In its Chromium avatar, Microsoft Edge overtook Firefox to become the second most popular web browser on desktop computers after Google Chrome. However, it comes with Microsoft’s Bing as the default search engine, something that doesn’t seem to be a popular choice for many. So, if you are one of those who want to use another search engine, you have come to the right place. Because today we are going to discuss how to change default search engine in Microsoft Edge on Windows, Mac, Android and iOS.
Change the default search engine in Microsoft Edge
You can easily change the default search engine in Microsoft Edge on all major mobile and desktop platforms. Like Google Chrome, Microsoft’s new web browser also supports any search engine that uses Open search. Since all major search providers support the technology, you should easily be able to switch from Bing to Google, DuckDuckGo, Startpage, etc. on all platforms.
Change Microsoft Edge’s Default Search on Windows and Mac
While I’m using Windows for this tutorial, the process for changing the default search engine in Edge is the same on Windows and Mac. Also note that this article is about the new Microsoft Edge Chromium. If you are still using the old Edge, you should immediately update to the new version (To download) for enhanced security and additional functionality.
- To change your default search engine in Microsoft Edge Chromium, start by copying + pasting edge://settings/search into the address bar and hit enter.
- Now click on the drop-down menu next to “Search engine in address bar” to select your preferred search engine.
That’s it! You have now successfully changed Microsoft Edge’s default search on Windows or Mac.
Add a new default search option to Microsoft Edge
You can also add a new search engine to Edge Chromium. Here’s how:
- Click “Manage Search Engines” in the step above, then click the “Add” button on the next page. Follow the instructions thereafter.
- There is also an easier way to add a search engine in Edge. To do this, first open the browser and go to the search engine of your choice (google.in, startpage.com, etc.).
- Now go back to the search settings page as described earlier (edge://settings/search). The search engine or website you visited now appears in the list of options you can select.
That’s it! You have now successfully added a new search engine to Microsoft Edge on Windows or Mac.
Change or remove search engine in Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge Chromium also lets you change or remove all available search engines, including Bing. Remember that you cannot change the URL of the embedded options, nor remove the current default search engine. That said, let’s start to crack.
- To change or remove any of the search engines in Microsoft Edge, start by copying + pasting edge://settings/searchEngines into the address bar and hit enter. Now click on the “Menu” button (three dots) next to your target search engine as shown below to edit or permanently delete it.
Change Microsoft Edge Default Search in Android
The Edge browser is available on desktop and mobile, including Android (free) and iOS (free). However, unlike computers, you can only set the search engine in mobile apps to Google, Yahoo, or DuckDuckGo, alongside Bing by default. Unfortunately, there is no option to add more search engines on Android or iOS. Anyway, here’s how to change the default search engine in Edge on Android:
- Launch the Microsoft Edge Android app. Now tap the “Menu” button (three dots) at the bottom and select “Settings” from the context pane.
- On the Settings page, scroll down and tap “Search” under the “Advanced” section. Now select the “Default search engine” option (it is set to “Bing” by default).
- You can choose any alternative search engine like Google, Yahoo or DuckDuckGo. I chose the latter, and it’s now my default search engine on Edge on Android.
Change Microsoft Edge Default Search in iOS
- Open Edge and tap the “Menu” button (three dots) at the bottom of the screen. Now select “Settings” from the context pane.
- Now go to “Advanced Settings” and select “Search Engine”.
- Here, tap More to see default search options including Google and DuckDuckGo. Select the search engine you want. That’s it! You have now successfully changed search engine in Microsoft Edge on iOS.
To note: If you don’t see DuckDuckGo as an option, do a manual search for DuckDuckgo and it will appear in the list.
Switch from Bing to Google in Microsoft Edge on computers and smartphones
Now that you know how to change your default search engine in Edge, you’re probably looking forward to switching from Bing to Google. Although Google is the obvious choice for most users, I suggest choosing a more privacy-focused service like DuckDuckGo or Startpage. Anyway, whichever option you choose, once you’ve added a custom search engine in Edge, let us know which one you chose and why.
Finally, be sure to check out our articles on the best Edge flags, customizing Edge, and enabling news and weather widgets on Edge, among other things. They will help you get the most out of this browser.
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