Unable to change Private Window's Search Engine into Custom Search Engine

[rumimaru]

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Description of the issue:
Due to recent Google AI Search changes, I created a custom google search engine that will automatically switches to Google Web that only show web and no AI features.
But when I tries switching Private Window Search’s engine to that custom engine, It doesn’t work.
How can this issue be reproduced?

1. Create a new Site search in Search engine > Manage search engines and site search, set it to default to show up in Search engines

2. Back to Search engine tab, change Private Window’s engine to the that custom engine

Expected result: Private Window Search engine change to custom engine

Brave Version( check About Brave): v1.90.124

Additional Information:
Notes that Normal Window is switchable to custom search engine as intended, and Private Window is switchable to other engines, but not the custom engine. Plus there is notification that engine has been changed, but no actual changes were made.

[winui64]

Can you share a link to your custom search engine? This will help diagnose the issue.

[rumimaru]

{google:baseURL}search?q=%s&udm=14

https://www.google.com/search?q=%s&udm=14
Here’s my two custom search engine. Neither switchable in Private Window

[winui64]

You’re exactly right, when trying to switch a custom search engine to the default in Private Window, no matter how hard you try, you cannot change it.

If you want to block Google AI overviews, though, you can use a different method that works reliably.

Go to brave://settings/shields/filters and enable this checkbox:

Here’s what it does:

SHIELDS SETTINGS DISABLED:

SHIELDS SETTINGS ENABLED:

What’s even better with this approach is that it works in both normal and private windows, with no custom search engines or extensions.

I hope this helps!