Convertmypdf.co virus: what it is and how to remove it
Convertmypdf.co is a browser hijacker which disguises itself as a useful browser extension. It suggests converting .doc and .ppt files to .pdf file format without paying.
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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Convertmypdf.co virus: summary
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
|---|---|
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Name | Convertmypdf.co virus |
| 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 | 7 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
|---|---|
| Search page | convertmypdf.co |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge and Firefox |
| First seen | 13 July 2017 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
Is Convertmypdf.co virus dangerous? What it collects
From our report of Jul 2017 · not reviewed since
Convertmypdf.co urges to install Online Document Converter extension
Convertmypdf.co is a browser hijacker which disguises itself as a useful browser extension.
It suggests converting .doc and .ppt files to .pdf file format without paying. However, one way or another , tools that provide free services have to earn money for their developers.
The Convertmypdf site suggests installing Online Document Converter extension, which demands the following permissions:
Once installed, the extension instantly meddles with browser's parameters and causes the browser to open http://www.convertmypdf.co/homepage/homepage.html?id= on startup as well as whenever a new tab is opened. The hijacker pushes the victim to use this search site only to initiate redirects to search.yahoo.com site. Unfortunately, these results might be altered by hijacker's developers and filled with ads leading to affiliate websites.
The described hijacker clearly makes it to the Yahoo Redirect virus family. Its main goal is to trigger unexpected redirects to external sites whenever the user clicks on sponsored search results. This way, it drives traffic to particular websites and earns money for doing it.
That is an additional service you did not ask for. And it is not a particularly safe one either. You may soon find that search results presented by Convertmypdf.co redirect you to affiliate websites more frequently and, often, against your will.
Thus, you should remove Convertmypdf.co if you don't want to end up on some malicious domain one day. We highly recommend using software like for a system cleanup.
If you have been successfully using this tool and you are not sure whether Convertmypdf extension is really something that's not worth your time, just look at the evidence. The program shows up on your computer automatically, it generates unwanted ads and causes URL redirections .
Finally, it makes the computer sluggish and may even disturb the operation of other programs. Besides, often trouble arise with Convertmypdf.co removal as well. Aren't these some good reasons to stop using this service and move on to some other, more reputable PDF converting tools?
If so, do not waste time and clean up your computer with or similar anti-malware tools. To track today's Virus Activity and keep up with the latest news, visit VirusActivity.com page.
- Read/Change user's data on websites one visits;
- Read/Change browsing history;
- Detect user's physical location.


From our report of Jul 2017 · not reviewed since
Strategies used to promote browser hijackers
One of the primary strategies that the developers of browser hijackers use to compromise users' computers is the so-called software bundling .
Generally, it is a legitimate software distribution technique that allows program developers to spread their products together with supplementary components or applications.
Nevertheless, developers of Online Document Converter virus and other shady software have learned to use this technique to promote their questionable products. They add these programs to the software packages of legitimate applications and hope for the unsuspecting users to install them without checking the full list of package components.
All they have to do next is wait for the potential victim to use "Quick" or "Recommended" settings for the installation and unknowingly allow the installation of bundled software. "Advanced" or "Custom" installation can save you the trouble since these modes allow hand-picking the package components you actually want to install and rejecting the ones that are not necessary.
Check your browser and PC
- Address:
convertmypdf.co
How to remove Convertmypdf.co virus
How to stop Convertmypdf.co virus 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 convertmypdf.co
Searches that pass through
convertmypdf.comean 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 convertmypdf.co.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
Convertmypdf.co virus 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 Convertmypdf.co virus. 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
Instructions for each browser and system
The detailed steps for every browser and system this guide covers. Open the one you use.
Uninstall from Windows
To delete the discussed hijacker from Windows, use the tutorial provided below. Once you remove Convertmypdf.co virus, perform a system scan using anti-malware software.
Uninstall from Windows 10/8:
- Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.

Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel (Windows XP users should click on Add/Remove Programs).
- In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.

Remove the unwanted program:
- In the Programs and Features window, look for any recently installed suspicious entries, select them, and click Uninstall.
- If User Account Control appears, click Yes to confirm, then complete the removal.

Remove from Google Chrome
Though Convertmypdf.co usually shows up on Internet Explorer, no browser is protected from its attack. To remove it from Chrome, you must delete Online Document Converter extension from this web browser. So, when you eliminate the virus from your computer, make sure you go through all of the installed browsers, including Google Chrome, and check their lists of extensions for potentially dangerous add-ons, toolbars or other helper objects.
Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
- Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
- In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all suspicious extensions related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.

Clear cache and web data from Chrome:
- Click on Menu and pick Settings.
- Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
- Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
- Click Clear data.

Change your homepage:
- Click menu and choose Settings.
- Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
- Click on Open a specific or set of pages and click on three dots to find the Remove option.
Reset Google Chrome:
If the previous methods did not help you, reset Google Chrome to eliminate all the unwanted components:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
- Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
- Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
- Confirm with Reset settings.

Remove from Microsoft Edge
Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:
- Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
- From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
- Click Remove.

Clear cookies and other browser data:
- Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Select Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear.

Restore new tab and homepage settings:
- Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
- Then find On startup section.
- Click Remove next to any suspicious startup page.
Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:
- Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
- Select Details tab.
- Now scroll down and locate every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right-click on each of them and select End Task to stop MS Edge from running.

Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):
- Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
- Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.

