Safebrowsing.biz virus: what it is and how to remove it

Safebrowsing.biz browser hijacker is a highly suspicious program that can silently enter your computer and change some settings in your web browser.

It was assigned to "browser hijackers" category due to its ability to access a computer system and take over browser's homepage and new tab page; albeit Safebrowsing.biz browser cannot initiate any malicious activities or harm your computer system, it can cause redirects during your browsing sessions and make you visit questionable Internet sites.

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.

Not sure what changed your search to safebrowsing.biz? An automatic scan checks extensions, programs and browser settings in one pass.

Remove it nowTo use the full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Fortect. The scan is free.

Do it yourself · free Remove Safebrowsing.biz virus yourself 5 steps, about 15 minutes, no software needed.

Start the steps
Safebrowsing.biz virus: safebrowsing biz redirect virus
Safebrowsing.biz virus as our 2016 report showed it.

Safebrowsing.biz virus: summary

Detection namesNo Microsoft detection name is known
DistributionNot recorded in the old report
DamageNot recorded in the old report
NameSafebrowsing.biz virus
TypeFake search engine
SymptomsA changed search engine
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 5 more facts
EvidenceOne write-up by a security site; details still limited
Search pagesafebrowsing.biz
BrowsersChrome, Edge and Firefox
First seen23 June 2016
Facts checked7 October 2026

Check your browser and PC

  • Address: safebrowsing.biz

How to remove Safebrowsing.biz virus

How to stop Safebrowsing.biz virus from opening

The search page is only the end point.

These steps remove what sends the browser there, then put the search engine back.

  1. Step 1: Put the search engine back and delete safebrowsing.biz

    Searches that pass through safebrowsing.biz mean 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 safebrowsing.biz.

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

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

  2. Step 2: Remove extensions you did not add

    Safebrowsing.biz virus often works through an extension, so go through the extension list of each browser:

    • chrome://extensions
    • edge://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 menu with Extensions and Manage extensions highlighted
    Chrome on Windows 11: More > Extensions > Manage extensions.

    Full procedure with screenshots: Remove a browser extension

  3. 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 Safebrowsing.biz virus. 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

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

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

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

    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 Security Scan options with Microsoft Defender Antivirus offline scan selected
    Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options.

    Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan

Instructions for each browser and system

The detailed steps for every browser and system this guide covers. Open the one you use.

Uninstall from Windows

Uninstall from Windows 10/8:

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

Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:

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

Remove the unwanted program:

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

Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

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

Clear cache and web data from Chrome:

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

Change your homepage:

  1. Click menu and choose Settings.
  2. Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
  3. Click on Open a specific or set of pages and click on three dots to find the Remove option.

Reset Google Chrome:

If the previous methods did not help you, reset Google Chrome to eliminate all the unwanted components:

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

Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:

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

Clear cookies and other browser data:

  1. Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
  2. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  3. Select Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear.Clear Edge browsing data

Restore new tab and homepage settings:

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

Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:

  1. Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
  2. Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
  3. Select Details tab.
  4. Now scroll down and locate every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right-click on each of them and select End Task to stop MS Edge from running.Reset MS Edge
Instructions for Chromium-based Edge

Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):

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

Clear cache and site data:

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

Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:

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

Remove dangerous extensions:

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

Reset the homepage:

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

Clear cookies and site data:

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

Reset Mozilla Firefox

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

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

Remove dangerous extensions:

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

Clear history and website data:

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

Reset Safari:

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

Remove the unwanted application:

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

Delete leftover files and folders:

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

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 Jun 2016 · not reviewed since

Why should you remove Safebrowsing.biz virus?

Safebrowsing.biz browser hijacker is a highly suspicious program that can silently enter your computer and change some settings in your web browser.

It was assigned to "browser hijackers" category due to its ability to access a computer system and take over browser's homepage and new tab page; albeit Safebrowsing.biz browser cannot initiate any malicious activities or harm your computer system, it can cause redirects during your browsing sessions and make you visit questionable Internet sites.

