Chrome lets you change your default search engine in Settings, and the process takes less than a minute

When you type a search directly into Chrome's address bar (called the omnibox), the browser uses a default search engine to run that search. By default, Chrome uses Google, but you can switch to Bing, DuckDuckGo, Yahoo, or several others. The change affects only your Chrome browser on that device — it does not change search engines on other browsers or other computers you use.

The steps are the same whether you use Chrome on Windows, Mac, Linux, or Chromebook. If you use Chrome on a phone or tablet, the process is slightly different and covered in the FAQ section below.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Chrome Settings, go to Search engine, and pick a new default from the dropdown list of options Chrome offers.
  • Chrome includes Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, Yahoo, and Baidu as built-in options, so you do not need to install anything first.
  • If you want to use a search engine not on that list, you can add it manually by entering its search URL in the "Other search engines" section.
  • Changing your default search engine does not affect bookmarks, passwords, or any other Chrome data.

How to change your search engine using the Settings menu

Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select Settings from the menu that appears. On the left side, click Search engine.

You will see a dropdown menu labeled "Search engine used in the address bar." Click it to see the list of built-in options: Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, Yahoo, and Baidu. Select whichever one you want to use. Chrome saves your choice immediately — you do not need to click a Save button.

To test that the change worked, click the address bar and type a search term without pressing Enter. You should see a preview of results from your new search engine. Press Enter to run the full search.

Adding a search engine that is not on Chrome's built-in list

If you want to use a search engine that Chrome does not include by default, you can add it manually. Open Settings, go to Search engine, and scroll down to the section labeled Other search engines.

Click the Add button. A small window will open asking for three pieces of information: the name of the search engine (for example, "Ecosia"), a short keyword you can type in the address bar as a shortcut, and the search URL. The search URL is the tricky part — you need the exact format the search engine uses.

To find the correct search URL, go to the search engine's website, run a test search, and look at the web address in your browser's address bar. Find the part where your search term appears and replace it with %s. For example, if the address bar shows https://www.ecosia.org/?q=test+search, the search URL you enter would be https://www.ecosia.org/?q=%s. Paste that into Chrome's form and click Add.

What happens to your old search engine

When you change your default search engine, Chrome does not delete or disable the old one. It simply stops using it as the default. You can still search with your old engine by going directly to its website, or by using the keyword shortcut if you set one up.

If you add a new search engine manually and later want to remove it, go back to Settings, find it in the Other search engines section, click the three dots next to it, and select Remove. You cannot remove the built-in search engines (Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, Yahoo, and Baidu) from the list, but you can stop using them as your default.

Changing your search engine on Chrome for Android or iPhone

On a phone or tablet, the steps are similar but the menu layout is different. Open Chrome, tap the three dots in the bottom right corner, and select Settings. Tap Search engine and choose from the list of options. The built-in choices are the same as on desktop: Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, Yahoo, and Baidu.

Adding a custom search engine on mobile is more difficult and not recommended unless you are comfortable working with URLs. Most people find it easier to use one of Chrome's built-in options or to visit the search engine's website directly when they need to use something else.

Why your search engine might change on its own

Sometimes your default search engine changes without you doing anything. This usually happens because malware or an unwanted browser extension has changed your settings. To check whether you have unwanted extensions, open Chrome, click the three dots, go to Extensions, and look for anything you do not recognize. If you find something suspicious, click the trash icon next to it to remove it.

If your search engine keeps changing back even after you reset it, run a malware scan on your computer using your operating system's built-in security tool (Windows Defender on Windows, or Malwarebytes on Mac). Restart your computer and check your Chrome settings again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my search engine affect my Google account or Gmail?

No. Your search engine setting is separate from your Google account. You can sign into Chrome with your Google account and still use Bing or DuckDuckGo as your default search engine. Changing the search engine does not affect Gmail, Google Drive, or any other Google service.

Can I use a different search engine for different types of searches?

Not automatically. Chrome uses one default search engine for all searches in the address bar. However, you can set up keyboard shortcuts for other search engines in the "Other search engines" section of Settings. For example, if you add DuckDuckGo with the keyword "d", you can type "d" in the address bar followed by your search term to use DuckDuckGo for just that search.

Does changing my search engine in Chrome affect other browsers on my computer?

No. Each browser — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge — has its own separate settings. Changing your search engine in Chrome does not change it in any other browser. You would need to change the settings in each browser separately if you want them all to use the same search engine.

What if I cannot find the search engine I want in Chrome's list?

You can add it manually using the "Other search engines" section in Settings. You will need the search engine's URL with %s in place of the search term. If you cannot figure out the correct URL format, you can always visit the search engine's website directly and search from there instead of using the address bar.