Search Engine Keeps Changing to Yahoo? How to Remove the Yahoo Redirect

Your search engine keeps changing to Yahoo. You pick Google again in Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari, and a day later your searches land on Yahoo anyway.

Below, you’ll set your own search engine back, find the extension or program that keeps forcing Yahoo, remove it, and check that the fix sticks on Windows or Mac.

Overview

Why your search engine keeps changing to Yahoo

Yahoo Search itself is a real search engine, not a virus. The problem is the extension or program that switched your browser to Yahoo without asking you.

Companies can earn money by sending searches to Yahoo. Yahoo’s partner program lets them set Yahoo as your search engine, homepage or new tab, including through their own browser extensions.

That is why Yahoo often arrives with something else, such as a free program, a “search helper” or a new-tab extension you don’t remember adding.

If a strange site flashes in the address bar just before Yahoo loads, that site usually belongs to whatever changed your search. A few clues point to the culprit:

• Only one browser is affected: check that browser’s extensions first.
• Every browser changed at once: look for a program installed around that time.
• The search setting is greyed out: a policy is forcing Yahoo.
• Yahoo opens at startup but searches are fine: change your homepage, not your search engine.

The quick fix that works for most people

Do these in order and stop as soon as Yahoo is gone. Step 1 below has screenshots for each browser.

1. Set your search engine back. Chrome: chrome://settings/search. Edge: edge://settings/search. Firefox: about:preferences#search. Safari: Safari > Settings > Search.
2. Remove extensions you don’t recognize, especially ones about search or new tabs. Open chrome://extensions, edge://extensions, about:addons, or Safari > Settings > Extensions.
3. Uninstall free programs added around the time Yahoo appeared. Windows: Settings > Apps > Installed apps. Mac: Finder > Applications, then move the app to the Trash.
4. Close the browser, open it again, and search from the address bar. If your chosen engine answers, you’re finished.

What to do if Yahoo comes back

If Yahoo returns after a restart, something on the computer is putting it back. Work through Steps 2 to 4 below, then repeat the final check.

A greyed-out search setting means a policy is forcing Yahoo. “Managed by your organization” alone just means some policy exists. On a work computer, ask IT first.

On a Mac, ignore any prompt to update Flash Player. Adobe ended Flash in 2020 and removed its downloads, so that prompt doesn’t come from Adobe.

Fake Flash installers have added a Mac configuration profile that locked Safari’s and Chrome’s homepage to a search site. The advanced section shows how to check for one.

These steps fix changed search settings, unwanted extensions and adware. If someone may have signed in to your accounts, change those passwords separately.

How to Remove Yahoo From Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari on Windows and Mac

Jump to the browser you use. Once your searches work again, skip ahead to the final check instead of running every cleanup step.

• Chrome search settings
• Firefox search settings
• Edge search settings
• Safari search settings
• Check the result and stop when fixed
• Only if it returns or settings are locked

Step 1: Choose the search engine you want

Chrome: change the address-bar search engine

1. Open Search engine

   Type chrome://settings/search in Chrome’s address bar and press Enter. Your current search engine is shown next to the Change button.

   

2. Pick the search engine you want

   Click Change. Select Google, DuckDuckGo or another engine you trust, then confirm in the dialog.

   Open a new tab and search for something ordinary from the address bar. Going to google.com directly doesn’t test this setting.

3. Test it before doing anything else

   If the search works and your choice stays, go to the final check. You don’t need a reset just to change search engines.

   If Yahoo comes back, check extensions next. If the setting is greyed out, use the separate advanced section.

Firefox: choose the default search engine

1. Open Firefox Settings

   Click the three-line menu at the upper right, then Settings. On a Mac, Firefox > Settings in the menu bar opens the same page.

   

2. Select Search and choose the engine

   Click Search in the left sidebar. Under Default search engine, open the drop-down list and pick the engine you want.

   You can also type about:preferences#search in the address bar. Firefox saves the choice right away.

3. Try a fresh address-bar search

   Open a new tab and search from the address bar. If Yahoo is gone, run the final check before you stop.

