HistoryBoss Toolbar: what it is and how to remove it

HistoryBoss Toolbar is one of these toolbars that can easily hijack each of your web browsers. This is done for a simply reason - trying to redirect your to affiliate websites and increase the income of toolbar's creators.

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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Screenshot of HistoryBoss Toolbar: screenshot
HistoryBoss Toolbar as our 2015 report showed it.

HistoryBoss Toolbar: summary

Detection namesNo Microsoft detection name is known
DistributionNot recorded in the old report
DamageNot recorded in the old report
NameHistoryBoss Toolbar
TypeSearch hijacker extension
SymptomsAn unknown program in Installed apps
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 4 more facts
EvidenceOne write-up by a security site; details still limited
ProgramHistoryBoss Toolbar
First seen20 January 2015
Facts checked7 October 2026

Is HistoryBoss Toolbar dangerous? What it collects

From our report of Jan 2015 · not reviewed since

What is HistoryBoss Toolbar?

HistoryBoss Toolbar is one of these toolbars that can easily hijack each of your web browsers.

This is done for a simply reason - trying to redirect your to affiliate websites and increase the income of toolbar's creators. The main problem that you may run into is that HistoryBoss Toolbar redirects can't be planned and you can hardly know what website you will be redirected to.

Some of sites that are promoted using such technique may be unsafe, suspicious, questionable and even harmful. In addition, once this program enters computer, it may also initiate changes of the start page and default search engine. In addition, it may start tracking your browsing habits for getting more knowledge about your browsing habits and search terms that you use in your daily browsing.

No matter how harmless it may sound, you should remember one thing - HistoryBoss Toolbar may also collect information about your email address, PC's location, its IP address and similar data that, according to lots of PC security experts, shouldn't be revealed.

For avoiding this, you should use only reputable search engines, such as Google, Yahoo and Bing. In addition, you should remove this toolbar from your computer if it has already appeared on it. For that we highly recommend using such well known anti-spywares as .

Of course, you can also rely on a manual removal guide, which is given in the end of this post. Nevertheless, before you doing so, you should keep in mind that each of these steps should be followed exactly as it is written in a guide because inattentive removal may lead you to various PC-related issues..

Screenshot of HistoryBoss Toolbar: screenshot
HistoryBoss Toolbar in our 2015 report.

From our report of Jan 2015 · not reviewed since

How can HistoryBoss Toolbar hijack my computer?

If you want to avoid HistoryBoss Toolbar redirects and other issues that are usually initiated by this program, you should remember that this application is mostly promoted using bundling.

This method is legitimate distribution technique but we believe that it's just a matter of time. For avoiding unexpected appearance of suspicious programs, you should be very careful while installing freeware because it is mostly used for spreading such and similar adwares, browser hijackers and other potentially unwanted programs.

Please, be very careful when downloading download managers, PDF creators, video streaming software and similar programs o your computer because they may trick you into downloading HistoryBoss Toolbar as an optional component. For getting a chance to opt out of them, you should always select Custom or Advanced installation of the freeware.

In addition, make sure you follow every installation step and uncheck suspicious check marks. Otherwise, this toolbar will be installed on each of your web browsers, including Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and so on. If you want to avoid this, you should follow a guide that is given down below.

In order to avoid reappearance of HistoryBoss Toolbar virus, you should get rid of each of the freeware, which could be related to it. The easiest way to detect such programs is with the help of reputable anti-spyware.

How to remove HistoryBoss Toolbar

How to remove HistoryBoss Toolbar 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.

  1. Step 1: Remove extensions you did not add

    In Chrome open chrome://extensions, in Edge edge://extensions, and in Firefox the menu > Extensions and themes.

    Remove every extension you do not remember adding, especially search, new tab, coupon, PDF, weather or video downloader add-ons. Check every browser and every profile, because each keeps its own list.

    If an extension has no Remove button or comes back, a browser policy holds it (see "Managed by your organization" in the procedure below). The pages are the same on Windows 11 and Windows 10.

    Chrome menu with Extensions and Manage extensions highlighted
    Chrome on Windows 11: More > Extensions > Manage extensions.

