Where to find the search engine setting in Safari

Safari's search engine setting lives in the browser preferences, not in the main menu. On Mac, open Safari, then click Safari in the top menu bar and select Settings (or Preferences on older versions). On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings on your device, scroll down to find Safari, and tap it.

Once you are in the right place, look for the option labeled Search Engine. Safari shows you a list of choices: Google, Yahoo, Bing, and DuckDuckGo. Tap or click the one you want, and Safari will use it every time you type in the address bar.

The change takes effect when ready. You do not need to restart the browser or confirm anything else.

Key Takeaways

  • On Mac, open Safari > Settings and find the Search Engine option in the general tab.
  • On iPhone or iPad, go to device Settings > Safari and scroll to the Search Engine choice.
  • Safari offers Google, Yahoo, Bing, and DuckDuckGo as built-in options.
  • Your choice applies to searches typed in the address bar, not to links you click on websites.

What happens when you change the search engine

When you type a word or phrase into Safari's address bar, the browser sends that text to whichever search engine you selected. If you chose Google, your search goes to Google. If you chose DuckDuckGo, it goes there instead. The results page that loads will look different depending on which engine you picked, because each one ranks and displays results its own way.

This setting does not affect searches you perform on websites themselves. If you go to Amazon and search for a product, Amazon handles that search. If you search within Wikipedia, Wikipedia handles it. The Safari default only controls what happens when you use the address bar as a search box.

Why you might want to switch search engines

People change their default search engine for different reasons. Some prefer Google because it returns results they find most relevant. Others switch to DuckDuckGo because it does not track your search history or sell that data to advertisers. Yahoo and Bing are less common choices but work the same way — you type, they return results.

If you use a work computer or share a device with family members, you might set a different default for each person. Safari remembers the setting for each user account separately, so changing it on your account does not affect anyone else's browsing.

How to switch back to your original search engine

If you change your mind, the process is identical. Go back to Safari Settings (Mac) or device Settings > Safari (iPhone/iPad), find the Search Engine option, and pick a different one. There is no undo button needed — just select the engine you want and it becomes your default when ready.

If you cannot remember which one you started with, Google is the factory default on most Safari installations. Choosing Google will restore what most people have out of the box.

Differences between Safari on Mac and iPhone

The setting exists in the same place on both devices, but the steps are slightly different because of how each operating system is organized. On a Mac, you click the Safari menu and then Settings. On iPhone or iPad, you leave Safari entirely and go to the device Settings app, then find Safari in the list. Both take about 30 seconds once you know where to look.

Your choice on one device does not carry over to another. If you set DuckDuckGo as your default on your Mac, your iPhone will still use whatever you set there separately. You have to change each device individually if you want them all to match.

What to do if your search engine keeps changing

Occasionally, malware or a browser extension can reset your search engine without your permission. If you set a default and it keeps switching back, check your installed extensions first. In Safari on Mac, click Safari > Settings > Extensions and look at what is installed. Remove anything you do not recognize or do not use.

On iPhone and iPad, go to Settings > Safari > Extensions and do the same thing. If you find nothing suspicious there and the search engine still keeps changing, run a malware scan using your antivirus software, or take your device to an Apple Store for a security check.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a search engine that is not on Safari's list?

No. Safari only offers Google, Yahoo, Bing, and DuckDuckGo as built-in defaults. If you want to use a different search engine, you can bookmark its homepage and click that bookmark, but you cannot make it your address-bar default. Some people switch to a different browser like Chrome or Firefox if they need a search engine Safari does not support.

Will changing my search engine affect my bookmarks or passwords?

No. Your bookmarks, saved passwords, browsing history, and all other data stay exactly the same. Changing the search engine only changes where your address-bar searches go — nothing else is affected.

Does Safari remember my search history with the new search engine?

That depends on the search engine itself, not on Safari. Google and Bing track your searches if you are signed into an account with them. DuckDuckGo does not track searches by design. Safari just sends your search to whichever engine you picked; the engine decides whether to keep a record.

What if I want different search engines on different devices?

You can set them independently. Change the setting on your Mac, then separately change it on your iPhone or iPad. Each device remembers its own choice. If you share a device with someone else, you can each have a different user account with different search engine defaults.