Safeplex Search: what it is and how to remove it
Safeplex Search is a potentially unwanted program (PUP) also dubbed as a browser hijacker. Developed by Innover Group Inc, the program is promoted as a secure search app for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox web browsers.
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.
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Safeplex Search: summary
| Distribution | There are several distribution strategies used for this PUP: Official website Google Play Store Software bundles |
|---|---|
| Damage | Users may be tricked into installing other potentially unwanted programs or unconsciously disclose personal information. |
| Name | Safeplex Search |
| Type of malware | Browser hijacker / Potentially Unwanted Program (PUP) |
| Developer | Innover Group Inc. |
| Compatibility | Windows and Mac OS. The extension is compatible with Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox web browsers |
| 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 9 more facts
| Symptoms | The symptom of the Safeplex Search hijack is very obvious, i.e. replacement of start page and search provider, injection of related toolbars, redirects to sponsored Yahoo search, increment in ads, in-text links on random websites, inability to modify certain web browser's settings |
|---|---|
| Termination | You can select from manual or automatic removal of the browser hijacker. You can either use security software or check our manual removal guide below |
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
| Type | Search hijacker extension |
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Search page | search.yahoo.com |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge and Firefox |
| First seen | 20 May 2020 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
What Safeplex Search changes in your browser
Get a report on threats detected from your toolbar, view safety badges on the search results page to avoid visiting harmful sites and get custom web search from your browser search bar.
Is Safeplex Search dangerous? What it collects
From our report of May 2020 · not reviewed since
Safeplex Search is an extension for Chrome and Mozilla Firefox web browsers that falls for PUP category due to various manipulations on settings
Safeplex Search is a potentially unwanted program (PUP) also dubbed as a browser hijacker.
Developed by Innover Group Inc, the program is promoted as a secure search app for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox web browsers. It's developers boast about the app's in-built real-time threat protection that can prevent ransomware attacks and other cyber infections. However, it has been revealed that Safeplex Search redirects to affiliate sites and may show sponsored search results by manipulating web browser's settings.
Upon the installation, the Safeplex Search hijacker replaces a search engine to search.yahoo.com, sets a new start page, new tab window, and adds a related toolbar to the default web browser. Besides, the injected extension gets administrative privileges and starts managing Chrome's and Mozilla's settings to prevent easy removal.
Although in general, this search provider is non-malicious, keeping it on the system will bring about an unpleasant experience, such as an increased amount of ads, inappropriate search results, and continuous redirects to safeplexsearch.com sites.
Sometimes people describe this search provider as a Safeplex Search virus. The main reason for such reference is related to stealthy infiltration and aggressive modification of the web browser's settings. Although it has an official website and can also be downloaded from the reputable Google Play Store , most of its downloads are indirect - via freeware and shareware apps.
Seeing an app for the first time and not reading its reviews on the web can hardly make people think of this extension as a Safeplex Search virus. In contrast, the extension is represented as a security tool, which provides real-time protection, indicates threats instantly, and ensures non-intrusive experience. An excerpt from the official website states as follows:
However, the official website does have any legal document indicating which AV vendors it is cooperating with, neither does it provide details on how is it able to protect users' web browsers from ransomware and other malware attacks.
It seems that these promises are bogus since browser extensions, in general, are not that powerful to decontaminate the most dangerous cyber threats. Ar best, Safeplex Search virus detection mat be able to block ads with malicious scripts.
Those who have already been tricked into installing this PUP should consider Safeplex Search removal due to privacy infringements. A close investigation of the Privacy Policy provided on the official website revealed that the extension is powerful enough to harvest the following user data:
Besides, do not fall for believing that this doubtful extension will provide a safe web browsing experience. Its main purpose is to generate from affiliate marketing. That is why it replaces the existing search engine and search provider to sponsored Yahoo search. Upon the changes, Safeplex Search redirects to sponsored websites regularly and promotes affiliated content via ads, banners, and pop-ups.
Unfortunately, there's no way to guarantee that some of the Safeplex Search ads will not redirect to phishing websites, rogue online surveys, x-rated domains, or sites that promote PUPs and malware. Every redirect triggered by this extension poses a potential risk, so it's better to get rid of it asap.
According to NoVirus.uk experts, the best option for Safeplex Search removal is a professional security tool. This potentially unwanted program can infiltrate PCs via freeware and actively promote other PUPs, meaning that your PC may be highly obfuscated. A full scan with , , or similar tools would help. Besides, do not underestimate the need to optimize the system after the malware attack.
