Your default search engine is the one Chrome uses when you type words, not a web address, into the address bar. To change it on a computer:
- Select More (the three dots at the top right) > Settings.
- Select Search engine.
- Under Search engine, select Change.
- Select the search engine you want.
You can also paste chrome://settings/search into the address bar to open this setting. The steps for every device come from Google’s help page Set default search engine and site search shortcuts. Depending on your country, Google Search may be the default when you install Chrome, or Chrome may ask you to choose. Either way you can change it at any time.
On an Android phone or tablet
- Open Chrome and tap More > Settings.
- Under Basics, tap Search engine.
- Select the search engine you want to use.
On an iPhone or iPad
- Open Chrome and tap More > Settings > Search engine.
- Select the search engine you want to use.
On phones and tablets, search engines you have recently visited are added to the list as options.
Use a search engine that isn’t in the list
On a computer, any site search shortcut can become your default. Go to Settings > Search engine > Manage search engines and site search, find the site under Site search (or add it), select More next to it and choose Make default. Sites you have searched on may also wait under Inactive shortcuts, where Activate adds them.
You don’t have to change your default to search another site once. Our guide to site search shortcuts in the address bar shows how to search any site by typing a short keyword first.
If the setting won’t change or keeps switching back
- Work or school: your administrator may choose the default search engine for you. You won’t be able to change it.
- It changed by itself: Google warns that an unexpected change of search engine can be a sign of malware. Follow our guide to fixing a search engine that keeps changing, then reset Chrome’s settings.
- A feature stopped working: Google notes that some Chrome features are not available if your search engine doesn’t support them. Customizing the New Tab page is one example: Google’s help says it needs Google as your default search engine.
- Your settings look different: update Chrome and check again.