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Homepage or search engine changed by itself? Reset your browser

Unwanted extensions and leftover programs can take over your homepage, search engine and notifications. Here is how to take them back.

Applies to
Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge on Windows
Difficulty
Easy
Time
About 10 minutes
Updated

Quick answer

Remove extensions you did not install, uninstall unfamiliar programs from Windows Settings, block site notifications, then use the browser's own Reset settings option. If the browser says it is "managed by your organization" on a home PC, an unwanted program has added a policy and needs removing first.

A browser hijacker is software that changes your browser settings to push you towards particular search engines, ads or pages. It usually arrives bundled with free software or through an extension that looked useful.

  1. Uninstall the program behind it

    Open Settings, then Apps, then Installed apps, sort by Install date, and uninstall anything you did not mean to install around the time the problem started. Common culprits are unfamiliar "search", "PDF converter", "weather" or "optimizer" apps.

  2. Remove unwanted extensions

    • Chrome: open the menu (three dots), then Extensions, then Manage Extensions.
    • Edge: open the menu (three dots), then Extensions, then Manage extensions.

    Remove any extension you do not recognise or no longer use. If you are unsure, turn it off first and see whether the problem stops.

  3. Block notification spam

    • Chrome: Settings, then Privacy and security, then Site settings, then Notifications.
    • Edge: Settings, then Cookies and site permissions, then Notifications.

    Remove every site you do not recognise from the Allowed list. Consider choosing Don't allow sites to send notifications.

  4. Check for "Managed by your organization"

    If the browser menu or settings page says it is managed by an organization, and this is a personal PC, an unwanted program has added policies that lock your settings. In Chrome, type chrome://management in the address bar; in Edge, edge://management. Uninstalling the program from step 1 and running a full scan usually removes these policies.

    On a work or school computer, being managed is normal. Leave those settings to your IT team.

  5. Reset the browser settings

    • Chrome: Settings, then Reset settings, then Restore settings to their original defaults.
    • Edge: Settings, then Reset settings, then Restore settings to their default values.

    This resets your homepage, search engine, startup pages and pinned tabs, and turns off extensions. Your bookmarks, history and saved passwords are kept.

  6. Check your browser shortcut

    Some hijackers edit the desktop or taskbar shortcut so it always opens a particular page. Right-click the shortcut, choose Properties, and look at the Target box. It should end in chrome.exe" or msedge.exe" with no web address after it. If a web address has been added, delete the shortcut and create a new one from the Start menu.

  7. Run a full scan

    Finish with a full scan in Windows Security to catch anything left over. See how to remove a virus with Windows Security.

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