- package tracking numbers
- flight information and routes
- notifications
- uploaded files
- to-do list
- map search queries
- IP address
- names
- ISP
- browser-related information, etc.
From our report of May 2020 · not reviewed since
Browser hijackers use tricks to get user's permission to modify browser's settings
Browser hijackers fall for Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUP) category due to misleading distribution strategy known as bundling.
In other words, they are often disseminated as pre-selected parts of freeware installers. The user's option of the express installation stands for permission to install the entire bundle.
Such distribution lacks the user's choice since he or she is not explicitly informed of what software is going to be installed, how it behaves, what are its intentions, and capabilities. In any case, if the software limits the user's choice and exhibits rather aggressive changes on the web browser and the system, it has no right to stay on the system.
As for this particular web browser, it spreads in several ways:
- Users may be redirected to the official website after clicking on ads provided by the adware-program. The website contains all the necessary information and direct download links. There's nothing suspicious.
- It is promoted on the Google Play Store. However, it's very difficult to detect the extension there, thus it's very likely that people get redirected to the store with the help of adware.
- The last and most successful distribution method of this hijacker is dubbed bundling. It may spread in the disguise of freeware and share installers as an optional component. However, the term "optional" is not appropriate here because the additional extension is typically pre-checked and hidden under the Express installation setup. This way, it gets installed without the user even noticing it.
From our report of May 2020 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Safeplex Search
- Browser hijackers and other PUPs are known for altering web browser's settings.
- However, they can also modify registries and scatter system's files.
- Consequently, the system may start showing errors.
- The type of information depends on the specific Extension but may include package tracking numbers, flight information and routes, downloaded wallpapers, notifications, and (on a temporary basis and in no case for more than seven days) certain files you choose to upload.
- Other types of information necessary to the Extension may be collected but stored only on your computer (i.e., we do not store it on our server).
- This latter category depends on the specific Extension but may include your astrological sign, your reminders and to-do lists, your recipe search terms and recipes, and your map search queries.
Check your browser and PC
- Address:
search.yahoo.com
How to remove Safeplex Search
How to remove Safeplex Search 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 search.yahoo.com
In Chrome open Settings > Search engine > Manage search engines and site search, make an engine you trust the default, and delete
search.yahoo.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 search.yahoo.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
Safeplex Search 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 Safeplex Search 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
If you have any problems with the Safeplex Search removal, try rebooting into Safe Mode to disable malware files that interrupt the AV program's scanner
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
This hijacker primarily targets Google Chrome web browsers. It alters the settings significantly, so to get rid of any malware traces, you may need to reset Chrome's defaults.
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
Microsoft edge is one of the two web browsers that the Safeplex Search virus can attack. to eradicate it from Mozilla's settings, follow these steps:
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
Those who keep experiencing web browsers redirects to Safeplex Search related domains should follow these steps to put the dot in the malware's existence on then system
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
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 May 2020 · not reviewed since
A full guide on Safeplex Search malware removal
No matter how intrusive this browser hijacker can be, Safeplex Search removal is not a big problem.
To assist our visitors, we have submitted a comprehensive elimination tutorial that you can find down below. Make sure to follow each step and the PUP should successfully be removed.
Alternatively, it's advisable to remove Safeplex Search virus using a professional AV program. This way, you will ensure a full system's protection and PUP elimination.
Once you remove Safeplex Search related PUP from the system, it's important to disable the extension on Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox browser depending on which it settled down. Finally, scan with system with or similar optimization tool fo repair any damage that malware has done to the system.
Questions about Safeplex Search
Is it safe to keep search.yahoo.com as my search engine?
It is not recommended. Searches through search.yahoo.com 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 search.yahoo.com, and check the browser's other settings, such as the start page and notification permissions, for further changes made at the same time.
Did search.yahoo.com come with a program I installed?
Most likely, yes. Search hijackers such as search.yahoo.com 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 search.yahoo.com?
It is the search page used by the browser hijacker Safeplex Search. 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 search.yahoo.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 Safeplex Search, 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, Safeplex Search 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 search.yahoo.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 search.yahoo.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 Safeplex Search
- clear cookies and site data for search.yahoo.com
- 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.
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.
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 Safeplex Search?
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 Safeplex Search, 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
- HowTo Geek: Don't Use Your Antivirus' Browser Extensions: They Can Actually Make You Less Safe (read October 7, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 7, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 7, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: How Microsoft names malware (read October 7, 2026)