Did your Google search bar go missing? If you want to restore your Google Search bar after it disappeared, you have come to the right place. In this guide, I will show you how to restore the Google search bar, both on your phone (whether it’s an Android or iOS phone) and on Chrome on desktop. Let’s get into it.
Android Home Screen: Add or Customize the Google Search Widget
If you want to add the Google Search bar widget to your Android home screen, press and hold on your phone’s home screen and then select “Widgets.” Scroll down until you see the section called “Google.” Then, find the Google search bar widget. Press and hold it and drag it to anywhere on your home screen.
On Android phones, the Google app will be installed by default, so you won’t have to download it manually.
iPhone or iPad Home Screen: Add the Google Search Widget
On an iPhone, the process is pretty similar. However, since the Google app is not installed by default on iPhones, you will need to download it from the App Store first. Then, open the app at least once before proceeding.
Finally, you can proceed to add the widget in the same manner as before. Just long-press on the home screen, tap Edit and then Add Widget, find and click on Google, and then select the search bar widget you would like to add.
Chrome on Computer: Show the Home button and Set Google for It
If you want to make it easier to search for something on Google when using Chrome, make sure to add the Home button to your toolbar at the top of Chrome. To do that, type or paste chrome://settings/appearance in your browser bar and toggle on the “Show Home Button” option, while making sure it’s set to the “New Tap Page” option.
This will add a small home button to the left of the search bar at the top of Chrome. Click on it to be taken to a new tab page, which will display the Google search bar.
Chrome Default Search Engine (Desktop and Android)
.Another thing to consider is which search engine is the default search engine. If you want to use Google to search, you need to make sure that Google is set to be the default search engine and not another search engine like Bing or DuckDuckGo.
On Chrome desktop, you can do that by typing or pasting chrome://settings/search in your browser bar and making sure Google is selected as the default search engine. If it’s not, click on “Change” and then select Google.
On Chrome mobile, go to Settings > Search Engine and select Google.
If the Widget or Google App Isn’t Working on Android
If the widget or the Google app is not working properly on Android, try the following fixes:
- Reboot the device
- Make sure your Android OS is up-to-date
- Go to Settings > Apps, find the Google app, and clear the cache
Make Sure Chrome Opens by Default on Android (Optional But Helpful)
Another thing worth considering is setting Chrome as your default browser on Android. This will ensure that when you open links on apps like WhatsApp or Instagram, it uses Chrome by default.
To do that, go to Settings > Apps > Default Apps > Browser App and select Chrome. Chrome needs to be installed for this to work.
Conclusion
Personally, I prefer Google and Chrome over other browsers and search engines, so I always keep both as my default options. I like the layout and user experience of both, and if you do too, I hope this guide was helpful!
