Smilebox: what it is and how to remove it
SmileBox is a free application that allows creating collages, slideshows, invitations, greetings and other creative stuff. The program is legitimate; however, it has features that can be attributed to the potentially unwanted program (PUP).
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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Smilebox: summary
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
|---|---|
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Name | Smilebox |
| Type | Search hijacker extension |
| Symptoms | An unknown program in Installed apps |
| 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 4 more facts
| Evidence | 6 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
|---|---|
| Program | Smilebox |
| First seen | 19 February 2018 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
Is Smilebox dangerous? What it collects
From our report of Feb 2018 · not reviewed since
Smilebox - an app that poses security risks to its users
SmileBox is a free application that allows creating collages, slideshows, invitations, greetings and other creative stuff.
The program is legitimate; however, it has features that can be attributed to the potentially unwanted program (PUP). If you have encountered Smilebox installer on your computer without downloading it, you should take care of its removal.
According to computer experts, Smilebox application is also known as a browser hijacker due to these reasons:
The program spreads in software bundles and might get inside the computer unnoticed. For this reason, the appearance of the program makes people think that it's SmileBox virus.
However, it's a huge misconception. This application is not malicious. Potentially unwanted programs cannot harm the system or files stored on the computer.
Users just have to learn to install freeware and shareware correctly to avoid third-party apps. If you do not pay proper attention to software installation, you may have found yourself wondering what is Smilebox? And what does it do on my computer?
The signs that computer is infected are clear. As soon as the Smilebox malware gets inside the computer, it might alter browsers' settings. These modifications consist of a changed homepage and/or default search engine to Mystart.smilebox.com, which is a commercial search engine that might display modified search results.
Using this search tool, you can notice that search sessions are interrupted by various redirects. Thus, you may end up on unknown and even insecure third-party websites. Also, Smile box can also initiate annoying pop-up ads, in-text links, banner ads and other notifications that are mostly used for affiliate marketing. While developers generate revenue from your clicks, you have to deal with inconveniences and potential threats.
Moreover, Smilebox can start collecting particular information about its users. Collected data includes technical details about your computer, web browser and other software installed on your PC, browsing-related information, visited websites, search queries, clicked ads, interactions on social media, IP address, and in some cases email address, phone number, etc.
Thus, if you do not want that all this information would be used against you, you should perform SmileBox removal right now. Aggregated information usually is used to update, improve and maintain the application, provide interesting online ads, and might be shared with third-parties. How partners, advertisers or advertising networks might use information about you is unknown.
In most cases, information is used for marketing purposes. Though, you can even imagine what might happen if this data gets in the hands of cyber criminals. Thus, you should remove SmileBox from the computer to prevent all possible problems.
- silent installation;
- alteration of browser's settings;
- delivery of commercial content, such as ads, banners or links.


How Smilebox got into your browser
From our report of Feb 2018 · not reviewed since
Though in most of the cases this program is downloaded by people from its official website.
However, it can also infiltrate computers behind people's back because it has been actively promoted with the help of bundling. To avoid system hijack, you need to monitor installation of the freeware:
Security experts from Bedynet warn that skipping the latter step might lead you to additional problems, like the loss of your personally non-identifiable information, slowdowns on each of your web browsers, redirects, annoying pop-up ads, and similar issues.
- Opt only for Custom or Advanced installation of the freeware.
- Uncheck pre-checked check marks that say that you want to install browser add-ons, extensions, plugins, toolbars and similar components on your computer.
How to remove Smilebox
How to remove Smilebox 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
In Chrome open Settings > Search engine > Manage search engines and site search, make an engine you trust the default, and delete entries you did not add.
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 the wrong engine 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 Smilebox
Smilebox is removed like any other program, from the list of installed apps. In Windows 11 that is Settings > Apps > Installed apps, in Windows 10 Settings > Apps > Apps & features, and in both you can also use Control Panel > Programs and Features.
Select Smilebox, click Uninstall and follow the uninstaller to the end. Then look at the entries just above and below it when the list is sorted by date: bundled programs install at the same minute.
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 Smilebox 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
Guidelines that are listed below will help you remove SmileBox via Control Panel. If you haven't installed this program yourself, please look for other unknown applications and uninstall them as well.
Uninstall from Windows 10/8:
- Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.

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

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

Remove from Google Chrome
To uninstall Smilebox from Chrome, check browser extensions and uninstall unknown entries that might be related to this virus. You can also reset browser's settings.
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
Remove the browser hijacker from Edge with the help of the guide given below.
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)
To fix Firefox, check the list of extensions and remove suspicious ones. Follow the steps below to reset this web browser as well.
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
If you need to recover Safari to its previous state, fix it by following these steps.
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
To get rid of this virus from Mac OS X, follow these steps. Make sure you double-check all suspicious components that could be related to this browser hijacking program.
Remove the unwanted application:
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).

