This article explains how to change the default search engine of an internet browser. You can change the default search engine of all popular browsers, such as Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer and Safari. It should be noted that this procedure is different from the one that allows you to change the computer's default internet browser. If your computer is infected with malware, you will most likely need to get rid of the virus before you are able to change your browser's default search engine.
Steps
Method 1 of 8: Google Chrome for Computers
Step 1. Start Google Chrome by clicking on the icon
Double-click the program icon, which has a yellow, red and green circle with a blue sphere in the center.
Step 2. Click on the ⋮ button
It is located in the upper right corner of the browser window. The main menu will be displayed.
Step 3. Click on the Settings item
It is displayed at the bottom of the menu.
Step 4. Scroll down the appeared list until you reach the "Search Engine" section
It is located after the "Appearance" section of the Google Chrome "Settings" menu.
Step 5. Click on the drop-down menu for the search engine
It is located to the right of the "Search engine used in the address bar" entry.
Step 6. Select the search engine you want to use
Click on one of the options listed in the drop-down menu that appears to set the chosen search engine as the browser's default. From this point on, the search engine indicated will be used to perform searches from the address bar of the Chrome browser.
Method 2 of 8: Google Chrome for Mobile
Step 1. Launch Google Chrome by tapping the icon
Select the Chrome app icon, characterized by a yellow, red and green circle with a blue sphere in the center.
Step 2. Press the ⋮ button
It is located in the upper right corner of the screen. The main program menu will be displayed.
Step 3. Select the Settings item
It is displayed at the bottom of the appeared menu.
Step 4. Choose Search Engine
It is displayed in the "Basic Settings" section of the appeared menu, located at the top of the screen.
Step 5. Select a search engine
Tap the name of one of the search engines listed on the page that appears. It will be marked with a blue check mark to the right of the name to indicate that it is the default search engine.
Step 6. Press the Finish button
It is located in the upper right corner of the screen. At this point Google Chrome will use the selected search engine to search for the contents typed in the address bar.
If you are using an Android device you will need to press the "Back" button
Method 3 of 8: Firefox for Computer
Step 1. Launch Firefox
Double-click the program icon, which features a blue globe wrapped in an orange fox.
Step 2. Click on the ☰ button
It is located in the upper right corner of the program window. The browser main menu will be displayed.
Step 3. Click on the Options item
It is visible in the center of the drop-down menu that appeared.
If you are using a Mac, click on the item Preferences….
Step 4. Click on the Search tab
It is located in the upper left of the "Options" (or "Preferences") page.
Step 5. Click on the drop-down menu for search engines
It is visible within the "Default Search Engine" section, located at the top of the page. A drop-down menu will appear.
The currently displayed search engine should be Google
Step 6. Select the search engine you want to use
Click on the name displayed in the drop-down menu to use it within Firefox. From now on, Firefox will use the specified search engine to perform searches from the address bar.
Method 4 of 8: Firefox for Mobile Devices
Step 1. Launch Firefox
Tap the program icon, which features a blue globe wrapped in an orange fox.
Step 2. Press the ☰ button (on iPhone) or ⋮ (on Android).
It is located at the bottom of the screen or in the upper right corner respectively. The main program menu will be displayed.
Step 3. Select the Settings item
It is visible at the bottom of the menu.
Step 4. Choose the Search option
It is visible at the top of the appeared page.
Step 5. Tap the name of the current default search engine
It is located at the top of the page. Normally this should be Google.
If you are using an Android device, skip this step
Step 6. Select a search engine
Tap the name of the search engine you want to use within Firefox. It will be marked with a blue check mark to its right, indicating that it is the default search engine that Firefox will use to search for all content typed into the address bar.
Method 5 of 8: Microsoft Edge
Step 1. Launch Microsoft Edge
Double-click the Microsoft Edge icon, which has a white "e" on a dark blue background.
In some cases, the Edge icon has a dark blue letter "e"
Step 2. Click on the ⋯ button
It is visible in the upper right corner of the browser window.
Step 3. Click on the Settings item
It is visible at the bottom of the drop-down menu.
Step 4. Scroll down the appeared menu to be able to click on the View advanced settings button
It is visible at the bottom of the "Settings" menu.
Step 5. Scroll down the menu to click the Change Search Provider button
It is visible approximately in the middle of the screen.
Step 6. Select the search engine you want to set as the default engine for Microsoft Edge
Step 7. Click the Set as Default button
It is located at the bottom of the window. The engine chosen will be set as the default for Microsoft Edge and will be used to perform all searches via the browser's address bar.
Method 6 of 8: Internet Explorer
Step 1. Launch Internet Explorer
Double-click the Internet Explorer icon, which has a light blue letter "e" surrounded by a gold ring.
Step 2. Click on the icon
It is located inside the address bar, to the right of the magnifying glass icon. A drop-down menu will appear.
Step 3. Click the Add button
It is located in the lower right corner of the drop-down menu that appeared.
Step 4. Select a search engine
Scroll down the list and click on the item add, placed next to the name of the search engine you have chosen.
Not all elements on the page that appeared are search engines
Step 5. Click the Add button when prompted
The selected search engine will be added to the list of those available within Internet Explorer.
Step 6. Click on the "Settings" icon
It looks like a gear and is located in the upper right corner of the Internet Explorer window.
Step 7. Click on Internet Options
It is located at the bottom of the drop-down menu that appeared. The "Internet Options" window will appear.
Step 8. Click on the Programs tab
It is visible in the upper right part of the "Internet Options" window.
Step 9. Click the Manage Add-ons button
It is located within the "Manage Add-ons" section.
Step 10. Click on the Search Providers tab
It is visible in the upper left of the "Manage Add-ons" window.
Step 11. Select the search engine you want to use
Click on the name of the engine you want to set as default. This should be the search engine you added to the list in the previous steps.
Step 12. Click the Set as Default button
It is located in the lower right corner of the window.
Step 13. Click on the Close item, then on the button OK.
Both options shown are visible at the bottom of their respective windows. This will set the selected search engine as the default engine for Internet Explorer.
Method 7 of 8: Computer Safari
Step 1. Launch Safari
Double-click the Safari icon, which looks like a blue compass placed directly on the Mac Dock.
Step 2. Click on the Safari menu
It is visible in the upper left of the screen. A small drop-down menu will be shown.
Step 3. Click on Preferences…
It is visible at the bottom of the drop-down menu that appeared.
Step 4. Click on the Search tab
It is located in the upper central part of the "Preferences" window.
Step 5. Click on the "Search Engine" drop-down menu
It is visible in the center of the "Search" tab.
Step 6. Select the search engine you prefer
Click on the name of the search engine you want to set as Safari's default for web searches.
Method 8 of 8: Mobile Safari
Step 1. Launch the iPhone Settings app
It has a gray gear icon and is normally displayed on the Home screen.
Step 2. Scroll down the menu and select Safari
It is located in the first half of the "Settings" menu.
Step 3. Tap the Search Engine option
It is visible at the top of the appeared menu.
Step 4. Select the search engine you prefer
Tap the name of the search engine you want to set as Safari's default for web searches. It will be marked with a blue check mark on the right.
Advice
- The most popular and used search engines include Google, Bing, Yahoo and DuckDuckGo.
- The terms "search engines" and "internet browsers" are often confused with each other, but in reality they represent two very distinct entities: an internet browser is a program that allows you to access the internet and view pages and websites, while a search is a web service that can be accessed through a browser and that allows you to search for content within the network.
