Remove Babylon Toolbar and “Search the web (Babylon)”

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Written by: Stelian Pilici

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Babylon is an adware program that has changed your browser home page and default search engine to search.babylon.com.
Apart from this changes, Babylon has added a useless toolbar on your browser and whenever your are doing a search,it will display on the first search results their own ads.
Babylon Toolbar Firefox
Babylon got on your computer after you have installed another program that had bundled in their installer the Babylon toolbar.Recently CNET has stared to bundled into some programs installer this unwanted application so this might be one of the sources of this program.
You should always pay attention when installing software because often, a software installer includes optional installs, such as this Babylon Toolbar. Be very careful what you agree to install. Always opt for the custom installation and deselect anything that is not familiar, especially optional software that you never wanted to download and install in the first place. It goes without saying that you should not install software that you don’t trust.

Removal Instructions for Babylon Toolbar

STEP 1 : Uninstall Babylon Search from your computer

  1. To uninstall Babylon Search program from your computer, click the Start button, then select Control Panel, and click on Uninstall a program.
    If you are a Windows 8 user, you can right-click on a bottom left hot corner (formerly known as the Start button) and select Control panel from there, then select Uninstall a program.
  2. Seach and uninstall Babylon, Babylon toolbar on IE, Yontoo, BrowserProtect and any other programs related to Babylon LTD.
    [Image: Uninstall Search Babylon ]

Please note that on some computers these programs might be renamed or missing, search for any program developed by Babylon LTD, and uninstall it from your computer.

STEP 2 : Remove the Babylon Search residual damage from your browser

Babylon has installed a browser extension, has changed your homepage to isearch.babylon.com/, and has changed your default search engine.

Remove Babylon Search from Internet Explorer

  1. Remove Babylon Search add-ons from Internet Explorer.
    Open Internet Explorer,then click on the gear icon [Image: Internet Explorer gear icon] (Tools for Windows XP users) at the top (far right) and then  select Manage add-ons.
    [Image: Manage Add-ons in Internet Explorer]
    From the Toolbars and Extensions tab, select Babylon toolbar, Babylon toolbar helper, Babylon IE plugin, babylonToolbar.com and everything related to Babylon Ltd, and click on Disable.
    [Image: Babylon Internet Explorer add-ons]
  2. Set Internet Explorer default search engine from isearch.babylon.com/ to Bing.
    To change your default search engine, click on the gear icon [Image: Internet Explorer gear icon] , select Manage Add-ons, and then, under Add-on Types, click Search Providers.
    Select Bing, and click Set Default, then click on Search the Web (Babylon) in the list and click on Remove.
    [Image: Babylon Search Internet Explorer hijack][Image: Remove Babylon Search from Internet Explorer]
  3. Change your Internet Explorer home page from http://isearch.babylon.com/ to its default
    To change your home page, click on the gear icon [Image: Internet Explorer gear icon] , select Internet Explore options, and in the General tab,under the Home page section, click on Use default to restore Internet Explorer default home page.
    [Image: Set Internet Explorer to its default homepage]

Remove Babylon Search from Mozilla Firefox

  1. Remove Babylon Search extension from Internet Explorer.
    At the top of the Firefox window, click the orange Firefox button, then select Add-ons.
    Firefox addon menu
    Select the Extensions tab, then remove Babylon toolbar, Yontoo, Babylon OCR, babylonToolbar.com and any other extensions related to Babylon Ltd from Mozilla Firefox.
    [Image: Babylon Firefox extensions]
  2. Reset your default search engine and home page from Babylon Search to their default.
    To reset your search engine and homepage to their default, we will use the SearchReset extension.This add-on is very simple: on installation, it backs up and then resets your search preferences and home page to their default values, and then uninstalls itself. This affects the search bar, URL bar searches, and the home page.
    You can download SearchReset from the below link, and then we will just need to install it to revert Firefox to its default settings.
    SEARCHRESET DOWNLOAD LINK (This link will open another web page from where you can download the SearchReset Firefox extension)
    [Image: SearchReset extension]

