Free Search Switcher

A cross-browser extension for switching between preferred and custom search engines while preserving the current search query.

Free Search Switcher makes it easy to continue the same submitted search with another provider. The extension adds compact switching controls beside the search bar on supported search homepages and results pages. Choose a destination to navigate in the current tab while preserving the submitted query. If no search has been submitted, Free Search Switcher opens the selected provider’s homepage instead. The extension deliberately distinguishes submitted searches from unfinished typing. Text entered into a search box but not submitted is never carried to another website. MAIN FEATURES - Quick switching: Configure a first preferred provider and an optional second preferred provider for faster navigation. - Complete destination menu: Open the full menu whenever you want to choose a different built-in or custom destination. - Submitted-query preservation: Carry spaces, accented characters, quotation marks, operators, ampersands, and other Unicode characters without double encoding. - Homepage-aware navigation: When there is no submitted query, the selected homepage opens without performing an empty search. - Custom providers: Add your own HTTPS homepage and search URL template using a single {query} placeholder. - Local custom icons: Upload an optional PNG, JPEG, WebP, or ICO image for each custom provider. Images are processed and stored locally. - Accessible interface: The controls support keyboard navigation, visible focus indicators, accessible labels, tooltips, Escape-to-close behavior, and light and dark themes. - Dynamic-page support: Controls return automatically when a supported website replaces or updates its search bar. - Search-mode preservation: When Images, Videos, News, Maps, or Shopping results are open, switching providers opens the same mode on the destination when it offers one, or a normal web search otherwise. BUILT-IN SUPPORT Free Search Switcher includes seven built-in destinations, including Ecosia, DuckDuckGo, Bing, and Google. The complete ordered list is available in the extension settings. Custom websites can be used as navigation destinations, but the extension does not inject controls into custom websites. PREFERRED PROVIDERS You can use the extension with: - No preferred provider, showing only the complete menu. - One preferred provider for one-click switching from other supported pages. - Two preferred providers for convenient switching between them. Either preferred destination can be built-in or custom. Preferred selections can be changed or cleared at any time from the settings page. PRIVACY All preferences, custom provider definitions, and uploaded icons are stored locally using the browser’s extension storage. Free Search Switcher has: - No analytics or telemetry. - No advertisements. - No user accounts. - No cloud synchronization. - No external database. - No tracking. - No remotely executed code. A submitted query is sent only to the destination that you explicitly select, as part of that provider’s normal HTTPS search URL. PERMISSIONS The storage permission is used to save preferences and custom providers locally. Website access is limited to the seven supported search domains. It is required only to locate their search bars, read the submitted query from the current results page, and display the switching controls. The extension does not request access to browsing history, bookmarks, cookies, downloads, the clipboard, or unrelated websites. LIMITATIONS Free Search Switcher transfers the textual submitted query, and the search mode (such as Images, Videos, News, Maps, or Shopping) when the destination provider supports an equivalent mode; otherwise a normal web search is used. It does not transfer result filters, pagination, SafeSearch preferences, dates, regions, or other provider-specific settings. Custom providers are navigation targets only and do not receive injected controls. Free Search Switcher does not replace Chrome’s default search provider, new-tab page, or address-bar search. All navigation is initiated by the user.