Storm Search virus: what it is and how to remove it
Storm Search virus is the manipulative program that triggers redirects and reroutes the online traffic to shady ad-supported pages, so the revenue can be generated. This is a useless tool that is promoted online as the configuration that people need.
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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Storm Search virus: summary
| Distribution | Freeware installations, deceptive pages, misleading online promotions, and other PUPs cause the infiltration of these browser-based threats |
|---|---|
| Damage | Third-party commercial content creator involvement and advertising campaigns that expose you to possibly malicious material can lead to privacy issues, identity theft, similar issues |
| Name | Storm Search virus |
| Type | Browser hijacker[2] |
| Issues | The potentially unwanted application triggers changes on the browser and makes the shady search engine as the default on every browser, so redirects can trigger the exposure to sponsored material. These changes appear out of nowhere because PUP gets on the PC stealthily and triggers alterations from the background |
| 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 5 more facts
| Symptoms | An unknown program in Installed apps |
|---|---|
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Program | Storm Search virus |
| First seen | 13 July 2020 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
Is Storm Search virus dangerous? What it collects
From our report of Jul 2020 · not reviewed since
Storm Search virus - the hijacker that is designed to interfere with web browser settings
Storm Search virus is the manipulative program that triggers redirects and reroutes the online traffic to shady ad-supported pages, so the revenue can be generated.
This is a useless tool that is promoted online as the configuration that people need. It is the extension that changes the default search engine on the browser and provides improved services, altered results positively improve the performance and time online for the user. However, this is the extension that instead of updating all the features, manages to change them and trigger unwanted, intrusive, advertising material delivery.
Storm Search virus triggers the Managed by your organization feature, so you may experience more issues and suffer from redirects or different issues regarding redirects, commercial content, advertisements. This browser hijacker/ fake search engine/ redirect virus is pretty much identical to CapitaSearch, Mazy Search, Optimum Search.
This type of applications are designed to claim about enhancing the experience online with all the functions, but the main purpose is to hijack the browser for the third-party commercial content delivery purpose.
Storm Search extension is promoted online as a proper browser application that should update your search settings, improve them, and change your experience online significantly. Unfortunately, that is not happening in a positive way when you cannot access sites you intend to visit, and all the search results get injected with advertisements.
Developers and providers claim that Storm Search virus is helping you since the app is dedicated to showing you the best deals, offers, promote useful programs, and so on. However, this extension itself is the one that gets promoted and distributed using these suspicious methods.
Storm Search is the potentially unwanted program, so you shouldn't trust these deals, additional material, and any of the selling points accentuated on promotional sites, ads, banners. This app supposed to improve your experience online, but it triggers the setting that interferes with uninstallation. managed by your organization feature makes the program more persistent, and you cannot remove the virus easily without changing all the settings back to normal.
You can try to prevent these installations and Storm Search virus removal processes later on if you pay attention to details more often. Online activities can often trigger exposure to insecure material and malware infections automatically. You may not notice the payload drop or the code execution until it is too late to manage the infection yourself.
The best tip is to remove Storm Search virus carefully, but as soon as you notice any of those intrusive redirects, banners, new windows from suspicious pages, domains. Even though these potentially unwanted programs often rely on legitimate search engines, there is no need to use a particular tool since it gives no value.
Unfortunately, Storm Search virus has tracking ability and advertisers, sponsored, third-party companies, and other pages, can access your browsing data, information related to location, viewed pages, and similar details. There is no positive outcome, so you need to rely on proper tools designed for malware removal and clear the machine. Also, remember about the possible damage that PUP triggers and run after the PC cleaning.
From our report of Jul 2020 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Storm Search virus
- Storm Search virus removal process requires the professional anti-malware application.
- Tools like that can find and delete the PUP itself completely
- The program that triggers various changes in the system folders and makes particular alterations to your PC can be more persistent because of that.
- Try to run , so these corrupted files get repaired properly
How Storm Search virus got into your browser
From our report of Jul 2020 · not reviewed since
The program categorizing as unwanted, intrusive, or potentially dangerous gets installed on the machine when people update their programs, OSs, and other tools relying on shady sources.
Deceptive sites, misleading promotional pop-ups, and pages where these applications get distributed lead to undisclosed installs of more dangerous content.
You should rely on warnings that experts always give about potentially unwanted programs, EULAs, Privacy Policy sections of various sites, and danger of the online advertisements, torrent sites, pirating platforms. You need to rely on trustworthy sources and always go for Advanced or Custom methods during the installation, so you can see and control all the downloads yourself.
How to remove Storm Search virus
How to remove Storm Search virus 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
Storm Search virus 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
Storm Search virus replaces the browser's default search engine, so searches pass through its own page first.
Chrome: Settings > Search engine > Manage search engines and site search, then Make default on Google, Bing or another engine you chose, and Delete on the entries you never added.
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 any address you did not set. 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 Storm Search virus
Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps in Windows 11, or Settings > Apps > Apps & features in Windows 10.
Sort the list by install date and find Storm Search virus, then choose Uninstall from the three-dot menu next to it (in Windows 10, click the entry and then Uninstall).
Remove anything else installed on the same day that you do not recognise, because such programs usually arrive together in one installer. If the uninstaller opens a browser page with an offer or a survey, close it: the program is removed either way.
