new to I Mac looking for private search engine

Since you are new to your iMac and want to keep using Safari, I would start by identifying what you want your search engine to protect.

A private search engine can reduce the collection of your search history and help prevent advertising profiles being built around your searches. However, it does not automatically make you anonymous online.

Three options are worth comparing:

• DuckDuckGo: A straightforward, free starting point for everyday searches with privacy-focused policies.
• Brave Search: Worth considering if having an independent search index is important to you.
• Startpage: Worth considering if you prefer Google- and Bing-sourced results through a privacy-focused intermediary.

All three can be used with Safari; you do not need to change browsers.

Before choosing one, I would compare their current privacy policies, search-result sources, advertising practices and limitations rather than assume that any one service is automatically the best.

One question will help narrow the choice: Is your main concern preventing Google from tracking your searches, reducing targeted advertising generally, or achieving the strongest practical privacy across your browsing?

Your answer will help determine which search engine is the most appropriate choice for your needs.

In Safari Settings -> Search tab, set the Search Engine to DuckDuckGo. I did. Using macOS 27.0.1.