SearchZone: what it is and how to remove it
SearchZone is a browser hijacker that might appear on Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or another web browser unexpectedly, as potentially unwanted programs like this one are typically distributed via software bundle packages, resulting in unintentional installation. Once established, the app changes the web browser settings and sets the web address of the homepage and the new tab to portal.search-zone.com or feed.search-zone.com.
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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SearchZone: summary
| Distribution | In most cases, potentially unwanted applications are delivered through software bundle packages downloaded from software distribution sites, although can also be installed intentionally by the user via various methods |
|---|---|
| Name | SearchZone |
| Type | Browser hijacker, potentially unwanted program |
| Also known as | Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic |
| Symptoms | SearchZone browser extension is installed on the web browser Homepage or new tab address is set to portal.search-zone.com or feed.search-zone.com All the search queries are redirected to search.yahoo.com Search results are filled with sponsored links Overall slowdown of the web browser or difficult to reach certain websites |
| Dangers | In some cases, users might visit sites that ask them to download and install suspicious applications, resulting in additional PUP infiltration. Besides, since most of such apps are set to track users' online behavior, it can cause certain privacy issues |
| 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 7 more facts
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
|---|---|
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Search page | portal.search-zone.com |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge and Firefox |
| First seen | 11 June 2020 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
What SearchZone changes in your browser
We may share Non-Personal Information with our trusted Service Providers only to the extent required to fulfill the purposes of providing the services.
Is SearchZone dangerous? What it collects
From our report of Jun 2020 · not reviewed since
Your browser was hijacked due to software bundling
Software developers often employ the freeware monetization principle in order to acquire monetary returns for certain applications that users believe that they are installing for free.
However, these apps might engage in potentially harmful activities on the host computer (information tracking, active promotion of other potentially unwanted software, ad delivery, etc.), so each of free programs should be treated with caution. In fact, one of the main reasons why users get infected with browser hijackers is that they believe in their allegedly useful functionality.
To make apps more popular, software developers and third-party websites often include several components into a single package/installer. This technique is called software bundling and, while initially not harmful, can cause troubles to inattentive users.
During the installation process of freeware, users are often offered optional applications in various ways. Unfortunately, these are often hidden under the Advanced installation setting, and most go for the Recommended one. As a result, third-party apps end up installed on the system without consent. Thus, be careful when installing new apps from third-party sites - always pick Advanced/Custom method, untick all the pre-ticked boxes and read the installation instructions carefully.
From our report of Jun 2020 · not reviewed since
Methods to eradicate SearchZone
SearchZone virus is just another potentially unwanted program that will clutter your web browser, track your online activities, and provide this information to other parties for marketing purposes.
It is always a good idea to stay away from such browser extensions and applications, as they clutter the web browser without providing real benefits for the user.
You can remove SearchZone either manually or automatically - the choice is yours. If the hijack is related to a browser extension, you can usually terminate it by right-clicking on it. However, if such extension is not visible, or sets the "Managed by your organization" status, the termination process might get a bit more complicated.
If you are having difficulties, you can always perform SearchZone removal with the help of reputable anti-malware software. Additionally, a browser reset is also an excellent method to get rid of unwanted components, as some malicious settings might still remain within Google Chrome or another web browser.
From our report of Jun 2020 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on SearchZone
- You can optimize your computer after infection with tools such as
- Other third parties (including retailers, media networks, feed providers) in any of the above circumstances, as well as for the purpose of developing or delivering content
How SearchZone got into your browser
From our report of Jun 2020 · not reviewed since
SearchZone is a browser hijacker that might appear on Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or another web browser unexpectedly, as potentially unwanted programs like this one are typically distributed via software bundle packages, resulting in unintentional installation. Once established, the app changes the web browser settings and sets the web address of the homepage and the new tab to portal.search-zone.com or feed.search-zone.com.
As a result, users are forced to perform searches via the SearchZone search engine, which redirects all results to Yahoo. However, these results are not the same as those that users would see if they would use Yahoo without having a hijacked browser. Instead, they would see a bunch of sponsored links and ads that are inserted at the top.
Besides altering the way users browse the web, the SearchZone virus is also set to collect certain personally identifiable and anonymous information in the background, which may be shared with third-parties.
Since the unwanted browser extension might get installed without permission, the SearchZone hijack might not be that apparent straight away. However, as soon as the web browser is opened, you will see a feed.search-zone.com in the URL bar at the top, and you are likely to notice that the search engine of your web browser changed.
In other words, the presence of the add-on can be noticed almost immediately due to visual changes in the web browser.
More clues follow right away - in case you would enter a search query into the provided search engine, you would soon notice that all your searches are redirected to search.yahoo.com.
While Yahoo is a legitimate search provider and one of the major tech companies around, these results are not genuine, since you would look at the SearchZone ads instead. These are typically placed at the top, increasing the chances of users clicking on them.