   If Firefox says an extension is controlling search, deal with that add-on next. A greyed-out setting needs the policy checks, not another reset.

Edge: set the address-bar search engine

1. Open Address bar and search

   Type edge://settings/search and press Enter. Edge opens Address bar and search, sometimes under Privacy, search, and services > Search and connected experiences.

   

2. Select the engine you want

   Open Search engine used in the address bar and pick your engine. Edge starts out with Bing, so seeing Bing there is normal.

   If your engine isn’t listed, go to its real website, run one search there, then come back to this list.

3. Test the address bar separately from a new-tab box

   Open a fresh tab and search from the address bar. The search box inside the new-tab page can use a different engine.

   If your version has a new-tab search-box setting, set it to the address bar. When Yahoo stops appearing, go to the final check.

Safari: check search and opening pages separately

1. Open Safari Settings

   Choose Safari > Settings > Search. The drawing below is a map of the controls to look for, not a screenshot of macOS.

   

2. Choose the search engine

   Click Search, then pick your engine under Search engine. Check the separate Private Browsing search engine too, if your version has one.

   Search from the Smart Search field in a normal window. A private window can use its own search engine, so test both if you use them.

3. Check General only if a page opens automatically

   If Yahoo appears before you even search, click General and look at Homepage and the new-window settings. Replace only the Yahoo address.

   If your searches now go where you want, use the final check. Move on to extensions only if Yahoo is still there.

Step 2: Remove the extension that brings Yahoo back

Chrome: find the extension changing your search

1. Open the installed-extension list

   Type chrome://extensions and press Enter. The example below points out a card’s on/off switch and Remove button. It isn’t a threat found on your computer.

   

2. Turn one suspect off and repeat the search

   Find a recently added search helper or new-tab tool and switch its toggle off. Open a new tab and search again.

   If Yahoo is gone, click Remove on that extension’s card and confirm. Leave your password manager and security extensions alone unless they turn out to be the cause.

   No extensions listed? Skip this part. If Remove is greyed out or the extension comes back, use the checks for stubborn cases.

3. Keep a fix that works

   Close Chrome, open it again and retest. If Yahoo stays away, go to the final check. You don’t need the scans and resets below.

Firefox: inspect the installed add-ons

1. Open Add-ons Manager, then Extensions

   Type about:addons and press Enter. Click Extensions in the left sidebar. Ignore the recommended add-ons on the first page.

   

2. Switch off the likely culprit and test

   Turn off one suspect extension with its toggle. Open a fresh tab and repeat the search that went to Yahoo.

   If Yahoo stops, open that extension’s three-dot menu, choose Remove, and confirm. Then set your search engine again in Search settings if needed.

   If no extensions are listed, skip removal. If one can’t be removed or keeps returning, go to the separate advanced checks.

3. Check before doing anything bigger

   If searches still work after you reopen Firefox, use the final check. There’s no need to refresh Firefox.

Edge: disable an unwanted search add-on

1. Open the Extensions page

   Type edge://extensions and press Enter. The example below shows where Remove and the toggle are. The extension in it is a sample.

   

2. Test one suspect instead of removing everything

   If you see an extension that deals with search or new tabs, turn its toggle off. Search again from the address bar and a new tab.

   When switching one off makes Yahoo disappear, click Remove for that extension and confirm. Then check your search engine choice again.

   An empty list means you can skip this. An extension you can’t remove needs the advanced checks, not deleting extension folders.

3. Stop once your choice stays put

   If searches behave after you reopen Edge, go to verification. Leave your other Edge profiles as they are.

Safari: check the extension and its Mac application

1. Open the Extensions pane

   Choose Safari > Settings > Extensions. The drawing below shows how to switch one off and test before you uninstall anything.

   

2. Switch one off before uninstalling it

   Uncheck an extension you don’t trust, then search again from the Smart Search field. If Yahoo stops, select that extension and click Uninstall.

   The extension in the drawing is only an example. Remove the one your own test points to, and keep extensions you trust.

