Search.queryrouter.com virus: what it is and how to remove it

Search.queryrouter.com virus (or QueryRouter) is an untrustworthy search engine which was added to browser hijacker category. Beware that its owners launched this tool just to increase their income by showing sponsored content to their users by showing links to predetermined websites in the first positions.

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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Search.queryrouter.com virus: search queryrouter com virus screenshot
Search.queryrouter.com virus as our 2017 report showed it.

Search.queryrouter.com virus: summary

Detection namesNo Microsoft detection name is known
DistributionNot recorded in the old report
DamageNot recorded in the old report
NameSearch.queryrouter.com 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
Evidence6 write-ups by security sites; details still limited
Search pagesearch.queryrouter.com
BrowsersChrome, Edge and Firefox
First seen26 March 2017
Facts checked7 October 2026

Is Search.queryrouter.com virus dangerous? What it collects

From our report of Mar 2017 · not reviewed since

Can I trust Search.queryrouter.com virus?

Search.queryrouter.com virus (or QueryRouter) is an untrustworthy search engine which was added to browser hijacker category.

Beware that its owners launched this tool just to increase their income by showing sponsored content to their users by showing links to predetermined websites in the first positions. Once the victim is tricked into clicking one of these links, they get a chance to generate advertising revenue.

Such money-making strategy is more commonly known as the pay-per-click business and essentially means that the website holders receive their revenue share based on the number of clicks they manage to collect from the promoted content. However, you cannot know whether Search.queryrouter.com links are harmless or harmful. Beware that you can end up with unwanted add-ons, extensions and plugins right after visiting a malicious site.

To increase the chances of launching successful redirects, Search.queryrouter.com tends to replace the default search engine and the homepage of the targeted Web browser. Typically, it hijacks Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome web browsers, so it may seem that other browsers are safe. However, beware that such scammers tend to update their programs quite frequently, so Safari and IE can also be vulnerable.

Browser hijackers are designed to prevent the users from rolling back the browser to its original state. Thus, the users are being fed the sponsored content by force. Search.queryrouter.com hijacker sets the predetermined search engine to load every time the browser is launched, also upon opening a new tab or a browser window.

Frankly speaking, the meta-search functionality that the site creators preach loses its actual purpose since proper web search can barely be carried out in the first place. We do not recommend allowing this virus to run on your computer for too long and in case you notice the familiar symptoms, remove Search.queryrouter.com from your device at once.

In the "About" section of this potentially unwanted program, the site creators mention "Toolbar & Plugins" when on the site itself, these downloads are nowhere to be found. This only suggests that these components are probably going to be installed on the user's browser as soon as Search.queryrouter.com hijack is finished.

Do you need more undesirable content on your device? We don't think so. Besides, you can never know if these browser add-ons will not be put to malicious purposes, say, to inject even more pop-ups and ads or to spy on you .

There is no better way to prevent this from happening by simply dedicating some time to the Search.queryrouter.com removal. Specialized anti-malware tools like can ease this task for you by scanning the entire computer system and terminating all the insecure connections and processes.

Search.queryrouter.com virus: search queryrouter com virus screenshot
Search.queryrouter.com virus in our 2017 report.

How Search.queryrouter.com virus got into your browser

From our report of Mar 2017 · not reviewed since

This is a question which security experts have already cracked a long time ago, but the users do not seem to get grip it just yet.

First of all, potentially unwanted programs do not infiltrate computers on they own and actually need permission to enter the targeted devices and start Search.queryrouter.com redirect activity. Of course, malware developers attempt this consent to be as inconspicuous as possible. For this purpose they usually re-bundle software packages appending their potentially dangerous creations next to the legitimate ones.

This means that the option to install Search.queryrouter.com virus may hide under installation settings of completely legitimate programs: PDF converters, video/audio editors, etc. Luckily, "Advanced" installation settings can make a difference. If you opt for this detailed installation mode, you will be given a chance to review the software package contents and call off the installation of those that might be potentially dangerous.

Check your browser and PC

  • Address: search.queryrouter.com

How to remove Search.queryrouter.com virus

How to stop Search.queryrouter.com 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 search.queryrouter.com

    Searches that pass through search.queryrouter.com 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 search.queryrouter.com.

    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

    Search.queryrouter.com 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 Search.queryrouter.com 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

If you have been suffering from Search.queryrouter.com redirects and similar problems, you need to uninstall Search.Queryrouter and similar entries that seem unclear to you via Task Manager. Then, make sure you reset your web browsers.

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

To make sure your Google Chrome is virus-free, check this browser for Queryrouter and similar add-ons which might have been installed on it without your knowledge. You can fix these changes by resetting the browser as well.

