Chrome keeps switching your search engine to Yahoo on your Mac. You set Google back, search again, and Yahoo is there anyway, sometimes after a strange page flashes by.
This guide gets your chosen search engine back and stops Yahoo from returning. Most people need only the quick fix below. A full Chrome reset is the last resort.
Overview
Why is Yahoo my search engine in Chrome on Mac?
Yahoo is a real search engine, not a virus. When it replaces Google without your say, something on your Mac picked it for you. The usual suspects:
- A Chrome extension that sets Yahoo as your search engine. Yahoo’s own Search and New Tab extension does this openly, and lesser-known search add-ons do it too.
- A security suite’s search feature. McAfee’s Secure Search extension for Chrome, for example, is powered by Yahoo and changes your search engine. It’s legitimate, just optional.
- A free app, fake update, or bundled installer that slipped in a search changer. Mac users have reported searches bouncing through unfamiliar pages before landing on Yahoo.
- A configuration profile, which is a Mac settings file that can lock Chrome’s search choice so the option looks grayed out.
- A login item or background app that puts Yahoo back each time you sign in to your Mac.
The quick fix that works for most Macs
Work through these in order and test a search after each one. Stop as soon as Yahoo stays gone.
- In Chrome, click the three-dot menu, then Settings, then Search engine. Click Change next to the current engine and pick Google or another engine you trust.
- Type chrome://extensions in the address bar. Remove any search, new-tab, or Secure Search extension you don’t remember adding on purpose.
- Open System Settings, General, Device Management, if listed. On a personal Mac, remove a profile only if its details mention Chrome or Yahoo. Work Macs: ask IT first.
- Open System Settings, General, Login Items & Extensions. Remove or turn off items from apps you don’t recognize. If that stops Yahoo, move that app from Applications to the Trash.
- Quit Chrome with Command+Q, open it again, and search from the address bar. If Google answers, you’re done.
What to do if Yahoo comes back
If Yahoo returns after a restart, something is putting it back. Two clues: a grayed-out search setting, or “Managed by your organization” at the bottom of Chrome’s menu.
Either one usually means a policy is choosing your search engine, often through a configuration profile. Work and school Macs use profiles for good reasons, so ask IT there.
Also leave profiles you added yourself for a VPN, school Wi-Fi, or email. Removing one can take those connections with it. The advanced section below walks you through it.
This guide covers search changes, browser hijackers, unwanted extensions, and adware. It won’t unlock encrypted files or secure a hacked account, which need different help.
How to Remove Yahoo Search From Chrome on Mac
Start with Step 1. Once a search works and stays fixed, skip ahead to the final test instead of running every step.
- Change Chrome’s search engine
- Test the fix and stop
- Advanced fixes if Yahoo returns or settings are locked
Step 1: Choose the search engine you want
Some Chrome screenshots below were taken on Windows. Chrome on a Mac looks slightly different, but the buttons and labels match.
Chrome: change the address-bar search engine
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Open Search engine
Type chrome://settings/search in the address bar and press Return. Your current search engine is shown next to the Change button.
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Pick your search engine
Click Change. Choose Google, DuckDuckGo, or the search engine you want, then confirm your choice in the dialog.
Open a new tab and search for something harmless from the address bar. Going to google.com directly doesn’t test this setting.
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Test before doing anything else
If the search works and your choice sticks, jump to the final check. You don’t need a reset just to switch search engines.
If Yahoo comes back, move on to extensions below. If the setting is locked, go to the advanced fixes.
Step 2: Turn off the extension changing your search
Find the extension behind Yahoo
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Open your extensions
Type chrome://extensions and press Return. The demo screenshot below shows each extension’s on/off switch and Remove button. It isn’t a threat found on your Mac.
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Switch off one suspect, then search again
Start with anything you added recently that changes search or new tabs, including a Secure Search add-on. Turn its switch off, open a new tab, and search again.
If Google comes back, click Remove on that extension and confirm. Keep password managers and security extensions you trust unless they’re clearly the cause.
If nothing looks suspicious, skip removal. If Remove is grayed out or the extension comes back, use the advanced checks.
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Confirm the fix stuck
Quit and reopen Chrome, then test again. If Yahoo stays away, go to the final check. You don’t need the scanner or reset below.
If notifications open unwanted pages
Only use this if alerts or pages open on their own, without you searching. A site allowed to send notifications isn’t the same as a hijacked search engine.
