Microsoft Edge uses Bing for address bar searches by default, but you can switch it to Google, DuckDuckGo, or another provider. Once changed, anything you type into the address bar that is not a web address uses the new default.
Does this affect you?
Use this for Microsoft Edge on Windows or Mac when address bar searches go to Bing and you want another search engine to be the default.
Switch search engines from the address bar settings
This is fastest after Edge has already detected the search provider.
- Open the search engine you want, such as google.com or duckduckgo.com.
- Run one search from that site so Edge recognizes it.
- Open the three-dot menu and choose Settings.
- Choose Privacy, search, and services.
- Scroll to Address bar and search.
- Open Search engine used in the address bar and select the provider.
Set any search engine directly in Settings
Use this if Edge has not detected the provider yet.
- Open Settings > Privacy, search, and services.
- Scroll to Address bar and search.
- Open Manage search engines.
- Click Add.
- Enter the search engine name, an optional shortcut, and a query URL that uses %s for the search term. For Google, use https://www.google.com/search?q=%s.
- Save the entry.
- Click the three-dot menu next to it and choose Make default.
More control
Some Edge surfaces may still use Bing
Changing the address bar default does not necessarily change every Edge feature. The Discover sidebar, new tab widgets, and some Microsoft services may still show Bing-powered results from separate settings.
Use keyword searches
If you set a shortcut, type it in the address bar, press Tab, and then type the search. This lets you search a specific provider once without changing your default.
Managed computers may be locked
On a work or school device, administrators can lock the default search engine. If the dropdown is grayed out, ask IT to change the policy.
Sources
- Microsoft Support – Change the default search engine in Microsoft Edge (2025)
- Microsoft Support – Manage search engines in Microsoft Edge (2025)