safari search engine remove

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How to change the default search engine in safari on iphone or ipad.

Prefer DuckDuckGo or Bing to Google? Here's how to change your iPhone or iPad's default search engine.

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Changing the default search engine in safari on iphone and ipad.

Safari uses Google as its default search engine out of the box, but it's not the only option. You can choose other search engines like Bing, Yahoo, or DuckDuckGo if you prefer them.

While most modern search engines can find the websites you're looking for, there are often ramifications to consider when making your selection. Google is the big player here, but you might want to select something else depending on your privacy stance. For example, DuckDuckGo pushes itself as a more private search engine, while Bing is integrated with Microsoft Rewards . Making the change in Safari on your iPhone or iPad is super simple, so long as you know where to look.

To get started, open the Settings app and tap "Safari."

Next, under the "Search" heading, tap "Search Engine."

Finally, select the search engine that you would like to use as your default when inside Safari. To select a search engine, tap it. You can choose either Google, Yahoo, Bing, Ecosia , or DuckDuckGo .

Sorry---those are the only options. Apple won't let you choose other search engines as your default. You can still navigate to those search engines in Safari and search them from their website, but that's it. The only way you'll get more options here is if Apple adds them in a future version of the iOS operating system.

There is, however, a caveat to consider here. This setting will only change the default search engine that is used when searching from within Safari. If you use Siri or Spotlight to search, they'll still use Google. It's not ideal, but Google pays a considerable amount of money to Apple every year to make this the situation we have to live with, unfortunately.

Related: What Is DuckDuckGo? Meet the Google Alternative for Privacy

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How to dump Google as your default Safari search engine on iPhone and Mac

There has been a lot of talk of late about Apple’s default search engine, which is Google (and for a time, Bing would power Siri/Spotlight search requests). Recent court documents have shown just how much Google pays Apple to be the default search engine across iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Microsoft reportedly pitched selling Bing to Apple back in 2020, but with Google paying Apple billions of dollars a year to remain the default, Apple decided against it.

There have also been reports of Apple building its own search technology, with crawlers indexing the web to provide answers to common Siri questions and such. It fueled further speculation (yet again) that Apple would launch its own search engine, though that doesn’t appear to be happening any time soon. Apple’s new next-generation search technology is allegedly code-named “Pegasus” and it is already in use to index and find content within some Apple apps (like TV or Maps), and may soon extend to other apps or services, like the App Store.

It looks like, for searching the web, Apple users that use Safari (which is most of them) are going to be stuck with Google as the default search for quite some time.

But you don’t have to use Google if you don’t want to! Buried within settings, where 99.9 percent of the users will never look, is the option to change search engines. Here’s how you can change your Safari search default on iPhone/iPad and Mac.

Time to complete: 2 minutes
Tools required: none
Materials required: iPhone, iPad, or Mac

Change search default on iPhone or iPad

To change your default search engine in Safari on iPhone or iPad.

Open Settings.
Tap Safari .
Tap Search Engine.
To select a different search engine for use in private browsing windows, tap Private Search Engine .

You should have several to choose from, but they may vary by region.

Change search default on Mac

To change the search default on Mac, you’ll need to access Safari’s preferences.

Launch Safari.
In the menu bar, select Safari and then Settings .
Select the Search tab.
Select the Search engine drop-down box to see and change between available search engines.
Select the Private Browsing search engine drop-down if you wish to use a different search engine when in a private browser window.

As with iOS and iPadOS, the available search engines may vary by region.

It’s actually possible to change search engines on the fly in Safari on macOS. When you put the cursor in the search/address box, simply hit space bar first to see a drop-down list of available search engines.

Author: Jason Cross , Senior Editor

I have written about technology for my entire professional life - over 25 years. I enjoy learning about how complicated technology works and explaining it in a way anyone can understand.

How to remove unwanted default search engine from Safari, Chrome, Firefox on Mac

Here’s how to remove a default search engine from web browsers on Mac if it’s put into effect by malware to give the Internet preferences an overhaul.

Web browsing defaults really make a difference because they allow users to align their online activities with personal preferences. The homepage, default search engine, and new tab page are the trio of shortcuts making it so much easier to surf the Internet. There is a caveat, though. Mac adware authors mostly boil their shady practices down to tweaking these settings without permission. The default search engine tends to be a focal point of threat actors – if misconfigured, it allows them to generate fraudulent web traffic to junk pages. These shenanigans are typically laced with sketchy browser extensions and a network of low-quality advertising networks. The logic is as follows: a piece of dubious code specifies a rogue page as the victim’s default search provider, and each redirect instance resolves a few ad resources en route to a phony information lookup service.

Unwanted search engine set itself as default in Chrome on Mac

In some cases, the resulting page is a legitimate search engine such as Bing or Yahoo, but it’s there just for show. The main act is a series of web navigation forwarding occurrences enabling crooks to rake in profits via traffic redistribution so that it inconspicuously slips through dodgy ecommerce or ad-related sites. There are several current campaigns that demonstrate this intricate scheme. One of them is the long-running Safe Finder hoax. It relies on a potentially unwanted application (PUA) paired with a perpetrating browser add-on that replaces the user-defined default search engine with a wrong provider. This way, its operators make sure that Mac users are incessantly rerouted to a URL that contains the a.akamaihd.net string with a variable sequence of characters prepended to it. An example is default120617-a.akamaihd.net or lkysearchds2884-a.akamaihd.net. This entity has the role of an auxiliary element that further reorganizes the browsing routine.

Special Offer Default search engine hijacker may re-infect your Mac multiple times unless you delete all of its fragments, including hidden ones. Therefore, it is recommended to download Combo Cleaner and scan your system for these stubborn files. This way, you may reduce the cleanup time from hours to minutes. Download Now Learn how ComboCleaner works . If the utility spots malicious code, you will need to buy a license to get rid of it.

The unapproved change entails a quandary where the victim keeps encountering redirects to the in-between URL instead of the correct search provider. However, the landing page is the Yahoo Hosted Search service with the Safe Finder logo in the upper right-hand part of the window. This is a classic Mac browser hijacking ruse that wickedly combines malicious and reputable services to shape up a multi-pronged traffic monetization mechanism. A few other infamous adware waves that take a similar route include Search Pulse, Any Search, Chill Tab, and TapuFind. In every attack scenario, the culprit takes over the user’s default search engine settings in Safari, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox, replacing them with rogue ones.

At first sight, it may appear that addressing the issue is as easy as digging into the browser preferences and re-entering the right ones by hand. This is reasonable footwork in general, but it may end up futile in severe contamination cases. The thing is, some Mac malware species prevent users from applying the corrupt settings. There are several sources of this persistence, ranging from stubborn LaunchAgents and LaunchDaemons lurking deep down the system, to a malicious configuration profile added as part of the compromise. The latter manages the way the browsers work – in particular, it can make the default search engine area unclickable. Under the circumstances, the fix can be way more complex than manual edits of the twisted settings. The following sections will shed light on the different techniques to remove an unwanted default search engine from popular browsers on Mac and enable the correct one.

Default search engine hijacker manual removal for Mac

The steps listed below will walk you through the removal of this malicious application. Be sure to follow the instructions in the specified order.

As an illustration, here are several examples of LaunchAgents related to mainstream Mac infections: com.pcv.hlpramc.plist, com.updater.mcy.plist, com.avickUpd.plist, and com.msp.agent.plist . If you spot files that don’t belong on the list, go ahead and drag them to the Trash.

Remove malicious default search engine from web browser on Mac

To begin with, you should try going the obvious route and specify your preferred search engine manually in the regular way. If this doesn’t help, the web browser settings taken over by malware should be restored to their default values. Although this will clear most of your customizations, web surfing history, and all temporary data stored by websites, the malicious interference should be terminated likewise. The overview of the steps for completing this procedure is as follows:

Remove unwanted default search engine from Safari

Restart Safari

Get rid of rogue default search engine from Google Chrome

When on the Settings pane, select Advanced

Remove unwanted default search engine from Mozilla Firefox

Confirm the intended changes and restart Firefox.

Get rid of default search engine hijacker using Combo Cleaner removal tool

The Mac maintenance and security app called Combo Cleaner is a one-stop tool to detect and remove default search engine virus. This technique has substantial benefits over manual cleanup, because the utility gets hourly virus definition updates and can accurately spot even the newest Mac infections.