3. Remove the app that came with it

   Safari may tell you the extension belongs to a Mac app. Make sure you know what that app is, then uninstall it the way its maker describes.

   If the list is empty or Yahoo is already gone, skip this. Reopen Safari and check the result next.

If pop-up notifications open Yahoo pages

Use this only when alerts or pages open on their own, without you searching. That comes from a site you allowed to send notifications, not from an extension.

1. Chrome: open chrome://settings/content/notifications. Under sites allowed to send notifications, open the unwanted site’s menu and choose Block or Remove.

2. Firefox: open Settings, Privacy & Security. Under Permissions, find Notifications and click Settings. Change the unwanted site to Block, then Save Changes.

3. Edge: open Settings and search for Notifications. Open the site permissions, find the unwanted site in the allowed list, and change it to Block or Remove.

4. Safari: open Settings, Websites, Notifications. Set the unwanted site to Deny. Turning off new requests doesn’t remove sites you already allowed.

The screenshot shows Chrome’s version. In any browser, use its settings, never a scary notification’s own buttons. If alerts stop and searches work, skip the scans and resets.

Step 3: Scan your computer if Yahoo keeps coming back

Skip this step if changing the setting fixed things. Use it when an extension returns, an unknown program is installed, or Yahoo keeps coming back.

Scan Windows for the program that keeps restoring Yahoo

On Windows, this free scan looks for adware and unwanted programs that keep switching your search back to Yahoo.

The screenshots come from our Windows guide. Your version may show slightly different scan options.

MalwareTips may earn a commission if you buy the paid version. You don’t need it for any of the manual fixes here.

1. Download the Windows installer

   Use the Windows download below. Never install a “cleaner” that a pop-up or warning page pushes at you.

   Malwarebytes for WindowsOn-demand scan and threat review

   Download Malwarebytes for Windows

   Windows download options

   Optional paid protection

2. Open the setup file and check the publisher

   Open Downloads and double-click the MBSetup file you downloaded.

   

   If Windows asks for permission, check that the publisher is Malwarebytes before clicking Yes. Don’t click past a security warning you don’t understand.

3. Finish setup without accepting extras

   Choose Personal for your own PC, then click Next. For a work computer, ask your IT team instead.

   

   Read any trial, subscription or extension offers and decline the ones you don’t want.

   Let the installer finish. Leave it open while the progress bar moves.

   

   When setup finishes, click Open Malwarebytes (second picture below). The app opens on a welcome screen: click Get started and read any offers.

   

   Below is setup’s final screen. Its Open Malwarebytes button leads to the welcome screen shown above.

   

4. Start a free manual scan

   In Malwarebytes for Windows, click the three dots on the Scanner tile. Choose Advanced Scan, then Custom Scan.

   Quick and Custom scans are free. The Threat Scan in some older screenshots may need a trial or paid plan.

   

   Tick the folders or drives you want checked. Look at how the scan will handle potentially unwanted programs and modifications, then click Start Custom Scan.

   Scanning one folder doesn’t check the whole computer. For a full check, also run the Microsoft Defender Full scan described below.

   The example below shows an older Threat Scan. Your Quick or Custom scan may look a little different. Wait for the results screen.

   

5. Read the results and quarantine the threats

   Read what was found and where. Tick the items to quarantine, and save the report if you want someone to look at it.

   

   These detections are only examples. Your own list will be different.

   Click Quarantine to lock the selected items away. Keep the report, because it can name the program that was switching your search to Yahoo.

   Let the quarantine finish before you close anything.

   

6. Restart if asked, then test your browser again

   Save your work, then allow the restart if Malwarebytes asks for one. Don’t skip it just because the browser seems fine.

   

   After you sign back in, check your search engine and extensions again. A clean scan doesn’t always undo every browser setting the program changed.

   If Yahoo or the same detection comes back, keep the report and note what brought it back. Ask for help rather than running cleanup scripts.

Windows also has a free built-in scanner. Open Windows Security, Virus & threat protection, Scan options, and choose Full scan. Follow what it recommends.

