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How to remove search.ask.com from your browser

Also Known As: Ask.com Redirect
Type: Utilities
Damage level: Low

What is Search.ask.com?

The Ask toolbar is a browser add-on promising to enhance Internet users' browsing experience by adding quick links to social networks, radio stations, local weather forecasts, news, etc. This browser toolbar is developed by a legitimate company (a question answering-focused web search engine) and is not a virus or malware.

The downside of using this browser add-on is that it alters Internet browsers settings - changing the homepage to ask.com and default search engine to search.ask.com Note that in most cases, users can opt-out of these modifications during the installation phase of this toolbar.

Many users, however, do not pay close enough attention to the installation steps, thus resulting in unwanted changes being made to their Internet browsers (Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox).

search.ask.com redirect homepage

Distribution

Computer users should be aware of a popular software distribution method called 'bundling'. Many download websites and freeware developers use this method to monetize their downloads, and therefore, users should express caution when downloading and installing free software downloaded from the Internet.

To avoid installation of adware or unwanted browser toolbars, always choose the 'Custom Installation' option when installing freeware and disallow any suggested changes to the Internet browser settings. The Ask toolbar is an unwanted program, and if installed unwillingly, should be removed.

The Ask toolbar causes redirect issues and potentially diminished Internet browser performance. If you feel that this toolbar was installed on your Internet browser/s without your consent, use the removal guide provided to eliminate it. Note that some devious download websites use 'silent installers' and may install the Ask toolbar without permission.

The best way to avoid unwanted browser toolbars is to download software from legitimate sources only and pay close attention to the installation steps.

Deceptive free software installers used in Ask toolbar distribution:

search.ask.com toolbar installer sample 5 ask toolbar installer sample 4 search.ask.com browser hijacker installer sample 3 ask toolbar (browser hijacker) installer sample 2 ask toolbar (browser hijacker) installer

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Quick menu:

Ask Toolbar removal:

Windows 11 users:

Accessing Apps and Features in Windows 11

Right-click on the Start icon, select Apps and Features. In the opened window search for the application you want to uninstall, after locating it, click on the three vertical dots and select Uninstall.

Windows 10 users:

Accessing Programs and Features (uninstall) in Windows 8

Right-click in the lower left corner of the screen, in the Quick Access Menu select Control Panel. In the opened window choose Programs and Features.

Windows 7 users:

Accessing Programs and Features (uninstall) in Windows 7

Click Start (Windows Logo at the bottom left corner of your desktop), choose Control Panel. Locate Programs and click Uninstall a program.

macOS (OSX) users:

Uninstall app in OSX (Mac)

Click Finder, in the opened screen select Applications. Drag the app from the Applications folder to the Trash (located in your Dock), then right click the Trash icon and select Empty Trash.

search.ask.com application uninstall via Control Panel

In the uninstall programs window, look for "Search App by Ask", select this entry and click " Uninstall" or "Remove"

After uninstalling Ask Toolbar, which causes browser redirects to ask.com and search.ask.com, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended antivirus software.

Ask Toolbar removal from Internet browsers:

Video showing how to remove potentially unwanted browser add-ons:

Internet Explorer logoRemove malicious add-ons from Internet Explorer:

search.ask.com toolbar removal from Internet Explorer extensions

Click on the "gear" icon Internet Explorer options icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer) select "Manage Add-ons". Look for Ask.com related entries (for example "Social Search App by Ask") and disable them.

search.ask.com url removal from Internet Explorer homepage

To change your homepage from ask.com to your preferred domain, click on the "gear" icon Internet Explorer options icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer) select "Internet Options", in the opened window remove hxxp://www.search.ask.com and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you launch Internet Explorer.

Change default search engine:

Removing search.ask.com from Internet Explorer default Internet search engine

Click on the "gear" icon Internet Explorer options icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer) select "Manage Add-ons". In the opened window select "Search Providers", set "Google", "Bing" or any other preferred search engine as your default and then remove "Ask Search".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the ask.com redirect, reset your Internet Explorer settings to default.

Windows XP users: Click Start, click Run, in the opened window type inetcpl.cpl In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.

Resetting Internet Explorer settings to default on Windows XP

Windows Vista and Windows 7 users: Click the Windows logo, in the start search box type inetcpl.cpl and click enter. In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.

Resetting Internet Explorer settings to default on Windows 7

Windows 8 users: Open Internet Explorer and click the gear icon. Select Internet Options.

Reseting Internet Explorer settings to default in Windows 8 - accessing

In the opened window, select the Advanced tab.

Resetting Internet Explorer settings to default on Windows 8 - Internet options advanced tab

Click the Reset button.

Resetting Internet Explorer settings to default on Windows 8 - click the Reset button in the Internet options advanced tab

Confirm that you wish to reset Internet Explorer settings to default by clicking the Reset button.

Resetting Internet Explorer settings to default on Windows 8 - confirm settings reset to default by clicking the reset button

Google Chrome logoRemove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

removing search.ask.com related Google Chrome extensions

Click the Chrome menu icon Google Chrome options icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome) select "Tools" and click on "Extensions".  Locate "Ask Toolbar", select it and click on the trash can icon.

removing search.ask.com from Google Chrome homepage

To change your homepage from ask.com to you preferred domain, click the Chrome menu icon Google Chrome options icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome) select "Settings". In "On startup" section click "set pages", hover your mouse over ask.com and click the x symbol. Now you can add your preferred website as your homepage.

Change default search engine:

removing search.ask.com from Google Chrome default Internet search engine

To change your default search engine in Google Chrome: Click the Chrome menu icon Google Chrome options icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome) select "Settings", in "Search" section click "Manage Search Engines...", remove "Ask Search" and add or select your preferred domain.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the ask.com redirect, reset your Google Chrome browser settings. Click the Chrome menu icon Google Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome) and select Settings. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen. Click the Advanced… link.

