How to change the default browser and search engine on Windows

Many factors, including speed, appearance, ease of use, privacy and customization options can determine your choice of search engine. Some people stick to the default search engine included with their browsers. But it would be best if you took the time to choose a search engine that works best for you.

You may want to put privacy ahead of everything else, or you’ll pick the one with the best search filters. We’ve rounded up four options to get you started. Tap or click here to check out our comparison between Google, Startpage, DuckDuckGo and Bing.

Windows 11 launched in 2021 and along with it came a new version of Edge, with the Bing search engine set by default. It’s the same case for Windows 10. If you want to change either of these default options, we’re here to help.

This tip is brought to you by Dell, a sponsor of Kim’s national radio show. Get free tech help for your business by calling a Dell Technologies Advisor today at 877-ASK-DELL or go visiting Dell.com for free expert support.

Changing your default browser

Microsoft recently ended support for Internet Explorer. If you’ve ever tried removing the browser from your computer, you know it’s not easy.

While you can disable the browser, the files remain on your computer. Deleting these files could cause problems, as the browser is tied to other Windows processes. There are workarounds for this, but you would be taking a chance.

RELATED: New tips and tricks for Windows 11

The same case goes for Edge. You can switch the default browser to a different one, but you shouldn’t uninstall it. Microsoft doesn’t want you to mess with Edge, and the process to change it is not so straightforward, but it can be done through Windows.

To change your default browser in Windows 11:

  • Go to Settings > Apps > Default apps.
  • Scroll down to your preferred browser or type its name in the search field.
  • Select your preferred browser and scroll down to a list of browser files (HTTP, HTTPS.).
  • Click the name of the current default browser for HTTPS and change it to your chosen browser and click OK.
  • Do the same for each specific file type: HTTP, HTTPS .htm, .html.
  • If you get a Before you switch popup, just click Switch anyway.
  • You must change the assigned browser for every specific file type.

To change your default browser in Windows 10:

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Hidden map on your phone shows everywhere you’ve been and the photos you took there

Google Maps makes navigating unfamiliar cities frustration-free and straightforward. It has an innovative feature that you’re probably not taking full advantage of, Street View. Sure it’s great for looking at your childhood home. But, you can use it for things like creating your own stories and even going indoors. 

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You’re the tech-smart one in the family: The next time someone calls you for iPhone help, try this: If both your phones are updated to at least iOS 18, start a FaceTime call. Have them tap the Share button at the top of the screen, next to the red X. When the preview pops up, tap it from your phone and choose Request Control. When you’re all done, hit the stop button.

Gen Z is sick of acting like IT

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When you need tech help, do you reach out to your young coworkers? Most people do. Here’s why Gen Z is none too happy about it, in 60 seconds.

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Watch out for this scam ad popping up in YouTube

If you have spent any time on YouTube, you have seen a few ads. For the most part, advertising is through skippable in-stream ads. That’s when you see those short videos before or after the video you want to watch. Don’t like what you see? Here are eight YouTube pro tricks for better searches and more privacy.

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Set up alerts to see what your customers are saying about you

You know that brand identity and popular opinion matter if you own a business. Recommendations from existing customers can go a long way to increase business, so what customers say about you is crucial information you can use to promote your brand.

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4 ways to find anyone’s cellphone number online

How many times a day do you get a call from a number you don’t recognize?

If you’re inundated with robocalls, you’re not alone. You can’t make them stop altogether, but a few simple steps can go a long way in silencing the noise. Tap or click here for my best tricks to put an end to annoying robocalls.

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5 apps you should delete right now

You probably have more than enough space on your phone to hold whatever you want. The bad news: Your phone is probably full of junk you never think to remove.

Take your photo gallery. How many duplicates, screenshots and memes are clogging things up? Cleaning it up isn’t so bad if you have the right tools. Tap or click here for my top picks to easily organize your photos.

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How to lock down your Wi-Fi and protect your home

People love to mooch Wi-Fi. They find an unprotected signal and sign on. Why not? It’s free. Your neighbor won’t mind if you steal a little broadband to watch Netflix, right?

Criminals also love unsecured Wi-Fi, and they do mean harm. They use your network to attack your gadgets and steal your personal information. They download illegal files through your router, making you vulnerable to a police investigation.

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Have an Echo? 5 security settings to check now

Amazon’s Echo devices are a runaway success. There’s the Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Auto, Echo Studio, Echo Show, Echo Glow, Echo Flex, Echo Buds, Echo Frames, Echo Loop and more.

Confused? Let me help. Tap or click here for a features comparison lineup of the various Amazon Echo devices [2020 Chart].

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Remove Google Search results you don’t want people to find

We all have things we’d prefer that strangers didn’t know. What happens when those private facts and photos end up online?

Keeping tabs on yourself through search engines is your first line of defense. If you know the right ways to search and what to look for, you can find sensitive personal info you would have never known was public. Here’s how to perform an exhaustive search.

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Tech security tip: How to delete private data for good

Moving a file to the trash on your PC or Mac gets rid of it for good, right? Not so fast.

These files can be seen by others later, and they could be slowing down your machine. Tap or click for my favorite tricks to speed up an older computer.

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Wait! Take these steps before you update your PC

As of July, Windows was the operating system running 87% of the world’s PCs.

You’re probably using Windows 10. Windows 7 support ended months ago, and using the outdated OS isn’t worth the risk. Resistant to change? You can make Windows 10 look a lot like its predecessor if you know the settings to change.

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Need tech help? This app supports 450K products

Sometimes we need a little extra help when it comes to repairing things. While our devices do come with manuals, we usually toss them in the garbage or lose track of them.

Don’t worry. If you need your manual, just tap or click here to find it. But what if you want to speak to someone over the phone? Some of us are just more comfortable talking to a helpful tech support agent than we are muddling through dense documents.

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Barrett-Jackson online bidding tech - Tech help scam - iPhone saves lost hiker

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Kim talks to Craig Jackson, Chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson and a pioneer in online bidding. This year’s Scottsdale, Ariz. auction is the biggest in history. Learn about the technology that powers the world’s greatest collector car auctions. Plus, Kim helps a caller who was scammed trying to fix his computer, and meet a lost hiker who used her iPhone flashlight — and a dose of luck — to get out of a scary situation.

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11 smart home devices you didn't know existed

Smart home devices are fundamentally changing the way we live our lives, turning our homes into tech wonderlands.

With connected appliances, the dream of controlling every single aspect of our homes with a virtual butler is fast becoming reality.

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