How to Change the Default Search Engine in Safari (Mac and iPhone)

By default, Apple’s Safari web browser uses Google to process every search query you type into the address bar. While Google is undeniably powerful, many users are increasingly concerned about the amount of personal data the company collects. If you prefer to prioritise your privacy, or if you simply prefer the results provided by a different service, you are not locked into using Google.

Apple makes it incredibly easy to switch your default search engine to privacy-focused alternatives like DuckDuckGo or Ecosia, or to legacy competitors like Yahoo and Bing. Because the settings on your Mac are completely separate from your iPhone or iPad, you will need to change this setting on each device individually.

How to Change the Safari Search Engine on a Mac

Changing the search engine on macOS takes only a few clicks within the Safari application itself.

1. Open the Safari browser on your Mac.
2. Look at the top-left corner of your screen (in the menu bar) and click on Safari.
3. Select Settings from the drop-down menu. (If you are running an older version of macOS, this will be called Preferences).
4. In the new window that opens, click on the Search tab at the top.
5. Look for the drop-down menu labelled Search engine.
6. Click the menu and select your preferred provider from the list (options usually include Google, Yahoo, Bing, DuckDuckGo, and Ecosia).
7. Close the Settings window.

To verify the change, open a new tab in Safari and type a random query into the address bar at the top of the screen. Press Enter, and you should see the results load from your newly selected search engine.

How to Change the Safari Search Engine on an iPhone or iPad

On iOS and iPadOS, you cannot change this setting from within the Safari app itself. Instead, you must use the system-wide Settings app.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Scroll down the list until you find Safari and tap on it.
3. Under the “Search” section at the top of the page, tap on Search Engine.
4. You will see a list of available search engines with a blue checkmark next to your current default.
5. Tap the name of the search engine you want to use (for example, DuckDuckGo). The blue checkmark will move to your new selection.
6. You can now exit the Settings app.

Which Search Engine Should You Choose?

If you are unsure which alternative to pick, your choice largely depends on your priorities:

• DuckDuckGo: The best choice for strict privacy. DuckDuckGo does not track your search history or build a profile on you, meaning your search results are never filtered based on your past behaviour.
• Ecosia: A privacy-friendly search engine that donates a significant portion of its advertising profits to plant trees around the world.
• Bing: Microsoft’s search engine, which provides a similar feature-rich experience to Google, often integrating its own AI chat features.

No matter which option you choose, you can always follow these same steps to switch back to Google if you find the alternative results unsatisfactory.