Zest.

Set up

Search

Make Zest yours.

Install it like an app, or make it what your address bar searches with. Everything here is optional.

Install as an app

Zest opens in its own window, works from your Home Screen, and loads faster the next time.

Your browser doesn't offer one-click install here. See the steps below for your browser.

Use Zest as your default search

Your browser sends what you type in the address bar to the engine you choose. This is the URL to give it:

https://zest.taymaerz.de/search?q=%s

Zest also supplies address-bar suggestions, so completions work once it's your default.

Firefox

  1. Open the menu (☰, top right) and choose Settings.

    Firefox with the menu open and the Settings entry highlighted

  2. Type “search engine” into the settings search box, then click Add search engine.

    Firefox settings showing the Add search engine button

  3. Name it Zest, paste the address from above, and click Add Engine.

    Firefox Add Search Engine dialog with the name Zest and the search URL filled in

  4. Under Default search engine, choose Zest.

    Firefox default search engine dropdown with Zest selected

  5. Done. Type something in the address bar and it searches with Zest.

    Firefox address bar showing a “Search with Zest” suggestion
Chrome, Edge, Brave and other Chromium browsers

The screenshots are from Chromium. Chrome, Edge and Brave look very similar. In Edge, look under Privacy, search, and services → Address bar and search.

  1. Open the menu (⋮, top right) and choose Settings.

    Chromium with the menu open and the Settings entry highlighted

  2. Type “search engine” into the settings search box, then open Manage search engines and site search.

    Chromium settings search for “search engine” with Manage search engines and site search highlighted

  3. Under Site search, click Add.

    The Site search section with the Add button highlighted

  4. Name: Zest. Shortcut: z. URL: paste the address from above. Then click Add.

    Add site search dialog filled in with Zest, z and the search URL

  5. Under Additional sites, open the ⋮ menu next to Zest and choose Make default.

    The Additional sites list with the menu open on Zest and Make default highlighted

  6. Done. Type something in the address bar and it searches with Zest.

    Chromium address bar showing a Zest Search suggestion
Safari (Mac and iPhone)

  1. Safari doesn't allow custom search engines. Set Zest as your homepage and new-tab page, or save it to your Home Screen with Share → Add to Home Screen.

Apple restricts this; there is nothing Zest can do from its side.

Android

  1. Firefox for Android: long-press the address bar, tap Add search engine, and use the address above.

  2. Chrome for Android: use the Install button above, or add Zest to your Home Screen from the ⋮ menu.

Shortcuts worth knowing

  • Type !w, !gh or !yt before a search to jump straight to Wikipedia, GitHub or YouTube.
  • Start a search with \ to open the first result directly.
  • Press / to focus the search box and ? for every shortcut.