InternetSpeedUtility: what it is and how to remove it
InternetSpeedUtility virus is a program that manipulates your web browser and interferes with time online significantly. The search engine gets changed to another provider once the new browser application is installed.
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.
Automatic
Get a free scan and check if your PC is infected.
Fortect finds malware, unwanted programs and the Windows damage they leave behind, and repairs it in one pass.
If InternetSpeedUtility keeps coming back after uninstalling, a scan can find what reinstalls it.
Do it yourself · free Remove InternetSpeedUtility yourself 5 steps, about 15 minutes, no software needed.
Start the steps
InternetSpeedUtility: summary
| Distribution | Software bundle packages, deceptive ads, fake update prompts |
|---|---|
| Damage | Installation of other potentially unwanted programs, privacy risks due to information gathering practices, financial losses, malware infections due to malicious content exposure |
| Name | InternetSpeedUtility |
| Type | Browser hijacker, potentially unwanted program |
| IP address | 23.66.69.101 |
| Symptoms | Unknown extension InternetSpeedUtility gets installed on the system; homepage and new tab address are set to MyWay; search results are filled with sponsored links and ads |
| 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
| Developer | Mindspark |
|---|---|
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Program | InternetSpeedUtility |
| First seen | 3 December 2020 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
Is InternetSpeedUtility dangerous? What it collects
From our report of Dec 2020 · not reviewed since
InternetSpeedUtility is a browser hijacker that replaces new tab and other browser preferences
InternetSpeedUtility virus is a program that manipulates your web browser and interferes with time online significantly.
The search engine gets changed to another provider once the new browser application is installed. It mainly happens behind your back because this is a PUP is intrusive and manages to infect machines during simple browsing sessions.
Affected browsers and devices start running slow and can even crash from time to time because procedures in the back affect the functions of the OS. Especially when the intruder alters the registry and similar parts of the device.
InternetSpeedUtility is the hijacker that runs its searches via MyWay search engine, so there are many versions like this tool in the wilds. You might encounter them at the same time. However, these PUAs all act the same and can affect the machine significantly since processes are not controllable and the program gets installed without your permission.
Make sure to remove the intruder as soon as possible because it is not a valuable addition to your device. This hijacker is not malicious, but PUP detection rate shows that it is considered possibly harmful.
InternetSpeedUtility is the program that triggers changes to the homepage, default search engine, new tab, and new page preferences on the browser. It affects Google Chrome. Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari. It can also trigger installations of the system programs besides triggering issues with the web browser directly.
DownloadManagerNow; Mindspark Toolbar; MyChristianPortal; MyVedicTab; RecipeSearch; Daily Bible Guide are all versions of the same browser hijacker that promotes and pushes MyWay search engine from Mindspark. This particular InternetSpeedUtility should provide improvements to the system and help control the machine, make the time online more pleasant.
Promotional ads and pop-ups might encourage people to install InternetSpeedUtility willingly, but the additional activities and claims in those advertisements do not match. People get frustrated when the promised internet speed check starts acting as a cyber threat and affect every session online.
You should get rid of this PUP and eliminate any traces of the hijacker by running or . These are the tools that act as anti-malware or security programs and can find possibly dangerous files, programs, remove InternetSpeedUtility, or any other PUPs, more significant viruses.
InternetSpeedUtility removal might come to your mind right after the intrusive behavior starts interfering with your machine. However, the machine might be more affected than you think, so you should go for a proper method that can find all affected parts. Since the Windows registry gets affected too, run to repair the damage there and find other possibly corrupted parts.
InternetSpeedUtility can go for common data tracking behavior that other PUP developers and commercial content creators rely on, so experts recommend avoiding any interaction with commercial sites and pop-up ads, banners, or even links that appear on the screen out of nowhere.
Try to act as soon as you can and remove InternetSpeedUtility redirect from the machine properly. It might start collecting browsing data and other information about your habits, so go through settings on the web browsing programs and make sure to eliminate any suspicious programs.


From our report of Dec 2020 · not reviewed since
Avoid web stores and promotional ads that appear suspicious
There are many sites that show free download advertisements and offer freeware, system tools, other programs, various applications.
Browser hijackers, adware, and other rogue apps tend to distribute themselves with the help of software bundling and deceptive advertisements.
