Multisearch.live: what it is and how to remove it
Multisearch.live is the program considered a browser hijacker because it affects browsing online significantly. The program controls the online traffic by causing redirects to other pages, showing advertisements constantly, and exposing the person to possibly malicious material online.
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.
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 multisearch.live returns after you change the search engine back, a free scan can find the program that keeps setting it.
Do it yourself · free Remove Multisearch.live yourself 5 steps, about 15 minutes, no software needed.
Start the steps
Multisearch.live: summary
| Distribution | Freeware installations and deceptive pages can lead to such infiltrations because of the bundling technique. Also, these browser-based apps can be promoted and distributed on various web stores, torrent sites[2] |
|---|---|
| Name | Multisearch.live |
| Type | Browser hijacker, potentially unwanted program |
| Issues | The program affects the speed and performance of the machine because it alters settings to control the content that users get exposed to. The app can also install various programs on the browser and the computer without permission |
| Symptoms | Homepage, new tab, the default search engine gets altered and set to this site, so each browser session is rerouted to the particular engine and filled with various advertisements |
| 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 | multisearch.live |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge and Firefox |
| First seen | 6 September 2021 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
Is Multisearch.live dangerous? What it collects
From our report of Sep 2021 · not reviewed since
Multisearch.live is the intruder that modifies web browser settings with the purpose of redirecting users to other sites
Multisearch.live is the program considered a browser hijacker because it affects browsing online significantly.
The program controls the online traffic by causing redirects to other pages, showing advertisements constantly, and exposing the person to possibly malicious material online. The application can change the default search engine, homepage, new tab, new window settings to regularly offer other content.
The program itself gets promoted as the convenient tool, Google Chrome browser extension. It can be found in the Web store for chrome tools, advertised on different platforms, and pushed through various advertisements. However, the program can not only affect the performance of the browser, but it also significantly diminishes the speed of the machine itself and is dangerous because of the tracking functions.
These data-tracking issues come from the browser hijacker and sponsored content creators, advertisers. These PUPs and online content creators all have advertising purposes that require ad-tracking. Information can be used in later scams, malvertising campaigns, and other instances where personal information and identity can be at risk.
From our report of Sep 2021 · not reviewed since
Issues with the browser hijacker
Multisearch.live is the intruder related to various advertising networks and it can be classified as a possibly malicious or dangerous application due to the additional relations to scammer pages and other platforms with shady purposes. There is nothing valuable about the program. It should be eliminated from the machine if it managed to install itself without permission.
However, when the intruder is not an intruder, ut directly installed piece from the web, users who choose to do so can see warnings about all the changes the program will do once added on the browser. Those particularly include:
These are the most frustrating features of the potentially unwanted program because altering those preferences back to default might not be the easiest. People are not advanced in the internet and technology when these intrusive ads start filling the screen with harmful materials.
You can remove the Multisearch.live browser hijacker with tools like AV tools like or and make sure to get rid of the PUP itself, but those alterations on the browser remain unchanged. This is where you need to manually go through each section and alter anything that is not set to your liking.
Change your homepage first, since it is the preference that hijacker always alters:
Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
Clear cache and web data from Chrome:
Reset Google Chrome:
If the previous methods did not help you, reset Google Chrome to eliminate all the unwanted components completely:
- reading and changing data on the websites you visit;
- replacing homage, new tab, search engine settings;
- default search engine replacement to search.multisearch.live;
- managing apps, browser-based programs.
- 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.
- 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 the suspicious plugins that might be related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.
- 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.
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
- Confirm with Reset settings.
From our report of Sep 2021 · not reviewed since
Functionalities of the general potentially unwanted program
There are various ways that potentially unwanted programs can spread because developers of the browser hijacker or the adware-type program can pre-pack their programs with freeware that is distributed on torrent sites and other platforms that base their services on the not-so-legal pirating activities.
Also, it is possible to get the particular extension on purpose when the promotional material appears on your screen or when you specifically choose to add the Multisearch.live on the browser from a web store. That is complicated because when you fall for those claims on the promotions, you are not aware of the particular issues this PUP is going to cause you later.
Your machine might get affected instantly after the installation of this piece, so you may notice that the program was not so useful or valuable. However, PUPs have the general feature of spreading silently without causing any symptoms for a while. Then, you need to find the responsible application and get rid of it immediately.
That can be time-consuming, so you are not recommended to remove these intruders manually. Anti-malware tools can help properly clear the machine from any intruders that are related to browsing or not. Also, you can rely on these:
Instructions for Windows 10/8 machines:
If you are Windows 7/XP user, proceed with the following instructions:
Even though the PUP itself is not malicious or dangerous, experts note that activities related to Multisearch.live browser hijacker, or any other PUP program can lead to problems with your system and speed, performance issues. Various online sites can include malicious material.