Delete leftover files and folders:
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
- Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.

- Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.
Reset Internet Explorer
To remove SmileBox from IE, you have to reset the browser or remove EVERY suspicious add-on by following these steps:
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.

Access your website securely from any location
When you work on the domain, site, blog, or different project that requires constant management, content creation, or coding, you may need to connect to the server and content management service more often. The best solution for creating a tighter network could be a dedicated/fixed IP address.
If you make your IP address static and set to your device, you can connect to the CMS from any location and do not create any additional issues for the server or network manager that needs to monitor connections and activities. VPN software providers like can help you with such settings and offer the option to control the online reputation and manage projects easily from any part of the world.
Recover files after data-affecting malware attacks
While much of the data can be accidentally deleted due to various reasons, malware is one of the main culprits that can cause loss of pictures, documents, videos, and other important files.
More serious malware infections lead to significant data loss when your documents, system files, and images get encrypted. In particular, ransomware is is a type of malware that focuses on such functions, so your files become useless without an ability to access them.
Even though there is little to no possibility to recover after file-locking threats, some applications have features for data recovery in the system. In some cases, can also help to recover at least some portion of your data after data-locking virus infection or general cyber infection.
From our report of Feb 2018 · not reviewed since
Learn how to uninstall Smilebox from your device
In the article, we have explained what is Smilebox and what problems it might cause.
We assume you want to get back full control over your browser, avoid suspicious redirects and ads, and access your favorite search engine from the main page.
Thus, after the hijack, you should waste no time and remove SmileBox from the system. To do it manually, please have a look at detailed instructions that are listed below. Please, follow them carefully to be sure that all hijacker-related components are gone. Otherwise, you may experience another hijack.
However, if you want to be 100% sure that SmileBox removal is successful, opt for automatic removal option. This method requires scanning the computer with an updated anti-malware tool.
Questions about Smilebox
Can I safely uninstall Smilebox?
If you did not install Smilebox yourself and it is not part of your hardware or a program you rely on, yes. Uninstalling an unwanted program does not harm Windows. Before you do, search the exact name and publisher to be sure it is not a driver tool, a printer utility or a game launcher with an odd name.
Then remove it from Settings, Apps, Installed apps. Ignore any offers or warnings in its uninstaller about losing protection or performance. Afterwards check Startup apps and your browsers for leftovers, and restart once to confirm that it does not reinstall itself.
Smilebox will not uninstall. What can I do?
First restart the PC and try again, because the program may have been running and locked its own files. If the uninstaller is missing or fails, start Windows in Safe Mode, where most third-party programs do not start, and remove Smilebox from Installed apps there.
If it still refuses, delete its startup entry and its scheduled task, restart, and try once more. A program that actively prevents removal is behaving like malware, so finish with a Microsoft Defender offline scan. Avoid third-party uninstallers offered on search ads; several of them are unwanted programs themselves.
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.
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.
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 is Smilebox?
SmileBox is a free application that allows creating collages, slideshows, invitations, greetings and other creative stuff. The program is legitimate; however, it has features that can be attributed to the potentially unwanted program (PUP).
The summary table at the top of this guide lists the type, the detection names, the symptoms and the damage of Smilebox. Reading it first helps you decide whether your computer shows the same signs. The removal plan below it works in order, from the safest step to the more thorough ones.
Is Smilebox safe?
Not in the strict sense: Smilebox is unwanted software, classed here as a search hijacker extension, not a self-copying virus. Security programs often label such software as adware, a potentially unwanted program or a browser hijacker.
It still needs removal, because it changes browser settings, shows ads and can lead you to unsafe pages. The larger risk is clicking an ad that leads to a fake update or scam page.
How did Smilebox get on my computer?
However, it can also infiltrate computers behind people's back because it has been actively promoted with the help of bundling. Software of this kind often comes bundled with free programs, fake updates or downloads from unofficial sites.
It can also arrive through a browser extension or a notification you allowed on a spam page. Think back to what you installed or allowed just before the first ad or redirect appeared.
Will Fortect remove Smilebox?
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 Smilebox, 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
- Lifehacker: How to Safely Test Software Without Messing Up Your System (read October 7, 2026)
- University Of Northern Iowa: The Commercial Search Engine Industry and Alternatives to the Oligopoly (read October 7, 2026)
- Gizmodo: The Top Ten Most Dangerous Things You Can Do Online (read October 7, 2026)
- Yahoo Tech: Explained: Here's How Advertising Tracks You Across the Web (read October 7, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 7, 2026)