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In Chrome, open chrome://settings/content/notifications. Under sites allowed to send notifications, open the menu next to the unwanted site and choose Block or Remove.
Change this in Chrome’s settings, never through buttons inside a scary alert. If the alerts stop and search works, you can skip scanning and resetting.
Step 3: Scan your Mac if Yahoo keeps returning
Skip this step if changing the setting fixed it. Use it when an extension or app keeps coming back, or Yahoo returns with no clear cause.
Scan with Malwarebytes for Mac
The screenshots come from our Mac guide, so your version may look a little different.
MalwareTips may receive a commission from optional purchases. You don’t need a paid protection plan to follow the manual browser checks.
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Download Malwarebytes for Mac
Malwarebytes for MacMac-specific scan and threat reviewGet the Mac version, not the Windows installer or AdwCleaner, which is Windows-only. Never download a cleaner offered by a pop-up or warning page.
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Open the downloaded package
In Finder, open Downloads and double-click the Malwarebytes package. Your version number will likely differ from the example.
Make sure the installer comes from Malwarebytes. If anything about the file looks different from what you downloaded, stop.
In the installer window, click Continue. The example shows an older version.
Read the license, then continue if you agree. Accepting it doesn’t sign you up for any paid plan.
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Finish installing and allow access
Keep clicking through the installer screens, then click Install.
When macOS asks, enter your Mac password or use Touch ID. Never give that password to a website or to someone who calls you.
If Malwarebytes asks for Full Disk Access, open System Settings, Privacy & Security, Full Disk Access, and turn on Malwarebytes. Older macOS versions call it System Preferences.
Go back to Malwarebytes. Read any trial or subscription offers and decline the ones you don’t want.
If it asks what kind of computer this is, choose Personal Computer for your own Mac. On a work Mac, follow your IT team’s instructions.
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Pick a free scan
Click the Scanner tile itself, not its Scan button. Then open the Scan tab, choose Advanced scans, and pick Custom scan.
Quick and Custom scans are free. Threat Scan may need a trial or paid plan, but you don’t have to buy anything.
Choose the folder or app to scan in Finder, then click Open. The scan starts right away.
The main Scan button may start a Threat Scan instead. Use the Custom scan path for the free option.
Let the scan finish. Don’t stop it or uninstall the app while it’s working.
The older example below shows a Threat Scan. Wait for your own scan’s results.
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Review what it found and remove it
Look over each detection’s name and location, then approve quarantine. Save the report if you’re unsure about an item.
In the older version shown, you click Confirm. Newer versions may use a different label for the same quarantine button.
The findings shown are examples. Act on your own scan’s list.
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Restart if asked
If Malwarebytes needs a restart to finish, save your work first. Afterward, reopen it and keep the report.
Then search in Chrome again. A clean scan doesn’t guarantee every setting is fixed, so recheck extensions and Chrome’s policy page if Yahoo is still there.
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Note what’s left for support
Write down exactly when Yahoo comes back, such as after a restart. Keep extension and policy details plus a copy of the scan report with personal info removed.
Don’t start deleting every profile or startup folder. If a finding is unclear, ask for help before changing system files.
Step 4: Reset Chrome if the search setting still won’t stick
If search works now, skip to the final test. Reset Chrome only when the steps above didn’t fix its settings.
Reset Chrome after removing what changed it
Check sync first. Google notes that a reset can carry over to other devices signed in to the same Chrome profile.
You can pause syncing for settings and extensions first. Or test in a new Chrome profile with sync off before resetting your main one.
The screenshots were taken in Chrome on Windows. Chrome on a Mac uses the same reset page, though some wording can differ.
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Open the reset page
Save your work and make sure you’re in the right Chrome profile. Type chrome://settings/reset in the address bar and press Return.
You can also get there from Settings, then Reset settings. Leave alone other people’s profiles and any profile that works fine.
Using the menu? Open Settings first. Reset settings is in the left sidebar.
Click Reset settings in the sidebar to open the reset page.
Find Restore settings to their original defaults.
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Read the confirmation before resetting
Click Restore settings to their original defaults. The dialog that opens lists what changes: your startup page, new tab page, search engine, pinned tabs, extensions, and cookies.
Your bookmarks, history, and saved passwords stay. You may need to sign back in to some websites.