Clear cache and site data:
- Click on Menu and go to Settings.
- Select Privacy, search and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Under Time range, pick All time.
- Select Clear now.

Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- On the left side, pick Reset settings.
- Select Restore settings to their default values.
- Confirm with Reset.
- This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.

Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
Remove dangerous extensions:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
- Select Add-ons.
- In here, select the unwanted extension and click Remove.

Reset the homepage:
- Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
- Choose Settings.
- Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.
Clear cookies and site data:
- Click Menu and pick Settings.
- Go to Privacy & Security section.
- Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
- Click on Clear Data...
- Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.

Reset Mozilla Firefox
If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
- Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.

- Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
- Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.

Delete from Safari
Remove dangerous extensions:
- Open Safari, click Safari in the menu at the top-left of the screen, and select Preferences.
- Go to the Extensions tab, look for any suspicious entries, and click Uninstall to remove them.

Clear history and website data:
- Click Safari in the menu and pick Clear History.
- Set Clear to all history and confirm with Clear History.

Reset Safari:
- Click Safari in the menu and select Preferences > Advanced.
- Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
- From the menu bar, click Develop and select Empty Caches.

Delete from macOS
Remove the unwanted application:
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).

Delete leftover files and folders:
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
- Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.

- Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.
Reset Internet Explorer
It is essential to remove Convertmypdf from IE if you no longer want to experience annoying redirects to highly suspicious third-party web pages. Thus, to clean up your device from this malware, you should eliminate Online Document Converter extension from your Internet Explorer and then reset the browser.
Remove dangerous add-ons:
- Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top-right corner of the browser
- Pick Manage Add-ons.
- You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for suspicious plugins. Click on these entries and select Disable.

Change your homepage if it was altered:
- Open IE and click on the Gear icon.
- Select Internet Options.
- In the General tab, delete the Home page address and replace it by your preferred one (for example, Google.com).
- Click Apply and then select OK.

Delete temporary files:
- Press on the Gear icon and select Internet Options.
- Under Browsing history, click Delete...
- Select relevant fields and press Delete.

Reset Internet Explorer:
- Click on Gear icon > Internet options and select Advanced tab.
- Select Reset.
- In the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset.

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 Jul 2017 · not reviewed since
Techniques that help to remove Convertmypdf.co from affected systems
Many users infected Convertmypdf.co virus do not know how to uninstall it.
For this reason, we have prepared a free Convertmypdf.co removal tutorial that explains how to find all components associated with the hijacker so that you could remove them.
You should know for certain, though, that such infections are best tackled with automatic antivirus software, anti-malware or anti-spyware tools. If, however, you do not have an opportunity to obtain such a tool, you can also remove Convertmypdf.co manually.
You do not want to mess up your system even more so be careful and closely follow the guidelines provided below the article. After uninstalling the hijacker from the system, don't forget to delete this extension from the infected browsers and then reset them.
Thus, to clean up your device from this malware, you should eliminate Online Document Converter extension from your Internet Explorer and then reset the browser.
So, when you eliminate the virus from your computer, make sure you go through all of the installed browsers, including Google Chrome, and check their lists of extensions for potentially dangerous add-ons, toolbars or other helper objects.
Questions about Convertmypdf.co virus
Why does my search engine keep changing to convertmypdf.co?
Because something keeps setting it. An extension can change the search engine every time the browser starts, and an ad-supported program in Windows can do it for every browser and re-add the extension after you remove it. Some hijackers also add a policy that locks the setting.
Changing the search engine back only works once the source is gone. Remove extensions you do not recognise, uninstall programs installed around the time convertmypdf.co first appeared, and then set the search engine again. If it still returns, check the browser for the Managed by your organization message and follow the policy steps in this guide.
Is convertmypdf.co a virus?
It is a browser hijacker, not a virus in the classic sense. convertmypdf.co 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 convertmypdf.co?
Because the browser's default search engine was changed to it. Convertmypdf.co virus did that through an extension, a program or a browser policy, and as long as that source remains, the setting points to convertmypdf.co.
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 convertmypdf.co?
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 Convertmypdf.co virus and use that search engine directly, by typing its address or choosing it in the browser settings.
Which browsers does Convertmypdf.co virus 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 convertmypdf.co 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 Convertmypdf.co virus, delete the cookies and site data for convertmypdf.co 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.
The results look like Google or Bing. Is that real?
Partly. Many hijacker search pages pass your query to a real search engine and show its results, so the list looks familiar. What changes is the frame around it:
- extra sponsored links at the top
- the hijacker's own tracking
- sometimes a design that copies a known search engine
You can tell by the address bar. If it shows convertmypdf.co or another unfamiliar domain instead of the search engine you know, the results come through a middleman. Remove Convertmypdf.co virus and search directly.
I changed the search engine, but it switched back. Why?
The hijacker is still installed, and it rewrites the setting whenever the browser starts or the extension updates. Changing the setting is the last step, not the first. Find what controls it: the search settings page usually names the extension, and a greyed-out field means a policy.
Remove that source, restart the browser, then pick your search engine and delete the hijacker's entry from the list of saved search engines so it cannot be chosen by accident. Check again after a day, when extensions have had a chance to update.
Will resetting the browser remove Convertmypdf.co virus?
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 Convertmypdf.co virus 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 Convertmypdf.co virus?
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 Convertmypdf.co virus, 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
- Wikipedia: Browser hijacking (read October 7, 2026)
- Virus Activity: VirusActivity website (read October 7, 2026)
- 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)