How Do I Turn Off SafeSearch? A Step-by-Step Guide
Turn off SafeSearch by visiting google.com/safesearch while signed into your Google Account and selecting Off, or through the Google app’s Settings menu on Android and iPhone. Google SafeSearch now offers three filter levels through its SafeSearch settings: Filter, Blur, and Off. This isn’t a simple toggle, and the setting can be locked by a parent, school, or network administrator.
Most SafeSearch guides still describe the old binary on/off switch. This guide covers the current three-state system and how to turn it off on every major device and browser. It also covers why it sometimes can’t be changed, and what you’re genuinely turning off before you do it.
What Is SafeSearch and How Does It Work?
SafeSearch is a Google Search feature that filters explicit content from search results using three levels. Filter removes explicit content entirely, Blur shows results but blurs explicit images, and Off applies no filtering at all.
Blur has been the default setting for signed-in Google accounts since 2020. Most users already see a lighter filter than the original Filter mode, not the fully unrestricted results Off provides. This distinction matters because someone trying to turn off SafeSearch may already be on Blur without realizing Filter and Off are separate settings requiring a deliberate change.
How to Turn Off SafeSearch on Android (Phone or Tablet)
Turning off SafeSearch on Android means opening the Google app, tapping your profile picture, going to Settings, then SafeSearch, and selecting Off.
- Open the Google app on your Android phone or tablet
- Tap your profile picture or initial in the top right
- Tap Settings, then SafeSearch
- Select Off
If a lock icon appears next to the SafeSearch option, the setting is enforced by a parent’s Family Link account, a school or work account, or a device management policy. This means it can’t be changed from the device itself.
How to Turn Off SafeSearch on iPhone
Turning off SafeSearch on iPhone works through the same Google app menu as Android, or through google.com/safesearch in Safari if you’d rather not install the Google app.
- Open the Google app, tap your profile picture, then Settings, then SafeSearch, and select Off
- Alternatively, open Safari, go to google.com/safesearch while signed into your Google Account, and select Off
The Google app setting only controls Google Search results specifically. It doesn’t affect Apple’s own separate Content & Privacy Restrictions, which is a different system covered later in this guide for anyone managing a family member’s device.
How to Turn Off SafeSearch on a Computer (Windows, Mac, Chromebook)
Turning off SafeSearch on Windows, Mac, or Chromebook means opening any browser, going to google.com/safesearch while signed into your Google Account, and selecting Off.
The steps are identical across Windows and Mac, since the setting lives on Google’s servers tied to your account rather than the operating system itself. Chromebooks work the same way for a personal account, though school-issued Chromebooks commonly enforce SafeSearch through Google Workspace for Education, which only the school’s network administrator can change.
How to Turn Off SafeSearch in Chrome and Safari
Turning off SafeSearch in Chrome or Safari means visiting google.com/safesearch directly in either browser and selecting Off. The setting is tied to your signed-in Google Account rather than the browser itself.
Incognito mode in Chrome doesn’t change this. SafeSearch still applies based on whether you’re signed in during that session, and signing out entirely reverts to whatever default applies to a logged-out search, typically Blur.
How to Turn Off SafeSearch on Android TV
Turning off SafeSearch on Android TV means opening Google Settings on the device, going to Accounts and sign-in, selecting your account, and toggling SafeSearch off under Search settings.
This setting applies specifically to voice and text searches performed directly through the Android TV interface. It’s separate from whatever SafeSearch setting applies to your phone or computer under the same Google Account.
How to Turn Off SafeSearch on Bing
Turning off SafeSearch on Bing means going to Bing’s own settings menu, separate entirely from Google’s system. Adjust the SafeSearch filter level to Off from within Bing’s search settings page.
Bing’s filter and Google’s SafeSearch are two completely independent systems. Turning off one has no effect on the other, so anyone using both search engines needs to adjust each platform’s filter separately.
How to Turn Off SafeSearch on DuckDuckGo
Turning off SafeSearch on DuckDuckGo means opening DuckDuckGo’s settings, finding the Safe Search option, and selecting Off, which applies only within DuckDuckGo’s own search results.
DuckDuckGo doesn’t require an account to change this setting, unlike Google’s account-tied system. This also means the preference typically resets if you clear cookies or switch devices without syncing settings.
Why Won’t SafeSearch Turn Off? (Common Reasons It’s Locked)
SafeSearch won’t turn off when it’s been locked by a parent through Family Link, a school or employer through Google Workspace, or a network administrator. That administrator might enforce SafeSearch through DNS settings at the router level. Only that managing party can change the setting.
| Lock Source | Who Can Change It | How to Resolve |
| Family Link (supervised child account) | Parent or guardian only | Parent opens Family Link app, adjusts the setting |
| School or work account (Google Workspace) | Network administrator | Contact IT or school administration |
| Public Wi-Fi or network-level enforcement | Network administrator | Applies only on that network, use a different connection |
A locked SafeSearch setting is a deliberate protective measure in the case of Family Link and school accounts specifically, not a bug or an error to work around. If you manage the account or network yourself, the fix is adjusting your own settings correctly rather than searching for a way around the lock.
How to Manage SafeSearch for Kids (Family Link & Parental Controls)
Managing SafeSearch for kids means using Google Family Link to lock SafeSearch on a supervised child account. Google sets this to Filter by default, and only the parent’s Family Link app can change it, not the child’s device.
- Open the Family Link app on the parent’s device
- Select the child’s account
- Tap Controls, then Google Search
- Adjust SafeSearch as needed, keeping it at Filter is the safest default for most families
On iPhone and iPad specifically, parents can add a second layer of content control through Screen Time. Go to Settings, tap Screen Time, select the child under Family, tap Content & Privacy Restrictions, then Web Content, and choose a restricted browsing level. This Apple-level control works independently of Google’s SafeSearch setting and covers browsing beyond just Google Search results.
Risks of Turning Off SafeSearch
Turning off SafeSearch removes filtering on explicit content across search results, images, and videos. Any device where the setting is off will show unfiltered results to whoever uses it next, not just the person who changed the setting.
This matters specifically on shared devices, family computers, or accounts a child might eventually access. A setting turned off for one adult’s research or personal preference stays off until someone changes it back. Consider whether the device is genuinely used only by you before turning off SafeSearch. Use a personal, non-shared account if explicit content filtering needs to differ from what’s appropriate on a shared family device.
How to Turn SafeSearch Back On
Turning SafeSearch back on follows the same path as turning it off: visit google.com/safesearch while signed into your Google Account, and select Filter or Blur instead of Off.
On mobile, this means returning to the Google app’s Settings, then SafeSearch menu, and selecting Filter or Blur. The setting takes effect immediately across that signed-in account on any device, though some browsers may need a refresh to reflect the change on an already-open search results page.
FAQs
SafeSearch gets locked by a parent through Family Link, a school or employer through Google Workspace, or a network administrator enforcing it at the router level. Only that managing party can change it, so contact whoever manages the account or network if you believe it needs adjusting.
Filter removes explicit content from results entirely. Blur shows results but blurs explicit images specifically, and has been the default for signed-in accounts since 2020. Off applies no filtering to search results at all.
Yes, if you’re signed into the same Google Account on both devices, since SafeSearch is tied to your account rather than the specific device or browser you’re using.
No. On a supervised account managed through Family Link, SafeSearch is locked by default. Only the parent can change it through the Family Link app itself, not from the child’s device.
No. SafeSearch is specific to Google Search. Bing and DuckDuckGo each have their own independent content filter settings that need to be adjusted separately within each platform.
