Unlocking Private Search Results
Startpage is a privacy-focused search engine with a unique proposition: it delivers actual Google search results but completely strips away Google’s tracking mechanisms, ensuring your IP address and search history remain anonymous. To maintain a family-friendly baseline for new users, Startpage enables a “Family Filter” by default, which functions identically to Google’s SafeSearch by blocking explicit imagery and adult websites.
Because Startpage is built entirely around anonymity, it does not allow you to create user accounts. It cannot tie your preference to a profile. Therefore, if you need to turn off the Family Filter to conduct unrestricted research, you must understand how Startpage uses browser cookies or custom URL settings to remember your choice.
Here is how to disable the filter and prevent it from turning back on.
Method 1: Turn Off the Family Filter (Using Cookies)
The standard way to disable the filter is through the main settings menu. This method drops an anonymous cookie into your web browser to remember your preference.
- Open your web browser and go to startpage.com.
- Look in the top-right corner of the screen and click the three horizontal lines (menu icon).
- Select Settings from the drop-down menu.
- Scroll down the page until you find the section labelled Family Filter.
- By default, it will be set to “On.” Click the toggle or select the option to turn the Family Filter Off.
- Scroll to the very bottom of the page and click the blue Save button. (If you do not click Save, the setting will immediately revert).
You will be redirected back to the main search page. Any searches you perform will now be entirely unfiltered.
Troubleshooting: The Filter Keeps Reverting
If you successfully turned the filter off, but you notice it turns back on the very next time you open your browser, your browser is deleting the Startpage preference cookie.
This usually happens because:
- You are using Private/Incognito mode: Private windows delete all cookies the moment they are closed. Startpage will forget your preference every time.
- Your browser has strict privacy settings: Browsers like Brave or Firefox on “Strict” mode often wipe all cookies when the browser quits.
- You are using a cleaning tool: Software like CCleaner regularly wipes browser data.
Method 2: The Permanent Solution (Custom URL)
If you regularly clear your cookies or always browse in Incognito mode, relying on the settings menu will be incredibly frustrating. Fortunately, Startpage offers a brilliant workaround: a custom settings URL.
This allows you to bake your settings directly into a web address, bypassing the need for cookies entirely.
- Go to startpage.com, open the Settings menu, and turn the Family Filter Off.
- Instead of just clicking Save at the bottom, look for the section titled Settings URL (usually near the bottom).
- Click the button that says Generate URL or Copy Settings URL.
- You will be given a long web address (e.g., startpage.com/do/mypage.pl?prfe=…).
How to use this URL:
Do not go to the standard “startpage.com” anymore. Instead, set this long, custom URL as your browser’s homepage or save it as a bookmark. Every time you open that specific link, Startpage instantly reads the URL and knows to turn the Family Filter off, even if you are in Incognito mode or have completely wiped your cookies.
Can I Disable the Filter on a Public Network?
If you are connected to a public Wi-Fi network (like a school, university, or corporate office), the network administrator may have enforced DNS-level SafeSearch routing. If this is the case, the network intercepts your search traffic and forces all major search engines into “Strict” mode.
If you change the setting on Startpage to “Off” and it appears to save, but your results remain heavily filtered, you are dealing with a network block. Startpage cannot override a network-level block. You will need to disconnect from the Wi-Fi and use your cellular data to view unfiltered results.
