Esurf.biz: what it is and how to remove it
Esurf.biz is the redirect-based cyber threat that creates frustration with its intrusive behavior and browser hijacker activities. This type of program is offered through advertisements, promotional content and gets bundled with software, so it gets on the system without your permission or knowledge.
Facts checked October 6, 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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Esurf.biz: summary
| Distribution | Freeware installations, software bundling, deceptive sites, other PUPs |
|---|---|
| Name | Esurf.biz |
| Type | Browser hijacker |
| Symptoms | Changed settings on the browser, added other programs and tools, continuous redirects and search results injected with pop-ups, banners, and in-text links |
| Main danger | Tracks and records information about the user, shares those details with third-party advertisers |
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
| 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 6 more facts
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
|---|---|
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Search page | esurf.biz |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge and Firefox |
| First seen | 5 September 2019 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
Is Esurf.biz dangerous? What it collects
From our report of Sep 2019 · not reviewed since
Esurf.biz is the deceptive software that hijacks your browser by modifying various settings
Esurf.biz is the redirect-based cyber threat that creates frustration with its intrusive behavior and browser hijacker activities.
This type of program is offered through advertisements, promotional content and gets bundled with software, so it gets on the system without your permission or knowledge. You cannot notice the initial infiltration, but all the symptoms indicate the existence of the PUP.
When you encounter Esurf.biz virus on the system, your homepage, new tab and default search engine gets set to this or a similar website. Then all your searching online activities get injected with promotional material and banners, hyperlinks, pop-ups with suspicious commercial content. Avoid clicking on those intrusive ads and remove the browser hijacker fromt he system as soon as possible.
Esurf.biz is a browser hijacker that is not leaving your machine that easily once it gets on the system. This PUP is created tor the purpose of redirecting online traffic, causing people to visit affiliated pages, advertisers' sites. Unfortunately, the search engine can resemble legitimate search providers, so people are not eliminating the program in time.
If Esurf.biz PUP has enough time it can:
When Esurf.biz infiltrates the machine, you need to get anti-malware tool to end all the associated activities and fully remove this hijacker. Even though this hijack has its own official site or gets promoted in various pop-ups, sites, and banners, there is no value in using this fake search engine.
Experts always talk how shady all those online advertisers work and this is one of the products distributed by commercial content creators.You need to think about Esurf.biz removal because this program has already been added to a "browser hijacker" category.
If you have been thinking that dealing with such apps is not a dangerous thing as they are not considered malicious, you should take into account that they are capable of manipulating your search terms, information about mostly visited websites and similar data.
This information is typically collected behind users' back, and the only way to prevent the loss of non-personally identifiable data is to remove this browser hijacker from your computer. Also, if you have been dealing with Esurf.biz virus for a while, you should know its ability to redirect people to unknown websites.
As a rule, it fills its search results with banners, pop-up ads and third party links that are seeking to redirect PC users to predetermined websites. Unfortunately, but most of the PC users think that Esurf.biz redirect is a harmless activity that just interrupts them against their will.
However, you should always keep in your mind that you may be rerouted to a suspicious website seeking to increase its visitors' traffic and other indicators. If you don't want to end up with more suspicious programs on your computer, make sure that you remove Esurf.biz from it.
Usually, people report that they cannot delete Esurf.biz because it keeps reappearing on their computers after rebooting it. It is because of those alterations and files added to the system.
- install shady programs;
- modify browser settings;
- alter Windows Registry entries;
- add other programs or files;
- change startup preferences;
- add various background processes.
From our report of Sep 2019 · not reviewed since
Browser hijackers infiltrate the system behind your back
Such browser hijacker may appear on your computer out of nowhere, and this problem bothers all PC users.
That's because the most popular method used for promoting questionable search engines is called bundling.
Each time you decide to install a download manager, PDF creator, video streaming software and the similar program that is free, you may end up with a shady site added as a default homepage.
To protect yourself from that, you should know what you have to do to prevent the appearance of browser hijackers, adware, and similar potentially unwanted programs. Here are the most important steps that you need to perform each time you install freeware/shareware:
- Pay more attention to the End User's License Agreement, Privacy Policy, and similar information;
- Monitor the installation process of the freeware by selecting the Custom or Advanced installation option;
- Check every window that is displayed on your computer's screen while installing the freeware;
- Uncheck pre-checked check marks claiming that you want to change your start page/the default search engine/the new tab page.
