The default search engine, when you click the Search button in Internet Explorer, is MSN Search. You can change this default to a different search engine by clicking the Customize tab, but unfortunately, Google is not included as one of your choices. However, with a little registry editing, you can easily make Google the default search engine in Internet Explorer.
PLEASE MAKE SURE TO BACKUP THE REGISTRY BEFORE DOING ANY CHANGES
How to Make Google Your Default Internet Explorer Search Engine
Here’s how:
- Click Start/Run, type REGEDIT and go to this key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main - In the right hand pane, look for the values Search Page and Search Bar
- Double click Search Page and replace the existing url with this one:
http://www.google.com - Double click Search Bar and replace the existing url with this one:
http://www.google.com/ie - Next go to this key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL - Double click Default in the right hand pane and replace the url with this:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=&btnI=I%27m+Feeling+Lucky - Finally, go to this nearby key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search - In the right hand pane, double click the value SearchAssistant and replace the existing value with this:
http://www.google.com/ie
- Exit the registry, and close and reopen Internet Explorer.
- Click the Search button on the IE toolbar. You should now see Google, instead of MSN, pop up as your default Internet Explorer search engine.
UPDATE!
In Windows XP and IE6, you need to disable the Search Assistant to make the change take effect. At the registray key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
…change the Use Search Asstistant value to No.