    Full procedure with screenshots: Remove a browser extension

  2. Step 2: Put the search engine back

    In Chrome open Settings > Search engine > Manage search engines and site search, make an engine you trust the default, and delete entries you did not add.

    In Edge type search engine into the search box at the top of Settings and open Manage search engines; in Firefox use Settings > Search. Then check the homepage and the new tab page in the same settings, because hijackers change all three.

    If the wrong engine is back after a restart, an extension, a program or a policy still sets it, so finish the other steps and check again. The settings are the same on Windows 11 and Windows 10.

    Chrome Settings with the Search engine and On startup sections
    Chrome on Windows 11: check Search engine and On startup.

    Full procedure with screenshots: Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine

  3. Step 3: Uninstall HistoryBoss Toolbar

    HistoryBoss Toolbar is removed like any other program, from the list of installed apps. In Windows 11 that is Settings > Apps > Installed apps, in Windows 10 Settings > Apps > Apps & features, and in both you can also use Control Panel > Programs and Features.

    Select HistoryBoss Toolbar, click Uninstall and follow the uninstaller to the end. Then look at the entries just above and below it when the list is sorted by date: bundled programs install at the same minute.

    Full procedure with screenshots: Uninstall a program or app in Windows On uGetFix

  4. Step 4: Reset the browser

    A reset removes what the steps above could miss:

    • changed start pages
    • site permissions
    • hidden settings

    In Chrome open Settings > Reset settings > Restore settings to their original defaults; in Edge Settings > Reset settings; in Firefox Help > More troubleshooting information > Refresh Firefox.

    Tip: Bookmarks and saved passwords stay, while extensions are turned off and the search engine and start page return to the defaults.

    Reset every browser on the PC, including Edge, which Windows 11 and Windows 10 always have.

    Chrome Settings page with the Reset settings section open
    Chrome on Windows 11: Settings > Reset settings.

    Full procedure with screenshots: Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine

  5. Step 5: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan

    A scan finds the parts of HistoryBoss Toolbar that the manual steps cannot see. In Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, start a Full scan and quarantine what it reports.

    Follow it with Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) > Scan now, which restarts the PC and checks the disk while Windows and the malware are not running.

    It takes about 15 minutes and works the same in Windows 11 and Windows 10. If either scan finds something, run the full scan again after removal until it comes back clean.

    Windows Security Scan options with Microsoft Defender Antivirus offline scan selected
    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

Uninstall from Windows 10/8:

  1. Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
  2. Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 10/8

Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:

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

Remove the unwanted program:

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

Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

  1. Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
  2. In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all suspicious extensions related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chrome

Clear cache and web data from Chrome:

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

Change your homepage:

  1. Click menu and choose Settings.
  2. Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
  3. 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:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
  3. Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
  4. Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
  5. Confirm with Reset settings.Reset Chrome 2
Remove from Microsoft Edge

Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:

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

Clear cookies and other browser data:

  1. Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
  2. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  3. 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.Clear Edge browsing data

Restore new tab and homepage settings:

  1. Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
  2. Then find On startup section.
  3. Click Remove next to any suspicious startup page.

Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:

  1. Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
  2. Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
  3. Select Details tab.
  4. 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.Reset MS Edge
Instructions for Chromium-based Edge

Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):

  1. Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
  2. Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chromium Edge

Clear cache and site data:

  1. Click on Menu and go to Settings.
  2. Select Privacy, search and services.
  3. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  4. Under Time range, pick All time.
  5. Select Clear now.Clear browser data from Chroum Edge

Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. On the left side, pick Reset settings.
  3. Select Restore settings to their default values.
  4. Confirm with Reset.
  5. This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.Reset Chromium Edge
Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)

Remove dangerous extensions:

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

Reset the homepage:

  1. Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
  2. Choose Settings.
  3. Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.

Clear cookies and site data:

  1. Click Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Go to Privacy & Security section.
  3. Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
  4. Click on Clear Data...
  5. Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.Clear cookies and site data from Firefox

Reset Mozilla Firefox

If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
  2. Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.Reset Firefox 1
  3. Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
  4. Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.Reset Firefox 2
Delete from Safari

Remove dangerous extensions:

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

Clear history and website data:

  1. Click Safari in the menu and pick Clear History.
  2. Set Clear to all history and confirm with Clear History.Clear history from Safari

Reset Safari:

  1. Click Safari in the menu and select Preferences > Advanced.
  2. Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
  3. From the menu bar, click Develop and select Empty Caches.Reset Safari
Delete from macOS

Remove the unwanted application:

  1. From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
  2. In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).Uninstall from Mac

Delete leftover files and folders:

  1. Select Go > Go to Folder.
  2. Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
  3. Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.Delete leftover files from Mac
  4. Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.