Google Chrome settings reset step 1

After scrolling to the bottom of the screen, click the Reset (Restore settings to their original defaults) button.

Google Chrome settings reset step 2

In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Google Chrome settings to default by clicking the Reset button.

Google Chrome settings reset step 3

Mozilla Firefox logoRemove malicious plugins from Mozilla Firefox:

removing search.ask.com related Mozilla Firefox extensions

Click on the Firefox menu firefox menu icon (at the top right corner of the main window) select "Add-ons". Click on "Extensions" and remove "Ask Toolbar".

removing search.ask.com from Mozilla Firefox homepage

To reset your homepage click on the Firefox menu firefox menu icon (at the top right corner of the main window) then select "Options", in the opened window, remove ask.com  and enter your preferred domain.

Change default search engine:

remove search.ask.com from Mozilla Firefox default Internet search engine

In the URL address bar, type about:config and press Enter.
Click "I'll be careful, I promise!".
In the search filter at the top, type: "ask.com"
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with ask.com redirect removal can reset their Mozilla Firefox settings.

Open Mozilla Firefox, at the top right corner of the main window, click the Firefox menu, firefox menu icon in the opened menu, click Help.

Accessing settings (Reset Firefox to default settings step 1)

Select Troubleshooting Information.

Accessing Troubleshooting Information (Reset Firefox to default settings step 2)

In the opened window, click the Refresh Firefox button.

Clicking on Refresh Firefox button (Reset Firefox to default settings step 3)

In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Mozilla Firefox settings to default by clicking the Refresh Firefox button.

Confirm your want to reset Firefox settings to default (Reset Firefox to default settings step 4)

safari browser logoRemove malicious extensions from Safari:

Removing browser hijackers from safari step 1 - accessing preferences

Make sure your Safari browser is active and click Safari menu, then select Preferences...

removing browser hijacker from safari step 2 - removing extensions

In the preferences window select the Extensions tab. Look for any recently installed suspicious extensions and uninstall them.

Removing browser hijackers from safari step 3 - changing homepage

In the preferences window select General tab and make sure that your homepage is set to a preferred URL, if its altered by a browser hijacker - change it.

removing browser hijackers from safari step 4 - changing the default Internet search engine

In the preferences window select Search tab and make sure that your preferred Internet search engine is selected.

Optional method:

Make sure your Safari browser is active and click on Safari menu. From the drop down menu select Clear History and Website Data...

resetting safari step 1

In the opened window select all history and click the Clear History button.

resetting safari step 2

Microsoft Edge (Chromium) logoRemove malicious extensions from Microsoft Edge:

Removing browser hijackers from Microsoft Edge step 1

Click the Edge menu icon Microsoft Edge (chromium) menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Extensions". Locate any recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons, and remove them.

Change your homepage and new tab settings:

Removing browser hijackers from Microsoft Edge step 2

Click the Edge menu icon Microsoft Edge (chromium) menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section look for the name of the browser hijacker and click "Disable".

Change your default Internet search engine:

Removing browser hijackers from Microsoft Edge step 3

To change your default search engine in Microsoft Edge: Click the Edge menu icon Microsoft Edge (chromium) menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Privacy and services", scroll to bottom of the page and select "Address bar". In the "Search engines used in address bar" section look for the name of the unwanted Internet search engine, when located click the "Disable" button near it. Alternatively you can click on "Manage search engines", in the opened menu look for unwanted Internet search engine. Click on the puzzle icon Microsoft Edge (Chromium) puzzle icon near it and select "Disable".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the ask.com redirect, reset your Microsoft Edge browser settings. Click the Edge menu icon Microsoft Edge (chromium) menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge) and select Settings.

Microsoft Edge (Chromium) reset step 1

In the opened settings menu select Reset settings.

Microsoft Edge (Chromium) reset step 2

Select Restore settings to their default values. In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Microsoft Edge settings to default by clicking the Reset button.

Microsoft Edge (Chromium) reset step 3

  • If this did not help, follow these alternative instructions explaining how to reset the Microsoft Edge browser.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the purpose of forcing users visit search.ask.com website?

The purpose of forcing users to visit search.ask.com is often to increase web traffic to that specific search engine or website. This increased traffic can serve multiple objectives.

Is visiting search.ask.com a threat to my privacy?

Visiting search.ask.com itself is not a threat to your privacy, as it is a legitimate search engine. However, the issue arises when you are forcibly redirected to it against your will, as this can be indicative of browser hijacking or unauthorized modifications to your browser settings.

How did a browser hijacker infiltrate my computer?

Browser hijackers are mainly distributed through bundled installation packages, deceptive websites, various scams, free software downloads, file-sharing networks, misleading browser notifications, and misleading advertisements.

Will Combo Cleaner help me remove a browser hijacker?

Combo Cleaner will perform a computer scan and efficiently eliminate any present browser-hijacking applications. It is worth mentioning that manual removal is not always guaranteed, especially in cases involving multiple browser hijackers that can potentially reinstall each other.

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About the author:

Tomas Meskauskas

Tomas Meskauskas - expert security researcher, professional malware analyst.

I am passionate about computer security and technology. I have an experience of over 10 years working in various companies related to computer technical issue solving and Internet security. I have been working as an author and editor for pcrisk.com since 2010. Follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn to stay informed about the latest online security threats. Contact Tomas Meskauskas.

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Software uninstall instructions
Malware activity

Global malware activity level today:

Medium threat activity

Increased attack rate of infections detected within the last 24 hours.

QR Code
Ask.com Redirect QR code
Scan this QR code to have an easy access removal guide of Ask.com Redirect on your mobile device.
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