Click Reset settings if that’s fine with you. A reset won’t remove a Mac app or profile that keeps changing Chrome.
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Set your search engine and add extensions back slowly
Open chrome://settings/searchEngines and pick your search engine. Check your startup pages too, then test a search before turning extensions back on.
Turn trusted extensions back on one at a time. If Yahoo returns after one, leave it off and note its name.
Step 5: Make sure Yahoo stays gone, then stop
Repeat the search that used to go to Yahoo. Try the address bar first, then any search box on your new tab page and your startup page.
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Quit Chrome with Command+Q, reopen it, and confirm your search engine hasn’t changed.
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If Yahoo used to return after you logged in, save your work, restart the Mac, and test again.
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If you paused sync, turn it back on bit by bit. You’re done when searches still work after whatever used to bring Yahoo back.
If everything checks out, you’re finished. The advanced section below is only for Yahoo that returns, a locked setting, or an extension you can’t remove.
Advanced Fixes if Yahoo Keeps Coming Back
Show fixes for locked settings, Mac profiles, and apps that restore Yahoo
Skip this if the fix above held. On a work or school Mac, talk to IT before changing profiles, system files, or startup items.
Check whether a policy or Mac profile is locking Chrome
Open chrome://policy and click Reload policies. Look for entries that set the search engine or startup pages, or that force-install an extension.
Note each suspicious policy’s name and value. A search address pointing at Yahoo, or a forced extension ID, tells you far more than the “managed” message alone.
chrome://management shows whether Chrome is managed. Legitimate work and security software can manage Chrome too, so that label alone doesn’t mean your Mac is infected.
On a personal Mac, open System Settings, General, Device Management. On macOS Sonoma or Ventura, look in Privacy & Security, Profiles. Earlier versions use System Preferences, Profiles.
Double-click a suspicious profile to see its details. Look for Chrome settings, a Yahoo search address, or the extension you found earlier.
Before removing it, take a screenshot of its details. Removing a profile also removes anything it set up, such as Wi-Fi, VPN, email, or certificates.
Don’t remove every profile or run a script that wipes all Google settings. If you can’t tell what a profile does, ask for help first.
Remove the Mac app that keeps bringing Yahoo back
Open Finder, then Applications, and look at apps you installed around the time Yahoo appeared. Timing is a clue, not proof, so look for a stronger link.
A stronger link is a matching extension, profile, or policy. If the app has its own uninstaller, use it, especially for security software.
Quit the app before removing it. Don’t empty the Trash until you’ve checked that nothing else ended up in there by mistake.
Next, open System Settings, General, Login Items & Extensions. Check both the apps that open at login and the ones allowed to run in the background.
Turn off only the items tied to the unwanted app. Cloud storage, password managers, and printer or mouse utilities need their background helpers.
If Yahoo only comes back after you log in, write that down. It points to a Mac app rather than something inside Chrome.
Some unwanted apps also add startup files called LaunchAgents or LaunchDaemons. Have someone experienced look at these before you change anything.
Never delete whole LaunchAgents or LaunchDaemons folders. Removing one file you’ve tied to the unwanted app is far safer than cleanup commands copied from a forum.
Try a fresh Chrome profile before touching browser files
Click your profile picture in Chrome and add a new profile. Keep sync off and don’t import extensions, then try the same search.
If Google works there, the problem lives in your old profile’s settings or extensions. Something outside Chrome could still be targeting that one profile, though.
If both profiles go to Yahoo, look at policies and Mac apps instead. Don’t delete the old profile or copy all its settings into the new one.
Keep the old profile until you’ve saved its bookmarks and passwords. Bring over only what you need once you know what was changing the search engine.
Leave Chrome’s data files alone unless support asks
Chrome’s Web Data file holds more than your search settings. Don’t rename it in every profile or run a script that cleans all of them.
If a support expert suggests a file repair, find the exact Profile Path at chrome://version. Quit Chrome fully and back up that profile first.
Write down what you changed and how to undo it. Browser backups hold private account and browsing data, so keep them somewhere safe.
Test the search again before turning sync back on. A reset or file fix doesn’t prove the app or profile behind Yahoo is gone.
Check site-search shortcuts if only one shortcut goes to Yahoo
Chrome keeps separate site-search shortcuts, so one can point to Yahoo while your main search engine is fine. Open chrome://settings/searchEngines and check the shortcut you typed.
