Filed under: iPhone, iPhone 101
iPhone 101: Change your default search engine
We're not kidding when we say that Apple and Google have developed a close relationship. When you tap the iPhone Safari address bar, a screen opens offering both a keyboard and a search field. By default, this field is tied to Google. When empty it says Google in dim gray letters. When you start to type in text the Go button changes to Google.
But there's a way around that.
You can use Yahoo rather than Google as your search provider. From your Home screen, go to Settings > Safari. The first setting lets you choose whether to use Google or Yahoo as your search engine. When set to Yahoo, both that gray text and the search button change from Google to Yahoo, as well as your searches.
I'm not entirely sure why people might prefer Yahoo to Google, still it's good to have a choice.
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
saurabh said 11:23AM on 8-31-2007
Now if they only allowed us to change the default search engine in Safari for OSX, I'd switch to it in a heartbeat. I am just too used to Yahoo! that I hate seeing the Google interface. Of course, people will disagree with my preferences, but I enjoy having the freedom to be my own boss when it comes to search engines.
I wonder why Microsoft isn't suing Apple like the way Google sued Microsoft.
Reply
Johnny Thrash said 11:37AM on 8-31-2007
@1 You have your preference, I have mine. No big deal, that's why there are options. :)
Personally, I had completely forgotten about Yahoo until Steve mentioned them. I haven't used that site in roughly 9 years (been so long I don't even remember how long it's been)... back when it was nothing but a list of business websites.
Reply
mingistech said 11:48AM on 8-31-2007
Re: saurabh
If you're interested in changing Safari's default search results I suggest you install Inquisitor. You can switch to Yahoo! for your results along with it's other features.
http://www.inquisitorx.com/
Reply
Richard said 12:27PM on 8-31-2007
iPhone 101: How do you turn on the iPhone?
Well, you just bought your iPhone, and I'll bet you are thinking to yourself - how do I turn this on. I'll bet you yelled at it, threw it, bowed down to it - all for naught. First, point the silver side away from you and the black side toward you. Now, orientate the black cap on the silver side downward, pointing to the ground. Next, look for the button on the top right (note: if you don't know right from left, hold either hand out, and if it makes an L, its your left hand). Hold it in for one second and then release. You have now turned on your iPhone.
Well, my brain dead friend, guess what
Reply
N0x said 12:37PM on 8-31-2007
Wow that wasn't a slanted article at all... how bout a little love for the search engine that just beat Google in customer satisfaction? ;-)
Reply
agnoster said 1:02PM on 8-31-2007
(Disclaimer: I work for Yahoo! but, this is just my personal opinion.)
While I go between G and Y! for desktop searches, I've been using Y! on the iPhone because it's actually a customized search - I don't think it's using Joe Hewitt's iUI, but it's a very iPhone-like search experience. It's based on the mobile oneSearch product, which in my experience tends to provide better results for mobile devices - a standard web-search isn't usually the fastest way to get the information I want.
Of course, it comes down to personal preference - but even if you use Google on your desktop, I suggest giving Yahoo!'s iPhone search a try - you may be pleasantly surprised!
Reply
saurabh said 1:47PM on 8-31-2007
Inquisitor doesn't seem to work with Safari Beta. Even though I get the autocomplete suggestions and previews, it still goes to Google if I search for anything. I have set it to use Yahoo!, but it still goes to Google.
Reply
Martin said 2:21PM on 8-31-2007
Richard gets post of the day. Really, is this now The Unofficial Apple Product Manual? TUAPM? RTFM!
Reply
JeffDM said 4:31PM on 8-31-2007
It's best to not get used to third party plug-ins for Safari because their current method of operation is going away with Leopard, with no replacement offered by Apple so far. I think we're going to be better off with some other browser if you need any plug-ins.
Reply
VanillaSpice said 10:34PM on 8-31-2007
No, Richard actually gets the "stupid post of the day" award.
Go to an article about Mail.app and complain that it is about Mail.app.
Go to an article about an Apple Store opening and complain that it is about an Apple Store opening.
Go to a 101 article and complain that's it simple.
It's all the same crap.
Nearly all the 101 articles have these stupid "hey - that's fairly obvious" comments on them. I wonder if those commenters go to the children's section of the library, read The Cat In The Hat and think, wow, the author appears to have an astonishingly limited vocabulary.
Reply