Speed Dial Search: what it is and how to remove it
Speed Dial Search is classified as a browser hijacker because it can change the main settings, like the homepage, new tab address, and search engine. It takes over the browsing experience by forcing users to search only through selected channels.
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 Dial Search: summary
| Distribution | Shady websites, deceptive ads, software bundling |
|---|---|
| NAME | Speed Dial Search |
| TYPE | Browser hijacker; potentially unwanted program |
| SYMPTOMS | The main settings of the browser get changed, like the homepage, new tab address, and search engine |
| DANGERS | The extension may lead to dangerous websites; display misinformation, inaccurate search results; track browsing activities |
| 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 9 more facts
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
|---|---|
| Name | Speed Dial Search |
| Type | Search hijacker extension |
| Symptoms | A changed search engine |
| Evidence | 5 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Search page | addonsearch.net |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge and Firefox |
| First seen | 1 February 2022 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
Is Speed Dial Search dangerous? What it collects
From our report of Oct 2026 · not reviewed since
Speed Dial Search hijacks the browser to monetize and monitor user activity
Speed Dial Search is classified as a browser hijacker because it can change the main settings, like the homepage, new tab address, and search engine.
It takes over the browsing experience by forcing users to search only through selected channels. This introduces many user privacy and security concerns.
Being in charge of the main settings gives the opportunity for browser hijackers to lead users to dangerous websites that could trick them into providing their personal information, download PUPs (potentially unwanted programs), and malware. Web-based apps can start displaying ads, injecting promotional links in the search results, and promoting misinformation with fake search engines.
The extension was recorded redirecting users' queries through addonsearch.net to Yahoo. Even though Yahoo is a well-known and legitimate engine, a lot of times fraudsters add searches that are malicious and do not provide accurate results. If you experience such symptoms you should read our guide to learn more about infection methods, and the removal process.
From our report of Oct 2026 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Speed Dial Search
- Remove the extension by going to your browser settings
How Speed Dial Search got into your browser
From our report of Oct 2026 · not reviewed since
Users usually infect themselves with browser hijackers like Speed Dial Search by browsing through shady websites that are full of deceptive ads and sneaky redirects.
Crooks sometimes even create dedicated promotional websites for these browser plugins that use social engineering to convince users to download them.
You may see that often fraudsters try to make it look like the extension is recommended by Chrome or created in collaboration with a well-known company like Google. They might also write about all the non-existent functions to make it look very useful and needed.
You should never download plugins from random pages. Use official web stores or developer websites because it is the safest way you can get them. Add-ons that get listed on web stores go through a lengthy review process. However, that does not mean that you do not need to do any research.
You should always make sure that apps are safe to install and read the reviews, look at the ratings, and how many users they have. You are much better off choosing popular plugins that have plenty of feedback. You will often find that if you enter the name of a hijacker into the search, not many results pop up.
That being said, not being careful while surfing the web is not the only way users get their browsers hijacked. The symptoms can also be caused by a PUA hiding in the system. Such apps sneak into the system as bundled software from freeware distribution platforms, so if you have installed anything recently, there is a big chance you may have it.
Check your browser and PC
- Address:
addonsearch.net
How to remove Speed Dial Search
How to remove Speed Dial Search and get your search engine back
Remove the extension first.
The search settings only stay fixed once nothing on the PC can change them again.
Step 1: Remove extensions you did not add
Speed Dial Search 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 addonsearch.net
Searches that pass through
addonsearch.netmean 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 addonsearch.net.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 Speed Dial Search. 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
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 Oct 2026 · not reviewed since
Remove the unwanted extension
You can remove browser add-ons by going to your settings.
Find the list of extensions installed in your browser and remove Speed Dial Search. We show how to do that in the guide below:
MS Edge (Chromium)
When you get rid of any potentially malicious add-ons, you should take care of your browsers. Websites and web-based applications use tracking technologies to record your IP address, geolocation, pages you visit, links you click on, and things you purchase online. To stop any shady sites from following your browsing activities, clear cookies, and cache.