Furthermore, the automatic solution will find the core files of the malware deep down the system structure, which might otherwise be a challenge to locate. Here’s a walkthrough to sort out the default search engine issue using Combo Cleaner:

Download Combo Cleaner

By downloading any applications recommended on this website you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy . The free scanner checks whether your Mac is infected. To get rid of malware, you need to purchase the Premium version of Combo Cleaner.

Open the app from your Launchpad and let it run an update of the malware signature database to make sure it can identify the latest threats.

Once you have made doubly sure that the malicious app is uninstalled, the browser-level troubleshooting might still be on your to-do list. If your preferred browser is affected, resort to the previous section of this tutorial to revert to hassle-free web surfing.

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How To Change Your Default Search Engine In Chrome, Edge, Firefox & Safari

Setting your preferred search engine regardless of what device you're using is fast and easy. Here's how.

Using the search engine you like best is a preference many internet users don’t take lightly.

But it can also be tricky to configure the browser(s) you use to operate with the search engine you prefer by default each time.

So, if you want to change your default search engine to Google or any other major search engine within a specific web browser, follow the guide below. You’ll realize that changing it is a simple and fast process that greatly impacts your web-browsing experience.

Whether you use Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge, here’s how to set your preferred search engines , regardless of your device.

Change Default Search Engine In Google Chrome

Here’s how to change your default search engine in Google Chrome.

Open the Chrome browser.

Click the three solid dots in the top right corner of the browser window. This is located below where the window’s X button would be on a machine using Windows, or below the down-facing arrow that opens the Tabs menu on a Mac.

If you’re signed into Chrome, it’s located next to your Google profile’s thumbnail.

Select Settings .

Click the Search engine section on the left-hand side of the page to reveal the search engine menu.

Then click the down arrow where it says Search engine used in the address bar to reveal the different options available without manually adding a different search engine not already listed.

Select your default search engine from the list that includes Google, Ecosia, Yahoo, Bing, or DuckDuckGo.

Note: If you’ve tried to set your search engine, but it doesn’t work, you may have malware. Get help restoring your Chrome settings .

Add, Edit, Or Remove Other Search Engines

To add, edit, or remove other search engines from the list, click the Manage search engines and site search arrow below the default search engine list.

To Add A Search Engine

Scroll down below the list of default Search engines.

At Other search engines , click Add.

You’ll be prompted to fill out the search engine name, shortcut, and URL.

Filling Out Text Fields To Add A Search Engine In Chrome

The Search engine field should be the label or name of the search engine (i.e., Brave, Yandex, Swisscows, etc.).

The Shortcut field should be the text shortcut you want to use to engage the search engine via your browser bar.

This allows you to enter the keyword in the address bar for quick, easy access. (Of course, you can still just type your search query in the address bar to use the default search engine, too.)

“The URL with %s in place of query” field should include:

the web address for the search engine’s results page.
use %s where the query would go.

To find and edit the web address of the results page:

Go to the search engine you want to add.
Do a search.
For example, if you search for [football], the Google search results URL is “http://www.google.com/search?q=football”.
For example, if you were using the Google search results URL, your search engine address would be “http://www.google.com/search?q=%s”.

To Set A Default Search Engine, Edit, Or Delete

Click the Manage search engines and site search button right below the Search engine used in the address bar button.

Then, scroll down to the list of search engines and click the three-dot icon on the right of the search engine you want to set to default, edit, or delete.

It will open a little box offering the user to “Make default” or “Delete” the listed search engine we are altering.

There is also a small pencil icon next to the three dots that will allow you to edit the current input, whether that be the search engine name, shortcut, or URL.

Use the pencil icon to edit the current inputs or the three-dot icon to make a search engine the default – or delete it from the list.

Change Default Search Engine In Firefox

Follow these steps to change your default search engine in Firefox.

Open the Firefox browser.

Click the hamburger menu (three solid lines) in the top-right corner of the browser window.

Select Settings from the dropdown menu.

Selecting Settings will open a new tab within the same Firefox window.

On the left-side navigation, click on Search with the magnifying glass icon to access the various search-related features within Firefox.

Scroll down to the Default Search Engine section and click the drop-down menu to reveal the six different search engines that can be used as the default for the browser.

Select the search engine you want to be your default, and it updates immediately (no saving of the settings is needed).

To add a search engine not available in the above dropdown, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the Find more search engines link (below a variety of other customized options, including search bar options, search suggestions, and search shortcuts).

Click on Find more search engines , select the add-on(s) you want to add, and click Add to Firefox .

You can search for the search engine you are looking for or browse the extensive list shown by Firefox.

You will then be asked to give permission to add the add-on to the browser.

Once it has been added, it will show up in the list of available search engines under Default Search Engine.

To Remove A Search Engine

Scroll below the Search Shortcuts section and click on the search engine you want to remove and highlight.

Then, click the “Remove” button in the bottom right corner of that section.

Note: If you remove a search engine that you added yourself and change your mind, you’ll have to add it again (the steps are above this section).

If you remove any of the search engines that come with Firefox by default, click Restore Default Search Engines to bring them back.

Change Default Search Engine In Microsoft Edge

Edge, Microsoft’s latest web browser, is a full reboot of its legacy Internet Explorer browser – which the company announced in June 2022 will no longer be fully supported.

Since Microsoft recommends users get Edge and use IE Mode if they want to return to the interface and functionality of Internet Explorer, we will explain how to change your default browser solely to Microsoft’s fully supported browser, Edge – and not to IE.

Here’s how to change your default search engine in Microsoft Edge:

Open the Microsoft Edge browser.

Go to the search engine website you want to default to (e.g., www.google.com ).

Click on the three dots in the top right corner of the browser window under the X button.

Slide down and click Manage Add-ons .

Once you’ve clicked on Settings , click Privacy, Search, and Services on the left-side panel.

Then scroll to the bottom of the page where it says Address bar and search.

Once the Privacy, Search, and Services menu opens, and choose the default search engine from the dropdown menu next to Search engine used in the address bar.

All search engines that have been used in the browser will show up as a possible default option.

If the search engine you want to designate as the default does not show up, search for it in the address bar, then go back and look – it should be an option to choose as default after that.

Change Default Search Engine In Safari For Desktop

Here’s how to change your default search engine in Safari for desktop computers.

Open the Safari browser and go to the Safari menu in the upper-left corner.

Select Preferences from that dropdown.

Once the Preferences window opens, click the Search button with the magnifying glass icon across the top menu.

Click on the search engine you want to make your default.

Change Default Search Engine In Safari For iPhone

Open Settings on your iPhone.

Scroll directly down to the Safari button with the logo and an advance arrow.

Within the Setting tab, go under the Search menu and click where it says Search Engine to pick from the default search engine options.

Change Default Search Engine In Android

On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Chrome app.

To the right of the address bar, tap More and then Settings .

Under Basics , tap Search engine .

Select the search engine you want to use.

Recently visited search engines will be added as your default search engine options.

Regardless of the device, operating system, or browser you’re using, setting and using the default search engine you favor most impacts your results and the types of search queries you use.

It also has an immediate and long-lasting impact on your everyday web experience.

Because of this, knowing how to easily change your default search engine across any device, operating system, and browser is important.

Just like different browsers offer different experiences, so do search engines. And each one leans into different features and characteristics to add value to its users and separate itself from the competition.

Search engines constantly strive to provide the best results and information through the most satisfying user experience.

These are both crucial for customer satisfaction and loyalty. These factors also separate the best search engines from the not-so-good ones.

Update the browser(s) you use to work better for you using the abovementioned steps. Update your default search engine, and (hopefully) you won’t have to revisit it again anytime soon.

More Resources:

20 Great Search Engines You Can Use Instead Of Google
Meet The 7 Most Popular Search Engines In The World
SEO For Beginners: An Introduction To SEO Basics

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Sam Hollingsworth is a native New Yorker currently helping lead SEO efforts for 829 Studios, as well as a seasoned ...

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How to Change Default Search Engine in Safari on iPhone, iPad, and Mac

Paurush dabbles around iOS and Mac while his close encounters are with Android and Windows. Before becoming a writer, he produced videos for brands like Mr. Phone and Digit. On weekends, he is a full-time cinephile trying to reduce his never-ending watchlist, often making it longer.

