Windows 10 Tip: Change the Microsoft Edge Search Engine

Windows 10 Tip: Change the Microsoft Edge Search Engine

By default, Edge is configured to use Microsoft’s Bing for web searches. Oddly, Google Search is not an option. But you can fix that if you know the trick.

Note: This tip is derived from the Windows 10 Field Guide, which is now being updated for the Windows 10 Creators Update.

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If you navigate to Edge’s Advanced Settings interface—Settings and More (“…”) > Settings > View advanced settings > Change search engine (under “Search in the address bar with”), you will discover something unexpected: Google Search is not even an option.

To fix this, use Edge to navigate to Google.com (or your favorite Internet search engine’s website). Then, return to the Change search engine option in Advanced settings. (Shown above.)

Now, select “Google Search (discovered)” (or whichever search engine you visited) and then the Set as default button at the bottom of this pane. Future address bar searches will use that search engine instead of Bing.

Note: There is one major downside to this change. Certain Edge features, like Quick answers, will no longer work if you change the search engine from Bing.

 

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Conversation 18 comments

  • bgoodbody

    Premium Member
    20 March, 2017 - 10:03 am

    <p>Stay with Bing!</p>

  • bgoodbody

    Premium Member
    20 March, 2017 - 10:04 am

    <p>Stay with Bing</p>

    • Mestiphal

      20 March, 2017 - 11:36 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#91835">In reply to bgoodbody:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>I'm sure this information is useful for many many people, but it seems now days 50% of the posts are "How to" transition from MS to something else…. maybe that's just my perception..</p>

      • MikeGalos

        20 March, 2017 - 11:41 am

        <blockquote><a href="#91877"><em>In reply to Mestiphal:</em></a></blockquote><p>Depends what you notice. I seem to recall a pretty big series on how to replace Google tools in Android (including the actual primary UI) with Microsoft utilities.</p><p>For example, on today's home page: </p><p>Android for the Windows Guy: Redmondize Your Smartphone</p>

  • david.thunderbird

    20 March, 2017 - 10:29 am

    <p>Not, toss edge over the edge. Didn't them boys at MS get in trouble for this before?</p>

  • MikeGalos

    20 March, 2017 - 11:00 am

    <p><strong>Note:</strong> There is one other major downside to this change. Everything you ever search for goes to an ad broker whose revenue is almost entirely generated by selling what they learn about you to their advertising customers.</p><p>I'll stick with Bing.</p>

  • HoloLensman

    20 March, 2017 - 1:00 pm

    <p>Why on Earth would anyone ever use Google search? Seriously. I haven't "Googled" in over 3 years.</p>

    • Mike Dowsett

      20 March, 2017 - 2:06 pm

      <p>If you live in NZ as I do Bing is fairly useless as every search result is skewed to the US, it seems to have no regional recognition, whereas Google gets it right every time</p><p><br></p>

      • mike moller

        20 March, 2017 - 7:11 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#91945">In reply to Mike Dowsett:</a></em></blockquote><p>well said Mike – Bing is completely worthless down here in NZ and I rather suspect the experience is much the same across the ditch in Oz. Anyone in Australia able to comment on this?</p>

        • anchovylover

          20 March, 2017 - 7:35 pm

          <blockquote><em><a href="#92016">In reply to mike moller:</a></em></blockquote><p>Hi Mike, Bing is improving here in Australia. However, Google still has it comfortably covered. I could see a MS fan being able to use Bing here. It would be a compromised experience but nothing a fan couldn't overlook. Using Edge and Bing here together is troublesome as well.</p>

      • HoloLensman

        21 March, 2017 - 12:04 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#91945"><em>In reply to Mike Dowsett:</em></a></blockquote><p>For NZ it makes sense to not use Bing, however, I'm not sure that I would use Google.</p>

    • Tony Barrett

      20 March, 2017 - 3:23 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#91922">In reply to HoloLensman:</a></em></blockquote><p>Funny that. About 80% of the people who search the 'net seem to disagree.</p>

      • HoloLensman

        21 March, 2017 - 12:10 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#91978"><em>In reply to Tony Barrett:</em></a></blockquote><p>80% of the people either&nbsp;don't know or care&nbsp;what search&nbsp;engine they are using.</p><p><br></p>

        • YouWereWarned

          24 March, 2017 - 1:13 pm

          <blockquote><a href="#92186"><em>In reply to HoloLensman:</em></a></blockquote><p>Careful. You're enrolling yourself in the clueless group…</p>

  • Tony Barrett

    20 March, 2017 - 3:21 pm

    <p>Microsoft don't offer Google search even as an option in Edge? Well I never, that's a surprise. Call me shocked.</p><p><br></p>

  • rameshthanikodi

    21 March, 2017 - 10:19 am

    <p>This is a horrible way to change search engines and i'm surprised Microsoft doesn't just offer the option to configure the browser defaults at first run, just like every other browser. Terrible!</p>

  • Chris Blair

    26 March, 2017 - 11:07 pm

    <p> I must admit that I'm happy using Edge with Bing. But when I (occasionally) go to google.com using Edge I see this ad: "Get to Google faster. Switch your default search engine to Google." A tip from Paul to help me permanently block this ad would be most appreciated.</p>

  • Roncerr

    26 June, 2017 - 8:24 pm

    <p>I'm still using IE for 5 reasons: 1) customizable command bar, 2) status bar with navigation info on the left and zoom adjustment on the right. 3) convenient font size adjustment and print preview buttons for command bar. 4) f11 turns full screen on and off. 5) right-click search-with-google accelerator.</p>

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