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
Clear the machine by eliminating the shady PUP
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
Change settings on your Chrome browser, so these issues with redirects and intrusive ads can stop
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.
Do not let government spy on you
The government has many issues in regards to tracking users' data and spying on citizens, so you should take this into consideration and learn more about shady information gathering practices.
Avoid any unwanted government tracking or spying by going totally anonymous on the internet.
You can choose a different location when you go online and access any material you want without particular content restrictions. You can easily enjoy internet connection without any risks of being hacked by using VPN.
Control the information that can be accessed by government any other unwanted party and surf online without being spied on. Even if you are not involved in illegal activities or trust your selection of services, platforms, be suspicious for your own security and take precautionary measures by using the VPN service.
Backup files for the later use, in case of the malware attack
Computer users can suffer from data losses due to cyber infections or their own faulty doings.
Ransomware can encrypt and hold files hostage, while unforeseen power cuts might cause a loss of important documents. If you have proper up-to-date backups, you can easily recover after such an incident and get back to work. It is also equally important to update backups on a regular basis so that the newest information remains intact - you can set this process to be performed automatically.
When you have the previous version of every important document or project you can avoid frustration and breakdowns. It comes in handy when malware strikes out of nowhere. Use for the data restoration process.
From our report of Jul 2020 · not reviewed since
Get rid of the Storm Search browser virus
Remember that Storm Search virus is the program that can be defined as a browser hijacker, so the threat keeps the focus on redirecting its victims to sponsored pages where the content is potentially dangerous. You as a visitor help making the online profit for them, but data regarding online habits, searches, and even locations can end up tracked and recorded.
You need to remove Storm Search virus as soon as possible, so you avoid this exposure to malicious pages and can control what happens on the machine. When you end up with many tools and useless programs installed on the PC, your device is no longer performing as it supposed to.
Storm Search virus removal should give the best results and quickly when you use proper anti-malware tools and scan the machine for any suspicious or malicious content. Then, you only need to repair the damage and clear settings directly on your web browsers, but the machine is virus-free.
Questions about Storm Search virus
Is Storm Search virus a virus?
Most programs that appear the way Storm Search virus did are not viruses in the strict sense. They are potentially unwanted programs:
- real software that arrives bundled with other downloads and then shows offers
- changes browser settings
- starts with Windows
Some are harmless, some are annoying and a few carry adware. What makes it worth removing is that you did not choose it.
Uninstall it from Installed apps and check the startup list and the browsers for anything added the same day. If it refuses to uninstall or returns after a restart, treat it as more serious and run a Microsoft Defender offline scan.
Storm Search virus came back after I uninstalled it. Why?
Something else is reinstalling it. Common causes are a second program from the same publisher, a scheduled task that downloads it again, or a browser extension that keeps prompting for it. Sort Installed apps by install date and uninstall each entry from the same day that you did not choose.
Then open Task Scheduler and look in the Task Scheduler Library for tasks with updater-style names that you do not recognise. Check Startup apps in Task Manager too. If Storm Search virus still returns, start Windows in Safe Mode, uninstall it there and run a Microsoft Defender offline scan, which looks for loaders that ordinary scans can miss.
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 Storm Search virus 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 resetting the browser remove Storm Search virus?
A reset disables extensions, restores the default search engine, start page and new tab, and clears temporary data and cookies. It keeps bookmarks, history and saved passwords. For many hijackers that is enough.
It does not remove a program installed in Windows, policies in the registry, changes to the hosts file or DNS, or edited shortcuts, so Storm Search virus can come back after a reset if one of those remains. Do the reset after removing the program and policies, not instead of it.
I changed the search engine, but it switched back. Why?
The hijacker is still installed, and it rewrites the setting whenever the browser starts or the extension updates. Changing the setting is the last step, not the first. Find what controls it: the search settings page usually names the extension, and a greyed-out field means a policy.
Remove that source, restart the browser, then pick your search engine and delete the hijacker's entry from the list of saved search engines so it cannot be chosen by accident. Check again after a day, when extensions have had a chance to update.
How did Storm Search get on my computer?
Our report lists the distribution as freeware installations, deceptive pages, misleading online promotions, and other PUPs cause the infiltration of these browser-based threats. 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 Storm Search?
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.
How do I stop the pop-ups and redirects from Storm Search?
Remove the program or extension that causes them, then block notifications and reset the browser. Signs our report lists: An unknown program in Installed apps. In Chrome open Settings, Privacy and security, Site settings, Notifications, and remove the site you do not know.
Check the extensions list and the installed programs list for anything you did not add. Restart the browser and test a few sites to see whether the ads are gone.
Will Fortect remove Storm Search virus?
Fortect scans Windows for malware and unwanted programs and repairs the system files and settings they change, and its free scan shows what it finds on your PC before you decide anything.
For Storm Search virus, follow the plan above as well: the browser steps take back permissions and settings that no scanner treats as a threat, and uninstalling the program that brought it removes the source.
Run Microsoft Defender's full scan and, if anything was found, its offline scan as a second opinion. If the symptoms are gone after the plan and both scans are clean, there is nothing more to do.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Malvertising (read October 7, 2026)
- Searchsecurity: Browser hijacker (read October 7, 2026)
- Dieviren: Dieviren (read October 7, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 7, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 7, 2026)