The Safari browser is the default app to browse the web on Apple devices. To improve your browsing experience, you can create Tab Groups in Safari of your most visited websites to quickly access them when needed. By default, Safari uses Google as the default search engine.

But there are still a lot of users who prefer using a search engine other than Google Search. So if you want to change the default search engine in Safari, here’s how to do it on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Before you begin, ensure that your iPhone, iPad, or Mac run the latest version of the respective operating systems.

Change Default Search Engine in Safari on iPhone and iPad

There’s the option of opening the search engine’s website in a separate tab and using it to browse the web. However, changing the default search engine in Safari is way more convenient. If you prefer using Safari from your iPhone or iPad, here’s how to change the default search engine. The steps remain the same for both platforms.

Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.

Step 2: Scroll down and tap on Safari.

Step 3: Scroll down and select Search Engine.

Step 4: Select your preferred search engine from the list of options.

After you select your preferred search engine, you can scroll down and change settings like opening links in a new tab, Search Engine Suggestions, or more. You can repeat the same steps to change your default search engine in Safari on your iPhone and iPad.

You can also read our post if Safari is not downloading files on your iPhone .

Change the Default Search Engine in Safari on Mac

You can use a different search engine to download and install a different web browser like Microsoft Edge or Firefox. But if your Mac is running low on storage, you don’t need to download a separate web browser to change your search engine. But one of the other main reasons behind changing the default search engine is the browser hijacking code or extensions.

The Safari browser on your Mac lets you change the default search engine and use it for internet browsing. Here are the steps.

Step 1: Press Command + Spacebar keyboard shortcut to open Spotlight Search, type Safari, and press Return.

Step 2: Click on Safari at the top-left corner.

Step 3: Select Settings from the list of options.

Step 4: Click the Search tab in the Settings window.

Step 5: Select the drop-down next to Search Engine.

Step 6: Select the new search engine of your choice for use in Safari.

You can repeat the same steps to change your default search engine once again in Safari on your Mac.

How to Change Homepage to Search Engine in Safari on Mac

In addition to changing the default search engine, you can change the default homepage to open with the search engine in Safari. The homepage loads up when you don’t have any specific website tabs opened in Safari. So you can set the web page of your default search engine as the homepage in Safari. Here’s how:

Step 4: Select the General tab in the Settings window.

Step 5: Type the web page link of the search engine you plan to use in the Homepage box.

If you opened the search engine web page in Safari, you can click on Set To Current Page.

After you close the tab, Safari will always open your selected search engine’s web page whenever you open a new tab on your Mac.

You can change this setting by clicking the dropdown menu next to ‘New Windows Open With’ and ‘New Tabs Open With.’

Use a New Search Engine

Using a new search engine as your default is very easy on Safari. You can choose from a list of options available on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Sometimes when you don’t get the desired results from one search engine, you can switch to another one. The ChatGPT is the new AI-driven technology that piques interest of many. Read our comparison of ChatGPT vs Google Search to know more about them.

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Last updated on 12 April, 2023

The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.

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How to Change the Default Search Engine in Safari for iOS

Make Bing, DuckDuckGo, or Yahoo Search your Safari search engine

What to Know

From your iOS device's home screen, tap Settings , and then scroll down and tap Safari .
Then, to Search Engine , you'll see the current default search engine, likely Google. To make a change, tap Search Engine .
Finally, choose a different search engine from four options: Google, Yahoo , Bing , and DuckDuckGo .

This article explains how to change the Safari iOS search engine from the default Google to another option, such as Bing, Yahoo, or DuckDuckGo. Information applies to Safari on iOS devices with iOS 14 through iOS 10.

How to Change Safari's Default Search Engine

To change the default search engine used by Safari on iOS devices:

Open the Settings app on the Home screen of your iOS device.

Scroll down and tap Safari .

The current default search engine is listed next to the Search Engine entry. Tap Search Engine to make a change.

Choose a different search engine from four options: Google, Yahoo , Bing , and DuckDuckGo .

Tap Safari in the top left corner of the Search Engine screen to return to Safari's settings. The name of the search engine you chose appears next to the Search Engine entry.

Search Settings in Safari

The Safari Settings screen includes other options you may want to use with your new default search engine. You can toggle each of these options on or off:

Search Engine Suggestions presents suggested search terms as you type, obtained from the default engine.
Safari Suggestions offers suggestions as you type, derived from a combination of sources including iTunes, the App Store, and the internet as a whole. This option also sends some of your search data to Apple, including which suggestions you selected.
Quick Website Search speeds up search results. When you search within a particular website, Safari stores that data for future use, allowing you to then search that site directly from the Smart Search Field in subsequent browser sessions.
Preload Top Hit loads pages quickly. Safari attempts to determine the best search result as you type, preloading that page ahead of time so that it renders in an instant if you select it. The determination process combines your browsing history and saved bookmarks.

The Search Settings screen contains several other options related to Safari on iOS devices, although not all of them are search-specific. In this screen, you can:

Enter or choose autofill information to fill in forms on websites.
Activate frequently visited sites in Safari.
Opt to block pop-ups .
Block cookies.
Prevent cross-site tracking.
Enable fraudulent website warnings.
Ask websites not to track you.
Allow websites to check if you have Apple Pay up on your device.
Clear your history and website data.

Google, Yahoo Search, and DuckDuckGo all have apps you can download to your iOS device for those times you don't want to use the default in Safari for searches.

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How to change the default search engine on Safari for iOS

Google Search is the default search engine on Safari for iOS. Here are the detailed steps on how to change it to a different one.

When users type a search term in Safari for iOS , the app displays Google Search results. That's because the company pays Apple billions (!) of dollars every year to be the default search engine on Apple products . However, your iPhone doesn't restrict you from changing it to a different one. There are plenty of reasons to why someone wouldn't want to use Google's service. This includes having more private options that even allow you to disable ads for free -- such as DuckDuckGo. Here's how to change the default search engine on Safari for iOS.

Launch the Settings app on your iPhone.
Scroll down and click on Safari .
Tap on Search Engine .
You can choose Google , Yahoo , Bing , DuckDuckGo , or Ecosia . Select the one that you want as your default search engine.
Voila! Now when you search in Safari, you will get results on the website you've chosen. You can change it to a different one at any time.

Personally, I use DuckDuckGo as my default because -- as I've mentioned -- it's more private and allows me to disable ads in search results. Different users will have other reasons for choosing their main search engine. The Cupertino giant allows you to choose between five popular options. Rumors have surfaced in the past regarding the possibility of Apple releasing its own search engine. However, there are no expectations or signs pointing to when (and if ) we will eventually see that.

Based on my usage, Google sometimes provides more accurate search results. Additionally, it enables you to include personalized results that pull private data from other Google services that you use. As someone who doesn't rely on what the company offers, though, this feature is useless to me. While DuckDuckGo isn't as precise as Google, it still works just fine for quick, daily-life searches.

Which search engine do you use the most, and why? Let us know in the comments section below.

How To Change Default Search Engine in Safari (iOS and macOS)

If you use the Safari browser on your iOS devices (iPhone, iPad or iPod touch) and on your Mac; you can easily change your default search engine; so that when you search something, your results will come from the search engine you select.

In this post, you will learn how to set a search engine as your default search engine in Safari with a few quick steps.

Safari has four search engines as built-in options. You can make any of them as your default search engine.

Safari (Mac or iOS) comes with the following search engines:

Google , the largest search engine
Bing , owned by Microsoft and the second largest search engine
Yahoo , the third-largest search engine
DuckDuckGo , a search engine that does not track searchers

You can choose a default search engine for searching the web. For example, you may want to use DuckDuckGo if you want to protect your privacy.

macOS (OS X) – Desktop Safari

There are two ways you can do this:

Launch Safari and open a new blank window or tab.