Remove Babylon Search from Google Chrome

  1. Remove Babylon extensions from Google Chrome.
  2. Click the Chrome menu Chrome menu  button on the browser toolbar, select Tools and then click on Extensions.
    Google Chrome Extensions
    In the Extensions tab, remove (by clicking on the Recycle Bin) Babylon toolbar, Yontoo, Babylon OCR, babylonToolbar.com and any other extensions related to Babylon Ltd from your Google Chrome.
    [Image: Babylon Chrome extensions]
  3. Set Google Chrome default search engine from isearch.babylon.com to google.com .
    Click the Chrome menu Chrome menu  button, then select Settings and click on Manage search engines in the Search section.
    In the Search Engines dialog that appears, select Google and click the Make Default button that appears in the row.
    Search for Search the web (Babylon) in the Search Engines list, and click the X that appears at the end of the row.
    [Image: Set Chrome search engine from Search the web (Babylon) to Google]
  4. Change Google Chrome homepage from search.Babylon.com to its default.
    The Babylon Toolbar has modified your Google settings to open their webpage whenever you start your browser, so we will need to revert this change.
    Click the Chrome menu Chrome menu  button, then select Settings and click on One the New Tab page in the On Startup section.
    [Image: Change Google Chrome homepage to its default]

STEP 3: Remove Babylon Toolbar registry keys with AdwCleaner.

  1. You can download AdwCleaner from the below link. ADWCLEANER DOWNLOAD LINK (This link will automatically download AdwCleaner on your computer)
  2. Before starting this utility, close all open programs and internet browsers.
  3. Double click on adwcleaner.exe to run the tool.
  4. Click on Delete, then confirm each time with Ok. Adwcleaner utility
  5. Your computer will be rebooted automatically. A text file will open after the restart.
  6. NEXT, double click on adwcleaner.exe to run the tool.
  7. Click on Uninstall, then confirm with yes to remove this utility from your computer.

STEP 4: Run a computer scan with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

  1. You can download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free from the below link, then double click on it to install this program. MALWAREBYTES ANTI-MALWARE DOWNLOAD LINK (This link will open a download page in a new window from where you can download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free)
  2. When the installation begins, keep following the prompts in order to continue with the setup process. DO NOT make any changes to default settings and when the program has finished installing, make sure you leave both the Update Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware and Launch Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware checked, then click on the Finish button.
    [Image: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware final installation screen]
  3. On the Scanner tab, select Perform quick scan and then click on the Scan button to start scanning your computer.
    [Image: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Quick Scan]
  4. Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware will now start scanning your computer as shown below.
    [Image: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware scanning for Babylon Toolbar]
  5. When the Malwarebytes scan will be completed, click on Show Result.
    [Image: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware scan results]
  6. You will now be presented with a screen showing you the malware infections that Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware has detected.Please note that the infections found may be different than what is shown in the image. Make sure that everything is Checked (ticked) and click on the Remove Selected button.
    [Image:Malwarebytes removing malware]

STEP 5: Run a computer scan with HitmanPro

  1. Download HitmanPro from the below link, then double click on it to start this program.
    HITMANPRO DOWNLOAD LINK (This link will open a new web page from where you can download HitmanPro)
  2. HitmanPro will start and you’ll need to follow the prompts (by clicking on the Next button) to start a system scan with this program.
    HitmanPro installation
  3. HitmanPro will start scanning your computer for malware, as seen in the image below.
    HitmanPro scans for Babylon Toolbar
  4. Once the scan is complete,you’ll see a screen which will display all the infected files that this utility has detected, and you’ll need to click on Next to remove these malicious files.
    HitmanPro scan results
  5. Click Activate free license to start the free 30 days trial and remove all the malicious files from your computer.
    HitmanPro 30 days activation button

If you are still experiencing problems while trying to remove Babylon Toolbar from your machine, please start a new thread in our Malware Removal Assistance forum.

