How to Change the Default Search Engine in Google Chrome

When you type a question or keyword directly into the address bar at the top of Google Chrome, the browser automatically routes your query to a designated search engine. Unsurprisingly, a fresh installation of Chrome uses Google as its default search provider. However, you are never locked into this choice.

Whether you want to switch to a privacy-focused alternative like DuckDuckGo, earn rewards by using Microsoft Bing, or you simply need to fix your browser after a malicious extension hijacked your search bar and forced it to Yahoo, changing the default search engine in Chrome takes less than a minute. Here is how to regain control of your browsing experience.

How to Change Your Default Search Engine on a Computer

If you are using Google Chrome on a Windows PC, Mac, or Linux computer, follow these exact steps to update your default search provider:

1. Open the Google Chrome browser.
2. Click the three vertical dots (⋮) located in the extreme top-right corner of the browser window, just below the “X” button that closes the app.
3. Select Settings from the dropdown menu.
4. On the left-hand sidebar of the Settings page, click on Search engine.
5. Look for the section labelled “Search engine used in the address bar”. Click the dropdown menu next to it.
6. Select your preferred search engine from the list. Chrome usually offers Google, Bing, Yahoo!, DuckDuckGo, and Ecosia by default.

As soon as you make a selection, the change is saved automatically. You can immediately open a new tab and test it by typing a query into the address bar.

How to Add a Custom Search Engine to Chrome

What if the search engine you want to use (like Brave Search, Startpage, or even Wikipedia) is not in the default dropdown menu? You can easily add it manually.

1. Navigate back to Settings > Search engine.
2. Click on Manage search engines and site search.
3. Scroll down to the Site search section and click the Add button.
4. A pop-up window will appear with three fields you must fill in:
   • Search engine: Type a name you will recognise (e.g., Startpage).
   • Shortcut: Type a short keyword you can use to trigger this search (e.g., start).
   • URL with %s in place of query: This is the tricky part. You need to know the specific query URL format for that search engine. For Startpage, it would be https://www.startpage.com/sp/search?query=%s.
5. Click Add to save the new engine.
6. To make it your default, find the engine you just added in the list, click the three vertical dots (⋮) next to it, and select Make default.

How to Change Your Search Engine on Android and iPhone

The process for changing your search engine on a mobile device is slightly different, though just as straightforward. The steps are virtually identical for both the iOS and Android versions of the Chrome app.

1. Open the Chrome app on your smartphone or tablet.
2. Tap the three vertical dots (⋮) (located in the top-right corner on Android, and the bottom-right corner on iPhone).
3. Tap on Settings (the gear icon).
4. Under the “Basics” section, tap on Search Engine.
5. Tap on the search provider you wish to use (e.g., DuckDuckGo, Bing, Yahoo). A blue checkmark will appear next to your selection.
6. Tap the Back arrow at the top-left to exit the menu. The change is applied instantly.

What If Your Search Engine Keeps Changing Back?

If you change your default search engine back to Google, but it mysteriously reverts to Yahoo, Bing, or an unrecognised search provider a few days later, your browser has likely been compromised by a malicious extension.

These “browser hijackers” are usually bundled with free software downloads. To fix this, you must navigate to chrome://extensions/ in your address bar and completely delete any extensions you do not recognise or did not intentionally install. Once the malware is removed, you can safely reapply your preferred search engine settings without fear of them being overridden.