Note Where Yahoo Appears Before You Ask for Help
Yahoo can show up in the address bar, a new-tab search box, or a page that opens by itself. Each one points to a different fix.
If only the new tab page shows Yahoo and address-bar searches still use Google, check for Yahoo’s Homepage extension. It changes new tabs and the homepage, not search.
To test the address bar, press Command+L and type something harmless, like weather. Watch for a strange site that flashes before search.yahoo.com loads.
If it flashes by too fast, check Chrome’s history. It may show the in-between site, though not always.
A bookmark, document link, or restored tab can also open Yahoo without changing your search engine. If Yahoo loads before you type anything, open Settings, On startup, and remove it.
If Yahoo Also Shows Up in Safari or Other Browsers
If Safari switches to Yahoo too, the cause is probably outside Chrome. Check profiles, login items, and Applications, since resetting Chrome alone can’t fix Safari.
Network settings rarely explain this. Only check proxy or DNS settings if every browser misbehaves, note the current values first, and never remove a work VPN.
A page claiming your Mac is infected may be just an ad. Don’t call its phone number or install the cleaner it recommends.
Match a locked extension to its ID
In chrome://extensions, turn on Developer mode just to show each extension’s ID. Compare that ID with the one in chrome://policy or your scan report.
The card shown is a demo, not malware on your Mac. Don’t load unpacked extensions or delete Chrome’s extension folders.
What to Do If Yahoo Still Won’t Go Away
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Write down which Chrome profile is affected, any extension IDs and policy values, and exactly when Yahoo comes back.
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Keep your scan report and screenshots of the settings involved. Share only what’s needed, with personal details blurred.
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On a work Mac, contact IT. On a personal Mac, ask in the MalwareTips Mac malware removal forum before removing profiles or startup files you can’t identify.
If you typed a password into an unfamiliar page while this was happening, change it on the real website. Resetting Chrome doesn’t change passwords or sign you out of accounts.
Using more than one browser? Our complete Yahoo redirect guide covers Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari on Windows and Mac.
Related: Bing redirects in Chrome on Mac and Yahoo in Chrome on Windows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Yahoo search engine a virus on Mac?
No. Yahoo Search is a legitimate search engine. The problem is the extension, app, or profile that switched Chrome to Yahoo without asking you.
Security tools often call that kind of software a browser hijacker. Remove it, and Yahoo stops showing up unless you choose it yourself.
Why does my MacBook search engine keep changing to Yahoo?
Something keeps putting the setting back. It’s usually an extension that reapplies itself, a configuration profile locking Chrome, or a login item that runs when you sign in.
Timing helps you narrow it down. If Yahoo returns right after you reopen Chrome, check extensions and policies. If it returns only after a Mac restart, check login items.
Why can’t I remove Yahoo from Chrome?
A grayed-out search setting or a missing Remove button means something is in control. If Chrome names an extension next to the setting, remove that extension first.
Otherwise, open chrome://policy. On a personal Mac, a policy often comes from a configuration profile, which you can remove in System Settings, General, Device Management.
How do I block Yahoo search in Chrome permanently?
Chrome has no switch that blocks Yahoo forever. What lasts is removing whatever set it, then choosing your own search engine.
After that, read every installer screen and decline offers to change your search engine or add a search add-on. Bundled offers like these are how most hijackers get in.
Why does Yahoo keep popping up in Chrome when I didn’t search?
Pages that open on their own usually come from site notifications or Chrome’s startup pages, not your search engine.
Check chrome://settings/content/notifications for sites you don’t trust, and look under Settings, On startup, for any Yahoo page you didn’t add.
Do I need to pay to get rid of the Yahoo redirect virus on Mac?
No. The manual steps in this guide cost nothing. If you want a second check, Malwarebytes for Mac offers free Quick and Custom scans.
Paid plans add extra features, but you don’t need one to fix Yahoo today.
The Bottom Line
To get the Yahoo search engine out of Chrome on your Mac, change Chrome’s search setting, remove the extension or profile that set Yahoo, and clear unknown login items.
If Yahoo comes back, note exactly when it happens and check chrome://policy for a locked setting. Leave work-managed profiles to your IT team.
Still stuck? Post your notes and scan report in the MalwareTips Mac malware removal forum, and our community can help you track down the cause.
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