A second free check for stubborn Windows adware

AdwCleaner is a free Windows tool aimed at adware and unwanted programs. Use it if Yahoo still comes back after the first scan.

1. Download and open AdwCleaner

   Malwarebytes AdwCleanerOptional Windows adware check

   Download AdwCleaner

   AdwCleaner runs without a normal installation. Accept its license prompt only if you agree with it.

   Find the AdwCleaner file in your Downloads folder and open it. Don’t use a lookalike download from a search ad.

   

   If Windows asks for permission, check the file name and publisher, then choose Run or Yes.

   

2. Leave the reset switches off and start the scan

   Leave Reset Chrome Policies switched off. It wipes every Chrome policy, including ones a work account or security app may need.

   Leave the network and firewall reset options off as well. Go back to Dashboard and choose Scan Now.

   

   The scan only looks for adware and unwanted programs. Nothing is removed until you approve it.

   Wait for the scan to finish, then read the results before you clean anything.

   

3. Read the results before cleaning

   Look through the list. Newer versions show Next and then Quarantine; the older screenshot below has a single Quarantine button.

   

   If a separate list of preinstalled software appears, untick anything you actually use.

4. Save your work and approve the cleanup

   AdwCleaner may need to close programs to finish. Save your documents and browser tabs before clicking Continue.

   

   Restart when asked, then read the cleanup log. Skip Basic Repair unless someone helping you says you need it.

5. Repeat the search that went to Yahoo

   Search again from the address bar and a new tab, then restart once more. Check whether Yahoo or the extension came back.

   Keep any leftover findings for the help forum. If nothing was found, a work policy or a setting you chose may be the cause, and a scanner won’t change those.

Scan your Mac if an app keeps bringing Yahoo back

On a Mac, this scan looks for adware apps and extensions that keep putting Yahoo back after you change it.

The install screenshots come from our Mac guide. Your package version and window style may differ.

MalwareTips may earn a commission if you buy the paid version. The free scan and manual browser fixes don’t need it.

1. Download Malwarebytes for Mac

   Malwarebytes for MacMac-specific scan and threat review

   Download the Mac installer

   Mac download options

   Optional paid Mac protection

   Use the Mac package, not the Windows installer or AdwCleaner, which is Windows-only. Never install a “cleaner” offered by a pop-up.

2. Open the downloaded package

   In Finder, open Downloads and double-click the Malwarebytes package. Its version number may differ from the example.

   

   Make sure the file is the Malwarebytes package you meant to download. Stop if anything looks different.

   In the installer, click Continue to begin. The screenshot shows an older version.

   

   Read the license and continue only if you accept it. Agreeing to the license doesn’t sign you up for a subscription.

   

3. Finish installing and allow the permissions it needs

   Continue through the installer screens. Choose Install when it shows the right disk and action.

   

   Enter your Mac password or use Touch ID when macOS asks. Never give that password to a website or a caller claiming to be support.

   If Malwarebytes asks for Full Disk Access, open System Settings, Privacy & Security, Full Disk Access and switch it on for Malwarebytes. Older macOS versions use System Preferences.

   Go back to Malwarebytes. Decline any trial or subscription offers you don’t want.

   If asked what kind of computer this is, choose Personal Computer for your own Mac. For a work Mac, follow your IT team’s instructions.

   

4. Choose a free scan

   On Mac, click the Scanner tile itself, not its Scan button. Open the Scan tab, Advanced scans, then Custom scan.

   Quick and Custom scans are free. Threat Scan may need a trial or paid plan, and you don’t have to buy anything to follow this guide.

   

   Select the folder or app in Finder, then click Open. The custom scan starts on what you picked.

   The Scan button on the dashboard may start a Threat Scan instead. Follow the custom-scan steps above for the free option.

   Let the scan finish. Don’t close it or uninstall anything while it works.

   The example below shows an older Threat Scan. Wait for the results of the scan you chose.

   

5. Check the findings and remove the threats

   Read the names and locations of what was found before you quarantine or remove it. Keep the report if you need help understanding an item.

