How to change the default search engine in Microsoft Edge

\n

\n

Changing your default search engine in Microsoft Edge used to be fairly easy. Now, it requires a couple more steps than should be required. Microsoft Edge may no longer appear to be the browser we once knew if the latest leaks hold any truth. By default, Edge uses Bing as its search engine. Microsoft claims that by using Bing, Edge provides “an enhanced search experience, including direct links to Windows 10 apps, more relevant suggestions from Cortana, and instant answers to questions about Windows 10.” While that all sounds nice, I prefer using Google for search.

\n

Here are the five steps you need to follow to change the default search engine in Microsoft Edge.

\n

\n
1. Open a new Microsoft Edge tab.

\n

2. Go to your preferred search engine homepage.

\n

3. Go to the hamburger menu in the upper right hand corner of Edge or use the keyboard command Alt + X to go to the settings menu.

\n

4. Go to the Advanced, scroll to the bottom of the menu to the Address Bar Search and choose Change Search Provider.

\n

5. Choose the search provider from the list that you want for your default search engine.

\n

\n

If you get lost, refer to the gallery below for reference.

\n\n

\n

Now, if you have Microsoft Edge open, you don’t need to go to the search engine homepage to search for something. Instead, you can type whatever you are looking for via the Microsoft Edge address bar for search. I use it to keep up-to-date on everything OnMSFT.
\n
\nMicrosoft does note that “any website that uses OpenSearch technology can be used as a default search engine.” Besides the traditional web search engines, you can change your default web search engine to other websites too. Believe it or not, Wikipedia and Twitter use OpenSearch and you can also designate either website as your default search engine in Microsoft Edge.

\n\nFurther reading: Bing, Bing search, Edge, Google, Microsoft, Microsoft Edge, Search Engine, Windows 10