Buump.me: what it is and how to remove it
Buump.me is mostly classified a potentially unwanted program or adware. That's because it infiltrates computers without a clear permission asked in a bundle with other applications.
Facts checked October 7, 2026. Removal steps tested on Windows 11 (26H2) and checked against Microsoft's and the browser makers' current documentation. Sections marked as our earlier report are the original text: they describe the threat as it was then and have not been reviewed since. The 2026 status, the removal steps and the questions are current.
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Buump.me: summary
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
|---|---|
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Name | Buump.me |
| Type | Fake search engine |
| Symptoms | A changed search engine |
| Removal | Scan the PC with security software to find and remove the malware and anything installed with it. Fortect scans Windows for malware and repairs the system files and settings it damaged. Remove it nowTo use the full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Fortect. The scan is free. |
Show 5 more facts
| Evidence | One write-up by a security site; details still limited |
|---|---|
| Search page | buump.me |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge and Firefox |
| First seen | 2 November 2013 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
From our report of Nov 2013 · not reviewed since
What Buump.me is
Buump.me is mostly classified a potentially unwanted program or adware.
That's because it infiltrates computers without a clear permission asked in a bundle with other applications. After that, it also modifies certain system settings and starts its annoying routine, which is based on constant redirections to unknown websites. The clearest sign, showing that you have a deal with Buump.me, is continuous redirections on the browser, commercial pop-up ads and system slow downs.
You should never ignore them because they may trick you to visit really malicious website. Some users think that, just like any other search engine, Buump.me can be used just like Google, Bing or other search site. However, note that it may return for you altered search results that show related websites in the first positions.
Is Buump.me dangerous? What it collects
From our report of Nov 2013 · not reviewed since
HOW CAN Buump.me INFILTRATE MY COMPUTER?
As we have already mentioned, Buump.me can show up on computer out of nowhere.
That's because it can be downloaded in a bundle with freeware and shareware. In fact, such distribution method has become a seriously popular way to make people download potentially unwanted software.
For avoiding it, you have to start keeping an eye on freeware's installation process and always check the list of its 'additional downloads'. If you agreed to download Buump.me on your computer, there is a huge chance that now you see it instead of your start page and default search engine.
Check your browser and PC
- Address:
buump.me
How to remove Buump.me
How to stop Buump.me from opening
The search page is only the end point.
These steps remove what sends the browser there, then put the search engine back.
Step 1: Put the search engine back and delete buump.me
Searches that pass through
buump.memean the browser's default search engine was replaced. Chrome: Settings > Search engine > Manage search engines and site search, then Make default on Google, Bing or another engine you chose, and Delete on buump.me.Edge has the same list under Manage search engines (search the Settings page for it), and Firefox under Settings > Search.
Look at On startup and the homepage settings too and remove the hijacker's address there. Nothing in this step differs between Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Chrome on Windows 11: check Search engine and On startup. Full procedure with screenshots: Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine
Step 2: Remove extensions you did not add
Buump.me often works through an extension, so go through the extension list of each browser:
chrome://extensionsedge://extensions- Extensions and themes in Firefox
Switch suspicious extensions off one at a time and reload the page where the problem shows, then remove the one that stops it, and any other you did not add.
Remember the other browsers and profiles on the PC. If Remove is missing or greyed out, a policy forces the extension, which the policy step deals with. Windows 11 and Windows 10 show the same pages.
Chrome on Windows 11: More > Extensions > Manage extensions. Full procedure with screenshots: Remove a browser extension
Step 3: Uninstall programs you did not mean to install
Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps in Windows 11, or Settings > Apps > Apps & features in Windows 10, and sort the list by install date. Look at what appeared around the day the problem started and uninstall every program you do not recognise or did not choose.
Free converters, PDF and video tools, "system optimizers" and unknown browsers are the usual carriers of Buump.me. If a name is unclear, search for it before you remove it, so you do not uninstall a driver or a Windows component.
Full procedure with screenshots: Uninstall a program or app in Windows On uGetFix
Step 4: Reset the browser
Finish the browser part with a reset, which puts the search engine, start page, new tab page and site permissions back to their defaults and switches extensions off. Chrome: Settings > Reset settings > Restore settings to their original defaults.
Edge: Settings > Reset settings. Firefox: Help > More troubleshooting information > Refresh Firefox, which also removes its extensions. Your bookmarks and saved passwords are kept, and the menus are the same on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Chrome on Windows 11: Settings > Reset settings. Full procedure with screenshots: Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine
Step 5: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan
Open Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, run a Full scan and remove everything it finds. Then select Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) and click Scan now: the PC restarts and scans before Windows loads, which finds files that hide while Windows runs.
Save your work first, because the offline scan takes about 15 minutes. Both scans are built into Windows 11 and Windows 10, and a second scanner from another vendor is a useful extra opinion.
Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options. Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan
Access your website securely from any location
When you work on the domain, site, blog, or different project that requires constant management, content creation, or coding, you may need to connect to the server and content management service more often. The best solution for creating a tighter network could be a dedicated/fixed IP address.
If you make your IP address static and set to your device, you can connect to the CMS from any location and do not create any additional issues for the server or network manager that needs to monitor connections and activities. VPN software providers like can help you with such settings and offer the option to control the online reputation and manage projects easily from any part of the world.
Recover files after data-affecting malware attacks
While much of the data can be accidentally deleted due to various reasons, malware is one of the main culprits that can cause loss of pictures, documents, videos, and other important files.
More serious malware infections lead to significant data loss when your documents, system files, and images get encrypted. In particular, ransomware is is a type of malware that focuses on such functions, so your files become useless without an ability to access them.
Even though there is little to no possibility to recover after file-locking threats, some applications have features for data recovery in the system. In some cases, can also help to recover at least some portion of your data after data-locking virus infection or general cyber infection.
