Solved Issues with changing the default search engine after update

mscarrington

This post is deleted!

mscarrington

Yes, Bing hijacked my search engine also. I searched for a resolution but I'm stimmed about the word "extension" used in earlier results. What does this mean?

2022-06-06 13.28.17 vivaldi 6e38345d1016.jpg

mib2berlin

@mscarrington
Hi, this is a known issue of 5.3, workaround:

Known issue
If you have recently upgraded to 5.3 and have a problem where you cannot change search engines (VB-89670), we are still planning a fix for this in a future update. To work around it in the mean time, just disable and immediately re-enable any extensions you have installed that can configure/setup search (.e.g. “DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials”, “Startpage — Private Search Engine”, “Kagi Search”, etc.). Now restart the browser. You should then be able to control the default search engine again in Settings.

Some user report they have to disable/enable all extensions.
This was published with the change log of 5.3:
https://vivaldi.com/blog/desktop/minor-update-three-5-3/

Cheers, mib

WildEnte

@mscarrington said in Issues with changing the default search engine after update:

I'm stimmed about the word "extension" used in earlier results. What does this mean?

See https://help.vivaldi.com/desktop/appearance-customization/extensions/#Manage_Extensions

archizoo

I have previously used DuckDuckGo as my preferred search engine. With this latest update, 5.3.2679.38, I see that I have this as a selection for the default engine but I cannot effectively select it. Bing somehow got installed and I can find no way to change that. If I can't, I'll abandon Vivaldi. Screen Shot 2022-06-06 at 5.47.24 PM.png

TbGbe · Win: Snapshot Vivaldi 7.4.3671.3

@archizoo Please see this thread: https://forum.vivaldi.net/topic/76017/issues-with-changing-the-default-search-engine-after-update

bempelise

I have been using DuckDuckGo as my default engine for a long time but after the last update Bing has been set as the default search engine and clicking on any other search engine to set as default in the settings has no effect. Unchecking the default from bing is greyed out as well.

Does this mean that we are forced to use Bing now? Should I look for another browser again?

mib2berlin

@bempelise
Hi, this is a known issue of 5.3, workaround:

Known issue
If you have recently upgraded to 5.3 and have a problem where you cannot change search engines (VB-89670), we are still planning a fix for this in a future update. To work around it in the mean time, just disable and immediately re-enable any extensions you have installed that can configure/setup search (.e.g. “DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials”, “Startpage — Private Search Engine”, “Kagi Search”, etc.). Now restart the browser. You should then be able to control the default search engine again in Settings.

Some user report they have to disable/enable all extensions.
This was published with the change log of 5.3:
https://vivaldi.com/blog/desktop/minor-update-three-5-3/

Cheers, mib

bempelise

Thanks for the answer I will try it out... I am currently having major issues using vivaldi though as sync stopped working. I think 5.3 update was quite rushed, it came with a lot of issues. For instance on 2 of my machines vivaldi wouldn't start and I had to delete all local data to get it going effectively losing local sessions among other things.

Dancer18

@bempelise said in Cannot change Bing from default search engine:

I think 5.3 update was quite rushed, it came with a lot of issues.

I agree. However, that can happen sometimes. Even when it is not done "rushed".

guigirl

It's just gobsmacking to me that so many people lately have decided that they simply "have" to create their own thread on this recent problem, rather than --gasp-- actually read the forum, note that there's already a plethora of almost identical posts, & then still create yet another, rather than contribute to an extant one. Why why why?

jagdishF

This work around worked for me: Just disable and immediately re-enable any extensions you have installed that can configure/setup search (.e.g. “DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials”, “Startpage — Private Search Engine”, “Kagi Search”, etc.). Now restart the browser.

Stiller3

Suddenly today, and without my permission, Yahoo search engine has been added to the browser!
It has occupied the search engine in the address bar, and this can't be removed in 'settings'! I cannot remove Yahoo's search engine at all.
This is really strange, how can this has happened? Have I been hacked???

Second, when I open 'settings', the settings window opens but in miniature size! Also never happened before! Clicking for a normal window size, it opens full page.

Annoying! Yahoo already was my most hated search engine, but this beats it all...
What to do???

DoctorG

@Stiller3 said in Issues with changing the default search engine after update:

What to do???

Read "Known Issue" at https://vivaldi.com/blog/desktop/minor-update-three-5-3/

WildEnte

To @guigirl's point in another thread, it is interesting to see that so many people find this thread of now 13 pages (apparently with a forum search, good job) and then don't bother to see that the problem as well as the solution has been posted for the umpteenth time.

Someone should write their master thesis in human psychology about this thread

Priest72

In regard to the DDG extension,Is there any particular reason why this extension is installed.??.
I use DDG as my default search but i never had to install an extension and i am not experiencing these issues on my linux vivaldi.

fsbmesquita

This is one of the most annoying things I ever had. After last update my search engine was hijacked. I thought it could be McAffee, as it did that to Chrome. However, I uninstalled McAfee, reseted, did everything possible, and STILL vivaldi does not let me change the default search engine. I can change the Address used by yahoo search, however, once I restart the computer, it creates a new yahoo search mechanism line in the search engines and I have to do it again.

mib2berlin

@fsbmesquita
Hi, this is a known issue of 5.3, workaround:

Known issue
If you have recently upgraded to 5.3 and have a problem where you cannot change search engines (VB-89670), we are still planning a fix for this in a future update. To work around it in the mean time, just disable and immediately re-enable any extensions you have installed that can configure/setup search (.e.g. “DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials”, “Startpage — Private Search Engine”, “Kagi Search”, etc.). Now restart the browser. You should then be able to control the default search engine again in Settings.

Some user report they have to disable/enable all extensions.
This was published with the change log of 5.3:
https://vivaldi.com/blog/desktop/minor-update-three-5-3/

Cheers, mib

arnoldvdm

I try to switch to another search engine but when I click on another search engine it hangs on Yahoo.

How to solve this?

https://youtu.be/KyeaX78Yw9c

mib2berlin

@arnoldvdm
Hi, simply read one post above yours.

Cheers, mib