There are many issues with these intruders, so PUPs are not the malware, but can lead to more problems. So avoid such installations of unwanted apps by choosing Advanced or Custom installation options every time you add anything new to the machine. This way you can control what gets installed and what does not.
From our report of Dec 2020 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on InternetSpeedUtility
- This way you can easily remove InternetSpeedUtility
- Computer infections can cause significant damage to system files or disrupt normal settings.
How to remove InternetSpeedUtility
How to remove InternetSpeedUtility 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
InternetSpeedUtility 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
InternetSpeedUtility replaces the browser's default search engine, so searches pass through its own page first. Chrome: Settings > Search engine > Manage search engines and site search, then Make default on Google, Bing or another engine you chose, and Delete on the entries you never added.
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 any address you did not set. 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 InternetSpeedUtility
Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps in Windows 11, or Settings > Apps > Apps & features in Windows 10. Sort the list by install date and find InternetSpeedUtility, then choose Uninstall from the three-dot menu next to it (in Windows 10, click the entry and then Uninstall).
Remove anything else installed on the same day that you do not recognise, because such programs usually arrive together in one installer. If the uninstaller opens a browser page with an offer or a survey, close it: the program is removed either way.
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 InternetSpeedUtility via systems' control feature
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
Run the default recovery, so Chrome is repaired to a safe version
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
Clear the browser properly
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.

Choose a proper web browser and improve your safety with a VPN tool
Online spying has got momentum in recent years and people are getting more and more interested in how to protect their privacy online.
One of the basic means to add a layer of security - choose the most private and secure web browser. Although web browsers can't grant full privacy protection and security, some of them are much better at sandboxing, HTTPS upgrading, active content blocking, tracking blocking, phishing protection, and similar privacy-oriented features.
However, if you want true anonymity, we suggest you employ a powerful VPN - it can encrypt all the traffic that comes and goes out of your computer, preventing tracking completely.
Lost your files? Use data recovery software
While some files located on any computer are replaceable or useless, others can be extremely valuable.
Family photos, work documents, school projects - these are types of files that we don't want to lose. Unfortunately, there are many ways how unexpected data loss can occur:
- power cuts
- Blue Screen of Death errors
- hardware failures
- crypto-malware attack
- even accidental deletion
To ensure that all the files remain intact, you should prepare regular data backups. You can choose cloud-based or physical copies you could restore from later in case of a disaster. If your backups were lost as well or you never bothered to prepare any, can be your only hope to retrieve your invaluable files.
From our report of Dec 2020 · not reviewed since
Stay away from any suspicious ads, so you can avoid InternetSpeedUtility virus removal processes
There are various ways to catch this intruder on the machine.
The best way to remove InternetSpeedUtility on the other hand - one. Of course, you can uninstall all the apps that concern you and clear the web browser yourself, but anti-malware tools and security programs provide more in these cases.
InternetSpeedUtility removal is not the only procedure that can help you fight the potentially unwanted programs on the machine. Anti-malware tools give the opportunity to delete the intruder, but software designed for system optimization and repair helps with virus damage recovery and systems' general improvement.
Questions about InternetSpeedUtility
Is InternetSpeedUtility a virus?
Most programs that appear the way InternetSpeedUtility 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.
InternetSpeedUtility 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 InternetSpeedUtility 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.
Will resetting the browser remove InternetSpeedUtility?
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 InternetSpeedUtility 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 InternetSpeedUtility 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.
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.
What is InternetSpeedUtility?
InternetSpeedUtility virus is a program that manipulates your web browser and interferes with time online significantly. The search engine gets changed to another provider once the new browser application is installed. Damage: Installation of other potentially unwanted programs, privacy risks due to information gathering practices, financial losses, malware infections due to malicious content exposure.
The summary table at the top of this guide lists the type, the detection names, the symptoms and the damage of InternetSpeedUtility. Reading it first helps you decide whether your computer shows the same signs.
How did InternetSpeedUtility get on my computer?
Our report lists the distribution as software bundle packages, deceptive ads, fake update prompts. 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 InternetSpeedUtility?
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.
Will Fortect remove InternetSpeedUtility?
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 InternetSpeedUtility, 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: PUP (read October 7, 2026)
- VirusTotal: Detection rate (read October 7, 2026)
- Dieviren: Dieviren (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)