From our report of Sep 2019 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Esurf.biz
- Clean the system fully with to remove Esurf.biz
Check your browser and PC
- Address:
esurf.biz
How to remove Esurf.biz
How to remove Esurf.biz and get your search engine back
Remove the extension first.
The search settings only stay fixed once nothing on the PC can change them again.
Step 1: Remove extensions you did not add
Esurf.biz 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 2: Put the search engine back and delete esurf.biz
Searches that pass through
esurf.bizmean 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 esurf.biz.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 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 Esurf.biz. 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
Remove Esurf.biz from the machine fully
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
Eliminate all the traces of Esurf.biz from your Chrome
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
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.
Do not let government spy on you
The government has many issues in regards to tracking users' data and spying on citizens, so you should take this into consideration and learn more about shady information gathering practices.
Avoid any unwanted government tracking or spying by going totally anonymous on the internet.
You can choose a different location when you go online and access any material you want without particular content restrictions. You can easily enjoy internet connection without any risks of being hacked by using VPN.
Control the information that can be accessed by government any other unwanted party and surf online without being spied on. Even if you are not involved in illegal activities or trust your selection of services, platforms, be suspicious for your own security and take precautionary measures by using the VPN service.
Backup files for the later use, in case of the malware attack
Computer users can suffer from data losses due to cyber infections or their own faulty doings.
Ransomware can encrypt and hold files hostage, while unforeseen power cuts might cause a loss of important documents. If you have proper up-to-date backups, you can easily recover after such an incident and get back to work. It is also equally important to update backups on a regular basis so that the newest information remains intact - you can set this process to be performed automatically.
When you have the previous version of every important document or project you can avoid frustration and breakdowns. It comes in handy when malware strikes out of nowhere. Use for the data restoration process.
From our report of Sep 2019 · not reviewed since
Esurf.biz removal requires tools and
If you have failed to install freeware correctly and ended up with Esurf.biz virus, then you should stay away from this search engine as far as you can.
Otherwise, you may start noticing annoying ads redirecting you to unknown websites. Also, you may reveal your email address, an IP address and similar information for the developers of this search engine without even knowing.
The easiest way to protect yourself is to remove Esurf.biz. You can do that with the help of manual removal guide that is given below or several anti-spyware tools that we selected after testing this PUP. Make sure that you update them before scanning your computer to remove all components related to this search engine.
The best Esurf.biz removal method is scanning the system with anti-malware tools. You shouldn't interfere with settings and programs by yourself because any changes performed by the inexperienced user can lead to permanent damage to the device.
Questions about Esurf.biz
Is it safe to keep esurf.biz as my search engine?
It is not recommended. Searches through esurf.biz usually still return results, but the operator sees every query, often stores it with an identifier for your browser and shows extra ads or paid links. Some hijacked results lead to fake downloads or scam pages.
You also did not choose it, which means something changed your settings without asking and may still be installed. Set your own search engine back, remove the extension or program that set esurf.biz, and check the browser's other settings, such as the start page and notification permissions, for further changes made at the same time.
Did esurf.biz come with a program I installed?
Most likely, yes. Search hijackers such as esurf.biz usually arrive with free software, where an extra offer is pre-ticked in the installer, or as an extension that promises something useful, such as file conversion, maps, recipes or streaming.
Look at Settings, Apps, Installed apps sorted by install date: whatever was installed just before the search engine changed is the main suspect. Uninstall it, then remove any extension you do not recognise. In future, choose the custom or advanced option in installers and untick extra offers, and install extensions only from the official store pages of publishers you know.
Why do my searches go to esurf.biz?
Because the browser's default search engine was changed to it. Esurf.biz did that through an extension, a program or a browser policy, and as long as that source remains, the setting points to esurf.biz.
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 esurf.biz?
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 Esurf.biz and use that search engine directly, by typing its address or choosing it in the browser settings.
Which browsers does Esurf.biz 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 esurf.biz 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 Esurf.biz, delete the cookies and site data for esurf.biz 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 esurf.biz or another unfamiliar domain instead of the search engine you know, the results come through a middleman. Remove Esurf.biz and search directly.
Will resetting the browser remove Esurf.biz?
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 Esurf.biz can come back after a reset if one of those remains. Do the reset after removing the program and policies, not instead of it.
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 Esurf.biz 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.
Will Fortect remove Esurf.biz?
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 Esurf.biz, 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
- Senzavirus: Senzavirus (read October 6, 2026)
- Nypost: Personal data tracking is getting out of control (read October 6, 2026)
- Wikipedia: Product bundling (read October 6, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 6, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 6, 2026)