Making google your default search is going nowhere

which browser? that's usually the whole problem. In Chrome it's Settings > Search engine, then pick Google from the dropdown. Edge hides it under Privacy, search and services, near the bottom under Address bar and search. If the option is greyed out or keeps flipping back, something is managing the setting, either a work/school policy or an extension that hijacked it. Type chrome://policy in the address bar to see if a policy is set, and remove any extension you don't recognise.