How to Stay Safe Online

Here are 10 basic security tips to help you avoid malware and protect your device:

  1. Use a good antivirus and keep it up-to-date.

    Shield Guide

    It's essential to use a good quality antivirus and keep it up-to-date to stay ahead of the latest cyber threats. We are huge fans of Malwarebytes Premium and use it on all of our devices, including Windows and Mac computers as well as our mobile devices. Malwarebytes sits beside your traditional antivirus, filling in any gaps in its defenses, and providing extra protection against sneakier security threats.

  2. Keep software and operating systems up-to-date.

    updates-guide

    Keep your operating system and apps up to date. Whenever an update is released for your device, download and install it right away. These updates often include security fixes, vulnerability patches, and other necessary maintenance.

  3. Be careful when installing programs and apps.

    install guide

    Pay close attention to installation screens and license agreements when installing software. Custom or advanced installation options will often disclose any third-party software that is also being installed. Take great care in every stage of the process and make sure you know what it is you're agreeing to before you click "Next."

  4. Install an ad blocker.

    Ad Blocker

    Use a browser-based content blocker, like AdGuard. Content blockers help stop malicious ads, Trojans, phishing, and other undesirable content that an antivirus product alone may not stop.

  5. Be careful what you download.

    Trojan Horse

    A top goal of cybercriminals is to trick you into downloading malware—programs or apps that carry malware or try to steal information. This malware can be disguised as an app: anything from a popular game to something that checks traffic or the weather.

  6. Be alert for people trying to trick you.

    warning sign

    Whether it's your email, phone, messenger, or other applications, always be alert and on guard for someone trying to trick you into clicking on links or replying to messages. Remember that it's easy to spoof phone numbers, so a familiar name or number doesn't make messages more trustworthy.

  7. Back up your data.

    backup sign

    Back up your data frequently and check that your backup data can be restored. You can do this manually on an external HDD/USB stick, or automatically using backup software. This is also the best way to counter ransomware. Never connect the backup drive to a computer if you suspect that the computer is infected with malware.

  8. Choose strong passwords.

    lock sign

    Use strong and unique passwords for each of your accounts. Avoid using personal information or easily guessable words in your passwords. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on your accounts whenever possible.

  9. Be careful where you click.

    cursor sign

    Be cautious when clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown sources. These could potentially contain malware or phishing scams.

  10. Don't use pirated software.

    Shady Guide

    Avoid using Peer-to-Peer (P2P) file-sharing programs, keygens, cracks, and other pirated software that can often compromise your data, privacy, or both.

To avoid potential dangers on the internet, it's important to follow these 10 basic safety rules. By doing so, you can protect yourself from many of the unpleasant surprises that can arise when using the web.

53 thoughts on “Remove Babylon Toolbar and “Search the web (Babylon)””

  3. Yesterday somehow ended up with Babylon – found your website but although tried literally everything Babylon was still there. Have no idea if relevant but found the default home page as being listed as http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?Linkid=69157. When I searched for this it took me to a page http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Change-your-Internet-Explorer-9-home-page and followed the instructions. But when I clicked on Internet Explorer from the Start button I noticed that it went to my correct home page and not Babylon so then checked and found that when I used the short cut on my tool bar it went to Babylon. So replaced the Internet Explorer shortcut in my tool bar with a new one and now seem to no longer have Babylon. (Lets hope it stays that way).

    Now my only question is – is the fwlink/Linkid address as my default home page a problem and if so how do I remove or change it?

  4. Hello,
    Let try to fix your computer:
    Please download AdwCleaner by Xplode onto your desktop.

    • Close all open programs and internet browsers.
    • Double click on adwcleaner.exe to run the tool.
    • Click on Delete.
    • Confirm each time with Ok.
    • Your computer will be rebooted automatically. A text file will open after the restart.

    Next…

    • Double click on adwcleaner.exe to run the tool.
    • Click on Uninstall.
    • Confirm with yes.

    Waiting your reply to tell me if everything is ok… :)

  5. I use google chrome i have tried your advice and am going mad as it is still there. so i try malware bytes and no joy ,i try avast still no joy any ideas?

  6. Hello Sandy,
    Unlike a virus Babylon can be easily prevent just by simply being careful whenever you are installing programs!This program comes bundled into some installer so open your eyes when you install a new program!
    Also McAfee is not that great,Avast Free antivirus is better and it’s free!

