Can’t place the cursor where I want in google search bar in Safari 14.1.2

Hello Nicholas Robinson,

Welcome to Apple Support Communities. 

We understand that you are unable to edit a mistake you made when searching in Safari. We are happy to help.

What is the macOS version you have installed? We understand that you don’t want to update your macOS because some of the apps you need have not been updated to use the latest macOS version. We would like to have you complete some isolating troubleshooting steps. These steps will help us to further isolate the cause. We’d like to have you test in safe mode and a new user account.

Safe mode: How to use safe mode on your Mac - Apple Support

"Apple silicon

1. Shut down your Mac.
2. Turn on your Mac and continue to press and hold the power button until you see the startup options window.
3. Select your startup disk, then press and hold the Shift key while clicking “Continue in Safe Mode.”
4. Log in to your Mac. You might be asked to log in again.

Intel processor

1. Turn on or restart your Mac, then immediately press and hold the Shift key as your Mac starts up.
2. Release the key when you see the login window, then log in to your Mac. 
3. You might be asked to log in again. On either the first or second login window, you should see ”Safe Boot” in the upper-right corner of the window.

If the issue continues in safe mode

If the issue continues while in safe mode, or your Mac restarts several times and then shuts down while starting up in safe mode, you should reinstall macOS and make sure that your Apple software and third-party apps are up to date."

New user account: Set up users, guests, and groups on Mac - Apple Support

"Add a user

1. On your Mac, choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click Users & Groups .
2. If the lock at the bottom left is locked , click it to unlock the preference pane.
3. Click the Add button  below the list of users.
4. Click the New Account pop-up menu, then choose a type of user.

• Administrator: An administrator can add and manage other users, install apps, and change settings. The new user you create when you first set up your Mac is an administrator. Your Mac can have multiple administrators. You can create new ones, and convert standard users to administrators. Don’t set up automatic login for an administrator. If you do, someone could simply restart your Mac and gain access with administrator privileges. To keep your Mac secure, don’t share administrator names and passwords.
• Standard: Standard users are set up by an administrator. Standard users can install apps and change their own settings, but can’t add other users or change other users’ settings.
• Sharing Only: Sharing-only users can access shared files remotely, but can’t log in to or change settings on the computer. To give the user permission to access your shared files or screen, you may need to change settings in the File Sharing, Screen Sharing, or Remote Management pane of Sharing preferences. See Set up file sharing and Share the screen of another Mac.

1. For more information about the options for each type of user, click the Help button in the lower-left corner of the dialog.
2. Enter a full name for the new user. An account name is generated automatically. To use a different account name, enter it now—you can’t change it later.
3. Enter a password for the user, then enter it again to verify. Enter a password hint to help the user remember their password.
4. Click Create User.
5. Depending on the type of user you create, you can also do any of the following:

• For an administrator, select “Allow user to administer this computer.”
• For an administrator, select “Allow user to reset a password using Apple ID.”
• Use Sharing preferences to specify whether the user can share your files and share your screen.

For information about Apple’s privacy policy, see the Apple Privacy Policy website.

If your Mac or Magic Keyboard has Touch ID, a new user can add a fingerprint after logging in to the Mac."

Let us know if you have further questions.

Take care.

Hello Nicholas Robinson1,

Safe mode merely checks for disk issues, prevents login items from running, and clears the caches. This can sometimes resolve unexpected behavior.

Reinstalling macOS wouldn't change anything either, but before any major steps, Apple always recommends having a backup.

You can make a backup using the steps here: Back up your Mac with Time Machine

Thanks.