Speed Check: what it is and how to remove it
Speed Check is a browser extension that displays unwanted advertisements while surfing the web. It also changes the main settings like the new tab address and search engine.
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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Speed Check: summary
| Distribution | Extension web stores, shady websites, deceptive ads, freeware installations |
|---|---|
| NAME | Speed Check |
| TYPE | Browser hijacker, potentially unwanted program |
| SYMPTOMS | Redirects to scam pages, advertisements pop-up that promote fake products and services |
| DANGERS | Ads that show up can trick users into providing their personal information or downloading other PUPs and malware |
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
| 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 8 more facts
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
|---|---|
| Name | Speed Check |
| Type | Search hijacker extension |
| Symptoms | An unknown program in Installed apps |
| Evidence | 5 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Program | Speed Check |
| First seen | 8 November 2021 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
Is Speed Check dangerous? What it collects
From our report of Nov 2021 · not reviewed since
Speed Check claims it tests the speed of any webpage with the right click
Speed Check is a browser extension that displays unwanted advertisements while surfing the web.
It also changes the main settings like the new tab address and search engine. It promotes fake software updates, tech support scams, and other schemes. The add-on is already removed from Chrome and Firefox web stores.
These kinds of applications often have dedicated websites that promote them. This one claims that it tests the loading speed of any website. It is unknown if it is actually functional or if it shows random results on the screen. Whatever the case, it is hard to see the reason why someone would need a plugin like this.
Users install apps such as this willingly and not. They are often spread on shady websites that are full of deceptive ads and users do not even realize that they added something to their browser. Because changes happen quickly and unexpectedly, many think that they have been infected with a virus.
From our report of Nov 2021 · not reviewed since
Learn to identify potentially unwanted programs
Programs that perform unwanted tasks in the background of the machine are often promoted using social engineering techniques.
The authors of browser hijackers use well-known companies like Google or Apple to make their products look more legitimate. It is common to have a separate promotional website just for that particular extension and to spread it on shady websites.
Those websites that become tools to promote these extensions often engage in illegal activities and are unregulated. That is why they allow untrustworthy sellers to promote on their sites. A very good example of this would be illegal streaming platforms. They are full of deceptive ads that look like "Download" or "Play" buttons, and sneaky redirects.
When users browse through pages like this they encounter a lot of pop-ups and new tabs that open automatically. It is easy to just click on random buttons and not understand that you are adding an extension to your browser if users do not read every prompt.
Although we always suggest our users use official web stores to get their extensions and software from, they also cannot be fully trusted. You still have to do your research before introducing anything into your digital space. It is a good idea to check the reviews and how many users the extension has. You can also see what permissions the plugin asks for.
The sole purpose of Speed Check is to generate revenue with pay-per-click ads. It works when it redirects users automatically to advertiser pages or every time you click on an ad placed by the app. Besides that, it can collect your browsing information and later sell it to advertising networks. That is why we suggest using.
From our report of Nov 2021 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Speed Check
- Use a maintenance tool to repair any remaining damage to the system and optimize the machine to fix performance issues
How to remove Speed Check
How to remove Speed Check 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 Speed Check
Speed Check 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 Speed Check, 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 Speed Check 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
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 Nov 2021 · not reviewed since
Removal procedure
You can remove extensions by going to your browser settings.
Step-by-step instructions for Chrome, MS Edge, Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explorer are available below.
MS Edge (Chromium)
- 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 the suspicious plugins that might be related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.
- 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 on Uninstall at the bottom.
- Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
- Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.
- 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 plugin and click Remove.
- Click Safari > Preferences...
- In the new window, pick Extensions.
- Select the unwanted extension and select Uninstall.
- 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.
From our report of Nov 2021 · not reviewed since
Remove PUPs that perform tasks in the background
Removing only the extension is not always effective.
You might still experience the same symptoms. This is because you might have installed a PUA and not only a browser extension. In that case, the program will keep messing up your browser until you fully remove it from your system.
That is sometimes tricky because the program can be disguised as a handy tool and have a completely different name. These are often installed from freeware distribution sites as bundled software. So most of the time, users do not even know about the existence of such a program.
Freeware page owners need to make money, so they include additional programs in the installers without disclosing that on the site in the hopes that most people will not notice them. Unfortunately, that is exactly what happens most of the time as people find the installation process boring and rush through it.
If you want to avoid that happening in the future you should always choose the "Custom" or "Advanced" installation methods, read the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Although that is a lengthy process it can help identify if the software you are installing is safe and what permissions it asks for. The most important part is to check the file list and untick the boxes next to programs that are unrelated.
Security software can scan your machine and detect suspicious processes working in the background of your PC. What is more, it can prevent the installations of such programs in the future by warning you about it. If you still want to do this yourself, you can follow the guide for Windows and Mac machines below:
To fully remove an unwanted app, you need to access Application Support, LaunchAgents, and LaunchDaemons folders and delete relevant files:
- Enter Control Panel into Windows search box and hit Enter or click on the search result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
- From the list, find the entry of the suspicious program.
- Right-click on the application and select Uninstall.
- If User Account Control shows up, click Yes.
- Wait till the uninstallation process is complete and click OK.
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel located on the right pane (if you are a Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
- In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.
- Pick the unwanted application by clicking on it once.
- At the top, click Uninstall/Change.
- In the confirmation prompt, pick Yes.
- Click OK once the removal process is finished.
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for all related entries.
- Click on the app and drag it to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash)
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and click Go or press Enter.
- In the Application Support folder, look for any dubious entries and then delete them.
- Now enter /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders the same way and terminate all the related .plist files.
Questions about Speed Check
What is Speed Check and why is it on my PC?
Speed Check is a program that was installed on the PC, most likely together with something else you downloaded. Free software sites and many installers add extra programs on setup pages with pre-ticked boxes, so the extra install looks like your choice even though nobody read the page.
Check the install date in Settings, Apps, Installed apps: the program you installed that day is the probable carrier. If you do not need Speed Check, uninstall it. If it belongs to your hardware or to a program you use, search its exact name and publisher first, because drivers and their tools can have unfamiliar names.
Speed Check 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 Speed Check 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.
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.
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 Speed Check a virus?
Not in the strict sense: Speed Check 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 Speed Check get on my computer?
Our report lists the distribution as extension web stores, shady websites, deceptive ads, freeware installations. 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 my antivirus detect Speed Check?
Not always, because our check found no Microsoft Defender detection name for it. Our check found no Microsoft Defender detection name for it, so a scan may not name it. Update the security program first, then run a full scan instead of a quick one.
Also scan with a second on-demand scanner, because one program can miss what another finds. A clean scan does not prove the signs are gone, so check the browser extensions and installed programs by hand too.
Will Fortect remove Speed Check?
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 Speed Check, 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
- MakeUseOf: How to Avoid Fake Ads Disguised as Fake Download Links (read October 6, 2026)
- Kaspersky: What are Cookies? (read October 6, 2026)
- Wikipedia: Potentially unwanted program (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)