How to use a different search engine in Safari’s private browsing mode

Learn how to set a different search engine for Safari’s private mode on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac than the one you use for regular browsing.

Google is the default search engine in Safari, but you can override Apple’s choice and set the browser to use Yahoo, Bing, DuckDuckGo, or Ecosia instead.

Safari also lets you set a search engine for private browsing that’s different from the one used for normal browsing. Whether you distrust Google or just wanna use a more private service like DuckDuckGo in private mode, Safari has you covered.

Set a search engine for Safari’s private browsing mode

The private search engine setting doesn’t sync across iPhones, iPad and Mac, meaning you can set a different private search engine on each device.

iPhone and iPad

1. Open Settings and tap Apps at the bottom.
2. Select Safari from the list of installed apps.
3. Turn off the switch for Also Use in Private Browsing under the Search heading.
4. Tap the newly revealed Private Search Engine option and pick a search engine.

The following search engines are listed:

• Google: Use Google for your private searches.
• Bing: Use Bing when browsing the web privately.
• Yahoo: Use Yahoo for Safari’s private mode.
• DuckDuckGo: Use this privacy-focused search engine for private browsing.
• Ecosia: Use Ecosia for private browsing and to help plant trees!

Mac

1. Open the Safari app on your Mac, then click Safari > Settings in the menu bar.
2. Select the Search tab.
3. Untick the box for “Also use in Private Browsing.”
4. Click the menu next to “Private Browsing search engine” and choose from the available options: Google, Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, or Ecosia.

Entering Safari’s private browsing mode will automatically use the search engine you’ve selected for any searches performed via Safari’s URL bar. Upon exiting private mode or switching to a normal window, Safari reverts to your default search engine.

Tell me more about Ecosia

Ecosia, one of the choices Safari offers, is a search engine that helps plant trees in Indonesia, Uganda, Kenya, Peru, and other areas that need them using income from search ads. Each planted tree helps the environment, people, and local economies. The best thing is, you don’t have to do anything special but use Ecosia.

Visit the Ecosia website to learn more about their mission, view the locations they’ve helped, take a peek at Ecosia’s privacy policy and more.

Other tips for Safari private browsing:

• How to always open Safari in a private window
• How to hide your IP address and prevent tracking in Safari
• How to lock and unlock private Safari tabs with Face ID, Touch ID or password