Make Google Your Default Search Engine

Google is one of the most popular search engines in the world. Most browsers allow you to change your default search engine so that you can use Google to perform your searches. The process varies depending on the browser that you use.

Steps

Chrome

  1. Click the Chrome Menu button (☰) and select "Settings." This will open a new tab allowing you to adjust the Chrome settings.
  2. Find the "Search" section. This is the fourth section of the Settings tab.
  3. Click the drop-down menu and select "Google." This will set your search engine to Google.
  4. Click "Manage search engines" if you don't see Google as an option. It is possible that Google was deleted from your list of search engines. Click "Manage search engines" to add it back.
  5. Scroll to the bottom of the list. You'll see boxes allowing you to enter a new search engine.
  6. Enter "Google" as the name and "google.com" as the keyword. This will create a new entry for Google.
  7. Copy and paste the following code into the "URL" field. The following code will add Google's search functions:
    • www.google.com/search?q=%s
    • To switch to a different country, just change .com to the country code you want to use (e.g. .co.uk for the UK Google).
  8. Select the newly-added entry and click "Make default." This will make the Google Search engine your default search.
  9. Check the Troubleshooting section if you can't change your search engine. If your default search engine keeps changing to something else, there are several things you can try. Check the Make-Google-Your-Default-Search-Engine at the end of this article if you can't change your search engine.

Internet Explorer

  1. Click the "▼" button next to the magnifying glass in the Address or Search bar. This will open a list of your recent sites, as well as display the currently installed search engines along the bottom.
    • In Internet Explorer 9 and newer, you'll find the Address bar on the left side at the top of the window. In Internet Explorer 8 and older, you'll find the Search bar in the top-right corner of the window.
  2. Click the "Add" button in the lower-right corner of the box that appears. This will open the Internet Explorer Gallery. You can use this library to add extensions and search engines to Internet Explorer.
    • In Internet Explorer 8 or older, select "Find More Providers" instead.
  3. Type "google search" into the Gallery's search bar. This will return a list of results that match, and Google Search should be at the top of the list.
    • You cannot add another country's Google Search, such as google.co.uk, to the Internet Explorer search bar using the Gallery. Only google.com is available. If you want to add a different countries Google Search engine, visit mycroftproject.com/google-search-plugins.html and click the country search that you want to add. After confirming, it will be added to your search engine list.
  4. Click "Add to Internet Explorer". This will open a new dialog box.
  5. Check the "Make this my default search provider" box. This will change Internet Explorer's default browser to Google once you add it.
  6. Click "Add" to add Google. You can test it out by typing a search query into the box. The Google search results page should appear when you run the search. You should also be able to see the Google icon selected when you click the "▼" button.
  7. Check the Troubleshooting section if you can't change your search engine. If your default search engine keeps changing to something else, there are several things you can try. Check the Make-Google-Your-Default-Search-Engine at the end of this article if you can't change your search engine.

Firefox

  1. Click the Firefox Menu button (☰) and select "Options." This will open a new tab allowing you to adjust the Firefox settings.
  2. Click the "Search" tab in the left menu. This will allow you to set your search settings.
  3. Click the "Default Search Engine" menu and select "Google." This will change your default search engine in the address bar, search bar, and Firefox start page to Google.[1]
    • If you want to add a different country's version of Google, you'll need to use the custom search engines found at mycroftproject.com/google-search-plugins.html. Click the link for the country's Google search engine you want to use and follow the prompts to add it to Firefox.
  4. Check the Troubleshooting section if you can't change your search engine. If your default search engine keeps changing to something else, there are several things you can try. Check the Troubleshooting section at the end of this article if you can't change your search engine.

Microsoft Edge

  1. Click or tap the Edge Menu button (...) and select "Settings." This will open the Settings sidebar.
  2. Select "View advanced settings." You may have to scroll down a little to find it.
  3. Click or tap the "Search in browser bar with" menu. By default, it will say "Bing (www.bing.com)."
  4. Select "Add new." A list of available search engines will appear.
  5. Select "Google Search" from the list. If Google Search is not listed, visit www.google.com in the Edge browser and then return to this menu. It should appear after you've visited it.[2]
  6. Check the Troubleshooting section if you can't change your search engine. If your default search engine keeps changing to something else, there are several things you can try. Check the Make-Google-Your-Default-Search-Engine at the end of this article if you can't change your search engine.

