PortaldoSites.com: what it is and how to remove it
PortaldoSites.com is a questionable search engine, which has been labeled as a browser hijacker. This program is mostly promoted as a valuable search tool but in reality, all that it seeks is to promote affiliate websites and help them to increase the number of their visitors.
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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PortaldoSites.com: summary
| Name | PortaldoSites.com |
|---|---|
| Category | Browser hijacker/potentially unwanted program |
| Changes | This suspicious product modifies the web browser's settings such as the default homepage, new tab URL, and search provider that are set to portaldosites.com or search.portaldosites.com |
| Targets | The browser hijacker can infect web browser applications such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, and Safari |
| Other tasks | Once the PUP gets installed on the computer system and initiates specific changes on the browser's settings, it can start providing misleading search query results, redirect you to fraudulent websites, display advertising content during online sessions, collect browsing-related information |
| Spreading | You are very likely to receive this type of app while downloading software from unsecured websites, using the Recommended or Quick installation settings, installing fake updates |
| 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 10 more facts
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
|---|---|
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Type | Search hijacker extension |
| Symptoms | A changed search engine |
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Search page | portaldosites.com |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge and Firefox |
| First seen | 17 January 2020 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
What PortaldoSites.com changes in your browser
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Is PortaldoSites.com dangerous? What it collects
From our report of Jan 2020 · not reviewed since
PortaldoSites.com is a fake search provider that can load misleading search results
PortaldoSites.com is a questionable search engine, which has been labeled as a browser hijacker.
This program is mostly promoted as a valuable search tool but in reality, all that it seeks is to promote affiliate websites and help them to increase the number of their visitors. In addition, you will likely receive misleading search results as a result of using the new search provider that gives the product a negative reputation.
Continuously, the PortaldoSites.com virus might try to collect more income from pushing questionable deals and offers to your computer screen while you are completing browsing sessions via apps such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, or other web browsers.
However, this might be true if some antimalware programs do not recognize this PUP as a suspicious one and manual elimination does not work as suspected. Regarding this fact, we are here to try to help all of you.
Once the browser hijacker infiltrates your computer unnoticed in a bundle with freeware and shareware, it may try to initiate some secret modifications on the system such as filling the Task Manager and Registry with unwanted files and entries. Also, the PUP completes changes on the start page, new tab page, and the default search engine of the hijacked browser.
As a rule, the homepage and the default search engine are the first things that are altered by this potentially unwanted program. Instead of victim's favorite search engines, it drops portaldosites.com or search.portaldosites.com and users are forced to use the new search provider unless they get rid of the browser hijacker permanently and refresh the browsers.
We do NOT recommend ignoring this and using the site for your search sessions because it may easily show you forged search results that are usually used for promoting predetermined websites. There is no guarantee that this search engine won't trick you into visiting really suspicious domains. Even the License Agreement of PortaldoSites.com notifies about that:
However, this is only one activity out of multiple others that PortaldoSites.com might be responsible for. Besides redirecting you to affiliate domains some of which might include virtual parasites, the potentially unwanted program might get you involved in targeted advertising campaigns and fill your browsing sessions with annoying ads.
You should avoid clicking on anything that comes from PortaldoSites.com as the advertisements might also include links to affiliate sources that might end up being potentially dangerous. Nevertheless, the developers can promote fake system optimizers and other rogue security software that is advertised only for collecting income.
To continue, PortaldoSites.com might have the ability to collect browsing-related information such as recently saved bookmarks, hyperlinks and adverts accessed, websites and networks visited, your IP address, and browser type. Later on, this type of data might be passed on to other parties also for monetary benefit.
If you have been dealing with these intrusive activities lately and have found your web browser modified by the browser hijacker, you should remove PortaldoSites.com from your computer system and web browsers. For this purpose, use reliable antivirus products that will help you to get rid of the browser hijacker within a few minutes of time.
Additionally, PortaldoSites.com removal can be completed by using manual instructions that are added to the end of this article. However, these steps require some of the user's effort and time while dealing with the PUP on both OS and web browsers such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, and others.
From our report of Jan 2020 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on PortaldoSites.com
- A user has complained in the Avast forum that PortaldoSites.com is a nasty cyber threat that is very hard for him to get rid of.
- Furthermore, these links may lead to sites or links that contain offensive and objectionable content or which may contain dangerous computer viruses.
- You assume, and we hereby disclaim, all responsibility for any of the content on these sites or for any damage sustained by users of these sites.