  7. This is the third time I have been infected with this darn Babylon…Why didn’t McAfee catch it? What program should I be using to prevent getting reinfected in the future? Thanks.

  9. The RESET button (step 3 and 4) was the key (I.E. 8 on XP ! Thank you Stelian.
    One site recommended manual deletions, which did not complete the job.
    Another recommended SpyBot, which found more Babylon to delete, and issued the warning message, but even after restart, Babylon was still there. Then I found this page. After clicking the Reset button and clicking it again, and RESTARTING I.E., the babylon issue was gone.

  15. I try to delete the file but I can not and babylon still remain in the firefox. How can I totally remove it? :(

  17. Hello,

    I scanned the whole computer using the two software you suggested for removing malware. I searched again and I found only a file named “babylon.xml” in the folder “searchplugins (C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox)”

    Is it ok that I try to delete this file?

    Thank you very much ^^,
    Tu

  18. Hello Tu,
    Can you go into C:\Program Files\ and search for a file called Babylon…Can you find it in there?

  20. Hi there,

    I got babylon while I try to install a program. I saw many people sad that the way you show here is working great. I try to follow from step 2 but its not working. The reason I try from step 2 because I can not found babylon in my computer to uninstall it. babylon only appear as a toolbar in firefox and explore. Is there another way I can remove babylon? I use win vista :(

  21. Hmmm. When I try to uninstall, I get a message saying I have to let an unknown-sourced program 156bf0.msi run. Seems like that could be dangerous as well. Anyone else seen it?

  26. I can’t find the wrench symbol on Google Chrome Im 99 per cent sure I dont have it… I found extensions in another icon which was three lines but can’t find options anywhere :( any help would be awesome!

  31. Thank you for the great information …. I followed the steps and got rid of the Babylon Search Engine completely :)

  35. Thanks for providing this step by step guide. I have been p.o.’ed at the babylon search malware for a year, but have not yet been able to get rid of it.
    I think that this will work.

  36. Hello Josh,
    Yes,it is…however you can also follow this instructions:

    STEP 1: Run a scan with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware in Chameleon Mode in Norman mode:

    1. Download Malwarebytes Chameleon from here and extract it to a folder in a convenient location
    2. Make certain that your PC is connected to the internet and then open the folder where you extracted Chameleon to and double-click on the Chameleon help file and then follow the onscreen instructions to use it.
    3. If the Chameleon help file itself will not open, then double-click each file one by one until you find one that works, which will be indicated by a black DOS/command prompt window Note: Do not attempt to open mbam-killer as that is not a Chameleon executable and serves a different purpose)
    4. Follow the onscreen instructions to press a key to continue and Chameleon will proceed to download and install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for you
    5. Once it has done this, it will attempt to update Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, click OK when it says that the database was updated successful
    6. Next, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware will automatically open and perform a Quick scan
    7. Upon completion of the scan, if anything has been detected, click on Show Result
    8. Have Malwarebytes Anti-Malware remove any threats that are detected and click Yes if prompted to reboot your computer to allow the removal process to complete
    9. After your computer restarts, open Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and perform a Full System scan to verify that there are no remaining threats

    STEP 2: Run a scan with RogueKiller

    1. Please download the latest official version of RogueKiller.
      RogueKiller Download Link (This link will automatically download RogueKiller on your computer)
    2. Double click on RogueKiller.exe to start this utility and then wait for the Prescan to complete.This should take only a few seconds and then you can click the Scan button to perform a system scan.
    3. After the scan has completed, press the Delete button to remove any malicious registry keys.
    4. Next we will need to restore your shortcuts, so click on the ShortcutsFix button and allow the program to run.

    STEP 3 Please perform a scan with HitmanPro as seen on the guide.
    If you are having problems starting this program please use the ForceBreach mode as described in the guide.

