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SEARCH ENGINE KEEPS CHANGING TO YAHOO? HERE’S WHAT TO DO

Russ Ware
Russ Ware
Writer


Russ is a freelance writer who specializes in writing about technology. He loves
exploring and figuring out how complex things work, and sharing that knowledge
with others, something he has been doing online and in print for more than 15
years. When not writing for How-To Geek, Russ can usually be found planning his
first novel or taking something apart to see how it works. Read more...

About How-To Geek

May 24, 2022, 1:00 pm EST | 4 min read
rafapress/Shutterstock.com

If your browser homepage and search engine keep mysteriously changing to Yahoo!,
your computer is probably infected with a browser hijacker. While resetting your
browser might seem to fix the problem, here’s how to do the job properly.


WHAT IS A BROWSER HIJACKER VIRUS?

A browser hijacker is probably one of the least aggressive and destructive types
of malware, but that doesn’t mean you should allow it to exist on your computer.
They are designed to make changes to the infected computer’s browser settings so
that advertising or a page that is beneficial to the malware distributor is
shown instead of the one you chose.

RELATEDBrowser Extensions Are a Privacy Nightmare: Stop Using So Many of Them


Because the people who spread this type of virus are somehow benefiting from the
change of search engine or homepage, it is unlikely that a hijacker will cause
your computer to crash or become inoperable. It can, however, cause performance
problems, and can also be a sign that your computer is infected by other
malware.



In this case, the virus is probably the “search.yahoo.com redirect virus.” When
you open your browser, this virus will redirect you to the Yahoo homepage via an
intermediate website. If you click on any of the links on the Yahoo homepage,
any revenue from those clicks will be paid to the intermediary website owner.



It should be noted that this is not the fault of Yahoo, and that
search.yahoo.com is a genuine page used by millions of people daily. Yahoo
simply sees the intermediary website as a referring site, without knowing that
you were redirected through it using nefarious means.


REMOVING THE YAHOO REDIRECT VIRUS

First, try to work out how the malware got onto your computer. Browser hijackers
are often spread by being bundled up with other software. This could be a free
app you installed or a browser extension you have added.





Sometimes the PUA (Potentially Unwanted App) is made obvious during the
installation process. You may be asked if you want to also install some
supposedly beneficial tool alongside the app you are installing, or may even be
asked if you want to let the app change your search engine or homepage. In other
cases, the highjacker can be completely hidden and you don’t have the option to
reject its installation.

If you have added any new software recently, consider uninstalling it from your
computer. At the very least, search online for “name of the software/extension”
+ “malware” and see if anyone else has experienced the same problems. That will
allow you to narrow your list of extensions or software to remove.

RELATEDHow to Scan with Microsoft Defender Antivirus on Windows 10


The next thing to do is a complete virus scan using reputable and reliable
antivirus software. Browser hijackers are not particularly sophisticated viruses
and shouldn’t prove too much trouble for a good antivirus scanner to find and
remove.

A quick scan will often find browser hijackers, but we would suggest performing
a full or complete scan anyway. As browser hijackers are sometimes a sign that
your computer has other infections, it is a good idea to let your antivirus
software do a full check of your system.



If you don’t already have some installed, our roundup of the best antivirus
software in 2022 will help you find some.

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RESETTING YOUR BROWSER

The final step is to reset your browser settings. This is sometimes said to be
the only thing you need to do to fix the problem of your homepage and search
engine switching to Yahoo, but it really only treats the symptom and not the
cause. Once you’ve removed the virus, find the instructions for your browser
below.

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CHROME



 1. To reset Chrome, open the browser and click the menu button.
 2. In Settings, expand the Advanced section and click “Reset and Clean Up.”
 3. To be thorough, click “Clean Up Computer” and then click the “Find” button.
    Follow the instructions if any harmful software is found.
 4. Back in the Reset and Clean Up section, click “Restore Settings to Their
    Original Defaults.”

Be aware that doing this will disable all of your extensions, clear cookies, and
temporary site data, and reset things like Chrome shortcuts. It won’t delete
bookmarks, history, or saved passwords.

RELATED: How to Reset Chrome Settings to Default


SAFARI

Safari used to have a Reset Safari button in the settings, but now requires you
to go through several steps to achieve a similar result.

 1. Open Safari and then open the preferences by clicking “Safari >
    Preferences.”
 2. Select the “Advanced“ tab and then check the box next to “Show Develop Menu
    in Menu Bar.”
 3. Select the “Develop” tab and click “Empty Caches.”
 4. Click “History” in the top taskbar and clear the search history. This step
    isn’t essential for this problem, but still a good idea to do it.
 5. Go back to the Safari preferences and click “Privacy > Manage Website Data“
    and then click “Remove All.”
 6. Click the “Extensions“ tab and select any and all extensions you are
    suspicious of to disable them.
 7. Finally, restart Safari to check all of your changes have been applied.


FIREFOX



 1. To reset Firefox, open the browser and click the menu button at the
    top-right corner.
 2. Select “Help“ from the menu and then click “More Troubleshooting
    Information.”
 3. On the Troubleshooting Information screen, click the “Refresh Firefox“
    button.
 4. Click “Refresh Firefox“ again on the popup alert.

Extensions and customizations to Firefox will be removed. Essential information
such as bookmarks and saved passwords will not be reset.


MICROSOFT EDGE

 1. Resetting Edge is very easy. Click the menu button in the top-right corner
    and select “Settings.”
 2. In the settings sidebar menu, click “Reset Settings.”
 3. Click “Restore Settings to Their Default Values” and then click “Reset.”

As with other browser resets, extensions and settings will be reset to default,
but bookmarks and passwords will remain.

THE BEST ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE OF 2022

Best Antivirus Software Overall

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READ NEXT
 * › How to Remove Yahoo! Search From Google Chrome
 * › Today Only: Anker’s Orb-Shaped Desk Charger Is Just $64
 * › 10 Google Docs Resume Templates to Land Your Dream Job
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 * › How Much Does a Heated Driveway Cost?
 * › Uber Has Suffered a Data Breach, Once Again

Russ Ware
Russ is a freelance writer who specializes in writing about technology. He loves
exploring and figuring out how complex things work, and sharing that knowledge
with others, something he has been doing online and in print for more than 15
years. When not writing for How-To Geek, Russ can usually be found planning his
first novel or taking something apart to see how it works.
Read Full Bio »

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