You can now kick Google to the curb and give Safari searches on your iPhone a big dose of ChatGPT.
You Can Now Set ChatGPT as a Default Safari Search Engine
With a recent update of the free ChatGPT app, you can now set ChatGPT as the default Safari search engine to replace Google. With the setting enabled, all questions typed into Safari will be routed to ChatGPT Search.
Here’s how to enable the feature:
- Make sure your ChatGPT app is updated to the most recent version.
- Head to Settings > Apps > Safari.
- Select Extensions.
- Turn on the ChatGPT Search extension.
- Scroll down to Permissions, select Google.com, and tap Allow.
The search feature is available for anyone to use, even without a ChatGPT account. But you can also log in to your account so the search results will be accessible later.
There’s also a quick button on the search page to bring up the information directly in the ChatGPT app, where you can access advanced features like file uploading and more. ChatGPT Search was originally unveiled in October 2024 just for subscribers. Since then, it has rolled out to all users—even those without an account.
A Different Kind of Search
If you’ve never used ChatGPT Search, it’s significantly different from what you’re used to with Google or other search engines. Instead of pages of links you’ll need to click on to find the information you need, ChatGPT Search provides a quick summary of the search term, and even a YouTube video in some cases.
In the search summary, and at the bottom of the search page, you can find the sources of information to visit. The conversational style is unique, and in many ways much quicker than using Google.
While it’s just a few months old, ChatGPT Search delivers better results than Google in a few important areas. There are a number of ways to make your ChatGPT Search more effective, including advanced search operators.