   The older screen below uses a Confirm button. Your version may label the same action Quarantine or Remove.

   

   The findings shown are examples. Go by the list from your own scan.

6. Restart only if asked

   Save your work before allowing a restart to finish the removal. Afterward, reopen Malwarebytes and keep its report.

   

   Search again in your browser and look for any extension that came back. A clean scan doesn’t always reset every browser setting.

7. If Yahoo still returns, ask for help

   Note exactly when Yahoo comes back, such as after a restart. Share that with the scan report, minus any personal details.

   Don’t delete every profile or startup folder on your Mac. Find out what an item is before removing it.

Step 4: Reset the browser if Yahoo is still the default

If your searches work now, go straight to the final check. Reset only the browser that’s still stuck on Yahoo, and only after removing the extension or program.

Reset Chrome after removing what changed it

If you’re signed in to Chrome with sync on, Google warns that a reset can change settings on your other synced devices too. Pause sync first if that matters.

The screenshots were taken on Windows. Chrome for Mac has the same reset page, though some wording may differ.

1. Open the reset page in the affected profile

   Save your work and check which Chrome profile you’re in. Type chrome://settings/reset into its address bar and press Enter.

   You can also open Chrome Settings and select Reset settings. Other profiles on the computer aren’t touched.

   If you use the menu, open Settings first. Reset settings is in the sidebar.

   

   Click Reset settings in that sidebar to open the reset page.

   

   On that page, locate Restore settings to their original defaults.

   

2. Read the confirmation before resetting

   Select Restore settings to their original defaults. The dialog says it resets your startup page, new tab, search engine and pinned tabs, turns off extensions and clears cookies.

   Your bookmarks, history and saved passwords stay. You may have to sign back in to some websites.

   

   Click Reset settings if you’re happy with that. A reset won’t remove a program installed on the computer or a policy that forces Yahoo.

3. Pick your engine and turn extensions back on slowly

   Open chrome://settings/searchEngines and choose your search engine. Check your startup pages too, then run a normal address-bar search before turning extensions back on.

   Turn trusted extensions back on one at a time. If Yahoo returns after one, switch it off again and note its name.

Refresh Firefox only if the other fixes didn’t work

Refresh Firefox builds a fresh profile and keeps your essentials. Back up important bookmarks and make sure you can recover your passwords first.

The screenshots were taken on Windows. On a Mac the buttons are the same, but fonts and button order may differ.

1. Open Troubleshooting Information

   Type about:support in Firefox’s address bar and press Enter. Look for Refresh Firefox.

   The page heading should say Troubleshooting Information. The refresh button sits in the box on the right.

   

   Find the Refresh Firefox button in that box.

   

   If the button is missing, don’t delete the profile folder yourself. Check Mozilla’s help for your version or ask for help.

2. See what Refresh removes, then confirm

   Read the confirmation. Bookmarks and passwords are kept. Extensions, themes and changed settings are removed or reset.

   

   Save your work, then click Refresh Firefox. Firefox closes, rebuilds your profile and shows a final screen when it’s done.

   Pick your search engine again and test it before adding any add-ons back. A policy that forces Yahoo lives outside the profile, so a refresh won’t remove it.

3. Keep the old-data backup for now

   Firefox may save your old profile in a folder called Old Firefox Data. Keep it private until you’ve recovered anything you need and Yahoo stays gone.

   Don’t copy the whole folder back, or you may bring Yahoo back with it. Restore only the items you need.

Reset Edge once the cause is gone

A reset doesn’t uninstall programs or remove policies. Deal with whatever was changing your search first, then reset.

Save your work and back up important favorites. If sync keeps bringing Yahoo back, pause sync for settings and extensions instead of deleting your account data.

The screenshots show Edge’s reset controls, which are the same on Windows and Mac. Only the window style differs.

1. Open the reset settings page

   In the Edge profile that shows Yahoo, type edge://settings/reset and press Enter. Select Restore settings to their default values.

   To use the menu instead, open Edge Settings. If the sidebar is hidden, use the search box in Settings.

