Change Your Default Search Engine in Microsoft Edge

Wondering how to change your default search engine in Microsoft Edge browser? If the answer is YES, you clicked on the right post!
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Change Your Default Search Engine in Microsoft Edge

Wondering how to change your default search engine in Microsoft Edge browser? If the answer is YES, you clicked on the right post! While there’s no denying that Bing is an impeccable search engine with lots of cool features that enhance user experience, there’s no mistake in exploring other equally incredible options. Thankfully, Microsoft lets you transition smoothly from Bing to any other search engine that supports OpenSearch technology. But the big question is, how do you realize that feat? We’ve prepared this comprehensive post and settled on Google as an example to illustrate how to migrate from Microsoft Edge’s default search engine. Don’t get it wrong, though; you can change to any search engine of your preference, including DuckDuckGo and Yahoo! Here’s how to go about it:
  1. The first step towards transitioning to Google or any other OpenSearch search engine is to open Microsoft’s Edge browser, click on the menu, and select Settings. 
  2. Proceed to Settings and more by clicking on the 3-dot button in the top right corner.
  3. Click on Privacy and services just under Settings in the left sidebar.
  4. Scroll down up to the Services section and select, and click on the Address Bar option underneath.
  5. Click the Search engine used in the address bar option and select Google or your preferred site. On top of Bing and Google, Edge also includes DuckDuckGo and Yahoo! by default.
  6. Close the Settings page, and you’re all set. The next time you search in the address bar or right-click a text on a web page and select the Search the Web option, Edge will use your new search engine.
Please note that even after selecting your new default search engine, Bing’s search box will remain unmoved on Edge’s New Tab page. However, the address bar is designated for Google or any other preferred search engine usage. Did you know that you can also manage the number of search engines that appear in the address bar? That’s right; you simply need to click the Manage search engines option underneath the Address Bar section. You can remove the existing/provided search engines from the list and select the Add button to insert your preferred search engines by entering their site URLs. Microsoft Edge browser will also find search engines automatically when you use them. For example, if the algorithm notices that you prefer a different search engine, Edge will offer you a suggestion to “open a new tab, proceed to the search engine you want to add and use it to browse the internet.” Consequently, your new/preferred search engine will appear as an option in the list after using it once, assuming it supports OpenSearch technology.

Changing Your Default Search Engine in the New Microsoft Edge Chromium Browser

As you may be aware, Microsoft released a new Edge browser based on Chromium on January 15, 2020. The new browser is compatible with Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10, and macOS, and it comes with features found in Google Chrome and even supports Chrome browser extensions. This makes it virtually similar to its closest competitor – Chrome. Changing your default search engine in Microsoft’s new Edge is slightly different from the previous browser. It takes the following approach:
  1. Launch Microsoft Edge, click on the Menu (three-dot) button at the top right, and select Settings from the pop-up screen.
  2. Scroll down the Settings page and click the Advanced option at the bottom.
  3. Scrolling down the Advanced settings panel, you’ll see the Address bar search setting, and it should be set to Bing by default.
  4. Hit the Change search provider button, and you’ll see a list of alternative search engines to choose from. Select your preferred search service and click the Set as Default option.
Tip: If your targeted search engine doesn’t appear on the list, you want to first visit the engine’s homepage. Edge will automatically notice this activity and record the search engine’s information in its database. However, if the site still doesn’t appear on the list after opening its homepage, that could be a sign that it doesn’t support OpenSearch. If it’s a must that you use that particular search engine, you may take a step further and contact its Support Desk, asking them to enable OpenSearch, so you can use their services via the new Microsoft Edge. After setting your new selection as the default search engine, Edge will add it into the dropdown list of all the options available. So the next time you type anything into the address bar or Where to Next box on a new page, Microsoft Edge will automatically use your favorite search engine. Did you know you can also perform quick searches using keyboard shortcuts on Microsoft’s new Edge instead of going a long way? To do so, you simply need to press:
  • Ctrl+T to open a new page.
  • Ctrl+L to focus the address bar on the current page and type in your query immediately.
The other critical point to note is that changing your default search engine doesn’t change anything outside Microsoft Edge. For instance, when you conduct a search through Cortana or from the Start menu and proceed to “Search the web,” Windows will complete the search using Bing. Therefore, the changes made above only apply to queries that begin from within Microsoft Edge.

Final Remarks!

If there’s one thing we guarantee you’ll love about Microsoft’s new Edge, it’s the browser’s optimal versatility. The ability to change Bing – Edge’s default search engine – and replace it with your preferred service is unheard of. But that’s not even the best part; if your favorite search engine isn’t available on the browser’s database, you can get it by visiting the engine’s homepage so that Microsoft Edge detects it and records its search engine information. Isn’t that amazing? Have you been looking for a reliable Microsoft solutions firm without success? Baroan is a top-rated proactive IT services and support company you can rely on for all your Microsoft solutions needs. As an official Microsoft Gold Partner, we pride ourselves on helping businesses achieve growth and success through technology by offering on-demand Microsoft solutions like Azure, Sharepoint, Office 365, and more. Call Baroan Technologies today for support on any Microsoft solution your business may run!

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Written by Guy Baroan 
By: Guy Baroan