Losx.xyz: what it is and how to remove it
Losx.xyz, developed by QxSearch Inc., is categorized as a browser hijacker regarding its ability to apply suspicious search engine, homepage, and new tab URL changes to web browser apps. This suspicious program holds the 74.208.236.123 IP address as its serving IP and can touch web browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Explorer, and Safari.
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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Losx.xyz: summary
| Distribution | The browser hijacker has been found to spread via third-party software such as SDL, APP, and other programs. Also, you can enter the suspicious program on networks filled with odd hyperlinks and adverts |
|---|---|
| Name | Losx.xyz |
| Type | Potentially unwanted program |
| Sub-type | Browser hijacker |
| Danger level | Low. Even though the PUP itself is not dangerous, it might cause indirect danger by taking you to infectious sources or providing with surveys that prompt to enter personally-identifiable or credential information |
| IP address | The potentially unwanted application uses the 74.208.236.123 IP as its serving Internet Protocol address |
| 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 8 more facts
| Detection names | According to VirusTotal URL identification information, losx.xyz has been detected as a suspicious domain by Forcepoint ThreatSeeker AV engine; no Microsoft detection name is known for this name |
|---|---|
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Symptoms | A changed search engine |
| Evidence | 5 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Search page | losx.xyz |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge and Firefox |
| First seen | 18 November 2019 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
What Losx.xyz changes in your browser
The security and confidentiality of you information is very important to us, thus we take the appropriate security measures (including physical, electronic and procedural measures) to help safeguard your Personal Information from unauthorized access and disclosure. Please know that, despite our best efforts, no security measures are perfect or impenetrable.
Is Losx.xyz dangerous? What it collects
From our report of Nov 2019 · not reviewed since
Losx.xyz - a browser hijacker that offers to surf the web via its unique search engine
Losx.xyz, developed by QxSearch Inc., is categorized as a browser hijacker regarding its ability to apply suspicious search engine, homepage, and new tab URL changes to web browser apps.
This suspicious program holds the 74.208.236.123 IP address as its serving IP and can touch web browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Explorer, and Safari. When the default search provider and other browser settings are altered, the user is encouraged to surf the Internet via the new engine.
By using Losx.xyz services, you risk ending up on bogus websites with altered search results. Additionally, the browser hijacker might start redirecting you to unknown locations and risking your privacy. Nevertheless, you might not be able to avoid other suspicious activities such as targeted advertising and collection of browsing-related information.
According to research, Losx.xyz virus might be distributed via third-party applications such as SDL, APP, and similar ones. This product is likely to enter the targeted computer system unknowingly and starts inserting modifies entries and files in the Task Manager, Registry, and other sections.
This way Losx.xyz can perform a big variety of activities and be sure that its automatical startup process will run within every computer and browser boot-up process. Even though this PUP is not currently detectable by many AV engines, Forcepoint ThreatSeeker already finds it as suspicious, according to VirusTotal file information.
Continuously, Losx.xyz might insert suspicious browser helper objects such as extensions, plug-ins, and add-ons. Also, some types of tracking objects such as browser cookies, beacons, or pixels might appear and start recording your browser sessions, searching history, and habits for targeted advertising.
Even though developers of Losx.xyz state in their Privacy Policy that they take serious security measures regarding personal information safety, there still is a risk that some private data of yours might get leaked during the activity period of the browser hijacker. The creators of this PUP tend to know that and again, they try to drop the responsibility of any incidents that still have a chance of occurring:
Losx.xyz might get you involved in various advertising campaigns, fake reward claims, and surveys. If you are asked to enter some private information about yourself or provide some credential information in order to win some type of prize, DO NOT do that as you might easily end up a victim of a scam.
Besides, you might end up with your sensitive information misused in a breach or put up for sale on the dark web if some dangerous criminals manage to track the data. Another potentially dangerous feature of Losx.xyz might be redirecting. Even though redirects are using to take the user to other sponsored websites, this might not be the only case.
Some browser hijackers, including Losx.xyz, might redirect you to infectious sources that can be filled with damaging content and malware such as trojans, ransomware, cryptocurrency mining threats, worms, etc. Denying to use the browser hijackers services is the best thing you can do to prevent potential danger.
Afterward, Losx.xyz removal is the next step you should take. Go to the end of this article where you will find step-by-step guidelines that might help you with the elimination process. However, you can always employ reputable software if you have any doubts about your virus removal skills.
When you opt to remove Losx.xyz from your computer system, make sure that you clean all infected locations, otherwise, the potentially unwanted program might return. Besides, try using a tool such as for repairing corrupted entries that might have been left after the browser hijacker attack.