   

   Choose Reset settings in the sidebar. Your other Edge profiles aren’t affected.

   

   Locate Restore settings to their default values on the reset page.

   

   Click it to see the confirmation.

2. Read the warning and confirm

   The reset changes your search, startup and other settings, turns off extensions and clears temporary site data. Favorites, history and saved passwords stay.

   

   Click Reset if that’s fine. You may be signed out of some sites, so keep your account recovery options handy.

3. Pick your engine, then check extensions

   Choose your address-bar search engine again after the reset. Check your startup pages and the new-tab search setting as well.

   Test while extensions are still off. Then turn trusted ones back on one at a time, so you’ll know which one brings Yahoo back.

Safari: clear one site’s data or notifications if needed

Skip this if the search and extension steps already fixed Safari. Safari has no single reset button.

1. Remove one site’s data only if it’s involved

   In Safari Settings, Privacy, open Manage Website Data. Use this only when a particular site seems tied to what’s still happening.

   

   Select that site’s data and choose Remove, then Done. You may be signed out of that site.

   Avoid Remove All. Clearing cookies doesn’t uninstall an app or remove a Mac profile, so it won’t stop whatever is forcing Yahoo.

2. Check notifications if pages open without a search

   Open Settings, Websites, Notifications and look for a site that opens pages on its own. Set it to Deny; the search-engine menu doesn’t control notifications.

   Keep fraud warnings and Safari’s other protections switched on.

Step 5: Check that Yahoo is gone, then stop

Repeat the search that went to Yahoo. Use the address bar first, then try the new-tab search box and the page your browser opens with.

1. Close the browser and open it again. Your chosen search engine should still be selected.

2. If Yahoo used to return after a restart, save your work, restart the computer, and search again.

3. If you paused sync, turn it back on bit by bit. You’re done when Yahoo stays away through the restart or sync that used to bring it back.

If that works, you can stop here. The advanced section below is only for Yahoo that keeps coming back, a greyed-out setting, or an extension you can’t remove.

Advanced Fixes When Yahoo Won’t Stay Gone

Show fixes for locked settings and Yahoo that returns after a restart

Skip this if Yahoo is already gone. On a work or school computer, talk to IT before changing policies, system files or startup items.

Before you start: save your work and check whose computer it is

Save open documents. If this is a work or school computer, stop and ask IT, because a legitimate policy can lock the search engine on purpose.

Note which browser profile shows Yahoo. Chrome and Edge show the profile picture near the toolbar, and Firefox lists its profile folder at about:support.

Export important bookmarks before any reset or profile change. Don’t delete a profile just to test an idea.

Find the policy that locks Yahoo in place

Policies are rules that lock browser settings. See them at chrome://policy, edge://policy or about:policies in Firefox. Chrome also has chrome://management.

Look for entries that set a default search engine or force-install an extension. Write down the policy name, its value and any extension ID.

On your own Windows PC, an experienced user can find those entries in Registry Editor. Export that key as a backup before changing anything.

Remove only the value that points to Yahoo or the unwanted extension. Never delete the whole Chrome, Edge or Mozilla policy folder.

On a Mac, open System Settings > General > Device Management. Click a profile you don’t recognize and read what it sets and who made it.

A profile that forces Safari or Chrome to a search page you never chose is a red flag.

Be careful with real work profiles, though. Removing one can also remove email, VPN or certificate settings you need.

If the policy belongs to your employer or school, or comes back right away, stop editing and get help.

Find what brings Yahoo back after a restart

On Windows, right-click the browser shortcut you normally use and choose Properties. Look for a web address added after the program path in the Target box.

Copy the original Target text somewhere safe first. Then delete only the added address, never the program path itself.

Open Task Scheduler and check a suspicious task’s Actions tab. A task that launches a browser or a strange search site matters more than an odd name.

Export a task you’re sure is unwanted, then disable it and restart to test. Don’t delete tasks or services in bulk.

On a Mac, open System Settings > General > Login Items & Extensions. Check which app owns an item before switching it off.

Experienced users can also look in the LaunchAgents and LaunchDaemons folders. Check what each file runs, and never empty those folders wholesale.

