How to Use Multiple Search Engines from One Browser

You do not need an old search-aggregation website to use several search engines in one browser. Modern browsers can assign a keyword to each engine, so you can run the same query on Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, Wikipedia, or a site's own search from the address bar.

The browser normally sends each shortcut query to one engine at a time. To compare results side by side, open each result in a separate tab or browser window. This keeps the source and privacy policy of each search clear.

Create search shortcuts in Chrome

Step 1: Open Chrome and go to Menu > Settings > Search engine > Manage search engines and site search.

Step 2: Under Site search, select Add. Enter a name, a short keyword, and a search URL containing %s where the query should appear.

Common examples include:

• Google: https://www.google.com/search?q=%s
• Bing: https://www.bing.com/search?q=%s
• DuckDuckGo: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=%s

Step 3: In the address bar, type the shortcut, press Tab or Space when Chrome prompts you, enter the query, and press Enter.

Google documents the current controls in its Chrome site-search shortcut guide.

Assign search shortcuts in Firefox

Step 1: Open Menu > Settings > Search.

Step 2: Scroll to Search Shortcuts or Additional search engines. Edit the keyword for each engine you want to call from the address bar.

Step 3: Type the assigned keyword followed by the query. Firefox sends the search directly to that engine.

See Mozilla's search shortcut instructions for the current interface.

Use more than one engine in Edge

Edge lets you select the default engine used by its address bar. Go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Search and connected services > Address bar and search. Microsoft maintains the current steps in its Edge search-engine guide.

For repeated comparisons, bookmark the home pages of the engines you use and open them in separate tabs. Paste the same query into each tab, keeping spelling, quotation marks, and operators identical so the comparison is meaningful.

A fast comparison workflow

1. Write the query once, including any exact phrases or exclusions.
2. Run it with your first search shortcut.
3. Duplicate the tab, focus the address bar, and use the next shortcut with the same query.
4. Compare source diversity, publication dates, and whether results actually answer the question.
5. Open the strongest primary source rather than relying only on the result snippet.

Why old multi-search sites are a poor default

Services named in older versions of this article, including TheInfo, PolyCola, Smart Search, Simul-Search, and NooG, may be unavailable, abandoned, or dependent on old search providers. A third-party aggregator can also see the queries you submit. Browser shortcuts are easier to audit and do not require an extra service between you and the selected engine.

Review an extension's publisher, permissions, privacy policy, and update history before installing it. A tool that can read search pages or browsing activity receives access to potentially sensitive information.

Improve the query before comparing engines

Different search engines cannot rescue an unclear query. TipsMake's Google search tips explain exact phrases, exclusions, site restrictions, date filters, and file types. For a broader choice between providers, see the comparison of DuckDuckGo and Google Search.