How to Use Perplexity as Your Default Search Engine

Editor’s Note: New post, October 2026. Steps checked October 11, 2026.

In a sentence: You can make Perplexity your default search engine in about five minutes by adding one custom URL in your browser’s settings, so every question you type in the address bar gets an answer instead of a link list.

Plain-English Verdict
If you have been opening perplexity.ai by hand every time you have a question, you are doing an extra step you do not need. Adding it as your browser’s default search engine means the address bar becomes the question box: type, hit Enter, read the answer. It works cleanly in Chrome and Edge, takes about five minutes, and reversing it takes thirty seconds, so there is nothing to lose.

What we actually did: We cross-checked the setup steps below against five current how-to guides (alphr.com, techradar.com, gadgetbridge.com, appliedai.tools, and a widely-referenced GitHub gist) so the menu names and the exact search URL match the current consensus. We did not run a hands-on install for this piece; the steps are reported as documented procedures. We make no money from your choice: no affiliate links, no sponsored placements.

Let us do this together. The whole trick is one URL, which you paste into your browser’s search settings once. Everything after that is clicking “Make default.”

Step 1: Copy this URL

Copy this line exactly, percent sign and all. The %s is a placeholder where your question goes; the browser fills it in for you.

https://www.perplexity.ai/search?q=%s

Step 2: Add it in Chrome

1. Click the three dots in the top-right corner and choose Settings.
2. In the left sidebar, click Search engine, then Manage search engines and site search.
3. Under “Site search,” click Add.
4. Fill in the fields: Name: Perplexity. Shortcut: p. URL: paste the line from Step 1.
5. Click Add, then click the three dots next to Perplexity and choose Make default.

Quick check: type a question in the address bar and hit Enter. If a Perplexity page loads, you are done.

Step 3 (Edge): same thing, different menus

1. Click the three dots in the top-right and choose Settings.
2. In the left sidebar, click Privacy, search, and services, then scroll to Address bar and search.
3. Click Manage search engines, then Add.
4. Fill in the same three fields: Name Perplexity, Keyword perplexity, URL https://www.perplexity.ai/search?q=%s.
5. Click the three dots next to it and choose Make default.

Edge and Chrome share the same engine under the hood, which is why the steps rhyme.

Step 4 (Firefox): one extra hop

Firefox does not let you type a custom search URL directly into its settings, so it takes a small detour:

1. Open Firefox’s menu, choose Settings, then click Search in the sidebar.
2. Scroll to Search Shortcuts and click Find more search engines. If Perplexity is not listed, add the Search Engines Helper extension, enter https://www.perplexity.ai/?q=%s as the search URL, and add it.
3. Back in Settings > Search, choose Perplexity under Default Search Engine.

Alternative without an extension: visit perplexity.ai, right-click its search box, and choose “Add Perplexity as a search engine” if offered.

Step 5 (Safari): you need an extension

Safari is the honest exception. Apple only lets you pick from its short list (Google, Yahoo, Bing, DuckDuckGo, Ecosia), so Perplexity cannot become the address-bar default natively. Third-party extensions like xSearch add custom search engines to Safari. Otherwise, bookmark perplexity.ai and use it as your starting page instead.

Try it once it is set up: a starter prompt

Perplexity answers work best when you give them a job, not a keyword. Copy this into the address bar and adapt the bracketed parts:

Compare [option A] vs [option B] for [my situation]. List pros and cons for each, with sources, and tell me which one you would pick and why.

That one template handles product comparisons, restaurant decisions, and “should I switch” questions. Welcome to the Prompt Station: one copyable prompt per how-to, yours to keep.

Not sure Perplexity is the right AI for the job? Take our 60-second quiz Which AI Should I Use? — 10 questions, one plain-English recommendation.

What to expect (and what to watch for)

Perplexity answers your question directly and lists its sources, which is the whole appeal: fewer clicks, more citations. It is not a Google replacement for everything. Local searches, shopping, and “show me the actual website” tasks are still better in a classic search engine. That is why the shortcut matters: with the custom engine added, you can type p in Chrome to search Perplexity for just that query, without making it the default.

And if you try it for a week and go back? Settings > Search engine > change the default back. Thirty seconds, no residue.

Wondering whether Perplexity Pro is worth paying for? Run the numbers: Is This AI Plan Worth It?

Keep reading

• ChatGPT vs. Claude vs. Gemini for Everyday Questions (2026): how the big AI assistants compare when you just have a normal question.
• What Is an AI Agent? (It Is Not Just a Chatbot): what Perplexity-style tools are turning into next.

Method: Research review (no hands-on testing). Steps cross-checked against alphr.com, techradar.com, gadgetbridge.com, appliedai.tools, and a widely-referenced GitHub gist on custom search engines. Checked October 11, 2026.

Corrections: Spotted an error? Tell us. We fix mistakes publicly and date them.

Source: alphr.com’s Perplexity default-search guide (via Alphr) and TechRadar’s walkthrough (via TechRadar), checked October 11, 2026.

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