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 Jan 2015 · not reviewed since

How to remove HistoryBoss Toolbar virus?

If your PC was affected by this program, you can use a guide below and get rid of it.

Questions about HistoryBoss Toolbar

Is HistoryBoss Toolbar a virus?

Most programs that appear the way HistoryBoss Toolbar did are not viruses in the strict sense. They are potentially unwanted programs:

  • real software that arrives bundled with other downloads and then shows offers
  • changes browser settings
  • starts with Windows

Some are harmless, some are annoying and a few carry adware. What makes it worth removing is that you did not choose it.

Uninstall it from Installed apps and check the startup list and the browsers for anything added the same day. If it refuses to uninstall or returns after a restart, treat it as more serious and run a Microsoft Defender offline scan.

HistoryBoss Toolbar will not uninstall. What can I do?

First restart the PC and try again, because the program may have been running and locked its own files. If the uninstaller is missing or fails, start Windows in Safe Mode, where most third-party programs do not start, and remove HistoryBoss Toolbar from Installed apps there.

If it still refuses, delete its startup entry and its scheduled task, restart, and try once more. A program that actively prevents removal is behaving like malware, so finish with a Microsoft Defender offline scan. Avoid third-party uninstallers offered on search ads; several of them are unwanted programs themselves.

What do I lose if I reset Chrome or Edge?

Less than you might think. A reset turns off all extensions, which you can turn back on one by one, restores the default search engine, home page, new tab and pinned tabs, and clears cookies, so you are signed out of most sites.

Bookmarks, history, saved passwords and autofill data stay. Firefox's equivalent, Refresh Firefox, keeps the same essentials but removes add-ons completely. Before you reset, make sure you know your main passwords or have them saved, since you will need to sign in again.

Is only one browser affected?

Often not. Programs that install hijackers tend to change every browser they find, and sync can carry the extension to other computers signed in to the same browser account. Check Chrome, Edge and Firefox, even the ones you rarely use, and look at the shortcut targets on the desktop and taskbar for each.

If you use sync, remove the extension while signed in so the removal syncs too. Also check the On startup setting and the new tab page, because hijackers change those as well as the search engine.

Why can't I change my search engine back?

Because something keeps setting it. If an extension controls the search engine, Chrome and Edge show a note that an extension is controlling this setting, and your change is reverted. If a policy controls it, the field is greyed out and the browser shows Managed by your organization.

Remove the extension first, then the policies, and only then change the search engine; the change will stay. If it still reverts, look for a program in Installed apps or a scheduled task that reinstalls the extension.

How did HistoryBoss Toolbar get on my computer?

For getting a chance to opt out of them, you should always select Custom or Advanced installation of the freeware. Software of this kind often comes bundled with free programs, fake updates or downloads from unofficial sites.

It can also arrive through a browser extension or a notification you allowed on a spam page. Think back to what you installed or allowed just before the first ad or redirect appeared.

Will my antivirus detect HistoryBoss Toolbar?

Not always, because our check found no Microsoft Defender detection name for it. Our check found no Microsoft Defender detection name for it, so a scan may not name it. Update the security program first, then run a full scan instead of a quick one.

Also scan with a second on-demand scanner, because one program can miss what another finds. A clean scan does not prove the signs are gone, so check the browser extensions and installed programs by hand too.

How do I stop the pop-ups and redirects from HistoryBoss Toolbar?

Remove the program or extension that causes them, then block notifications and reset the browser. Signs our report lists: An unknown program in Installed apps. In Chrome open Settings, Privacy and security, Site settings, Notifications, and remove the site you do not know.

Check the extensions list and the installed programs list for anything you did not add. Restart the browser and test a few sites to see whether the ads are gone.

Will Fortect remove HistoryBoss Toolbar?

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 HistoryBoss Toolbar, 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

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