Chrome: test in a fresh profile before touching any files

Use Chrome’s profile picker to add a test profile. Leave sync and extension imports off, then run the same search there.

If Yahoo doesn’t appear there, the problem is inside your original profile’s settings or extensions. If it appears in both, look at policies and how Chrome is launched.

Keep the original profile until you’ve saved your bookmarks and passwords. Don’t copy all its settings into the new one.

Chrome: leave the Web Data file alone unless a helper asks

Chrome’s Web Data file holds much more than search settings. Don’t rename it in every profile or run cleanup scripts from the internet.

If a helper does suggest a file fix, find the exact Profile Path at chrome://version. Close Chrome fully and back up that one profile first.

Store that backup privately, since it contains account and browsing data. Test the search again before turning sync back on.

Firefox: use Troubleshoot Mode to test, not to remove

Open Firefox’s Help menu, called Help and Report in some versions, and select Troubleshoot Mode. Save your work first, because Firefox restarts.

Search again in that mode. It switches off add-ons and some customizations for a while, but doesn’t uninstall programs or remove policies.

If Yahoo disappears, one of your add-ons is the cause, so test them one by one in normal mode. If Yahoo stays, check about:policies and installed programs.

Firefox: try a second profile without deleting the first

Create a test profile with Firefox’s profile tools, such as about:profiles. Leave sync and add-on imports off at first.

Run the same search and check about:policies. A policy set for the whole computer can affect both profiles.

Never choose Delete Files for your original profile just to run a test.

A file called user.js can reapply settings every time Firefox starts. If a helper finds one pointing to Yahoo, back it up before changing it.

Quit Firefox completely before copying or changing anything in a profile folder. about:support shows where that folder is.

Edge: test a new profile and keep your data

Add another Edge profile from the profile menu. Give it a clear name and leave sync and imports off at first.

Search again and open edge://policy. A policy set for the whole computer applies to every profile.

If the new profile works, the cause is in your old profile. A working profile doesn’t prove the computer is clean, though.

Keep the old profile until you’ve saved what you need, then import only those items.

Leave Edge’s Web Data file alone unless a helper asks. If they do, find the Profile Path at edge://version, close Edge and back up that profile first.

Safari: browsing profiles are not Mac device profiles

Newer Safari versions let you create browsing profiles. A fresh one is a quick way to test whether Yahoo comes from your extensions or settings.

Device Management profiles are different. They configure the whole Mac, which is why adware has used them to lock Safari’s homepage.

If Yahoo shows up in a fresh browsing profile too, look for a Mac app or device profile rather than a Safari setting.

Don’t delete Safari’s Library folders or preference files to force a reset. You can lose bookmarks and account access that way.

Check site-search shortcuts if only one keyword goes to Yahoo

Chrome lets a shortcut keyword use its own site search without changing your main search engine. Open chrome://settings/searchEngines and check the shortcut you typed.

Write Down Where Your Search Goes

Search for something harmless from the address bar. Watch the address bar as the page loads and note any site that appears before Yahoo.

Take a screenshot of the changed search setting, the extension or the policy entry. Don’t paste private account links into a public help post.

Now go to your preferred search site directly and search there. If that works but address-bar searches still go to Yahoo, the browser’s search setting is the problem.

A Yahoo homepage that opens at startup is a separate setting from your search engine. Fixing one doesn’t fix the other.

A notification that opens a Yahoo page is different again. Note what you did right before Yahoo appeared, because that points to the right fix.

How to Trace What Keeps Sending You to Yahoo

The unfamiliar site that flashes first usually belongs to the extension or program that changed your search. Yahoo at the end only shows the results.

Yahoo’s partner program works along these lines: a partner’s extension or app sends your search to a Yahoo-hosted results page, and the partner earns from that traffic.

Give the flashing site’s name and any extension ID to whoever helps you. Remove search terms and account details before posting them publicly.

Don’t keep visiting that site to investigate it. Many different hijackers end on the same Yahoo page, so a fix for one named hijacker may miss yours.