Launch Safari

Click the Search tab

If you use this method, you can change more settings. You can enable or disable if you want your default search engine to show you suggestions.
Now you can close the Preferences window

iOS Safari (iPhone, iPad or iPod touch) – Mobile Safari

You can choose your search engine in iOS also. Here is how:

On your iPad or iPhone, tap Settings

Then you may exit by pressing the Home button
How to close all tabs
How To Recover Lost Safari Bookmarks – iCloud

Dr. Serhat Kurt worked as a Senior Technology Director specializing in Apple solutions for small and medium-sized educational institutions. He holds a doctoral degree (or doctorate) from the University of Illinois at Urbana / Champaign and a master’s degree from Purdue University. He is a former faculty member. Here is his LinkedIn profile and Google Scholar profile . Email Serhat Kurt .

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To change the default search engine in Safari, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open the Safari browser and go to the Safari menu in the upper-left corner. Step 2: Select Preferences from that dropdown. Step 3: Once the Preferences window pops open, click the drop-down menu next to the Default search engine. Step 4: Click on the search engine you want to make your default. You can choose either Google, Yahoo, Bing, Ecosia, or DuckDuckGo.

This will change the search engine that is used when searching from within Safari. However, Siri and Spotlight will still use Google as their default search engine.

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iPhone & iPad: How to change default search engine in Safari

While you can’t change your default web browser on iOS, Apple does allow you to change the default search engine in Safari. The default on iOS is Google, but you are able to change it to either, Bing, Yahoo, or DuckDuckGo.

Follow along to learn how…

Head to Settings > Safari.
Under SEARCH, tap Search Engine.
Select the search engine you’d like to set as your default search engine.

While Safari is the only default option on iOS, it’s great that, at the very least, Apple gives you the option to change your default search engine, especially if you’re privacy conscious and don’t want to use Google. Note that this only applies to Safari, so doing searches via Siri, for example, will still default back to Bing.

For more help getting the most out of your Apple devices, check out our how to guide as well as the following articles:

iPhone: How to customize respond with text while receiving a phone call
Mac: How to get the official Apple user guide for free
iPhone & iPad: How to force quit apps
Apple Watch: How to get the official Apple user guide for free
iPhone & iPad: How to use Do Not Disturb for Messages
Mac: How to delete a user on macOS
iOS: How to leave a group iMessage

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How to Change the Default Search Engine on All Browsers and Devices

How to change search engine, featured image, illustration.

Every browser has its own default search engine to make online search easy for users. For instance, Chrome and Safari iOS use Google, while Edge uses Bing.

But what if you don’t like the browser’s default search engine? Lucky for you, every standard browser — Google Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Internet Explorer, Safari, and Opera — allows you to change which search engine it uses. Often, they also include options to add custom search engines from across the web.

The exact process depends on your browser and device. Whether you’re a mobile or computer user, we’ll give you detailed instructions on how to change the default search engine.

Check Out Our Video Guide to Changing the Default Search Engine :

What Is the Default Search Engine?

Did you know that your browser’s address bar isn’t just for visiting websites ? You can also use it to search the web automatically.

Every web browser has its own default search provider. When you attempt to search the address bar, it will automatically redirect you to the site preferred by your browser.

The default search engine is listed in the address bar.

It’s a lot faster than manually visiting a site like Google and then typing your query since you can skip an entire step. But if the default search engine is a site you’re not fond of, you may want to change it.

You can always visit your search engine of choice by typing its web address into the address bar, but there’s no reason to go through all that trouble when you can set it as the default search engine, then access it right in the address bar.

Wondering what the default search engine even is? Here’s the complete list for all major browsers covered by this guide:

Chrome: Google
Firefox: Google (previously Yahoo)
Internet Explorer: Bing
Safari: Google
Opera: Google

While Google is the popular default choice for most browsers, you can pick the one you prefer. Many browsers come preloaded with a list of other search engines to choose from, or you can add your own.

Why Change Your Browser’s Default Search Engine?

There is one big reason you might want to switch it up: Google tends to be the go-to default for most browsers. But it’s no big secret that Google is tracking you , and some users are uncomfortable with the invasion of privacy. If that’s you, you may not even want to search with it accidentally.

Alternatives like DuckDuckGo, a search provider dedicated to protecting your anonymity , maybe a better alternative if you have privacy concerns. This search engine is now a default choice on many privacy-focused browsers (e.g. Brave browser ).

On the other hand, Edge users may prefer Google over Bing. They may also dislike breaking from standards, considering that almost every major browser uses Google, the most popular search engine.

You may also not want to use a dedicated search engine but a smaller website’s search function. For instance, if you use your device primarily for research, you could make Wikipedia your go-to quick search tool.

Or it all may simply come down to personal preference.

How to Change the Default Search Engine (All Browsers)?

Whatever browser you may be using, regardless of whether you’re on a computer or a mobile device, changing the default search engine shouldn’t be hard. If you’re unsure where to start or where to find the proper settings, these tips will walk you through every step.

1. Google Chrome

With Google Chrome open, first look for the row of triple dots in the top right corner of your screen. Click it, then near the bottom, find the Settings button.

Open the Settings page, then look to the left for a quick link to the Search engine tab, or scroll until you find it.

You should see a drop-down menu to the right of the Search engine used in the address bar option. Click it and pick the search engine you like.

Selecting the search engine used in the address bar.

Alternatively, you can click Manage search engines , then click the vertical three dots next to the one you want and select Make default .

Mobile users: Open the Google Chrome app and tap the three dots next to the address bar, then Settings .

Find the Search engine under the Basics section. Then select the search engine you want to use.

Look for Firefox’s menu button, resembling three horizontal lines, in the top right corner. Then click the Options link located next to a gear symbol to open the Settings menu.

There should be a Search button with a magnifying glass icon on the left side of the screen. Click it to bring up Search options.

Look for the Default Search Engine section with a drop-down. Firefox comes with six defaults: Google, Amazon, Bing , DuckDuckGo, eBay, and Wikipedia. Select the one you like.

Changing the default search engine used in Firefox.

Mobile users: Tap the menu button next to the address bar, which looks like a vertical row of three dots. Tap Settings , then on the Settings page, Search. You’ll see a list of default search engines to choose from here.

You can find Edge’s settings by clicking the horizontal line of dots at the top right of the screen, then Settings. Click Privacy, search, and services , scroll to the Services section, then click the Address bar and search at the very bottom of the list.

Accessing the default search and address bar menu in Edge.

You should see a section labeled Search engine used in the address bar with a dropdown menu. You can pick from Bing, Yahoo, Google, DuckDuckGo, and YouTube by default.

You can also click Manage search engines , then click the three dots next to the search engine you want to use and click Make default .

Mobile users: To find your settings, tap the row of dots on the screen’s bottom bar and click Settings . Under Advanced , look for the Search option. Select the Default search engine , then select from the list of search providers.

4. Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer is an unsupported browser, and we recommend you update to a modern browser for security reasons. However, many people still use it today, especially in legacy corporate environments where users have no choice but to use outdated applications.

The process of changing your default search engine on IE is a little more confusing, but you can still do it.

To get to the settings, click the gear symbol at the top of the screen, then Manage add-ons .

In the window that pops up, look beneath Add-on Types , then click Search Providers . By default, Bing is the only provider listed.

If you’ve added other search engines, select the one you prefer and then click Set as default .

Changing the default search engine in Internet Explorer.

As the default browser for Apple devices, you can use Safari on both iPhone and Mac. While Safari versions exist for other operating systems, they’re outdated, and you should avoid them.

If you use Safari on a MacBook or iMac, look for the menu window along the top of your browser. Choose the first option, which is Safari , and click Preferences . Next, tap the Search tab at the top of the screen. You have your choice of Google, Bing, Yahoo, Ecosia , or DuckDuckGo.

iOS users: Instead of looking in the browser itself, open your phone’s settings and look for the Safari section. Beneath Search , tap Search Engine . You have the same five search engines to choose from as in the desktops.

Open Opera’s settings by clicking the gear on the left-side panel. Scroll down to the Search engine section and look for the dropdown next to the Search engine used in the address bar . You can pick between Google, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, Amazon, Bing, and Wikipedia.

Changing the default search engine in Opera.

Mobile users: Open Opera and tap the logo in the bottom right of the screen, then tap Settings . Scroll until you see the Default search engine listed under Search .

You have a few extra options compared to the desktop version: Google, Yahoo, Bing, DuckDuckGo, Amazon , eBay, IMDB, and Wikipedia. Select the one you want from the list.

How to Add or Remove a Custom Search Engine?

