How to Add Brave Search to Chrome

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If you want a fresh search experience without changing your whole browser, adding Brave Search to Google Chrome is a quick win. I do this so I can keep using Chrome but switch my searches over to Brave.

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Brave Search URL to use:

https://search.brave.com/search?q=%s

Brave Search URL template displayed on screen: https://search.brave.com/search?q=%s
This is the Brave Search URL you’ll paste into Chrome’s search engine settings (including the %s part).

Table of Contents

Step 1: Copy the Brave Search URL

The only “setup” item you need before touching Chrome settings is the Brave Search URL format.

Use this link exactly:

https://search.brave.com/search?q=%s

The %s part matters because it tells Chrome where your search keywords go.

Step 2: Open Chrome Settings

In Chrome, go to:

  • Settings

Then use the search box inside Settings and search for:

  • search engine
Chrome Settings showing the search engine configuration area to add Brave Search
This is the Chrome Settings page you’ll use to configure your search engine—look for the search engine section next.

Step 3: Add Brave Search as a Search Engine

Once you find the search engine section, look for the area that says something like:

  • Add search engine
  • or Add a search engine

Then do this:

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  1. Click Add search engine.
  2. Name it Brave Search (you can use any name, but this is clear).
  3. Paste the Brave Search URL into the URL field:

https://search.brave.com/search?q=%s

Save it and make sure it appears in your list of search engines.

Step 4: Set Brave Search as the Default

After adding it, go to the section for search engines (you will typically see a list of connected engines for your browser).

Next:

  1. Find Brave (the new entry you just added).
  2. Click the three dots next to it.
  3. Select Make default.

When it is set as the default, Chrome will use Brave Search when you search from the address bar or the search box.

Chrome settings showing search engine dropdown with Brave Search highlighted
Select Brave from the dropdown list of search engines—then you can confirm it’s the one you want as default.

Step 5: Test It in a New Tab

To confirm everything is working, open a new tab and run a search.

For example, type something like first dog in the search area. If it is set up correctly, you should see the Brave search bar appear and the search results should come from Brave.

Brave Search results page showing results after testing in a new tab
You’re running a test search—this confirms that Brave Search is being used instead of Google.

FAQ

Will adding Brave Search change anything else in Chrome?

No. This only updates your search engine settings. Your bookmarks, extensions, and browsing behavior remain the same.

No. This only updates your search engine settings. Your bookmarks, extensions, and browsing behavior remain the same.

What does the %s in the Brave URL mean?

The %s is a placeholder. It tells Chrome to insert whatever you type into the search box into the Brave Search URL automatically.

The %s is a placeholder. It tells Chrome to insert whatever you type into the search box into the Brave Search URL automatically.

If Brave is not showing up in my search engines list, what should I check?

Double-check that you pasted the URL correctly (including %s) and that you clicked Save after adding the search engine. Then return to the search engines list and confirm Brave appears.

Double-check that you pasted the URL correctly (including %s) and that you clicked Save after adding the search engine. Then return to the search engines list and confirm Brave appears.

Can I switch back to Google later?

Yes. Just go back to the search engines list and choose Google (or your preferred option) and set it as default.

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Yes. Just go back to the search engines list and choose Google (or your preferred option) and set it as default.

Quick Summary

  • Copy Brave Search URL: https://search.brave.com/search?q=%s
  • Go to Chrome Settings and search for search engine
  • Use Add search engine and paste the Brave URL
  • Set Brave Search as default
  • Test it with a search in a new tab