These small data files can also be sold to rogue advertising networks or other third parties and used to target you with unsafe ads even more. A maintenance tool like can delete cookies and cache automatically with a click of a button. Besides that, this powerful software can fix serious system errors, corrupted files, and registry issues, which is especially helpful after a virus infection.
- 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 unwanted plugin and click Remove.
- Click Safari > Preferences...
- In the new window, pick Extensions.
- Select the unwanted extension and select Uninstall.
From our report of Oct 2026 · not reviewed since
Scan the system for PUPs
Sometimes removing only the extension does not get rid of the symptoms and users still have their settings changed.
In that case, you will probably have to scan your machine for PUPs. Simply removing the add-on will not be enough, and the settings will keep changing until you completely eliminate a PUA from your machine.
One of the most common ways that PUAs are spread is through freeware installation sites. The creators of these platforms have learned that they can include additional programs in the installers and earn money. This method is known as software bundling and is very effective as most people rush through the installation process and do not notice the apps.
Another thing that makes the removal of PUPs complicated, is the fact that often they are disguised as "handy" tools. It could look like an antivirus, system optimizer, media player, etc. Manual removal sometimes also fails because users fail to eliminate all the related files and entries.
We suggest using or anti-malware tools that will scan your machine, eliminate it, and prevent such infections in the future by giving you a warning before a PUP can make any changes. If manual removal is what you still prefer, we have instructions for Windows and Mac machines:
To fully remove an unwanted app, you need to access Application Support, LaunchAgents, and LaunchDaemons folders and delete relevant files:
If you want to avoid PUAs during the installation, always choose "Custom" or "Advanced" methods, read the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use to find out what information will be collected and what the application will be allowed to do in your machine. The most important part is to check the file list and untick the boxes next to any items that you think are suspicious or unrelated.
Keep in mind that adware and other potentially unwanted programs are mostly distributed through freeware, torrent, and peer-to-peer file-sharing platforms. By getting software the legal way, you will most definitely slim your chances of getting infected. Even though it might get costly, you will most likely save in the long run by maintaining a healthy system.
- 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 uninstallation process is complete and click OK.
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel located on the right pane (if you are 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 Dial Search
Why does my search engine keep changing to addonsearch.net?
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 addonsearch.net 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.
Did addonsearch.net come with a program I installed?
Most likely, yes. Search hijackers such as addonsearch.net 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 addonsearch.net?
Because the browser's default search engine was changed to it. Speed Dial Search did that through an extension, a program or a browser policy, and as long as that source remains, the setting points to addonsearch.net.
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 addonsearch.net?
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 Speed Dial Search and use that search engine directly, by typing its address or choosing it in the browser settings.
Which browsers does Speed Dial Search 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 addonsearch.net 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 Speed Dial Search, delete the cookies and site data for addonsearch.net 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.
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 resetting the browser remove Speed Dial Search?
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 Speed Dial Search can come back after a reset if one of those remains. Do the reset after removing the program and policies, not instead of it.
The results look like Google or Bing. Is that real?
Partly. Many hijacker search pages pass your query to a real search engine and show its results, so the list looks familiar. What changes is the frame around it:
- extra sponsored links at the top
- the hijacker's own tracking
- sometimes a design that copies a known search engine
You can tell by the address bar. If it shows addonsearch.net or another unfamiliar domain instead of the search engine you know, the results come through a middleman. Remove Speed Dial Search and search directly.
Will Fortect remove Speed Dial Search?
Fortect scans Windows for malware and unwanted programs and repairs the system files and settings they change, and its free scan shows what it finds on your PC before you decide anything.
For Speed Dial Search, follow the plan above as well: the browser steps take back permissions and settings that no scanner treats as a threat, and uninstalling the program that brought it removes the source.
Run Microsoft Defender's full scan and, if anything was found, its offline scan as a second opinion. If the symptoms are gone after the plan and both scans are clean, there is nothing more to do.
Sources
- HowToGeek: PUPs Explained: What is a "Potentially Unwanted Program"? (read October 6, 2026)
- Wikipedia: Freeware (read October 6, 2026)
- Kaspersky: What are Cookies? (read October 6, 2026)
- Malwarebytes: Adware (read October 6, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 6, 2026)