Let’s say you add your favorite search engine, but you find it isn’t on the list. What then?

If that’s the case, you’ll have to put it in manually. While this is easier on some browsers than others, all but Safari and Opera Mini have some way to add search engines other than the default ones they provide.

You might also notice that your list contains websites you’re not interested in, as they’re sometimes added to the list automatically. If this annoys you, you can remove them.

Luckily, these settings aren’t far from where you change the default search engine.

By default, Google Chrome only includes Google, Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, and Ecosia in the list of default search engines. If you have a different one in mind, you’ll have to add it manually.

Open the settings page for Chrome by clicking the three dots in the top right corner followed by Settings , and scroll until you reach the Search engine section. Then click Manage search engines .

To add a search engine, click Add next to Other search engines and fill out the field.

In the Search engine field, add a label. It can be whatever you want.
In Keyword, enter a word or URL you want to trigger the quick search function in Chrome. For example, to start Google’s quick search function , type “google.com” in the address bar and press Space on your keyboard.
Finally, enter the search URL. To find the correct URL, search the site you want to add. Your URL may look something like http://www.example.com/search?q=kinsta . For this example, replace kinsta with %s to leave your initial query blank.

Adding search engine options in Google Chrome.

Alternatively, you can visit your preferred search engine site and search there to add it to your browser’s list automatically.

You can also delete search engines, including default engines. Just click the row of dots next to them, and then click Remove from list .

Mobile users: There’s currently no way to add a custom search engine manually, but you can automatically add it by visiting the website you want to add and performing a search. You can then find it on your settings page under Basics > Search engine .

Firefox comes with a variety of ways to add new search engines.

To add them through the Settings page, open the menu next to the address bar, then go to Options , followed by Search . Scroll to the bottom of the Search page and click Find more search engines . You can then download a Firefox extension that will add search tools to your browser.

Firefox settings for adding or removing search engine extensions.

If you don’t want to download an extension, there are other options.

First, visit your search engine’s website. If you’ve enabled the separate search bar in Search settings (located next to the address bar), you’ll see a green plus symbol appear over the magnifying glass icon. Click it, and you should see an option to add your search engine.

If you’re not using the search bar, click instead on the horizontal row of three dots in the address bar. Then click Add Search Engine .

Removing a search engine is easy. On the Settings page, scroll to Search Shortcuts and highlight the search engine you want to delete. Click the Remove button, and Firefox will delete it from your search shortcuts and the Default Search Engine dropdown.

If you used an extension to add the search engine, then you’ll need to uninstall that extension.

Mobile users: Oddly enough, Firefox for Android includes adding search engines manually, whereas its desktop version doesn’t.

Tap the menu button to visit the Settings page, then go to the Search settings. Tap Add search engine, then Other . Name the search engine, then place the URL in the Search string to use field.

Like Chrome, you need to get the proper URL by visiting the website and searching. Copy the URL, then replace the query you entered with %s .

Much like Firefox, Edge relies on the OpenSearch standard to automatically add in search engines as you browse. To add a search engine, visit its website and search. You should then be able to replace your default search engine in the settings as discussed previously.

This rule applies whether you’re on the desktop or mobile version of Edge.

You can also add a search engine by visiting Settings > Manage search engines and clicking Add . It’s identical to Google Chrome’s prompt for adding search engines — enter a label for the website, a keyword to activate quick search functionality, and finally link the URL with %s replacing your search query.

Adding a new search engine option to the address bar in Edge.

Removing a search engine requires visiting Settings , clicking Manage search engines, and clicking the three dots. Then click Remove to delete them.

Open the Settings page by navigating to Tools (gear symbol) > Manage add-ons > Add-on Types > Search Providers . Since Internet Explorer only comes with Bing, you’ll need to include additional engines manually.

At the bottom of the pop-up window, click Find more search providers . From there, you can install various addons that will allow you to search with different engines.

Selecting from search engine add-ons in Internet Explorer.

Remove a search engine you installed, select it in the Search Providers list, then click Remove .

Unfortunately, there is no built-in way to add additional search engines in Safari for iOS or Mac. You can still manually navigate to a website to use its search feature, but there’s no way to add their quick search to your Safari address bar.

You may be able to look through Safari’s built-in Extension Library for a plugin, such as Anysearch, which allows you to add new search engines to your list.

In Opera’s settings, under Search engine , look for the button labeled Manage search engines . Next, click Add, and you’ll see a window where you can manually add in your favorite search provider.

As usual, enter the search engine’s label, a keyword to activate quick search (for example, typing “g” into Opera’s address bar will initiate a quick Google search), and the search URL with %s swapped out in place of your query.

One thing is different here compared to other browsers that allow you to add search engines manually: Opera supports websites such as StartPage, which use POST HTTP request methods rather than GET. Unless you know you’re using such a site, leave this box blank.

You cannot delete any of the default search engines, as they’re part of the browser. But if you’ve added a website you no longer want, click the line of dots next to it and select Remove from list .

Mobile users: There is currently no way to add a custom search engine to Opera Mini or remove any from the default list.

Most people have a strong opinion on which search engine is best. It can be frustrating when your browser defaults to the one you don’t like.

Luckily, changing your search engine and adding in a better one is an easy task on any device. No matter how unconventional your preferred search engine is, it should work perfectly as long as you follow these instructions.

Unfortunately, some browsers, especially mobile browsers, may not support manually adding search engines — and some don’t support adding extra search engines at all (e.g. Safari).

If you find yourself struggling to use a search provider you like, often your best option is to switch browsers. You can always check out the browser market share for 2021 to see if a better alternative exists.

Brenda Barron is a journalist and copywriter from California. She contributes to sites like WPMU DEV, Envato, and Torque.

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A nice read, thank you. I personally find Bing very ineffective when compared to Google, especially when looking for sites other than ones in the English language. One of the first things I do after a fresh system installation is to make sure the default search engine for the user is Google. This is what most people I meet expect in terms of web browsing anyway. Does anyone here still remember older search engines, like AltaVista for example? It was swallowed by Yahoo! in 2004, unfortunately. It was a decent alternative to Google at the time, way back.

The first example I followed (Chrome) All is good until select the search engine you want which gets to ‘Make default, Deactivate, Delete’. The Make default is greyed out so doesn’t work.

What does ‘select the search engine you want’ actually mean. Clicking on it does nothing. Does one have to disable the present default one before this method works? Please advise, thank you.

It seems that browser owners would rather that we use their preferred search engine, and grudgingly allow making switches–once. This monogamy is frustrating, because fast-swapping through search engines may have value for the different types of work one does on a daily basis. Thanks for putting this together. Only Opera seems to offer anything like a hot-swap search capability.

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How to remove microsoft bing from safari.

Do you want to remove Microsoft Bing from Safari on your Mac? Fear not! This article will show you how.

Firstly, open Safari.
Then, click the ‘Preferences’ option in the toolbar.
In the ‘General’ tab, you will find a ‘Default search engine’ option.
Change this to your preferred search engine, and you’re done!

Consider using browser extensions or plugins for more control over your browsing experience. Now you know how to remove Microsoft Bing from Safari on your Mac. Goodbye to unwelcome search engines, and hello to a personalized browsing experience!

Understanding Microsoft Bing and why it is on Safari

Microsoft Bing is integrated into Safari to provide an all-encompassing search experience. Directly from the browser, users can find relevant info without leaving the Safari environment.

Bing on Safari gives users accuracy and usability. It has advanced algorithms and a huge database of websites for reliable search results.

Plus, it offers image and video searches, news, and even weather forecasts. These let users access various content without having to switch away.

And it’s secure too! Safari makes sure user interactions are protected. No need to worry while browsing.

In conclusion, Microsoft Bing on Safari makes searching easier and more efficient. Plus, it has lots of useful features.

Fun fact: StatCounter Global Stats show that Safari held 19% of the global desktop browser market share in November 2021.

Step 1: Opening Safari Preferences

To remove Microsoft Bing from Safari, open Safari Preferences! Here’s a 5-step guide :

Launch Safari from the Applications folder or Dock.
Click “Safari” in the top left corner of your screen.
Choose “Preferences” from the drop-down menu.
Press “Command” and “,” keys together as a shortcut.
The Preferences window will now open, with various settings tabs.

