This guide will show you how to change the search engine in Microsoft Edge.
Why Change Your Search Engine?
You might change your search engine for several reasons:
- Familiarity: You are used to the results layout or features of another search engine like Google.
- Privacy: You prefer a privacy-focused search engine like DuckDuckGo that doesn’t track your searches.
- Result Quality: You find that a different search engine provides results more relevant to your typical queries when you search for something.
- Consistency: You want the same search engine across your desktop and mobile devices for a consistent search experience.
Steps to Change Your Edge Search Engine (Desktop)
Follow these simple steps to set your preferred search engine in Microsoft Edge on your computer. This will change the Microsoft Edge search behavior for the address bar.
- Open Microsoft Edge on your computer.
- Click the three horizontal dots (…) (also known as three dots) located in the top-right corner of the browser window. This opens the main settings menu.
- Select “Settings” from the dropdown menu.
- In the Settings menu (usually on the left sidebar), click on “Privacy, Search and Services“.
- Click on “Search and connected experiences“.
- Click the “Address bar and search” option. This is where you’ll find the core search engine settings.
- Look for the option labeled “Search engine used in the address bar“. You will see a dropdown menu next to it, likely showing ‘Bing (Recommended, default)’. This is the engine used in the address bar by default.
- Click the dropdown menu. Edge will display a list of search engines it automatically detected during your browsing (like Google, DuckDuckGo, Yahoo, etc.). These are your current search engine options.
- Select your preferred search engine from the list. For instance, if you want to change Microsoft Edge from Bing to Google, you would select Google here to make Google your new search engine.
That’s it for the desktop! Edge browser will now use your chosen search engine whenever you type a search query directly into the address bar.
The search from the address bar will use your selection.
Note: It is recommended to use Bing search engine when using Microsoft Edge.
Steps to Change Your Edge Search Engine (Mobile)
Changing the search engine on Microsoft Edge mobile app (iOS or Android) is just as straightforward if you want to use a different search engine:
- Open the Microsoft Edge app on your phone or tablet.
- Tap the three horizontal line menu button (sometimes three dots). This is usually located at the bottom center or top right of the screen.
- Tap on “Settings” (look for the gear icon). You need to go to settings to change your settings.
- Under the “General” section (you might need to scroll slightly), tap on “Select search engine“ (or it might be ‘Default search engine’).
- You will see a list of available search engines (e.g., Bing, Google, DuckDuckGo, Yahoo). Select the one you want to use as your default search engine in Edge.
- Then simply go back by clicking arrow – your selection to change the default search engine saves automatically.
Now, any searches you type into the address/search bar at the top or bottom of the Edge mobile app will use your newly selected default search engine on Microsoft.
What If Your Preferred Search Engine Isn’t Listed?
Sometimes, the search engine you want to use might not appear in the dropdown list initially (this is more common on desktop).
Microsoft Edge’s ability to detect search engines often relies on OpenSearch technology.
Edge needs to detect the search engine first. Here’s how to add it:
- Visit the search engine’s website (e.g., go to duckduckgo.com or google.com if you want to make Google your favorite search engine).
- Perform a search on that website. This helps Edge recognize its search functionality.
- Go back to the Edge Settings > Privacy, search, and services > **Address bar and search** page (Desktop) or Settings > General > Search > Default search engine (Mobile) as described in the steps above.
- Check the list of search engines again. Your recently visited and used search engine should now appear for you to select your preferred search engine.
- On Desktop, if it still doesn’t appear, click on “Manage search engines” on the **“Address bar and search”** settings page. Here you can manually add or remove search engines, or edit your default search engines, though visiting the site usually works automatically. Mobile versions typically only show pre-approved/detected options.
Enjoy Your Personalized Search Experience
Changing your default search engine in Microsoft Edge, whether on desktop or mobile, is a quick process that puts you in charge of how you find information online.
This allows you to change your settings for a better search experience and change the Edge to your liking.
Whether you prioritize privacy, familiarity, or specific features, tailoring Microsoft Edge’s search engine to your preferred search service or favorite search takes just a few taps or clicks.
You can easily change Microsoft Edge to use a different search engine for queries in the search box or address bar.
Remember, this primarily affects search in the address bar; settings for searches on new tabs might be separate (often labeled ‘Search on new tabs uses search box or address bar’).
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