How to change Mac Look Up default search engine?

How to Change the Default Search Engine Used by Look Up on Your Mac

If your Mac is using Ecosia when you select text and choose Look Up or Search with Ecosia, you can try changing Safari's default search engine to DuckDuckGo.

On your MacBook Air running macOS Sequoia 15.8, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open Safari Settings

1. Open Safari.
2. In the menu bar at the top of your screen, click Safari.
3. Select Settings.
4. Click the Search tab.

Step 2: Select DuckDuckGo

1. Locate the option labelled Search engine.
2. Click the drop-down menu beside it.
3. Select DuckDuckGo instead of Ecosia.

Step 3: Check Private Browsing (optional)

While you are in the Search settings, also check the Private Browsing search engine option. If you want DuckDuckGo to be used in private windows as well, select DuckDuckGo there.

Step 4: Test the Change

Close Safari Settings and try your Look Up feature again. Select a word or phrase, right-click (or Control-click), and choose the available search option.

If the search action uses Safari's configured search engine, it should now use DuckDuckGo rather than Ecosia.

Important clarification:

Apple does not provide a separate setting specifically for changing the search engine in the macOS Look Up dictionary window. The Look Up feature and Safari's web-search functionality are different features. 

Changing Safari's search engine controls Safari web searches, but it may not change every type of result displayed in the Look Up window.

If Ecosia continues to appear after changing Safari's search engine, check whether you are using a Safari extension or another browser feature that is providing the Ecosia search option.

Official Apple Support References

Here are Apple's instructions for changing Safari's search engine and using the Look Up feature:

1. Change Search settings in Safari on Mac – Apple Support
2. Choose a search engine for Safari on Mac – Apple Support
3. Look up words on Mac – Apple Support

My recommendation: Set DuckDuckGo as your default search engine in Safari first. This is the appropriate place to start, and it will also ensure that ordinary Safari searches use DuckDuckGo instead of Ecosia.

One important distinction: The macOS Look Up dictionary panel does not have its own documented search-engine selector. The instructions above are the appropriate first troubleshooting step, rather than a guarantee that every Look Up result will switch to DuckDuckGo. Apple documents these features separately. 

Thanks a lot! This worked.

DrYeet wrote:

Thanks a lot! This worked.

You are welcome

🦉-53