Is Google the default search engine for all devices or only phones or only some devices?

1. How browser and device defaults actually work: configurable, not monolithic

Major desktop and mobile browsers—including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Opera—let users select which search engine the address bar uses, so Google can be made the default but is not inseparable from the browser itself; every standard browser provides a way to change that setting on both desktops and phones ^{[2] [6] [1]}. Google’s own help documentation and independent guides walk through setting Google as the default across platforms, showing that the control lives with the browser’s settings rather than being hardwired to one physical device type ^{[5] [3] [7]}.

2. Chrome is biased toward Google but still user-configurable and region-dependent

Chrome typically presents Google Search as its built-in default—typing in Chrome’s address bar yields Google results by default in many countries—but Chrome also exposes that default as a changeable setting and in some markets prompts users to choose a search engine instead of preselecting Google ^{[1] [8]}. Google’s support pages and third-party coverage both note that on Chrome and other browsers users can change the default at any time, though Chrome’s design and integration naturally favor Google’s service ^{[3] [1]}.

3. Jurisdictions, manufacturers and prompts: when a choice is required

Regulators and device-distributors have forced or encouraged alternatives: for example, new devices distributed in the European Economic Area after March 1, 2020, have features related to search-engine choice and prompts, so the market experience in the EEA is explicitly different from other regions where Google may ship as the presumptive default ^[5]. Additionally, some countries may see Chrome set to Google by default while others present a selection screen to the user—meaning region and vendor decisions materially affect whether Google arrives preselected ^{[4] [8]}.

4. Edge cases and practical constraints: managed devices, malware, and OEM choices

Even though browsers allow changing defaults, real-world constraints matter: administrators can lock a browser’s default search engine on managed workplace or school devices, preventing individual changes, and malware can also hijack or restore defaults, interfering with a user’s choice ^[3]. Device manufacturers or custom OEM browsers—such as Samsung’s browser—may ship with different default engines or offer their own settings, but those defaults remain changeable through the browser unless blocked by management policies ^{[9] [4]}.

5. The incentives and the counterarguments

Google has every incentive to keep its search engine front-and-center—Chrome was architected in part to integrate Google services and funnel users to Google Search—so industry observers treat browser defaults as consequential competitive levers ^[1]. At the same time, consumer-facing documentation and independent how-to guides repeatedly stress that users can and do switch to alternatives like Bing or DuckDuckGo across both phones and desktops, undercutting any claim that Google is an immutable default on all devices ^{[6] [2] [1]}.

Conclusion: nuanced answer

Google is not the default search engine on all devices as a universal rule; it is the default on many browsers (notably Chrome) and in many countries, but users on both phones and desktops can change their default search engine, certain regions require choice prompts, and administrative controls or malicious software can override that flexibility—so the reality is that defaults depend on browser, device maker, region, and management policy rather than device category alone ^{[1] [5] [3]}.