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.

Avatar for Username

Search Support

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

Este fío arquivouse. Faga unha nova pregunta se precisa axuda.

why do you keep switching me to yahoo search when i deleted it?

ellie
ellie
more options

I repeatedly have had to delete yahoo and all other search engines since windows 10. after updates, it switches me back to yahoo.

I will use maxathon or worse yet chrome as my default. i will NEVER USE YOUR BROWSER again if you don't stop switching it on me. Please pass this off to MICROSOFT too, BING will never be on my pc if you don't quit messing with my firefox search.

I DO NOT LIKE YAHOO SEARCH. it is inferior. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND WHY YOU CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE ERRORS EVEN THOUGH YOU SAY YOU HAVE FIXED THIS. YOU HAVE NOT.

I don't care how much yahoo pays you to default to them... me and countless others DO NOT WANT YAHOO SEARCH. TO CONTINUE CHANGING AND DISREGARDING OUR CHOICE IS INFURIATING.

I AM TIRED OF ALWAYS HAVING TO CHANGE THIS SETTING.

I really would hate to switch to someone else, but you will leave me no choice.

thank you.

I repeatedly have had to delete yahoo and all other search engines since windows 10. after updates, it switches me back to yahoo. I will use maxathon or worse yet chrome as my default. i will NEVER USE YOUR BROWSER again if you don't stop switching it on me. Please pass this off to MICROSOFT too, BING will never be on my pc if you don't quit messing with my firefox search. I DO NOT LIKE YAHOO SEARCH. it is inferior. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND WHY YOU CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE ERRORS EVEN THOUGH YOU SAY YOU HAVE FIXED THIS. YOU HAVE NOT. I don't care how much yahoo pays you to default to them... me and countless others DO NOT WANT YAHOO SEARCH. TO CONTINUE CHANGING AND DISREGARDING OUR CHOICE IS INFURIATING. I AM TIRED OF ALWAYS HAVING TO CHANGE THIS SETTING. I really would hate to switch to someone else, but you will leave me no choice. thank you.

All Replies (2)

user1298613
user1298613
more options

I have had the same problem, and it was due to malware hijacking your browser. Run a program to find out if you do have malware in your browser

jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

Hi wildpetals, Firefox is designed to allow you to select another default search engine and remember it permanently. What you are experiencing is not how it is supposed to work.

When is the default search engine changing:

  • When you exit out of Firefox and start it up again?
  • When you shut down Windows and start it up again?
  • Randomly during your session?

For many users, the source of the problem is exactly as johnmwc2654 identified, a bad add-on or external software. Here's my suggested procedure for tracking down and cleaning up bad add-ons and other hijackers. I know it seems long, but it's really not that bad.

(For Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 10; XP is somewhat different)

(1) Open the Windows Control Panel, Uninstall a Program. After the list loads, click the "Installed on" column heading to group the infections, I mean, additions, by date. This can help in smoking out undisclosed bundle items that snuck in with some software you agreed to install. Be suspicious of everything you do not recognize/remember, as malware often uses important or innocent sounding names to discourage you from removing it. Take out as much trash as possible here.

(2) Open Firefox's Add-ons page using either:

  • Ctrl+Shift+a
  • "3-bar" menu button (or Tools menu) > Add-ons
  • in the Windows "Run" dialog, type or paste
    firefox.exe "about:addons"

In the left column, click Plugins. Set nonessential and unrecognized plugins to "Never Activate".

In the left column, click Extensions. Then, if in doubt, disable (or Remove, if possible) unrecognized and unwanted extensions. All extensions are optional; none come with Firefox.

Often a link will appear above at least one disabled extension to restart Firefox. You can complete your work on the tab and click one of the links as the last step.

Any improvement?

(3) You can search for remaining issues with the scanning/cleaning tools listed in our support article: Troubleshoot Firefox issues caused by malware. These on-demand scanners are free and take considerable time to run. If they finish quickly and especially if they require payment, you may have a serious infection. I suggest the specialized forums listed in the article in that case.