Safari

  1. Click the "Safari" menu and select "Preferences." This will open the Safari Preferences menu.
  2. Click the "Search" tab. This will allow you to adjust your search settings.
  3. Click the "Search engine" menu and select "Google." This will set Google as the default search engine (Note: Google is the default search engine for Safari).[3]
  4. Check the Troubleshooting section if you can't change your search engine. If your default search engine keeps changing to something else, there are several things you can try. Check the Troubleshooting section at the end of this article if you can't change your search engine.

Safari (iOS)

  1. Open the Settings app. If you want to change Safari's default search engine on your iOS device, you'll need to open the Settings app.
  2. Scroll down and tap "Safari." This will open the Safari settings.
  3. Tap the "Search Engine" option. This will display a list of available search engines.
  4. Tap "Google" to set it as your default search. The changes will be saved immediately.

Chrome (Android)

  1. Tap the Chrome Menu button (⋮) and select "Settings." You may have to scroll down to find it.
  2. Tap the "Search engine" option. This can be found at the top of the "Basics" section.
  3. Select "Google" from the list of available search engines. Google is the default engine for Chrome out of the box.

Firefox (Android)

  1. Tap the Firefox Menu button (⋮) and select "Settings."
  2. Tap the "Customize" option.
  3. Select "Search" from the Customize menu.
  4. Tap "Google" in the list of installed search engines.
  5. Tap "Set as default" to set Google as your default search engine.

Opera

  1. Click the Opera menu and select "Settings." This will open a new tab with the Opera settings.
  2. Click the drop-down menu and select "Google" from the list. This will set Google as the default search engine. Google is Opera's default search engine out of the box.
    • To change the search engine to a specific country's Google search, click the "Manage search engines" button. Select "Add new search" and then fill out the fields. Use www.google.com/search?q=%s as the Address, and replace .com with the country's extension (i.e. co.uk).
  3. Check the Troubleshooting section if you can't change your search engine. If your default search engine keeps changing to something else, there are several things you can try. Check the Make-Google-Your-Default-Search-Engine at the end of this article if you can't change your search engine.

Troubleshooting

  1. Disable extensions that may be forcing a different search engine. Some browser extensions may also force a search engine on your browser, even when you change the browser's default. Try disabling each of your extensions to see if you can get Google back:[4]
    • Chrome - Click the Chrome Menu button and select "Settings." Click "Extensions" in the left menu to display your installed extensions. Uncheck the "Enabled" box next to each one to disable it.
    • Internet Explorer - Click the Tools button and select "Manage add-ons." Select each extension you want to disable and click the "Disable" button. Select the "Search Providers" section and remove any search providers you don't want.
    • Firefox - Click the Firefox menu button and select "Add-ons." Click "Extensions" in the left menu. Click the "Disable" button next to each extension you want to turn off.
    • Microsoft Edge - Microsoft Edge does not currently support extensions.
    • Safari - Click the Safari menu and select "Preferences." Click the "Extensions" tab at the top of the window. Select each extension and uncheck the "Enable extension" box to disable it.
  2. Perform a malware scan if you can't change your search engine. If you've changed your search engine to Google but it keeps getting switched back to something else, you may have an adware or malware infection. Removing an infection can be difficult, but the process is generally the same:
    • Open the Programs and Features list from the Control Panel and remove any recently-installed programs that you don't recognize.
    • Reset all of your browsers to their default settings.
    • Download and run AdwCleaner and Malwarebytes Antimalware. These free scanners can find and remove most malware infections.
    • See How to Remove Malware for detailed instructions.
  3. Reinstall your browser. If you can't get the search engine to switch, you may need to reinstall your browser. Find your browser in the Programs and Features list in the Control Panel and uninstall it. Download the browser's Setup program and the follow the prompts to reinstall it.
    • You cannot reinstall Internet Explorer in Windows or Safari in OS X.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/use-search-bar-firefox
  2. ↑ https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/464
  3. ↑ http://www.tekrevue.com/tip/change-search-engine-safari-mac-os-x/
  4. ↑ https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1039779
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