By accessing Safari preferences, customize your browsing experience . Then, you can easily modify your search engine settings and remove Microsoft Bing.

Fun Fact: Do you know that Safari is Apple’s default web browser? It was released in 2003 and is now a popular browser worldwide!

Step 2: Changing the Default Search Engine

Switching the standard search engine is a key step to take out Microsoft Bing from Safari. Here are some easy instructions to make sure your selected search engine is set as the default choice.

Step 1: Access Safari Preferences: Go to the Safari menu in the top left corner of your screen and click “Preferences”.
Step 2: Select the Search tab: When you’re in the Preferences window, pick the “Search” tab at the top.
Step 3: Pick your desired search engine: In this area, you’ll see a drop-down menu labeled “Search Engine”. Click it and choose your wanted search engine from the list.

By following these three straightforward instructions, you can modify your default search engine in Safari and take away Microsoft Bing from your browsing experience.

To make sure a smooth transition and totally remove Microsoft Bing from Mac, here are some extra tips:

Tip 1: Clear browsing history and cache: After switching the default search engine, it’s sensible to wipe out your browsing history and cache. This helps get rid of any saved data related to Microsoft Bing.
Tip 2: Disable Microsoft Bing suggestions: In Safari preferences, there’s an option to shut off search engine suggestions. By turning off this function, you can get further away from any remains of Microsoft Bing.
Tip 3: Update browser extensions: If you have any browser extensions installed that are connected to Microsoft Bing or modify search results, think about disabling or updating them to dodge any unexpected interference.

By following these tips, together with changing the default search engine, you can successfully take out Microsoft Bing from Safari and have a flawless browsing experience with your chosen search engine.

Step 3: Clearing Safari History and Website Data

Clear your Safari history and website data! It’s key to getting rid of Microsoft Bing . Here’s how:

Open Safari.
Go to ‘Safari’ in the menu bar, then select ‘Preferences’.
In the pop-up window, go to the ‘Privacy’ tab.
Under ‘Cookies and website data’, click ‘Remove All Website Data’. Click ‘Remove Now’ to confirm.
Click ‘Manage Website Data’. Select which data to remove and click ‘Remove’.

Make sure you do all this to get rid of Microsoft Bing . It’s essential for your browsing experience.

Chris was searching for days to remove Microsoft Bing from Safari. But, when he found this guide and followed the steps, he finally won! He was relieved and felt liberated from any unwanted intrusions.

Step 4: Checking Safari Extensions

To ensure complete removal of Microsoft Bing from Safari, follow these steps:

Click on “Safari” in the top menu bar.
Select “Preferences.”
Go to the “Extensions” tab.
Review the list of extensions.
Look for unwanted Microsoft Bing extensions and click to uninstall or remove.
Close the Preferences window.

Removing Microsoft Bing as the default search engine helps protect from redirects and pop-ups. MacWorld, a tech news source, recommends checking Safari extensions for a secure and optimal browsing experience on Mac.

Step 5: Resetting Safari

Open Safari on your Mac.
Select “Safari” from the menu bar.
Click on the “Privacy” tab.
Click “Manage Website Data…”
A list of websites that have stored data on your computer will open.
Click “Remove All” to delete all website data.
Confirm by clicking “Remove Now.”
Head to the “Extensions” tab in Preferences.
Uninstall suspicious or unwanted extensions.
Go to the “General” tab.
Enter the URL or select one from the options to set your desired homepage.
Close Preferences and restart Safari.

Reset Safari now and say goodbye to Microsoft Bing. Enjoy a clean and optimized browsing experience!

Searching for how to get rid of Microsoft Bing from Safari? We have the answers! Follow our steps and you can say goodbye to this unwanted search engine.

Head to the Preferences section, then the Search tab. Select a different default search engine. That will make sure Microsoft Bing is gone.
You can also uninstall any extensions or plugins related to Microsoft Bing. They’re in the Extensions tab in Safari’s Preferences. By removing these, you’ll be sure to get rid of Microsoft Bing.
Finally, reset Safari’s settings to their default state. In the Privacy tab of Safari Preferences select the ‘Reset’ button. This will delete all saved data and restore Safari to its original settings.

By taking these steps, you can be sure Microsoft Bing is a thing of the past on your Mac. No more worries – you’re in control of your preferred search engine.

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Customize your Safari settings on iPhone

Customize your start page

When you open a new tab, you begin on your start page. You can customize your start page with new background images and options.

The start page in Safari, which shows favorite websites, websites saved to the Reading List, and websites open on your other Apple device. At the bottom of the screen is the Edit button.

Scroll to the bottom of the page, then tap Edit.

Choose the options you want to appear on your start page:

Favorites: Display shortcuts to your favorite bookmarked websites. See Bookmark a favorite website .

Frequently Visited: Go straight to the websites you visit most.

Shared with You: See links shared with you in Messages, Mail, and more. See Find links shared with you .

Privacy Report: Stay updated on how many trackers and websites Safari blocked from tracking you. See View the Privacy Report .

Siri Suggestions: As you search, allow websites shared in Calendar and other apps to appear.

Reading List: Show webpages currently in your Reading List. See Add the current webpage to your Reading List .

Recently Closed Tabs: Go back to tabs you previously closed.

iCloud Tabs: Show open tabs from other Apple devices where you’re signed in with the same Apple ID and Safari is turned on in iCloud settings or preferences. See Organize your tabs with Tab Groups .

Note: Your custom start page settings are updated on all your Apple devices where you have Use Start Page on All Devices turned on, and you’re signed in with the same Apple ID using two-factor authentication .

Change the text size for a website on Safari

Use the Page Settings button to increase or decrease the text size.

Tap the large A to increase the font size or the small A to decrease it.

Change the display controls for a website on Safari

You can hide the search field, switch to Reader, and more.

Hide the search field: Tap Hide Toolbar (tap the bottom of the screen to get it back).

See a streamlined view of the webpage: Tap Show Reader (if available).

To return to the normal view, tap Hide Reader.

See what the webpage looks like on a desktop computer: Tap Request Desktop Website (if available).

You can also adjust Safari settings in Accessibility settings. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Per-App Settings. Tap Add App, choose Safari, then tap Safari to adjust the settings.

Choose where to save downloads

When you download a file in Safari, you can choose whether to save it to iCloud or on your iPhone.

iCloud Drive: Select this option to save downloads to the Downloads folder in iCloud Drive. This allows you to access the downloaded file on any iPhone, iPad, or Mac where you’re signed in with the same Apple ID .

On My iPhone: Select this option to save downloads to the Downloads folder on your iPhone.

Share website passwords with a group

You can create a group of trusted contacts and share a set of passwords. Passwords stay up to date for everyone in the group, and you can remove someone at any time.

See Create shared password groups .

Adjust privacy settings for Safari

You can choose what privacy settings you want across Safari, and create individual exceptions for websites. See Browse privately .

You can get rid of AI Overviews in Google Search

There are a few different ways to remove ai-generated answers from your search results..

By Emma Roth , a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO.

Share this story

A screenshot showing Google’s AI Overview

If you’ve searched for something on Google lately, you might’ve noticed a wall of text that appears before the actual search results. This feature, called AI Overviews , offers an AI-generated answer to certain queries. But it also pushes your list of links further down the page, which makes it a bit annoying to scroll past when you want to do your own research — and it will get even more annoying once Google starts stuffing ads into it .

But even though Google doesn’t let you disable the feature, there are a few ways around it.

One of the best ways to “turn off” the feature is to reconfigure your browser’s default search engine options. The website tenbluelinks offers instructions on how to do this in Chrome on Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac as well as in Firefox on Windows and Mac.

You can block AI Overviews by configuring your default search engine URL.

In Chrome on Windows or Mac, head to Settings > Search engine > Manage search engines and site search .
From there, select Add next to the “Site search” section.
Add a nickname for your AI-less version of Google in the “Name” section, add a shortcut, and paste in this URL: {google:baseURL}search?q=%s&udm=14 .
When you’re done, hit Save or Add . Then select the three dots next to the entry and choose Make default .

The next time you conduct a search, you should no longer see AI Overviews.

Or you can try setting a filter in uBlock.

