How To Convert “Fake” Google Search Bar On Chrome Into “Real” (2023)

Ever tried using the big Google Search box in the middle of the page when you open a Chrome browser or a new tab? What happens?

When you start typing in the Google Search box, it moves to the address bar, right? That’s because the search bar you see on the Chrome browser is fake and it only redirects the user to the address bar.

Additionally, if you have set another search engine as default the search field will disappear.  Infuriated by this and want to get rid of this fake Google Search Bar? Keep reading!

Also Read: How To Completely Remove Bing From Chrome Browser

Here we explain how to activate this dummy search field and use it for doing an actual search.

Google Search Bar VS Chrome Browser Address Bar

All this doesn’t make any sense, right? Why would a company like Google do such a thing? It is said that way back in 2012 Google placed this fake search bar for experimental purposes and since then it has been there. No one knows the reason behind it, but users get annoyed with it. Therefore, here we are with the fake Google trick.

Pre-requirements:

• The latest version of Google Chrome with an active internet connection.
• Google should be set as the default search engine.

How to get Chrome’s fake search bar to work as the Real One? (2023)

Since this fake search bar is of no use why not get it working? To do so follow the steps explained below:

1. Launch the Chrome Browser and type chrome://flags/ in the address bar of the new tab. This will redirect you to the Chrome advanced configuration page.

2. Here look for the “Real search box in New Tab Page “ flag. You can use the search box.

3. Alternatively, you can also type in chrome://flags/#ntp-realbox in the address bar.

4. Once you have located the option you’ll notice flag status is set to Default. You need to change it for this click on the down arrow and select Enable from the drop-down menu.

5. Now, to activate it click on the “Relaunch now” button at the bottom right. This will reset Google Chrome to new settings.

This was all about this guide on “How to make a fake Google page into real one”. Now, you get the search box working as an actual Google search!

Note: To disable this feature follow the same steps this time choose the Default option and restart your browser to apply changes. Another important thing is if Chrome’s search engine is not set to Google Search then this will not work.

Now that we know how to change a fake google search engine to real one, it’s time to learn certain other tricks to boost productivity.

Boost Productivity with these Google Chrome Tips and Tricks (2023)

1. Mute Noisy Sites

No one likes to be interrupted especially when it is auto-playing videos while browsing. If you get annoyed by such sites and want to mute them permanently here’s the way.

Right-click on the site that you are interrupted by and select Mute Site. This will mute the page of that particular domain until you choose to Unmute Site.

2. Undo Closed Tabs

Keyboard shortcuts do make things easy. If you have closed an important tab and don’t remember the URL  press Ctrl+Shift+T on Windows (or Cmd+Shift+T on a Mac). This will bring back the most recently closed tab.

3. Customize Chrome

Change the way your Chrome looks by opening a new and using Customize button in the bottom right.

From here you can change the background, create your own shortcuts, and customize page using color and theme.

4. Access Saved Passwords

Chrome is very smart it remembers passwords and usernames for various sites. If you want to look up a password, click three stacked dots > Settings > Passwords. Here, you can look for the details and click the eye icon to reveal the password.

Bottom Line | How To Make Fake Google Search Into Real One (2023)

So, this was all about how to activate the fake search box and make it the real one. Do let us know which one you prefer the fake or the real one? Also, try these Chrome tips and see the difference. Your comments are valuable to us please your thoughts.

Read Also: How to View Saved Passwords in Chrome

Frequently Asked Questions:  

Q1. How do I change my search engine on Chrome?

To change your search engine using Google Chrome, all you have to do is: 

• Launch your device and open Google Chrome. 
• Navigate to Settings & click on Search Engine. 
• Next to the option “Search engine used in the address bar”, click the Down arrow. 
• Now, select the new default search engine from any of the browsers like Google, Yahoo, Bing, Yandex, DuckDuckGo, etc. 

Q2. How do I turn on the real search box in the new tab?

Well, this method might or might not work for some users, as Google Experimental Flags has removed the entry for a specific set of users. But you can always give it a shot: 

• Launch Google Chrome. 
• Copy and paste this link: chrome://flags/#ntp-realbox in the address bar & hit the Enter button. 
• Now, select the Default option from the drop-down menu, next to the “Real search box in the New Tab Page” flag setting. 
• Make sure you hit the Relaunch Now button to implement the changes! 

Q3. How do I get a custom search bar on Google Chrome?

This is what you need to do to set up a custom search engine in Google Chrome. 

• Launch the Google Chrome browser. 
• Navigate to the Settings. 
• Select ‘Search engine’ from the left panel. 
• Click the ‘Manage search engines’ from the right-side window. 
• On the next window, under the Keyboard shortcut, you can customize the search bar. 
• Hit the Add button, next to the search engines you want to create a custom search bar for.