it. The one you select becomes your default immediately — there's no "Save" button to click.

That's the complete process. The next time you click on the address bar and type a search, Chrome will use your chosen engine.

What to do if your search engine keeps changing back

If you set Google as default but Chrome keeps switching to a different engine, an extension or program on your computer is overriding your choice. Extensions are small add-ons that change how Chrome works, and some are designed to change your search engine without asking.

Check your extensions. Click the three dots in the top right, then go to "More tools" and select "Extensions". Look through the list for anything you don't recognize or don't remember installing. Click the trash icon next to any suspicious extension to remove it, then go back to Settings and set your default search engine again.

Check your startup settings. Some programs install themselves to run when your computer starts up and can reset Chrome's search engine. In Chrome Settings, click "On startup" on the left side. Make sure "Open the New Tab page" or "Continue where you left off" is selected, not "Open a specific page or set of pages" — if the latter is selected and you don't recognize the pages listed, click the X next to each one to remove them.

If your search engine still keeps changing after removing extensions and checking startup settings, a program outside of Chrome may be interfering. Restart your computer and try setting the default again. If the problem continues, you may need to run a malware scan or contact your IT support if this is a work computer.

Why Chrome uses your address bar as a search box

When you click on Chrome's address bar (the long white box at the top where you normally type website addresses), you can type a search term instead of a web address. Chrome automatically sends that search to your default search engine and shows you the results. This is faster than opening a search website first, which is why Chrome treats the address bar as a search box.

This behavior is built into Chrome and can't be turned off, but you can control which search engine handles those searches by changing your default. If you want to use a different search engine for a single search without changing your default, you can open that search engine's website directly and search there instead.

How to add a search engine Chrome doesn't list

If you want to use a search engine that doesn't appear in your Settings list, you can add it manually. Go to Settings, click "Search engine", then scroll down and click "Manage search engines and site search".

At the bottom of the page, you'll see a section called "Other search engines" with a button to add a new one. Click that button and fill in three fields: the name of the search engine (for example, "DuckDuckGo"), a short keyword you can type in the address bar to use it for a single search, and the search URL. The search URL is the web address the engine uses when you search — for most engines, you can find this by doing a test search and copying the URL from your browser's address bar, then replacing your search term with %s.

Once you've added it, you can set it as your default the same way you would any other engine.

Using different search engines for different purposes

You don't have to choose just one search engine forever. Chrome lets you set up multiple engines and switch between them whenever you want. You can keep Google as your default for everyday searches, but add DuckDuckGo if you prefer its privacy features, or Bing if you want to earn rewards points through Microsoft Rewards.

To use a different engine for a single search without changing your default, type the keyword you assigned to that engine in the address bar, press Space, then type your search. For example, if you set up DuckDuckGo with the keyword "ddg", you would type "ddg privacy tips" to search DuckDuckGo for "privacy tips" while keeping Google as your default.

This approach lets you take advantage of different engines' strengths without having to change your settings repeatedly. Some people use Google for general searches, DuckDuckGo for privacy-sensitive topics, and Wikipedia's search for factual lookups — all without changing their default.

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 any searches you've done in the past. Your history will still be there regardless of which search engine you choose.

Can I set a different default search engine on my phone than on my computer?

Yes. Chrome on Android and iPhone has its own Settings menu where you can set a different default search engine independently. The change on your phone won't affect Chrome on your computer, and vice versa. You'll need to change the default separately on each device.

What if I don't see Google in my search engine list?

Google should appear in the list automatically if you've ever visited google.com in Chrome. If it's missing, open google.com in a new tab, then go back to Settings and refresh the page. Google should appear in the list after you've visited the site. If it still doesn't show up, you can add it manually using the "Manage search engines" option.

Does changing my default search engine in Chrome affect other browsers?

No. Each browser — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge — has its own separate settings. Changing your default in Chrome won't change anything in Firefox or any other browser. You'll need to change the default separately in each browser if you use more than one.

Why does my search engine change when I install a new program?

Some programs bundle extra software that changes your Chrome settings without asking. This is usually done by extensions or programs that want to track your searches or show you ads. After installing new software, check your Chrome extensions and remove anything you don't recognize, then reset your default search engine in Settings.