There are some other simple ways to avoid AI Overviews, too, including with uBlock Origin . One Reddit user found that you can avoid the feature by downloading the uBlock extension for your browser. You then head to the settings menu, go to the My filters section, paste google.com##.GcKpu into the list, and select Apply changes .

You can also try Bye Bye, Google AI , a Chrome extension created by Tom’s Hardware ’s Avram Piltch . The extension uses CSS to hide AI Overviews by default, but you can also customize it to remove Google’s discussions section, shopping blocks, sponsored links, and more. Tedium lists some solutions for getting rid of AI Overviews (including in Safari) and created the udm14.com site so you can conduct searches without AI results.

And finally, if you just want to avoid AI Overviews occasionally, you can do your search, then select More > Web to get an AI Overviews-less (and ad-less) list of sites.

Any of these methods should give you a break from AI search results — at least until Google rolls out an “off” button.

Update May 24th, 4:25PM ET: Added mention of udm14.com.

Google won’t comment on a potentially massive leak of its search algorithm documentation

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Sick Of AI? Here's How To Remove It From Your Google Searches

Google announced a slew of new AI features at I/O 2024 last week, and among them was perhaps the biggest change to Google Search in the history of the company's core product: AI Search Overview . Google is often considered the backbone of the modern Internet, the tool that tamed the wilderness of websites and ushered in a world where we could surface online information with ease. However, as companies rush to integrate generative AI into every level of their products, Google is pushing forward with putting generated summaries at the top of its search results. Not everyone wants an AI answering their queries, however.

There are many reasons you might want to disable Google's AI Overviews in Search. Most importantly, large language models (LLMs) of the type Google is using are simply not reliable sources of information. They're prone to what researchers call hallucinations, which is when the AI confidently states falsehoods. For example, Google might tell you that you should "drink at least 2 quarts (2 liters) of urine every 24 hours," as happened to X user Keval Shah this week.

Additionally, if you're searching for a specific webpage, you probably don't want to scroll past a block of AI generated text that's sitting in the way of that link. Lastly, there are privacy concerns around Google's implementation of AI overviews, since it's unclear how much of your search data will go into training the AI. We don't know if Google is listening in on phone calls , but the company is definitely tracking search results. So, if you're sick of AI and don't want it in your Google searches, here's how to get rid of it.

Google's AI overviews are a pain to get rid of

Google doesn't appear to be making it easy to turn off the new AI summaries generated in search results. If you go to the Search Labs section of Google, there's a toggle for "AI Overviews and more" which can be switched off, but this actually doesn't do anything to get rid of AI Overviews. As Google explains in a footnote, "Turning off 'AI Overviews and more' in Search Labs will not disable all AI Overviews in Search. AI Overviews are part of Google Search like other features, such as knowledge panels, and can't be turned off."

With Google unwilling to budge on its decision to inject questionable AI text into all your search results, you're left with two options: find another search engine, or get creative. For those who simply cannot give up Google, there is one weird trick that will allow you to avoid seeing AI. Alongside its new changes, Google Search now includes a results tab called Web that only shows links to pages — you know, the way a web search should actually work. You can configure your browser to only search that tab, thus defaulting you to a good, old fashioned page of links when you search from your Chromium browser's omnibox.

How to make a custom, AI-free Google search in Chrome

To set up an AI-free Google search in your Chrome browser:

Open Chrome Settings > Search Engine > Manage search engines and site search, or head to chrome://settings/search.
Alongside "Site search," click the "Add" button.
In the resulting dialog box, enter a name for your custom search such as "ClassicGoogle" in the top field.
Type "www.google.com" in the second field labeled Shortcut.
Enter "{google:baseURL}/search?udm=14&q=%s" In the third field.
Click "Add."
From the list of search engines, click the three dots next to your newly added custom search, then click, "Make default."

From now on, searching from the omnibox will take you to the Web tab of Google results, circumventing the need to see any AI results. This trick should work with any Chromium-based browser, though the steps may look slightly different. For example, we also tested it in Microsoft Edge, where the list of search engines could be found at edge://settings/searchEngines?search=search. Unfortunately, there's no way to know how long this workaround will last, or if Google will find a way to force users to see AI search results regardless. Lastly, if you need an AI palate cleanser, check out the top four Google I/O announcements that weren't AI .

To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories .

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How to Clear Your Browser’s Cache, and Why You Should

Digital generated image of UI frame filled with multicolored geometric spheres.

Every web browser has what's called a cache: a temporary storage space for web pages that syncs online content to your computer or mobile device. This syncing is designed to help websites load up faster and put less strain on your internet bandwidth.

It's a good idea, and it works well most of the time, which is why every browser does it. However, it can cause problems. By its very nature, cached content can fall out of date. Browsers will try to ensure this doesn't happen, but it can, and that might mean you're looking at information, links, and images that are no longer accurate or relevant.

What's more, discrepancies between cached content and what's actually on the internet can also cause all kinds of weird bugs, like pages not loading properly or web apps not functioning.

Cached content can also represent a security vulnerability. Data stored on your computer about the websites you've visited can tell a story of your online activity—and while it would require physical access to your computer and a skilled hacker to find it, it's a possibility.

For all these reasons, you might want to regularly clear out cached pages. Clearing the cache effectively resets the browser's relationship to the webpage, and it can often fix problems with a site.

Note that cached files are different than cookies . Cookies are bits of information saved by websites that tell them details about who you are and where you're located—so you don't have to log in every time you visit Gmail, for example. The cache holds different information, like images and page furniture.

There are reasons to clear your browser's cookies too, but we're going to focus on the cache here. This is how to do the job no matter what browser you're using.

Google Chrome

Clearing the cache in Google Chrome.

In Chrome on the desktop, click the three dots (top right), then Settings . Open up the Privacy and security tab, click Clear browsing data , and then select Cached images and files under the Basic tab.

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The drop-down menu up at the top lets you choose the time range for the cache clear out—anything from the last hour to all time. (You'll be shown how much data is in the cache in each case.) When you're ready, click Clear data to confirm the action.

It's a similar process if you're using Chrome for Android or iOS. Tap the three dots (top right on Android, bottom right on iOS), then Settings and Privacy and security . Choose Clear browsing data to find the Cached images and files option.

Mozilla Firefox

Emptying the cache in Firefox takes a couple of clicks.

Over on Firefox for the desktop, click the menu button (three horizontal lines, top right), then choose Settings . The options you need can be found on the Privacy & Security tab by clicking on Clear Data .

The next tab shows you how much data is stored in the cache, which here is referred to as Cached Web Content . Make sure this checkbox is selected, then click Clear to wipe everything currently in the cache.

With Firefox on mobile, the menu button is the three dots up in the top right corner (Android) or the three lines in the bottom right corner (iOS). Tap this button and Settings , then Delete browsing data (Android) or Data Management (iOS) to clear the cache.

Microsoft Edge

Edge will tell you how much data is in the cache.

If Edge is your browser of choice, on the desktop you click the three dots (top right), then Settings , and then open up the Privacy, search, and services tab. Click Choose what to clear next to Clear browsing data now .

Make sure the option for Cached images and files is checked on the next dialog, and choose the time range you want covered in the drop-down menu (from Last hour to All time ). Click Clear now to confirm and empty the cache.

If you're using Edge on Android or iOS, tap the three horizontal lines in the bottom right corner, then Settings , then Privacy and security , and Clear browsing data . You'll see the Cached images and files checkbox on the next screen.

Apple Safari

Safari deals with the cache and cookies together.

When it comes to Safari on macOS, you don't get quite as much control: Cached data and cookies are combined together in one pile, so you have to clear both or neither. Pick Settings from the Safari menu, open the Privacy tab, and click Manage Website Data .

All of the sites that have stored data on your computer are listed, together with the type of data—cache, cookies, or both. Select a website and click Remove to delete the data for that website; to wipe all local data from all websites, click Remove All .

For Safari on iOS and iPadOS, open the main Settings screen, then tap Safari , Advanced , and Website Data . Tap Remove All Website Data to erase everything, or choose Edit then tap the red delete button next to a site to wipe the cookies and cache for that specific site.

