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Default search engine keeps reverting back to Yahoo, even though I have set it to Google.

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  • 4 have this problem
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  • Last reply by cor-el

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Every time I start Firefox the default search engine is set to Yahoo, I then change it to Google and when I turn off Firefox and start it back up it resets to Yahoo. Really starting to annoy me.

Every time I start Firefox the default search engine is set to Yahoo, I then change it to Google and when I turn off Firefox and start it back up it resets to Yahoo. Really starting to annoy me.

All Replies (2)

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It sounds like you have a third party program that has taken over your search engine, home page, and/or the default new tab page. Fortunately, this can be remedied easily:

  1. Click the menu button New Fx Menu and choose Add-ons.
  2. In the Add-ons Manager tab, select the Extensions panel.
  3. Select the toolbar you wish to remove.
  4. Click the Remove button.
  5. Click "Restart now" if it pops up. Your tabs will be saved and restored after the restart.

After Firefox restarts, install the Search Reset Tool. This will remove the rest of the traces of this program from your Firefox.

For further information, please read Remove a toolbar that has taken over your Firefox search or home page.

Did this fix the problem? Please let us know!

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You can check for problems with preferences.

Delete possible user.js and numbered prefs-##.js files and rename (or delete) the prefs.js file to reset all prefs to the default value including prefs set via user.js and prefs that are no longer supported in the current Firefox release.


There is software like Advanced SystemCare with its Surfing Protection feature that can protect files in the Firefox profile folder against changes. If you have such software then check the settings or uninstall this software.