My Brave browser (desktop PC) does not default to premium search

**Description of the issue: I’ve paid for the premium search and made sure I associated it with the email account for my existing Brave browser account (this was a recent problem I had to fix). When I open my Brave search browser on my phone it automatically defaults to the premium search with no problems. When I open my Brave browser on my desktop PC and I enter text in the search bar it opens the Brave search window, but it doesn’t show my blue shield in the upper right corner and it isn’t a premium search screen. I have gone to the settings icon in the upper right corner and enabled “ad-free search results” and gone through the steps to get the link and log in to my brave premium account and open the brave premium search window, but once I close my browser it seems to forget all that and when I open my browser again it starts at the non-premium search bar. How do I make Premium my default search without having to go through all those extra steps?
Thanks for your help.

**Brave Version v1.76.74

**Operating System: Windows 10 Home, Version 22H2

Set Brave Search as default search engine

https://search.brave.com/default


In a Brave Browser New Window, go to:

  • brave://settings/content/siteData

Enable: Allow sites to save data on your device


In a Brave Browser New Window, go to the On exit tab at:

  • brave://settings/clearBrowserData

Disable: Cookies and other site data


Tips regarding Brave Shields:

I have more success, with:

  • Brave Shields UP
  • Either Allow All Cookies or Block 3rd Party Cookies, but NOT Blocking All Cookies
  • Allowing JavaScripts from specific sources, but NOT Allowing All JavaScripts
  • Trackers & Ads treatment: Aggressive (at first), and then incrementally relaxing that setting
  • Fingerprinting (aka footprinting) blocking: Strict (at first), and then incrementally relaxing that setting

I almost NEVER use:

  • All of Brave Shields UP
  • All of Brave Shields DOWN

Shields Basics

https://support.brave.com/hc/en-us/categories/360001053072-Shields

How do I configure global and site-specific Shields settings?

https://support.brave.com/hc/en-us/articles/360023646212-How-do-I-configure-global-and-site-specific-Shields-settings

How do I use Shields while browsing?

https://support.brave.com/hc/en-us/articles/360022806212-How-do-I-use-Shields-while-browsing


I maintain a bookmark: https://search.brave.com near the top of all bookmarks; and, I only use the Brave Search Engine’s search field (NOT: the URL address field).


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Thank you! I appreciate the help.

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