Virus & Malware Removal · 6 min read
How to Remove a Browser Hijacker
A browser hijacker changes your search engine or homepage and puts it back every time you change it. The setting is a symptom; something is enforcing it.
Published 2026-08-09 · Last updated 2026-08-09
Find what is enforcing the change
Check, in order: browser extensions, enterprise policies shown on the browser's policy page, the browser shortcut target, and any scheduled task or startup entry that relaunches the browser with parameters.
Remove the extension and its remnants
Delete the extension, then close the browser completely and verify the setting no longer reverts. A hijacker that returns after a restart is being reinstalled by a program still present on the machine.
Reset the browser profile
A profile reset restores search, startup pages, permissions and pinned tabs while keeping bookmarks and saved passwords. Do this after the enforcing component is gone, not before.
Check every browser and every profile
Hijackers frequently hit each installed browser and each profile. Check Chrome, Edge and Firefox individually, including secondary profiles you rarely use.
Verify and re-secure
Restart, confirm the search engine holds, then sign back into the browser only after the machine is clean so a compromised profile does not sync the hijack back down.
Frequently asked questions
- Why does my homepage keep changing back?
- Something is re-applying it — usually an extension, an enforced policy, or a modified browser shortcut. Remove the enforcer first, then change the setting.
- Is a browser hijacker dangerous?
- It redirects searches and harvests browsing data, and it usually arrives with other bundled software. Treat it as a full adware cleanup, not a cosmetic annoyance.