# How to change the default search engine in Safari on Mac: Settings steps for macOS Tahoe > How to change the default search engine in Safari on Mac: open Safari > Settings, click Search, and pick an engine. Set private windows separately. URL: https://www.lazur.app/how-to/change-the-default-search-engine-in-safari Updated: 2026-11-08 To change the default search engine in Safari on Mac, choose Safari > Settings, click Search, and pick an engine from the Search engine menu. Safari keeps a separate setting for Private Browsing, so change that one too if you want the same engine in private windows. ## Quick answer - Open Safari > Settings, click Search, then pick an engine from the Search engine menu. - Set the Private Browsing search engine too. Safari keeps the two settings apart. - Press ⌘, to open Settings and ⌘L to test the Smart Search field. - If the engine keeps resetting, check your extensions first. Apple does not endorse the forum fixes. Applies to: Safari on Mac, as listed in Apple's guides for macOS Tahoe 26 and macOS 27. Time: 2 min. Difficulty: Easy. ## What you need - Safari open on your Mac - Apple's Safari guides cover macOS Tahoe 26 and macOS 27 Golden Gate - An internet connection for the test search - Permission to change settings, if the Mac belongs to a work or school ## How to Change the default search engine in Safari in Safari on a Mac 1. **Open Safari.** Open Safari from the Dock, or from the Applications folder in Finder. Wait for the window to load, then make it the active app. Its name appears in the menu bar at the top of the screen. Tip: If you use Safari a lot, keep it in the Dock so you can reach it fast. 2. **Open Safari Settings.** (Safari > Settings) Shortcut: ⌘,. Click Safari in the menu bar, then choose Settings. Apple's guide uses the path Safari > Settings. Pressing Command comma does the same thing. Tip: Older macOS releases may label this item Preferences. The labels I checked say Settings. 3. **Open the Search pane.** (Settings > Search) In the Settings window, click the Search tab. This pane holds the search engine menus and the suggestion options. Tip: If the Search tab looks missing, close the window and reopen Settings with Command comma. 4. **Choose a search engine for regular browsing.** (Search > Search engine) Click the Search engine menu. Pick the engine you want for everyday searches. MacRumors lists Bing, Google, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, and Ecosia as the choices. Tip: Apple's guide does not list the engines, so check the menu on your Mac. It may differ from the 2023 article. 5. **Set the private browsing engine.** (Search > Private Browsing search engine) Click the Private Browsing search engine menu and pick an engine for private windows. Apple sets this separately, so the regular engine stays as you chose it. Tip: Want one engine everywhere? Set both menus to the same choice. 6. **Test the new default.** Shortcut: ⌘L. Press Command L to select the Smart Search field. Type a term, press Return, and check the address of the results page. It should show the engine you picked for that window type. Tip: Test in a private window too, since it uses its own engine setting. ## Where Safari keeps the search engine setting Safari keeps the search engine in its Settings window, not in the menus you might check first. Open Safari > Settings, then click Search. That pane holds every search option Apple lists for Safari on Mac. You won't find the engine under File, Edit, or View. The Search pane has seven controls. Apple lists them as Search engine, Private Browsing search engine, Include search engine suggestions, Include Safari Suggestions, Enable Quick Website Search, Preload Top Hit in the background, and Show Start Page. Only the first two choose which engine answers your searches. The others control suggestions, quick website search, preloading, and the start page. Leave them alone until you know what they do. ## Does the process change between macOS versions? Apple's Safari User Guide lists macOS Tahoe 26 and macOS 27 Golden Gate in its version selector. I found no page saying the steps changed for either one. The steps here match Apple's Search pages. Older menu labels, such as Preferences, were not verified, so check the label if yours looks different. ## Set the regular and private engines separately Safari treats regular browsing and Private Browsing as two settings. Apple says both are set separately. The Search engine menu covers regular windows. The Private Browsing search engine menu covers private windows. Changing one leaves the other unchanged. Here is a worked example. Say you want Google for everyday searches and DuckDuckGo for private windows. Set Search engine to Google, then set Private Browsing search engine to DuckDuckGo. Open a private window, search for a term, and check the address of the results page. It should match the engine you picked for private browsing. ![Man at a desk using a laptop to change the default search engine in Safari on Mac](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/change-the-default-search-engine-in-safari/how-to-change-the-default-search-engine-1-9e6ffa.jpg) ## Use the Smart Search field instead Apple describes a second method in its Smart Search guide. Smart Search is the address bar at the top of the Safari window. Delete all the text in that field. Then click the magnifying glass on its left. Choose a search engine from the list that appears. This method is quick, but Apple's steps do not say whether it changes the same regular setting as the Search pane. After you use it, open Safari > Settings > Search and check the Search engine menu. If the two disagree, trust what the Search pane shows. That is the setting Apple documents in full. ## Which search engines Safari offers A March 2023 MacRumors article lists five engines for Safari: Bing, Google, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, and Ecosia. Apple's guide does not name them. Treat that list as a snapshot, and check the menu on your own Mac. The list can change between releases, and I