Change Chrome search engine for different search results

As mentioned in other articles, the one feature of the Chrome web browser I really like is the simple interface and the single text field which functions both as a URL/address bar and a search field. This means you can either type in a web address (URL) in the field or a search query. The latter is processed by the default search engine you've set in Chrome.

Chrome, being a Google product, comes with the Google search engine as the default. However, you can change it quite easily via the settings and options. The best part is you are not restricted to searching only the web (web page text information). Simply change the default search engine on Chrome and you would be able to run queries on YouTube, ebay.com, and even your local "whatever" search engine.

For instance, let us say, you are an avid fan of YouTube. You spend hours on end viewing and downloading videos, making DVDs and viewing them on TV, putting them on your iPod, iPhone, iTouch, PSP, sharing with your friends... - you have little life outside this great video site.
Or ebay.com is your lifeline - you may be a compulsive shopper or you might be a running a successful store.
Wouldn't it be just great if you searched on YouTube or ebay.com right from Google Chrome?

Modify the default search engine on Chrome

Google Chrome lets you manage a long list of search engines and you can also change this list as and when you want via the settings. Search queries are processed only through the default engine.

Click on the small "wrench" icon (top right) and select "Options". Making sure you are under the "Basics" tab, move down to the "Default search" section. To choose an alternative, click on present search engine name and select one from the drop down - refer image below.

FYI, the search engines displayed in the drop down are ones that have been specified as the default search options.

Do not fret if the drop down in the image above does not match the one on your system OR the search engine you want is not on the list. In a moment I will show you just how to add your preferred search engine to this list - and also make it the default on Chrome.

Manage Chrome search engines

Click on the "Manage" link in the "Default search" section. A window pops up with a whole list of search engines that came with Chrome. You can now change this list as per your requirements- add new search engines, edit the ones in the list or even delete them altogether.

Note: the list is broken into two. The first half has the default search options and the second one for "others". These are popular search engines that Chrome thinks might be useful to you.

If you cannot find the search engine of your choice in the list, hit the "Add" button and then enter three little pieces of information - the search engine name, a keyword and the search URL (put %s where you want the query to appear in the URL).

Default search engine in Chrome

The Chrome web browser is installed with Google search engine as the default. You can change this by selecting one from the Manage window and hitting the "Make Default" button. For instance, you can make the YouTube search engine the default and you'll get results only from YouTube.