Even if you would not use the provided search engine and instead use the URL bar, you would still be redirected via the third-party website/extension. As a result, you would not be able to find genuine results without performing SearchZone removal, which can be accomplished in either manual or automatic ways.
Just as many other similar potentially unwanted programs, this app pretends to be a useful search tool that would enhance web browsing experience to its users. However, instead of doing that, the SearchZone virus delivers sponsored links and ads to acquire revenue from user clicks.
To make these search results more attractive, SearchZone Search developers use a variety of data tracking technologies (cookies, web beacons, etc.) in order to gather information about users' web browsing activities.
This helps the app authors to provide targeted ads to users, increasing the chance of them clicking on sponsored content. Besides, such information like the IP address, browser type, language preferences, visited websites, ISP, search logs, and other data can be shared with certain third-parties:
In case the information gets transferred to a suspicious third-party, it may cause serious privacy issues and also make ads to appear on the web browser more often than it should.
All the described SearchZone features above are very similar to those of other browser hijackers, such as Screen Dream Osalo APP, Mazy Search, and many others. They all pretend to be "useful browsing tools" that do not benefit users in any way. Instead, they employ tracking technologies to follow their online activities and deliver ads. Thus, we suggest you remove SearchZone from your system immediately.
If you want an automatic option, you can simply scan your machine with reputable anti-malware. Besides, to ensure that your machine is operating as good as prior to the infection, you can use repair tools such as and reset the installed web browsers in case other unwanted apps are present.
Check your browser and PC
- Address:
portal.search-zone.com
How to remove SearchZone
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
SearchZone often works through an extension, so go through the extension list of each browser:
chrome://extensionsedge://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 on Windows 11: More > Extensions > Manage extensions. Full procedure with screenshots: Remove a browser extension
Step 2: Put the search engine back and delete portal.search-zone.com
Searches that pass through
portal.search-zone.commean 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 portal.search-zone.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 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
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 SearchZone. 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
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 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
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 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
Get rid of potentially unwanted programs as per instructions provided below:
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
Reset Google Chrome if ads, sponsored links, and other intrusive content does not go away:
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
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.
Stream videos without limitations, no matter where you are
There are multiple parties that could find out almost anything about you by checking your online activity.
While this is highly unlikely, advertisers and tech companies are constantly tracking you online. The first step to privacy should be a secure browser that focuses on tracker reduction to a minimum.
Even if you employ a secure browser, you will not be able to access websites that are restricted due to local government laws or other reasons. In other words, you may not be able to stream Disney+ or US-based Netflix in some countries. To bypass these restrictions, you can employ a powerful VPN, which provides dedicated servers for torrenting and streaming, not slowing you down in the process.
Data backups are important - recover your lost files
Ransomware is one of the biggest threats to personal data.
Once it is executed on a machine, it launches a sophisticated encryption algorithm that locks all your files, although it does not destroy them. The most common misconception is that anti-malware software can return files to their previous states. This is not true, however, and data remains locked after the malicious payload is deleted.
While regular data backups are the only secure method to recover your files after a ransomware attack, tools such as can also be effective and restore at least some of your lost data.
Questions about SearchZone
Why does my search engine keep changing to portal.search-zone.com?
Because something keeps setting it. An extension can change the search engine every time the browser starts, and an ad-supported program in Windows can do it for every browser and re-add the extension after you remove it. Some hijackers also add a policy that locks the setting.
Changing the search engine back only works once the source is gone. Remove extensions you do not recognise, uninstall programs installed around the time portal.search-zone.com first appeared, and then set the search engine again. If it still returns, check the browser for the Managed by your organization message and follow the policy steps in this guide.
Is portal.search-zone.com a virus?
It is a browser hijacker, not a virus in the classic sense. portal.search-zone.com is a search page that an extension or program set as your default without a clear choice from you.
It does not destroy files or spread to other PCs, but it takes control of your searches, collects them and shows ads, and the software behind it is often bundled with other unwanted programs.
Many antivirus products flag such software as potentially unwanted. Removing the extension or program and resetting the search engine is enough in most cases. A full scan afterwards checks for anything else that came with it.
Why do my searches go to portal.search-zone.com?
Because the browser's default search engine was changed to it. SearchZone did that through an extension, a program or a browser policy, and as long as that source remains, the setting points to portal.search-zone.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 portal.search-zone.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 SearchZone and use that search engine directly, by typing its address or choosing it in the browser settings.
Which browsers does SearchZone 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 portal.search-zone.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 SearchZone, delete the cookies and site data for portal.search-zone.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 SearchZone?
Not really. An ad blocker can hide some of the sponsored results on portal.search-zone.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 SearchZone 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.
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.
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 SearchZone 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.
Will Fortect remove SearchZone?
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 SearchZone, 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
- Cloudwards: What is Browser Hijacking? Sneakier Than You Think (read October 6, 2026)
- Wikipedia: Web beacon (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)