could not confirm the current one from Apple. Google is the most used engine by a wide margin. StatCounter's October 2026 worldwide data puts Google at 91.05%. Bing has 4.8%, Yahoo 1.18%, and DuckDuckGo 0.64%. These numbers show where search traffic lands, which is a useful signal when you pick a default. **Share of worldwide search referrals, October 2026** - Google: 91.05 % - Bing: 4.8 % - Yahoo: 1.18 % - DuckDuckGo: 0.64 % Source: https://gs.statcounter.com/search-engine-market-share/all-worldwide/worldwide The chart measures search referral traffic. It does not count how many searches people run. Treat it as a picture of where search traffic comes from, not a record of your own habits. ## Why the engine seems to change back The most common complaint is that Safari keeps going to Yahoo or Bing after you set Google. One Apple Community thread describes Safari opening Yahoo even though the preferences showed Google. Posters in that thread suggested a Malwarebytes scan, quarantining what it finds, and removing extensions the user did not recognize. Apple does not endorse these fixes. The cause is not confirmed in the threads I checked. Extensions are the first suspect. Work through the list below in order, and set the engine again after each step so you know which change helped. 1. Review your extensions and remove any you don't recognize. 2. Turn off all extensions, then open Settings > Search and check the engine. 3. Run a malware scan with a scanner you trust, and quarantine anything it finds. 4. Restart the Mac, set the engine again, and run a test search. ## Safari is a browser, not a search engine Mixing up the search engine and the default browser is common. Moderators in one Apple Community thread said Safari is a browser, not a search engine, so it cannot be set as the search engine. They pointed to a different place for the default browser. The Search pane only covers the search engine. ## Why the default engine carries weight The default engine carries real money. MacTrast reported in May 2026 that Google pays Apple somewhere around $20 billion per year to be Safari's default search engine. The article did not say which year that figure covers. Engadget reported that a judge placed a one-year limit on Google's default search contracts. These deals do not change the steps on this page. You still pick from the list on your own Mac, and you can change the choice any time you like. - **91.05%** Google's share of worldwide search referrals in October 2026 ([source](https://gs.statcounter.com/search-engine-market-share/all-worldwide/worldwide)) - **7.83%** Safari's share of worldwide desktop browser use in October 2026 ([source](https://gs.statcounter.com/browser-market-share/desktop/worldwide)) - **One year** Limit a judge placed on Google's default search placement contracts ([source](https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/judge-puts-a-one-year-limit-on-googles-contracts-for-default-search-placement-215549614.html)) - **$20 billion** Yearly amount Google reportedly pays Apple for the Safari default, year not stated ([source](https://www.mactrast.com/2026/05/google-files-appeals-over-2024-safari-search-engine-antitrust-ruling/)) ## Mistakes that stop the change from sticking - Changing the regular engine, then testing only in a regular window. - Assuming the Smart Search field and the Search pane always show the same engine. - Turning on Include search engine suggestions without knowing it can send your terms to the engine. - Confusing the default browser with the default search engine. - Ignoring an unknown extension that keeps resetting the engine. Most of these take less than a minute to fix once you spot them. Check the Search pane first, then test in both kinds of window. That order catches most problems early. ## Privacy settings that sit next to the engine The Search pane has an option called Include search engine suggestions. With it on, Safari asks the search engine for suggestions as you type. MacRumors warns that this can record the terms you search for. Turn it off if that matters to you. You lose live suggestions in return. ![Person typing on a laptop while setting search options in a web browser](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/change-the-default-search-engine-in-safari/how-to-change-the-default-search-engine-2-05056f.jpg) Include Safari Suggestions is a separate option in the same pane. The names are close, so read both labels before you change them. To clear data Safari has already stored, see [how to clear browsing history in Safari](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/clear-browsing-history-in-safari). ## Check that the new engine works Test in both kinds of window. Press ⌘L to select Smart Search, type a term you know, and press Return. Look at the address of the results page. It should match the engine you picked for that window type. Pick a term with one clear answer, like a city name or a product. Two or three searches are enough to be sure. If the old engine appears after a restart, go back to the troubleshooting notes on this page and work down them. ## When the menu won't change or the engine is missing Apple's pages do not describe a custom search engine option. If the engine you want is missing from the menu, I found no way to add it in Safari. Pick the closest option from the list. Check the engine's own help pages for any way to use it with Safari. If the menu won't change at all, the Mac may be managed. A work or school Mac can lock settings through a profile. I did not verify how managed profiles affect the Search pane. Ask whoever runs the Mac before you try workarounds. ![Apple Mac laptop on a wooden desk, ready for browser settings changes](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/change-the-default-search-engine-in-safari/how-to-change-the-default-search-engine-3-346f56.jpg) ## What to do next Once the engine is set, you're done. If private windows should behave differently, read [how to turn on private browsing in Safari](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/turn-on-private-browsing-in-safari). If you share this Mac, clear your history first using [the steps for clearing browsing history](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/clear-browsing-history-in-safari). ## Shortcuts - Open Safari Settings: ⌘, - Select the Smart Search field: ⌘L ## If it does not work - **The engine keeps reverting to Yahoo or Bing.