All the tracking issues should also be considered dangerous. Even though those particular details related to your browsing activities, preferences while online are not personally identifiable, you need to get rid of those programs and avoid any services that can possibly access such information and record it for shady purposes.
You must remove the intruder yourself and double-check before doing anything else on the machine. The existence of the intruder can cause issues with system files over time, so the sooner you remove Multisearch.live browser hijacker, the better. You can rely on the guide below that shows how to deal with these issues on different browsers.
- Enter Control Panel into Windows search box and hit Enter or click on the search result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
- From the list, find the entry of the suspicious program.
- Right-click on the application and select Uninstall.
- If User Account Control shows up, click Yes.
- Wait till the uninstallation process is complete and click OK.
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel located on the right pane (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
- In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.
- Pick the unwanted application by clicking on it once.
- At the top, click Uninstall/Change.
- In the confirmation prompt, pick Yes.
- Click OK once the removal process is finished.
From our report of Sep 2021 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Multisearch.live
- The best option for the full cleaning of the system is anti-malware tools because a full system scan eliminates all found threats
- Your device requires a bit more attention when PUP can alter settings, so run to recover any corrupted parts
Check your browser and PC
- Address:
multisearch.live
How to remove Multisearch.live
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
In Chrome open
chrome://extensions, in Edgeedge://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 on Windows 11: More > Extensions > Manage extensions. Full procedure with screenshots: Remove a browser extension
Step 2: Put the search engine back and delete multisearch.live
In Chrome open Settings > Search engine > Manage search engines and site search, make an engine you trust the default, and delete
multisearch.livefrom the list.In Edge type
search engineinto 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 multisearch.live 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 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
Multisearch.live rarely comes alone: it is usually installed by, or together with, a free program. In Windows 11 open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, in Windows 10 Settings > Apps > Apps & features, and sort by install date.
Uninstall every entry from the day the trouble began that you did not install on purpose, for example a download manager, a converter or a browser you never chose.
Keep drivers and entries from Microsoft, Intel, AMD, NVIDIA or your PC's maker unless you are sure.
Full procedure with screenshots: Uninstall a program or app in Windows On uGetFix
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 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
A scan finds the parts of Multisearch.live 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 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.
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.
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.
Questions about Multisearch.live
Is it safe to keep multisearch.live as my search engine?
It is not recommended. Searches through multisearch.live 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 multisearch.live, and check the browser's other settings, such as the start page and notification permissions, for further changes made at the same time.
Did multisearch.live come with a program I installed?
Most likely, yes. Search hijackers such as multisearch.live 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.
What is multisearch.live?
It is the search page used by the browser hijacker Multisearch.live. It has no search index of its own: it forwards your queries to another search engine and adds ads and tracking along the way.
People rarely choose it on purpose; it becomes the default search engine, home page or new tab after an extension, program or policy changes the browser settings. The page itself is not malware, but it should not be in your browser if you did not set it. The steps above remove the source and restore your settings.
Is multisearch.live dangerous?
It is not designed to infect the PC, but it is not neutral either. It logs searches, adds sponsored results that are hard to tell apart from real ones, and its ad partners are not checked as strictly as those of major search engines.
Some hijacker pages have shown ads for fake updates, tech support scams and unwanted software. The main harm is to privacy. Remove Multisearch.live, and if you entered personal data on sites reached through its results, check those sites carefully.
Do I have to fix every browser?
Yes, every one where the search engine or start page changed. In the cases we checked, Multisearch.live affected Chrome, Edge and Firefox.
Each browser stores its own search settings and extensions, so fixing one does not fix the others, and Windows-level changes such as shortcuts can affect each browser differently. Work through them one at a time:
- remove the extension
- check the policies
- restore the search engine
- start page
If you sync a browser, stay signed in so the fix spreads to your other computers.
Did multisearch.live record my searches?
Almost certainly. Logging is the point of a hijacker search page: each query, with your IP address, browser details and the result you clicked, is valuable to advertisers.
The operators of multisearch.live can store and share that data under their own privacy policy, which you never agreed to knowingly. There is no way to delete it from their side. What you can do is stop the flow:
- remove Multisearch.live
- clear cookies and site data for multisearch.live
- treat sensitive searches made in the meantime as known to a third party
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 does my search page look slightly different?
Because it is not your search engine's own page. Multisearch.live sends searches to multisearch.live, which may copy the colours and layout of a known search engine while adding its own ads and tracking. Small differences give it away:
- an unfamiliar address
- more ads than usual
- a different logo
- a search box with a brand name you do not recognise
Remove the hijacker and set your search engine again from the browser's settings to get the real page back. Then delete the hijacker's entry from the saved search engines list.
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.
Will Fortect remove Multisearch.live?
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 Multisearch.live, 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: Malvertising (read October 6, 2026)
- Lesvirus: Lesvirus (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)
- Microsoft Learn: How Microsoft names malware (read October 6, 2026)