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

Search.queryrouter.com is another hijacker which leaves some residue files on the infected computers, thus, the browsers which have been modified have to be investigated for potentially unwanted add-ons, extensions or toolbars. In this case, make sure you remove QueryRouter and similar add-ons from the same developer.

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)

If your Firefox is hijacked by this PUP, make sure you uninstall all unwanted/suspicious add-ons from this web browser. You need to remove QueryRouter and similar PUPs.

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.
Reset Internet Explorer

Remove dangerous add-ons:

  1. Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top-right corner of the browser
  2. Pick Manage Add-ons.
  3. You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for suspicious plugins. Click on these entries and select Disable.Remove add-ons from Internet Explorer

Change your homepage if it was altered:

  1. Open IE and click on the Gear icon.
  2. Select Internet Options.
  3. In the General tab, delete the Home page address and replace it by your preferred one (for example, Google.com).
  4. Click Apply and then select OK.Reset IE homepage

Delete temporary files:

  1. Press on the Gear icon and select Internet Options.
  2. Under Browsing history, click Delete...
  3. Select relevant fields and press Delete.Clear temporary files from Internet Explorer

Reset Internet Explorer:

  1. Click on Gear icon > Internet options and select Advanced tab.
  2. Select Reset.
  3. In the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset.Reset Internet Explorer

Protect your privacy - employ a VPN

There are several ways how to make your online time more private - you can access an incognito tab.

However, there is no secret that even in this mode, you are tracked for advertising purposes. There is a way to add an extra layer of protection and create a completely anonymous web browsing practice with the help of VPN. This software reroutes traffic through different servers, thus leaving your IP address and geolocation in disguise.

Besides, it is based on a strict no-log policy, meaning that no data will be recorded, leaked, and available for both first and third parties. The combination of a secure web browser and VPN will let you browse the Internet without a feeling of being spied or targeted by criminals.

No backups? No problem. Use a data recovery tool

If you wonder how data loss can occur, you should not look any further for answers - human errors, malware attacks, hardware failures, power cuts, natural disasters, or even simple negligence.

In some cases, lost files are extremely important, and many straight out panic when such an unfortunate course of events happen. Due to this, you should always ensure that you prepare proper data backups on a regular basis.

If you were caught by surprise and did not have any backups to restore your files from, not everything is lost. is one of the leading file recovery solutions you can find on the market - it is likely to restore even lost emails or data located on an external device.

From our report of Mar 2017 · not reviewed since

Where to start with the Search.queryrouter.com removal?

There is no denying that Search.queryrouter.com virus is an annoying infection, so it leaves us no doubt that it should be exterminated as soon as possible.

If you are more proficient in virus elimination, you may try carrying out Search.queryrouter.com removal manually. Remember what we said about the additional software that this hijacker installs? This is the main reason not to remove Search.queryrouter.com manually.

Questions about Search.queryrouter.com virus

How do I change my search engine back from search.queryrouter.com?

Open the browser's search engine settings, choose the search engine you want and set it as default, then remove search.queryrouter.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 search.queryrouter.com back.

Did search.queryrouter.com come with a program I installed?

Most likely, yes. Search hijackers such as search.queryrouter.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.

Why do my searches go to search.queryrouter.com?

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

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 search.queryrouter.com?

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

Which browsers does Search.queryrouter.com 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 search.queryrouter.com 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 Search.queryrouter.com virus, delete the cookies and site data for search.queryrouter.com 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 Search.queryrouter.com virus?

Not really. An ad blocker can hide some of the sponsored results on search.queryrouter.com, 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 Search.queryrouter.com 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.

Will resetting the browser remove Search.queryrouter.com virus?

A reset disables extensions, restores the default search engine, start page and new tab, and clears temporary data and cookies. It keeps bookmarks, history and saved passwords. For many hijackers that is enough.

It does not remove a program installed in Windows, policies in the registry, changes to the hosts file or DNS, or edited shortcuts, so Search.queryrouter.com virus can come back after a reset if one of those remains. Do the reset after removing the program and policies, not instead of it.

I changed the search engine, but it switched back. Why?

The hijacker is still installed, and it rewrites the setting whenever the browser starts or the extension updates. Changing the setting is the last step, not the first. Find what controls it: the search settings page usually names the extension, and a greyed-out field means a policy.

Remove that source, restart the browser, then pick your search engine and delete the hijacker's entry from the list of saved search engines so it cannot be chosen by accident. Check again after a day, when extensions have had a chance to update.

Will Fortect remove Search.queryrouter.com 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 Search.queryrouter.com 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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