** Forum posts point to unknown extensions or malware. Remove extensions you don't recognize, run a malware scan, then set the engine again. Apple does not endorse these fixes, and the cause is not confirmed. - **The engine I want is not in the list.** Apple's guide does not name the engines or mention a custom option. The MacRumors list has five engines. Pick the closest one from your Mac's menu. - **Private windows still use the old engine.** Private Browsing uses its own setting. Change the Private Browsing search engine menu in the same Search pane, then test in a private window. - **I changed the default browser, but search still uses the old engine.** The default browser and the default search engine are separate. Safari cannot be set as a search engine, so change the engine in the Search pane. - **The Search engine menu won't change.** The Mac may be managed by an organization or profile that locks settings. I did not verify how managed profiles affect this pane. Ask whoever runs the Mac. ## With Lazur Lazur is a voice assistant for the Mac that lives in the notch. Hold ⌥ ⌘ and ask; it sees your screen, answers out loud, points at buttons and walks you through apps. Hold fn to dictate. Free for 3 days, then $18/month: https://www.lazur.app/download - “Where's the search engine setting in Safari?”: Lazur draws a circle and a label around the Search engine menu, so you can find it without hunting through the pane. (Points at it) ## FAQ ### Can I add a search engine that is not in the Safari list? Not from the steps Apple publishes. Apple's guide does not name the engines or mention a custom option. A 2023 MacRumors article lists five choices. Pick the closest one, and check the engine's own help pages for other options. ### Why do I have to set the private engine separately? Apple treats regular browsing and Private Browsing as two settings. Each has its own menu in the Search pane. Set both if you want one engine everywhere, or pick different engines for each kind of window. ### Does the search engine choice affect my privacy? It can. MacRumors warns that Include search engine suggestions can make Safari request suggestions from the engine, which may record what you type. Read the privacy page of any engine before you make it your default. ### Why does Safari keep switching back to Yahoo? Apple Community posters describe this, and they point to unknown extensions or malware. Remove extensions you don't recognize and run a scan with a trusted tool. Apple does not endorse these fixes, and the cause was not confirmed in the threads I checked. ### Can I set Safari itself as my search engine? No. Apple Community moderators said Safari is a browser, not a search engine. They pointed to a different place for the default browser, so that setting does not belong in the Search pane. ### Can I use a different engine for one search only? Yes, according to MacRumors. Pressing the space bar before you type shows a dropdown for picking an engine for that one search. Your default does not change. Test it once, because menus can differ between versions. ### Do these steps change in newer macOS versions? Apple's Safari guide lists macOS Tahoe 26 and macOS 27 Golden Gate. I found no page that says the steps changed for either. If your menus look different, check your macOS version against the guide. ### How much of the search market does Google hold? StatCounter reports 91.05% of worldwide search referrals for October 2026. That figure measures referral traffic, not the searches people run. Use it as a general sign, not an exact count. ## Sources 1. [Apple Support: Change Search settings in Safari on Mac](https://support.apple.com/guide/safari/search-sfria1042d31/mac), Apple, checked 2026-11-08 2. [Apple Support: Customize searching in Safari on Mac (en-au)](https://support.apple.com/en-au/guide/safari/ibrwe75c2a3c/mac), Apple, checked 2026-11-08 3. [Apple Support: Choose a search engine for Safari on Mac](https://support.apple.com/guide/safari/choose-a-search-engine-ibrwa333d6d1/mac), Apple, checked 2026-11-08 4. [Apple Support: Keyboard shortcuts and gestures in Safari on Mac](https://support.apple.com/guide/safari/keyboard-shortcuts-and-gestures-cpsh003/mac), Apple, checked 2026-11-08 5. [Apple Support: Safari User Guide](https://support.apple.com/guide/safari/keyboard-shortcuts-ibrw1074/mac), Apple, checked 2026-11-08 6. [MacRumors: How to Select a Default Search Engine in Safari and Switch Engines on the Fly](https://www.macrumors.com/how-to/select-default-search-engine-safari/), MacRumors, checked 2026-11-08 7. [Apple Community: Search engine back to Safari default](https://discussions.apple.com/thread/254872335), Apple Community, checked 2026-11-08 8. [Apple Community: Safari keeps going to Yahoo search engine](https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251760996), Apple Community, checked 2026-11-08 9. [StatCounter: All and Worldwide Search Engine Market Share Worldwide](https://gs.statcounter.com/search-engine-market-share/all-worldwide/worldwide), StatCounter, checked 2026-11-08 10. [StatCounter: Desktop Browser Market Share Worldwide](https://gs.statcounter.com/browser-market-share/desktop/worldwide), StatCounter, checked 2026-11-08 11. [MacTrast: Google Files Appeals Over 2024 Safari Search Engine Antitrust Ruling](https://www.mactrast.com/2026/05/google-files-appeals-over-2024-safari-search-engine-antitrust-ruling/), MacTrast, checked 2026-11-08 12. [Engadget: Judge puts a one-year limit on Google's contracts for default search placement](https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/judge-puts-a-one-year-limit-on-googles-contracts-for-default-search-placement-215549614.html), Engadget, checked 2026-11-08