From our report of Nov 2013 · not reviewed since
HOW TO REMOVE Buump.me FROM THE SYSTEM?
- Uninstall Search Page via Add/Remove Programs:
- Click Start -> Control Panel -> Programs (or Add/Remove Programs) -> Uninstall a Program.
- Here, look for Buump.me and similar entries and select 'Uninstall/Change'.
- Click OK to save the changes.
- Remove Buump.me add-on from IE, Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox browsers:
- Open Internet Explorer, go 'Tools' -> "Manage Add-ons' -> 'Toolbars and Extensions' and uninstall Buump.me and other entries that may be unknown for you.
- Click ''Tools' -> 'Manage addons' -> 'Search Providers' and choose the search engine you used before.
- Open Mozilla Firefox, go 'Tools' -> 'Add-ons' -> 'Extensions'; find Buump.me and other unknown entries and click 'Uninstall'.
- Go 'Tools' -> 'Options' and reset the startup homepage to google.com, yahoo.com or similar search page.
- Click the Chrome menu button, select 'Tools' -> 'Extensions', find Buump.me and other unknown extensions and remove them by clicking Recycle bin.
- No click 'Settings' -> 'Manage search engines' and change your default search engine.
- Finally, scan the system with updated anti-spyware.
Questions about Buump.me
How do I change my search engine back from buump.me?
Open the browser's search engine settings, choose the search engine you want and set it as default, then remove buump.me from the list.
If the option is greyed out or a note says it is controlled by an extension, remove that extension first and try again. If the browser says it is managed by your organization, a policy holds the setting, and the policy steps in this guide apply.
When the change will not stick, reset the browser: it restores the default search engine and start page and turns off extensions, but keeps bookmarks and saved passwords. Then check Installed apps for a program that may put buump.me back.
Is buump.me a virus?
It is a browser hijacker, not a virus in the classic sense. buump.me is a search page that an extension or program set as your default without a clear choice from you.
It does not destroy files or spread to other PCs, but it takes control of your searches, collects them and shows ads, and the software behind it is often bundled with other unwanted programs.
Many antivirus products flag such software as potentially unwanted. Removing the extension or program and resetting the search engine is enough in most cases. A full scan afterwards checks for anything else that came with it.
Why do my searches go to buump.me?
Because the browser's default search engine was changed to it. Buump.me did that through an extension, a program or a browser policy, and as long as that source remains, the setting points to buump.me.
The page then passes your query to a real search provider, so the results look almost normal, with extra sponsored links on top. Changing the search engine back on its own does not last, because the source resets it. Remove the extension or program first, then the policies if any, then set your own search engine.
Is it safe to keep searching with buump.me?
We would not. Every query you type is logged by its operators and shared with their advertising partners, and the sponsored links at the top are chosen for payment, not relevance. Results that look like a download page or a support site may lead to scams.
The page will not damage Windows by itself, but there is no benefit in keeping it: the results come from another search engine anyway. Remove Buump.me and use that search engine directly, by typing its address or choosing it in the browser settings.
Which browsers does Buump.me affect?
We saw it in Chrome, Edge and Firefox. That does not mean the other browsers on your PC are safe: hijacker installers usually change every browser they find, and browser sync can carry an extension to other computers signed in to the same account.
Check the search engine, home page, new tab, extensions and policies in each browser you have, including ones you rarely open. Chrome and Edge profiles count separately, so switch to each profile and check it as well before you call the job done.
What does buump.me know about me?
It knows what you searched for while it was your search engine, when, from which IP address and with which browser, and usually which results you opened. Tracking cookies let it connect those searches into a profile. It does not see your saved passwords or files.
After removing Buump.me, delete the cookies and site data for buump.me so the profile cannot be continued, and remove it from the browser's list of saved search engines. Signing out of important sites and back in also replaces session cookies.
Should I just switch to another browser?
It may not help. Installers that add hijackers usually target every browser on the PC, and system-level changes such as the hosts file, DNS or proxy affect all browsers at once. A new browser also leaves the hijacker's program and extension in place, collecting data in the old one.
Remove Buump.me properly first. After that, use whichever browser you prefer; Chrome, Edge and Firefox all let you set and protect your own search engine. Import your bookmarks only after the old browser is clean.
Would an ad blocker stop Buump.me?
Not really. An ad blocker can hide some of the sponsored results on buump.me, but it does not change your search engine back or remove the extension that set it. Your searches would still pass through the hijacker's servers and be logged.
Some ad blockers include tracking filters that block parts of the redirect chain, which can break searches altogether. Remove Buump.me with the plan above; an ad blocker is a reasonable extra afterwards, from the official store only and from a developer with a long track record.
Will resetting the browser remove Buump.me?
A reset disables extensions, restores the default search engine, start page and new tab, and clears temporary data and cookies. It keeps bookmarks, history and saved passwords. For many hijackers that is enough.
It does not remove a program installed in Windows, policies in the registry, changes to the hosts file or DNS, or edited shortcuts, so Buump.me can come back after a reset if one of those remains. Do the reset after removing the program and policies, not instead of it.
Will Fortect remove Buump.me?
Fortect scans Windows for malware and unwanted programs and repairs the system files and settings they change, and its free scan shows what it finds on your PC before you decide anything.
For Buump.me, follow the plan above as well: the browser steps take back permissions and settings that no scanner treats as a threat, and uninstalling the program that brought it removes the source.
Run Microsoft Defender's full scan and, if anything was found, its offline scan as a second opinion. If the symptoms are gone after the plan and both scans are clean, there is nothing more to do.
Sources
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 7, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 7, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: How Microsoft names malware (read October 7, 2026)