    STEP 4: Run a scan with ESET Online Scanner:

    1. Download ESET Online Scanner utility.
      ESET Online Scanner Download Link (This link will automatically download ESET Online Scanner on your computer.)
    2. Double click on the Eset installer program (esetsmartinstaller_enu.exe).
    3. Check Yes, I accept the Terms of Use
    4. Click the Start button.
    5. Check Scan archives
    6. Push the Start button.
    7. ESET will then download updates for itself, install itself, and begin scanning your computer. Please be patient as this can take some time.
    8. When the scan completes, push Finish

    Waiting for your reply to tell me how everything is running!
    Good luck…

  37. Thanks very much for this info BUT I cannot access the link you provide in step3.
    Is it still operational?

  38. Brilliant…Babylon gone!
    Hitmanpro was a bit alarming though – it discovered all sorts of stuff, particularly tracking cookies from deleted programmes, even though I have been using other Malware programmes for the past three years.
    Thank you very much for this.
    Graham

  40. Thanks for your help. Your instructions helped to remove Babylon as default IE/MFF search engine. Scanning now with Malwarebytes…so far, nothing.

  42. Thank you so much. Great Info. I tried everything and it didn’t work (not even Malwarebytes. The damn Babylon was still there. But the Hitmanpro eventually did the job and remove this stupid Babylon.

  43. I am really upset. I was on majorgeek and tried to install reimage, thats how I got this dang browser. I am having issues posting on their forums, so I contacted them via fb. I am really mad. I heard they were reputable, not like cnet. They review good and bad software, and this one was highly recommended by them (reimage).. getting a massive headache with all this. I am currently scanning with your malware link.

    Your instructions were easy to follow. Thank you. I hope I get rid of it soon. sigh.

  44. You my friend, are the Greatest!
    All of my issues are solved with your posts. And I’m finding unwanted issues I didn’t even know I had in my Laptop. Thanks for making my life a little easier.

  45. Hello,
    Please perform the below steps:
    Please download and run a scan with Emsisoft Anti-Malware:

    1. Please download the latest official version of Emsisoft Emergency Kit.
      EMSISOFT EMERGENCY KIT DOWNLOAD LINK (This link will open a download page in a new window from where you can download Emsisoft Emergency Kit)
    2. After the download process will finish , you’ll need to unpack EmsisoftEmergencyKit.zip and then double click on EmergencyKitScanner.bat
    3. A pop-up will prompt you to update Emsisoft Emergency Kit , please click the “Yes” button.After the Update process has completed , put the mouse cursor over the “Menu” tab on the left and click-on “Scan PC”.
    4. Select “Smart scan” and click-on the below “SCAN” button.When the scan will be completed , you will be presented with a screen showing you the malware infections that Emsisoft Emergency Kit has detected.Make sure that everything is Checked (ticked) and click on the ‘Quarantine selected objects’ button.

    Next,please run a scan with ESET Online Scanner.

    1. Download ESET Online Scanner utility.
      ESET Online Scanner Download Link (This link will automatically download ESET Online Scanner on your computer.)
    2. Double click on the Eset installer program (esetsmartinstaller_enu.exe).
    3. Check Yes, I accept the Terms of Use
    4. Click the Start button.
    5. Check Scan archives
    6. Push the Start button.
    7. ESET will then download updates for itself, install itself, and begin scanning your computer. Please be patient as this can take some time.
    8. When the scan completes, push Finish

    Next,reply to this comment and tell me how things are running!

  46. Thankfully, I’ve gotten rid of much of babylon – I have firefox (through I.E.) and followed the instructions, but if I try to open a new tab, it opens up with babylon – please help if you can.

  47. oh, and I was trying to remove the “Babylon search” when you open a 2nd window in IE8. Didn’t go to the standard “What do you want to do” that comes up in the new window. Am I still following the correct procedure or is their another one? Many thanks for any help provided.

  48. I tried these instructions along with additional instructions elsewhere that instructed me to run the Kaspersky TDSSKiller.exe and also Kaspersky Virus Rremoval Tool. All to no avail. I did manage to eliminate some Malware but it wasn’t “Spyware Online” as pictured above. I appreicate the help if some has another way to get rid of this annoying Malware.

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