Setting Google as your search engine in Edge

Microsoft Edge comes with Bing as the default search engine, but you can change it to Google in about two minutes. Open Edge, go to Settings, find the Search engine section, and select Google from the list. Edge will then use Google for any search you type into the address bar.

This change affects only searches you perform in Edge itself — it does not change your home page or the search box that appears when you open a new tab, though you can adjust those separately if you want to. The setting sticks across all your devices if you sign into the same Microsoft account on each one.

Key Takeaways

  • You change the default search engine in Edge Settings under the Search engine section, where Google appears as a ready-made option.
  • The change applies to searches typed into the address bar but does not automatically change your home page or new tab page.
  • If you sign into your Microsoft account on multiple devices, the search engine preference syncs across them all.
  • You can also set a different search engine for private browsing if you want Google for regular browsing but something else for InPrivate sessions.

Open Edge Settings and locate the search engine menu

Launch Microsoft Edge and look for the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner of the window. Click it, then select Settings from the dropdown menu. The Settings page will open in a new tab.

On the left side of the Settings page, you will see a column of options. Click on Privacy, search, and services. This section contains all the search-related settings for Edge, including the option to change your default search engine.

Select Google from the search engine list

Scroll down the Privacy, search, and services page until you find the Search engine section. You will see a dropdown menu that currently shows Bing (or whichever engine is set now). Click on that dropdown.

A list of search engines appears, including Google, Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, and others. Click on Google. Edge when ready sets Google as your default search engine — there is no separate save button or confirmation step needed.

Verify the change works

Close the Settings tab and return to the main Edge window. Click on the address bar at the top (the white box where you normally type web addresses) and type a search term — for example, "weather today". You should see Google search results appear, not Bing results.

If you see Google results, the change is complete. If you still see Bing results, go back to Settings and confirm that Google is selected in the Search engine dropdown. Sometimes Edge requires a full restart of the browser to explore the change, so close all Edge windows and open it again if the first test does not work.

Changing the search engine for private browsing only

Edge allows you to set a different default search engine for InPrivate (private) browsing sessions. This is useful if you want Google for regular browsing but prefer a privacy-focused engine like DuckDuckGo when you open an InPrivate window.

To set this up, go back to Settings and Privacy, search, and services. Scroll to the Search engine section and look for the option labeled "Search engine used in InPrivate windows". Click the dropdown next to it and select whichever engine you prefer for private sessions. Your regular browsing will continue to use Google.

Adjusting your home page and new tab page separately

Changing the default search engine does not change what appears when you open a new tab or start Edge. By default, Edge shows a Bing search box on the new tab page. If you want Google to appear there instead, you will need to adjust that setting separately.

In Settings, go to Appearance on the left side. Look for the section labeled "Customize your new tab page" and toggle off the option for "Show search box". Then, if you want a Google search box instead, you can set your home page to Google.com and configure Edge to show your home page when you open a new tab. Go to Settings, then Appearance, and find "Home button". Toggle it on, then select "Open the home page" from the dropdown below it.

Syncing your search engine choice across devices

If you use Edge on multiple computers or devices, your search engine preference can sync automatically. This means if you set Google as default on your work computer, it will also be the default on your personal laptop — as long as you sign into the same Microsoft account on both.

To check that syncing is turned on, go to Settings and click Profiles on the left side. Select Sync, then make sure the toggle for "Sync now" is on. You can also choose which specific settings sync by clicking "Customize sync" — search engine settings are included in the default sync options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing the search engine affect my bookmarks or browsing history?

No. Changing the default search engine only affects which search results appear when you search from the address bar. Your bookmarks, history, passwords, and all other browser data remain unchanged.

Can I use Google for regular searches but Bing for something else?

Yes. You can set Google as your main default search engine and then set a different engine for InPrivate windows. Edge does not allow you to set different engines for different websites or situations beyond that.

What if Google does not appear in the search engine dropdown list?

Google is built into Edge and should always appear in the list. If it does not, restart Edge completely — close all windows and reopen the browser. If it still does not appear after a restart, your version of Edge may need an update. Check for updates in Settings under About Microsoft Edge.

Does this change affect searches I do on Google.com directly?

No. This setting only controls what happens when you type a search into Edge's address bar. If you visit Google.com in a tab and search from there, that search works the same way regardless of your default search engine setting.

Will my search engine choice stay if I uninstall and reinstall Edge?

If you sign back into your Microsoft account after reinstalling, your search engine preference will sync back to that device. If you do not sign in, Edge will reset to Bing as the default.