The checks below help you match the culprit to a specific extension ID, browser policy or scheduled task.

Match a forced extension to its ID

In chrome://extensions, turn on Developer mode just to show extension IDs. Compare the ID with the one listed in the policy or scan report.

The card in the screenshot is a sample, not malware on your computer. Don’t load unpacked extensions or delete extension folders.

Read Edge’s policy page before changing anything

Open edge://policy and choose Reload policies. Note any entry that controls search or extensions, with its value and source.

“No policies set” means there’s nothing here to remove. If entries are listed, find out where they came from; work or school rules are for IT to change.

If a scheduled task brings Yahoo back at sign-in

Press Windows+R, type taskschd.msc, and press Enter. Open Task Scheduler Library, then check the suspect task’s Actions and Triggers tabs.

The task should clearly run the program or site you suspect, or match a scan finding. A strange name or an AppData folder alone isn’t proof.

Once you’re sure, right-click the task and Export a backup, then Disable it. Test again before deleting it, and leave other tasks alone.

What to Do If Yahoo Still Won’t Go Away

1. Write down your browser, Windows or macOS version, the site that flashes before Yahoo, and what brings Yahoo back.

2. Keep your scan reports and screenshots of any policy or extension. Remove personal details before sharing them.

3. On a PC, post in the MalwareTips Windows removal-help forum. On a Mac, ask for Mac-specific help before removing startup items or profiles.

A Yahoo redirect on its own doesn’t mean your passwords were stolen. If you typed a password into a strange page, change it on the real site.

Step-by-step guides for one browser

Prefer a shorter guide for just the browser you use? Each one covers the same fix with that browser’s own menus.

• Yahoo in Chrome on Windows
• Yahoo in Chrome on Mac
• Yahoo in Firefox on Windows
• Yahoo in Firefox on Mac
• Yahoo in Safari on Mac
• Yahoo in Edge on Windows
• Yahoo in Edge on Mac

Seeing Bing instead of Yahoo? Read our guide to Bing search redirects.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Yahoo search engine a virus?

No. Yahoo Search is a legitimate search engine. People call it the “Yahoo virus” when an extension or program switches their browser to Yahoo without asking.

That extension or program is the real problem. Remove it and Yahoo becomes just another search engine you can ignore.

Why can’t I remove Yahoo as my search engine?

Something keeps setting it back or blocking the change. Usually it’s an extension that controls search, a program that reapplies it at startup, or a policy.

If Chrome or Edge says the setting is managed, or Firefox lists policies at about:policies, use the locked-setting checks in the advanced section.

How do I block Yahoo in Chrome permanently?

Set another default first. Then open Settings > Search engine > Manage search engines and site search, click More next to Yahoo, and choose Delete.

That removes the entry from your list. If an extension or program added it, Yahoo can come back until you remove that extension or program too.

Why does a strange website flash before Yahoo loads?

That site usually belongs to the extension or program that changed your search. It passes your search on to Yahoo, which then shows the results.

Note the site’s name, because it helps match the right extension or scan finding. You don’t need to visit it again.

Why is Yahoo my search engine on my Mac?

Either someone chose it in Safari > Settings > Search, or an extension, app or configuration profile set it. Change it back there first.

If it switches back, check Safari’s Extensions list, then System Settings > General > Device Management for a profile you don’t recognize.

How do I permanently remove the Yahoo search engine?

Remove the cause, not just the setting. Delete the unwanted extension, uninstall the program that came with it, and clear any policy or profile forcing Yahoo.

Then pick your search engine and restart the computer. If your choice survives the restart, the fix has stuck.

The Bottom Line

If your search engine keeps changing to Yahoo, set your choice back, remove the extension or free program behind it, and restart to confirm. That fixes most cases.

If Yahoo still returns, run the scan in Step 3 and check for locked settings or a Mac profile. Don’t wipe system folders or delete your browser profile in frustration.

Still stuck? Post your browser, system and what brings Yahoo back in the MalwareTips removal-help forum, where helpers can review your scan logs.