Keep in mind that if Losx.xyz bothers you only occasionally, you might have a chance of stopping its intruding advertising processes with the help of AdBlock or similar ad-blocking tool. If this does not help, you can try finding and eliminating the hijacker's domain in the Notifications list by completing the following steps:
- Open the browser that has been loading you with ads.
- Locate the three dots (alternatively, three lines or arrow sign) on your upper right.
- Open the menu and continue with Settings > Advanced.
- Afterward, you should find Notifications under the Site Settings option.
- Click Notifications and scroll through the list until you discover Losx.xyz or other suspicious domains.
- Remove all bogus URLs with the remove/disable/block button.
From our report of Nov 2019 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Losx.xyz
- Employ reputable tools to eliminate the virus.
How Losx.xyz got into your browser
From our report of Nov 2019 · not reviewed since
Potentially unwanted programs, including browser hijackers, are often found in bundles of third-party software.
If you are a frequent visitor of websites such as download.com, cnet.com, softonic.com, and soft32.com, you might receive a PUP by downloading programs (e.g. APP, SDL) and services from there.
However, this mostly happens for users who do not pay attention to what type of downloading/installing mode they are using. If the Quick/Recommended configuration is set as the default one, there is a big chance that you might receive potentially suspicious content on your computer system unknowingly.
You should change the installation mode to a more reliable once such as Advanced or Custom. These options provide the user with an ability to track all incoming objects and opt-out products that come with a suspicious look. Besides, you should get all of your software only from original and trustworthy developers.
Continuously, browser-hijacking products might come inserted into vulnerable hyperlinks or advertisements and target users that do not mind Internet security. Regarding this fact, you should be careful while entering a third-party website as you might be loaded with suspicious content there.
Check your browser and PC
- Address:
losx.xyz
How to remove Losx.xyz
How to remove Losx.xyz 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
Losx.xyz 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 losx.xyz
Searches that pass through
losx.xyzmean 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 losx.xyz.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 Losx.xyz. 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 remove the browser-hijacking product from your Windows computer system, use the following guiding instructions.
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
To delete suspicious components from Google Chrome, carry out the following guiding lines.
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)
To eliminate bogus changes from Mozilla Firefox, try completing the instructing steps that have been provided by our security experts below.
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
To clean Internet Explorer from suspicious products and changes, complete the below-provided steps.
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 Nov 2019 · not reviewed since
You can remove Losx.xyz manually or automatically
Losx.xyz removal can be carried out by the user himself or by employing reputable security software.
The first method has been described at the end of this article. There you will find instructions on how to clean your operating system and web browsers such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, and Safari.
However, if you have run into a lack of time or just do not have enough elimination skills, you can use automatical computer tools for completing the entire task.
Ensure that no content related to Losx.xyz virus is left on your computer system, otherwise, the browser hijacker might boot itself up within the next machine or browser startup process. According to experts from LesVirus.fr, the PUP might place suspicious products in locations such as Task Manager and Windows Registry.
Questions about Losx.xyz
Why does my search engine keep changing to losx.xyz?
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 losx.xyz 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.
Did losx.xyz come with a program I installed?
Most likely, yes. Search hijackers such as losx.xyz 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 losx.xyz?
Because the browser's default search engine was changed to it. Losx.xyz did that through an extension, a program or a browser policy, and as long as that source remains, the setting points to losx.xyz.
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 losx.xyz?
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 Losx.xyz and use that search engine directly, by typing its address or choosing it in the browser settings.
Which browsers does Losx.xyz 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 losx.xyz 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 Losx.xyz, delete the cookies and site data for losx.xyz 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.
Would an ad blocker stop Losx.xyz?
Not really. An ad blocker can hide some of the sponsored results on losx.xyz, but it does not change your search engine back or remove the extension that set it. Your searches would still pass through the hijacker's servers and be logged.
Some ad blockers include tracking filters that block parts of the redirect chain, which can break searches altogether. Remove Losx.xyz with the plan above; an ad blocker is a reasonable extra afterwards, from the official store only and from a developer with a long track record.
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.
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 losx.xyz or another unfamiliar domain instead of the search engine you know, the results come through a middleman. Remove Losx.xyz and search directly.
Will Fortect remove Losx.xyz?
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 Losx.xyz, 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
- VirusTotal: http://losx.xyz/. URL information (read October 6, 2026)
- Wikipedia: Web beacon (read October 6, 2026)
- LesVirus: LesVirus.fr (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)