How PortaldoSites.com got into your browser
From our report of Jan 2020 · not reviewed since
In most cases, programs such as browser hijackers are added to legitimate software packages in exchange for money.
You can easily get your start page or default search engine modified when installing download managers, PDF creators, video streaming software and similar programs. In order to avoid unwanted changes, pay attention to every installation window of the software and uncheck pre-checked check marks that allow the installation of optional components.
Continuously, always opt for the Custom or Advanced configuration while choosing the default downloading mode as other settings such as Recommended or Quick allow additional products to infiltrate the targeted computer system very easily.
Furthermore, you should avoid downloading products from unsecured third-party sources such as cnet.com, download.com, softonic.com, and soft32.com as these websites do not hold the required security level. If you get all of your software from the official developers only, you will slightly decrease your chances of getting a PUP as an additional prize.
Experts from Virusai.lt claim that browser hijackers can get distributed through third-party advertisements and hyperlinks that are placed on fraudulent third-party domains. Sometimes, these PUPs come pretending to be fake software such as flash player updates. If you are ever loaded with a tricky update request, do not install the upgrade without checking it officially.
Check your browser and PC
- Address:
portaldosites.com
How to remove PortaldoSites.com
How to remove PortaldoSites.com 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
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 portaldosites.com
In Chrome open Settings > Search engine > Manage search engines and site search, make an engine you trust the default, and delete
portaldosites.comfrom 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 portaldosites.com 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
PortaldoSites.com 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 PortaldoSites.com 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.
Uninstall from Windows
To erase PortaldoSites.com browser hijacker from Windows and terminate all the additional products that the app has brought, complete the following step-by-step guidelines
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 unwanted extensions and changes from your Google Chrome web browser app, use the below-provided guide
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
To carry out the removal process on Internet Explorer and bring all of the browser settings back to normal, employ these instructions that have been provided by our cybersecurity specialists
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 Jan 2020 · not reviewed since
Eliminating PortaldoSites.com virus
If you have been dealing with the browser hijacker lately and experiencing unwanted changes in your web browsers, we are here to help you.
Our first recommendation would be to measure your computing skills and figure out which PortaldoSites.com removal technique is suitable for you more - the automatical or manual.
Afterward, you should get ready to complete the elimination process. If it is the automatical method that you have chosen, search for a reliable antimalware tool that will help you to carry out the task. Note that it would be better to use automatical software for this process as PortaldoSites.com virus might be hiding additional components all over your Windows and Mac computer system.
However, if you want to remove PortaldoSites.com on your own, you can use the below-provided step-by-step guidelines for this purpose. There you will be taught how to clean and refresh your operating system and infected web browser apps such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, and others.
Questions about PortaldoSites.com
How do I change my search engine back from portaldosites.com?
Open the browser's search engine settings, choose the search engine you want and set it as default, then remove portaldosites.com from the list.
If the option is greyed out or a note says it is controlled by an extension, remove that extension first and try again. If the browser says it is managed by your organization, a policy holds the setting, and the policy steps in this guide apply.
When the change will not stick, reset the browser: it restores the default search engine and start page and turns off extensions, but keeps bookmarks and saved passwords. Then check Installed apps for a program that may put portaldosites.com back.
Can portaldosites.com see my searches?
Yes. Every search typed into the address bar goes to portaldosites.com first, which is how it earns money. It can log the query, the time and an identifier for your browser, and some hijackers also collect the pages you visit through their extension.
The privacy policy of such sites usually allows sharing that data with partners. Once the hijacker is removed and your own search engine is set again, new searches no longer reach it. Searches already sent cannot be taken back, so avoid entering sensitive information until the clean-up is finished, and clear cookies afterwards.
What is portaldosites.com?
It is the search page used by the browser hijacker PortaldoSites.com. 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 portaldosites.com 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 PortaldoSites.com, 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, PortaldoSites.com 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 portaldosites.com 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 portaldosites.com 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 PortaldoSites.com
- clear cookies and site data for portaldosites.com
- treat sensitive searches made in the meantime as known to a third party
Why does my search page look slightly different?
Because it is not your search engine's own page. PortaldoSites.com sends searches to portaldosites.com, 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.
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.
Will Fortect remove PortaldoSites.com?
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 PortaldoSites.com, 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
- Avast Forum: New Malware Virus!!! > portaldosites (read October 6, 2026)
- Virusai: Virusai.lt (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)