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IMAGES

Remove default search engine from Safari, Chrome, Firefox on Mac
How to Change Safari Search Engine: 10 Steps (with Pictures)
How to Change Safari Default Search Engine on iPhone & iPad
How to Change Safari Search Engine: 10 Steps (with Pictures)
How to Change the Default Search Engine in Safari for MacOS
How To Change The Default Search Engine In Safari On A Mac

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COMMENTS

How to Change the Default Search Engine in Safari on iPhone or iPad
Changing the Default Search Engine in Safari on iPhone and iPad. To get started, open the Settings app and tap "Safari." Next, under the "Search" heading, tap "Search Engine." Finally, select the search engine that you would like to use as your default when inside Safari. To select a search engine, tap it.
Change Search settings in Safari on Mac
To change these settings, choose Safari > Settings, then click Search. Choose the search engine you want Safari to use for your regular web browsing. Choose the search engine you want Safari to use for Private Browsing. Ask the search engine for search suggestions based on search terms you enter. The search engine may record your search terms.
How to dump Google as your default Safari search engine on ...
In the menu bar, select Safari and then Settings. Select the Search tab. Select the Search engine drop-down box to see and change between available search engines. Select the Private Browsing ...
Remove default search engine from Safari, Chrome, Firefox on Mac
Remove unwanted default search engine from Mozilla Firefox. Click on the Open menu button in the upper right-hand corner of the Firefox window and select Preferences. Click on the Search entry in the sidebar, go to Default Search Engine, and select your preferred service using the drop-down menu. If the wrong search provider continues to be the ...
How To Change Your Default Search Engine In Chrome, Edge, Firefox & Safari
Here's how to change your default search engine in Microsoft Edge: Open the Microsoft Edge browser. Go to the search engine website you want to default to (e.g., www.google.com ). Click on the ...
Customize searching in Safari on Mac
In the Safari app on your Mac, delete all text in the Smart Search field.. Click the magnifying glass to the left of the Smart Search field, then choose a search engine from the list.. When you search, you also give information about yourself to the search engine. For example, if you enter "Golden Retriever" in the Smart Search field, the search engine learns that you're interested in ...
How to Change Default Search Engine in Safari on iPhone, iPad, and Mac
Step 2: Click on Safari at the top-left corner. Step 3: Select Settings from the list of options. Step 4: Click the Search tab in the Settings window. Step 5: Select the drop-down next to Search ...
How to Change the Default Search Engine in Safari for iOS
To change the default search engine used by Safari on iOS devices: Open the Settings app on the Home screen of your iOS device. Scroll down and tap Safari . The current default search engine is listed next to the Search Engine entry. Tap Search Engine to make a change. Choose a different search engine from four options: Google, Yahoo, Bing, and ...
Change Search preferences in Safari on Mac
To change these preferences, choose Safari > Preferences, then click Search. Click the pop-up menu, then choose the search engine you want Safari to use for web searches. Ask the search engine for search suggestions based on search terms you enter. The search engine may record your search terms. Get Safari Suggestions as you type in the Smart ...
How to change the default search engine on Safari for iOS
Scroll down and click on Safari . Tap on Search Engine . You can choose Google, Yahoo, Bing, DuckDuckGo, or Ecosia. Select the one that you want as your default search engine. Voila! Now when you ...
How To Change Default Search Engine in Safari (iOS and macOS)
Safari has four search engines as built-in options. You can make any of them as your default search engine. Safari (Mac or iOS) comes with the following search engines: Google, the largest search engine; Bing, owned by Microsoft and the second largest search engine; Yahoo, the third-largest search engine
How to change the default search engine in Safari?
To change the default search engine in Safari, follow these steps: Step 1: Open the Safari browser and go to the Safari menu in the upper-left corner. Step 2: Select Preferences from that dropdown. Step 3: Once the Preferences window pops open, click the drop-down menu next to the Default search engine. Step 4: Click on the search engine you ...
iPhone & iPad: How to change default search engine in Safari
Head to Settings > Safari. Under SEARCH, tap Search Engine. Select the search engine you'd like to set as your default search engine. While Safari is the only default option on iOS, it's great ...
How to Change the Default Search Engine on All Browsers
Remove a search engine you installed, select it in the Search Providers list, then click Remove. 5. Safari. Unfortunately, there is no built-in way to add additional search engines in Safari for iOS or Mac. You can still manually navigate to a website to use its search feature, but there's no way to add their quick search to your Safari ...
How to Remove Microsoft Bing from Safari
To ensure complete removal of Microsoft Bing from Safari, follow these steps: Open Safari. Click on "Safari" in the top menu bar. Select "Preferences.". Go to the "Extensions" tab. Review the list of extensions. Look for unwanted Microsoft Bing extensions and click to uninstall or remove. Close the Preferences window.
Help removing search engines from Safari
The options can not be removed. No, Safari is a web browser, not a search engine. You can pick which ever option you wish. I use Duck Duck to avoid being tracked relentlessly by Google. stedman1. Community+ 2024. Level 10. 256,554 points. Apr 20, 2018 4:41 PM in response to ajogpz.
How to Turn Safari Search Suggestions On and Off
Here are the steps you should follow to turn Safari search suggestions on again after previously switching them off: Open the Settings app and go to Safari. When you see the Search Engine Suggestions and Safari Suggestions toggles, tap on both of these so that they become green again. After following the steps mentioned above, you should be ...
How to remove Search-Alpha from Safari?
Leave all the others alone for now. Next: open Safari and select the Safari menu > Preferences (or Settings) > Extensions. If you see any Safari Extensions that you do not recognize or understand, simply click the Uninstall button and they will be gone. No Safari Extensions are required for normal operation.
How can I remove Search Alpha from Safari?
37,529 points. Nov 8, 2023 3:16 PM in response to liron288. Open Safari>click safari>settings or preferences>search engine>remove search alpha as your default search engine and set another one you want.
How to remove unwanted search engines (that set themselves as default
This help content & information General Help Center experience. Search. Clear search
How do I remove search suggestions from iOS Safari?
There is no Proper way to remove search suggestions from IOS Safari but you can clear browser history by following Settings > Safari > Clear History and Browsing Data. Share. Improve this answer. Follow. answered Sep 4, 2020 at 6:16. petercoffin80. 1 1. 2. This does not provide any new information.
Customize your Safari settings on iPhone
You can hide the search field, switch to Reader, and more. Open the Safari app on your iPhone.. Tap , then do any of the following:. Hide the search field: Tap Hide Toolbar (tap the bottom of the screen to get it back). See a streamlined view of the webpage: Tap Show Reader (if available). To return to the normal view, tap Hide Reader.
You can get rid of AI Overviews in Google Search
In Chrome on Windows or Mac, head to Settings > Search engine > Manage search engines and site search.; From there, select Add next to the "Site search" section.; Add a nickname for your AI ...
Sick Of AI? Here's How To Remove It From Your Google Searches
To set up an AI-free Google search in your Chrome browser: Open Chrome Settings > Search Engine > Manage search engines and site search, or head to chrome://settings/search.
How to turn off Google's AI Overviews
Change your search engine on Android and iPhone You can't change the default search engine on Chrome, Edge, and Safari mobile apps. Firefox lets you add another search engine on Android and iPhone.
How to Remove AI Overview from Your Google Searches
Select "Search engine," then choose "Google Web" in the "Recently visited" section. For Firefox on PC or Mac: Firefox users can download an extension called UDM14 to add the custom search engine tweak above that ditches Google AI: Download and install the extension. Go to "Settings," "Search," and then "Default Search ...
How to Clear Your Browser's Cache, and Why You Should
Select a website and click Remove to delete the data for that website; to wipe all local data from all websites, click Remove All. For Safari on iOS and iPadOS, open the main Settings screen, then ...
How I Made Google's "Web" View My Default Search
Earlier this week, Google announced some big changes to its search engine that are, in a word, infuriating. Simply put, Google has started adding "AI overviews" to many of its search results, which essentially throw pre-processed answers that often do not match the original intent of the search.If you're using Google to actually find websites rather than get answers, it $!@(&!@ sucks.
Simple removal instructions, search engine fix
Chrome Firefox Safari Edge. Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome: Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Extensions" and click "Manage Extensions".Locate "GuardGo" and other suspicious extensions, select these entries and click "Remove".Optional method: If you continue to have problems with removal of the guardgo redirect, reset your Google ...

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Step 1: Opening Safari Preferences

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Step 5: Resetting Safari