This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

ابحث في الدعم

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

search engine defaults to yahoo

  • 2 (ردّان اثنان)
  • 3 have this problem
  • 3 views
  • آخر ردّ كتبه Itsune9tl

more options

I encountered a problem with my search engine reverting to yahoo every time I re-launch FF. This is very frustrating. Somewhere I found that this can be related to add-ons. Although I didn't find any add-on called Yahoo in my list of add-ons, I found one called Search Engine for Firefox (or very close to this). I removed it and everything went back to normal.

The question is, what is that add-on? Where did it came from? I think it should be removed from available add-ons altogether, or, at least renamed to Yahoo search engine? I didn't install it specifically and was forced either by FF or some other add-on.

I've seen other users having same problem on the forum, why isn't that addressed?

I encountered a problem with my search engine reverting to yahoo every time I re-launch FF. This is very frustrating. Somewhere I found that this can be related to add-ons. Although I didn't find any add-on called Yahoo in my list of add-ons, I found one called Search Engine for Firefox (or very close to this). I removed it and everything went back to normal. The question is, what is that add-on? Where did it came from? I think it should be removed from available add-ons altogether, or, at least renamed to Yahoo search engine? I didn't install it specifically and was forced either by FF or some other add-on. I've seen other users having same problem on the forum, why isn't that addressed?

الحل المُختار

In About:config, I found this line; browser.search.defaultenginename.US

The full line is;

data:text/plain,browser.search.defaultenginename.US=yahoo

Change the final word after the '=' to google, and you should be fine

Read this answer in context 👍 1

All Replies (2)

more options

It is possibly some form of adware or malware.

Firefox does now stipulate that most Extensions must be signed, that helps prevent some abuse, however an add-on to search using Yahoo, or any other Search Engine or portal is allowable if that is its purpose and description. Not much we can do especially if you do not know what the add-on was or where you got it from.

You did however post https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1144872#answer-942840

I think this junk came with McAfee add-on I installed. But honestly, where was that warning when I installed McAfee? Shouldn't I know about more stuff added to my browser beforehand? This is frustrating. Preventive options don't exist, I guess.

Even genuine websites encourage you to install money making bloatware by using opt out and small print instead of clear opt ins. Adobe often offers addtional software that I never need or want.

If you end up on less scrupulous or malware sites you may just get malware installed with little or no warning.

Please see

If you have an English US build of Firefox - probably the one most English speakers install - that uses Yahoo as it default search engine, but has others including Google built in, and it is easy to change search engines temporarily or permanently, or add almost any search Engine of your choice.

more options

الحل المُختار

In About:config, I found this line; browser.search.defaultenginename.US

The full line is;

data:text/plain,browser.search.defaultenginename.US=yahoo

Change the final word after the '=' to google, and you should be fine