SafeSearch can hide explicit results even when you meant to search without filtering. Start with the search engine setting, then check parental controls, browser extensions, device restrictions, and network rules when the option is locked or keeps turning back on. Use the path that matches where you search most.
1. Turn off SafeSearch in Google Search
This fixes Google Search results in a desktop or mobile browser when SafeSearch is not locked.
Go to google.com/safesearch, then select Off. Look for the Lock at the top right. A lock means SafeSearch is controlled by an account, device, or network manager.
2. Change SafeSearch in the Google app
- 1.Open the Google app on your Android phone, Android tablet, iPhone, or iPad.
- 2.Tap your Profile picture or Initial.
- 3.Tap Settings.
- 4.Tap SafeSearch.
- 5.Select Off.
For Google in a mobile browser, go to google.com/safesearch, select Off, then tap Back.
3. Switch off Bing SafeSearch and Windows search filtering
Go to Bing.com, then select the Menu icon in the upper right. Select Settings, then More. Choose SafeSearch, then select Off.
Select Save at the bottom of the menu. On Windows 11, open Start > Settings > Privacy & security > Search permissions > SafeSearch, then select Off.
On Windows 10, open Start > Settings > Search > Permissions & History > SafeSearch, then select Off.
4. Update other search engines you use
For Yahoo, open Yahoo Search settings while signed in, choose SafeSearch, select Off, then save when prompted.
For DuckDuckGo, use duckduckgo.com/settings > Safe Search > Off, or run a search and set the results-page Safe Search dropdown to Off.
For Brave Search, open search.brave.com/settings > Safe search > Off > Apply.
For Startpage, open Settings > Privacy and Safety, loosen or turn off Safe Search, then save the setting with an anonymous settings cookie or settings URL when you want it to persist.
5. Unlock SafeSearch from parental controls
This fixes filtered results when a parent or family setting is enforcing SafeSearch.
For a supervised Google child account, open the Family Link app. Select your child. Tap Controls, then Google Search. Change SafeSearch from Filter to Off.
For Microsoft Family Safety on the web, sign in to your Microsoft account and select Family Safety. Select the family member, choose More, then Go to overview.
Select Edge as the platform, then turn Filter inappropriate websites and searches off. In the Microsoft Family Safety app, select the family member, open Content filters, then turn Only use allowed websites off when it is enabled.
6. Remove iPhone iPad or Mac web restrictions
On iPhone or iPad, open Settings. Tap Screen Time. Under Family, tap your child's name. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and enter the Screen Time passcode when asked.
Tap App Store, Media, Web, & Games, then Web Content. Choose Unrestricted. To pause all controls in that area instead, open Content & Privacy Restrictions and turn Content & Privacy Restrictions off.
On a Mac, choose Apple menu > System Settings, click Screen Time in the sidebar, then choose yourself or a family member from the Family Member pop-up menu if it appears. Click Content & Privacy, then App Store, Media, Web, & Games, and set Safari to Unrestricted Access. To pause that whole set instead, turn Content & Privacy off.
7. Clear browser extensions that force filtering
In Chrome, open More > Extensions > Manage extensions, or go straight to chrome://extensions. Select Remove on the extension forcing SafeSearch, then select Remove again to confirm.
In Microsoft Edge, open Extensions > More actions > Remove from Microsoft Edge > Remove. In Firefox, open Menu > Add-ons and themes > Extensions, open the three-dot menu next to the add-on, then select Remove. Managed extensions require the administrator who controls the browser.
8. Fix locked SafeSearch on a home device or network
Check whether Google shows a Lock at google.com/safesearch. If you manage the device and Google was forced through a hosts file, remove entries that map Google domains such as www.google.com to forcesafesearch.google.com or its IP address, save the file, then check google.com/safesearch again.
If you manage the network and Google was forced through DNS, remove the DNS CNAME that maps www.google.com and other Google country or region domains to forcesafesearch.google.com. For Bing, remove hosts-file or DNS mappings that send www.bing.com or edgeservices.bing.com to strict.bing.com.
For DuckDuckGo, use duckduckgo.com instead of safe.duckduckgo.com, then replace saved browser search engines, homepages, or bookmarks that point to safe.duckduckgo.com.
For Brave Search, remove the DNS CNAME that points search.brave.com to forcesafe.search.brave.com, then return to search.brave.com/settings > Safe search > Off > Apply.
9. Handle school work or managed devices
Managed accounts, school networks, workplace networks, and supervised devices can lock SafeSearch so the Off option is not available to you.
In Google Search, check google.com/safesearch for the Lock at the top right.
For Google Workspace for Education, a school administrator turns SafeSearch enforcement off in the Admin Console before students can manage their own SafeSearch preferences.
On your own device and network, use a personal account and then set SafeSearch to Off in the search engine you use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn off SafeSearch for just one DuckDuckGo search?
Yes. Add !safeoff to the end of a DuckDuckGo query, or add &kp=-2 to a DuckDuckGo results-page URL.
Why is DuckDuckGo stuck on Strict Safe Search?
Searches through safe.duckduckgo.com always use Strict. Use duckduckgo.com instead, and replace any saved search engine, homepage, bookmark, or network DNS rule that points to the safe address.
Does iPhone Screen Time turn off Google SafeSearch directly?
No. Screen Time controls web content access on iPhone and iPad. Google SafeSearch still has its own Off setting at google.com/safesearch or in the Google app.
Can Siri web search restrictions change SafeSearch?
No. Apple Intelligence and Siri Web Search Content controls allow or block Siri web searching. They do not change Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, Yahoo, Brave, or Startpage SafeSearch settings.
