How to Set Google as Search Engine on Safari

When typing words in the Safari URL/Search field and hitting enter it automatically uses your default search engine (Yahoo, Google, Bing, etc.) to find the wanted results. However, many users out there want to change their default search engine (and set it to Google for example). On Safari 8 and older versions, that option was available right from within the URL tab. To set Google as default search on Safari 9 or later you need to do one of the following methods.

Method #1

One way to change the default search engine in Safari is to use the Preferences window.

1. First, launch Safari on your Mac, if you haven’t already.
2. Click on the Safari menu and click on Preferences.
3. From the preferences window, select the Search tab.
4. Click the Search engine drop–down menu and choose the search engine you want to use (Google in our case).
   
5. Now close the preferences window, and you are good to go. You don’t need to restart Safari or your Mac. Your default search engine is changed.

Method #2

Another and quicker method for changing Safari’s search engine is directly in the search/URL bar. Here is how.

1. Click on the Safari Search/URL bar.
2. Instead of typing any words, press the Spacebar on your keyboard, and the available search engines (Yahoo, Google, Bing and DuckDuck Go) will appear in a drop-down menu.
3. Click on the one you want to set as a default search engine, and that’s it (I choose Google).
   

The good thing with both methods explained above is that the change is permanent. That means it will stay this way until you change it again in the future.

Now you are not stuck with one search engine. You can change it depending on your current needs.