How are default search criteria in Finder set
As long as SIP is disabled in your machine, you should be able to edit /System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app/Contents/Resources/default_smart.plist to change the default search criteria. 

Try this:


Make your desired default search in Finder and then save it like you would normally save your search.
Go to the saved searches folder (unless you saved it somewhere else) ~/Library/Saved Searches/


In newer OS versions the Library folder inside the user folder should be hidden, so just use the Go to Folder method in the top menu in Finder Go &gt; Go to folder... and paste the path there.

Open your .savedSearch file with TextEdit.app
Copy &amp; Paste all the contents of that file to that default_smart.plist file: /System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app/Contents/Resources/default_smart.plist


You can locate this file with the Go to folder... method as well.
You may want to make sure you got a copy of that original default_smart.plist beforehand...



Then test out the search.