It seems that this potentially unwanted program (PUP) wants to generate advertising revenue by making users visit affiliate websites, sadly, not all of these websites are trustworthy. To keep your PC protected, you should be very careful while browsing the Internet, and we advise you to be extra alert when using Safebrowsing.biz search engine.

There is no way to understand which on its search results are trustworthy and which of them initiate redirects, therefore, we assume that this search engine is unpredictable.

We would like to warn you about hazards you may encounter by exploring Safebrowsing.biz search results. You might be redirected to third-party websites that advertise useless ad-supported software, browser plug-ins, or even malicious programs. It is strongly recommended to ignore all offers to update your software, especially Java or Flash Player.

It is a well-known fact that such bogus updates spread malicious components, and if you want to get reliable and virus-free software updates, you should download them only from trusted sources. Another valuable advice we want to share with you is that you should never disclose your personally-identifiable information on untrustworthy websites, especially those that you were forced to visit.

What is even more suspicious is that Safebrowsing.biz site does not provide legal documents - Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. The question is, is such site worth your trust? We do not think so.

There is no information about how this PUP works, what information it collects about the user, what it uses it for, and so on. Therefore, we strongly advise you to remove Safebrowsing.biz redirect virus from your PC as soon as possible. If you do not have such program, then you can use or another trustworthy program.

Safebrowsing.biz virus: safebrowsing biz redirect virus
Safebrowsing.biz virus in our 2016 report.

From our report of Jun 2016 · not reviewed since

Safebrowsing.biz hijack: how to prevent it from happening?

To avoid installing Safebrowsing.biz redirect virus along with other programs, you need to select Advanced or Custom mode whenever you install new programs on your computer.

Then you will be provided with a list of optional software added to your download. Opt these additions out and proceed with the installation.

NOTE. Do not rely on Standard, Default, Express, Basic, or any other installation option that is marked as "recommended." Such installation settings usually conceal all additional programs and simply install them along with your selected software without even telling you about it.

From our report of Jun 2016 · not reviewed since

Is it hard to remove Safebrowsing.biz browser hijacker?

The good news is that you can delete Safebrowsing.biz virus from your device rather easily.

As mentioned before, this program is considered to be PUP; that means it cannot corrupt any of your files or cause damage to your computer system. Hence, even if Safebrowsing.biz is not considered to be malicious, we advise you to remove this software from your device.

You can choose whether to delete the hijacker manually or to opt for much faster automatic Safebrowsing.biz removal option. However, if you choose manual Safebrowsing.biz removal, please follow the instructions provided below.

Questions about Safebrowsing.biz virus

Is it safe to keep safebrowsing.biz as my search engine?

It is not recommended. Searches through safebrowsing.biz 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 safebrowsing.biz, and check the browser's other settings, such as the start page and notification permissions, for further changes made at the same time.

Did safebrowsing.biz come with a program I installed?

Most likely, yes. Search hijackers such as safebrowsing.biz 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 safebrowsing.biz?

Because the browser's default search engine was changed to it. Safebrowsing.biz virus did that through an extension, a program or a browser policy, and as long as that source remains, the setting points to safebrowsing.biz.

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 safebrowsing.biz?

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 Safebrowsing.biz virus and use that search engine directly, by typing its address or choosing it in the browser settings.

Which browsers does Safebrowsing.biz virus 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 safebrowsing.biz 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 Safebrowsing.biz virus, delete the cookies and site data for safebrowsing.biz 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 Safebrowsing.biz virus?

Not really. An ad blocker can hide some of the sponsored results on safebrowsing.biz, 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 Safebrowsing.biz virus 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.

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 Safebrowsing.biz virus 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.

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 safebrowsing.biz or another unfamiliar domain instead of the search engine you know, the results come through a middleman. Remove Safebrowsing.biz virus and search directly.

Will Fortect remove Safebrowsing.biz virus?

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 Safebrowsing.biz virus, follow the plan above as well: the browser steps take back permissions and settings that no scanner treats as a threat, and uninstalling the program that brought it removes the source.

Run Microsoft Defender's full scan and, if anything was found, its offline scan as a second opinion. If the symptoms are gone after the plan and both scans are clean, there is nothing more to do.

Sources

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