How to Turn SafeSearch Off

To turn SafeSearch off, change it in the search engine you use. On Google, go to google.com/safesearch and select Off. On Bing, open the menu, select Settings > More, choose Off under SafeSearch, and select Save. Each search engine has its own setting, so changing one doesn’t change the others. If the setting is locked by a parent, school, workplace, device or network, the search engine may not let you change it.

This guide covers Google (computer and the Google app), Bing, Yahoo and DuckDuckGo. It explains each engine’s choices, what to do when Off is missing or keeps changing back, and what turning SafeSearch off does and doesn’t do. Steps come from each company’s help pages, checked in October 2026.

Which SafeSearch Do You Mean?

SafeSearch isn’t one switch for the whole internet. Google’s help page says its SafeSearch only works on Google Search and doesn’t affect other search engines or websites. Microsoft describes Bing’s setting separately. Here’s where each one lives:

• Google Search: google.com/safesearch, with Filter, Blur and Off.
• Bing: the Bing menu > Settings > More, with Strict, Moderate and Off.
• Yahoo Search: Yahoo Search settings, with Strict, Moderate and Off.
• DuckDuckGo: the Safe Search dropdown on results pages or in Search Settings.

Turn Off Google SafeSearch

On a computer

1. Go to google.com/safesearch while signed in to the account, or using the browser, whose searches you want to change. The SafeSearch settings page opens.
2. Select Off. Google stops filtering explicit results for that account or browser.
3. Check the top right of the page for a lock. No lock means the change is yours to make.

Google also says you can reach the setting from your profile picture at the top right of a results page.

In the Google app (Android, iPhone, or iPad)

These steps match Google’s Android instructions and its iPhone and iPad instructions:

1. Open the Google app and tap your profile picture or initial at the top right. The account menu opens.
2. Tap Settings, then SafeSearch. The three choices appear.
3. Select Off. Searches in the app use the new setting.

To change it in Safari or another mobile browser on an iPhone or iPad:

1. Open google.com/safesearch while signed in to the account you search with.
2. Select Off.
3. Reopen the page to confirm Off is selected. A lock means someone else manages the setting.

Apple’s Screen Time web content limits are a separate control. Choosing Unrestricted Access there doesn’t turn Google SafeSearch off, and changing Google SafeSearch doesn’t change Screen Time.

What Filter, Blur and Off mean

• Filter blocks explicit results. Google says this is the default when its systems indicate you may be under 18.
• Blur blurs explicit images, but explicit text and links can still show. Google says this is the default otherwise.
• Off shows all results.

Google notes that SafeSearch controls vary by country or territory under local law. When you’re signed out, browser data and cookies affect whether the preference sticks; see Google’s troubleshooting guide.

Turn Off Bing SafeSearch

These steps are from Microsoft’s Bing SafeSearch page:

1. Go to Bing.com. The Bing home page opens.
2. Select the menu icon in the upper-right corner. The Bing menu opens.
3. Select Settings, then More. The full settings page opens.
4. Under SafeSearch, choose Off. Off is selected.
5. Select Save at the bottom. The setting takes effect.

Microsoft’s filtering overview explains the levels: Strict filters explicit text, images and videos; Moderate filters explicit images and videos but not text; Off doesn’t apply that filter.

Turn Off Yahoo or DuckDuckGo Safe Search

Yahoo

Yahoo’s help page says to open Yahoo Search settings while signed in and choose Strict (no adult content), Moderate (no images or video) or Off (don’t filter results). Yahoo has separate steps for mobile and desktop.

DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo’s help page lists several ways: the dropdown under the search box on a results page, the Safe Search option in Settings, or adding !safeoff to a search. Its settings can be stored in browser cookies, so clearing cookies may reset them. DuckDuckGo also notes that searches from safe.duckduckgo.com are always set to Strict.

If Off Is Missing, Gray or Keeps Changing Back

• Google shows a lock: Google says someone else manages the setting. Parents using Family Link, schools for under-18 or K-12 accounts, and device or network administrators can all lock it, and some public Wi-Fi networks enforce SafeSearch. The settings page may say who manages it.
• Bing won’t stay on Off: Microsoft says an under-18 account may be set to Strict to comply with local law, and a device or network can force Strict results.
• DuckDuckGo is stuck on Strict: a network may map duckduckgo.com to safe.duckduckgo.com, which disables the local control.
• It resets after a while: if you’re signed out, clearing cookies can reset your preference. Sign in to your own account so it’s saved there.
• It only changes on one device: check which account, browser and network you’re using.

If you don’t control the policy, ask the person or organization that does. Don’t change device security or network settings just to get around a managed restriction.

What Turning SafeSearch Off Doesn’t Do

• It doesn’t affect other search engines. Google, Bing, Yahoo and DuckDuckGo each have their own setting.
• It doesn’t turn off parental controls, workplace policies or a website’s own access rules.
• It doesn’t guarantee every page will appear. Each search engine’s content policies and local rules still apply.

To check the setting, reopen the settings page and confirm what’s selected. There’s no need to search for explicit material to test it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I turn SafeSearch off on a phone?

Yes, if you control the setting. Use the Google app steps above, or open the search engine’s settings in your phone’s browser. A managed account or network can still block changes.

Why does Google say Blur instead of On?

Google’s three choices are Filter, Blur and Off. Blur hides explicit images but doesn’t remove all explicit text or links.

Does turning SafeSearch off in Chrome change Bing?

No. SafeSearch belongs to the search engine, not the browser. To change which search engine your browser uses, see how to set Google as the default search engine in Edge.

How do I manage SafeSearch for my child?

Google points parents to the Family Link app. On a Windows PC, Microsoft Family Safety can also set content filters; see how to turn off Microsoft Family Safety on Windows 11 for how those limits work.