surfpageing.com virus: what it is and how to remove it
Although surfpageing.com seems to be just a simple search engine, security experts warn people that it's sponsored by third parties and is not trustworthy if compared to Google, Bing or Yahoo search providers. It is deemed as a browser hijacker and a potentially unwanted program (PUP) and is a handful of reasons why it is considered to be the lowest level cyber threat.
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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Surfpageing.com virus: summary
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
|---|---|
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Name | Surfpageing.com virus |
| Type | Fake search engine |
| Symptoms | A changed search engine |
| 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
| Evidence | One write-up by a security site; details still limited |
|---|---|
| Search page | surfpageing.com |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge and Firefox |
| First seen | 4 December 2015 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
From our report of Dec 2015 · not reviewed since
What surfpageing.com virus is
Although surfpageing.com seems to be just a simple search engine, security experts warn people that it's sponsored by third parties and is not trustworthy if compared to Google, Bing or Yahoo search providers.
It is deemed as a browser hijacker and a potentially unwanted program (PUP) and is a handful of reasons why it is considered to be the lowest level cyber threat. In the next sections we will shortly explain what issues surfpageing.com hijack can cause, how does this search engine spreads and how to remove it from the web browsers permanently.
Is surfpageing.com virus dangerous? What it collects
From our report of Dec 2015 · not reviewed since
What aspects pushed security experts to classify surfpageing.com virus as a browser hijacker?
Of course, none of the programs are categorized as virus, malware, PUP or hijacker without having a reason.
According to security vendors, there are at least five major aspects that made security experts categorize this pest as a browser hijacker and PUP, these are:
- Misleading infiltration;
- Modification of web browser's settings without asking for permission;
- Exhibition of unreliable links among its search results;
- Displaying promotional pop-up ads;
- Usage of tracking cookies.
From our report of Dec 2015 · not reviewed since
So how does this program works once installed on a web browser?
Surfpageing.com hijacker is compatible with Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari, and others.
That's why it is referred to as a cross-browser plug-in. As soon on the plug-in is executed, a default web browser's homepage, new tab, and search provider is replaced with surfpageing.com. If the plug-in is accepted (consciously or accidentally), browser's modifications are inevitable. However, that's not the worst part.
The most important thing that each user should consider before starting browsing with this search engine is the pages that he/she wants to view. Although it presents Yahoo-based search results, before showing the results to the user various sponsored links and promotional pop-up ads are injected into them. Therefore, you can never know whether surfpageing.com redirects expose you to reliable or potentially dangerous affiliate pages.
This way, it generates income from advertising and certainly don't care about the security of the user. Besides, once inside a PC's system, this pest activates cookies and starts gathering personally non-identifiable, but quite sensitive, information about its users. That may be the kind of search terms, mostly visited pages, clicks, PC's IP address, its location, email address, data uploaded and downloaded from certain pages, and so on.
Such information may leak to really questionable parties who may apply it for misleading you. For example, your email may be spammed, you may start receiving doubtful pop-ups related to the things you have recently been looking for, missing software updates and so on.
All the content brought by surfpageing.com redirect virus can lead you to inadvertent installation of another potentially unwanted program. Do you still consider keeping this search engine by default? Probably not… Thus, our recommendation would be to check the system with and remove surfpageing.com malware with its help.
From our report of Dec 2015 · not reviewed since
Could you please explain me how did surfpageing.com hijack my web browser if I did not install it?
Such and similar questions are by far the most commonly asked by the victims of browser hijackers.
The answer is simple – you must have agreed with its installation along with another freeware. Try to recall what was the last free program you have downloaded/installed on the system. We would highly recommend you to remove it because it has been used for spreading third-party apps, so it might be untrustworthy itself.
If you want to avoid installation of software bundles in the future, make sure that you select safe installation mode (advanced/custom) and keep an eye on each check box given during installation setup.
Check your browser and PC
- Address:
surfpageing.com
How to remove surfpageing.com virus
How to stop surfpageing.com virus from opening
The search page is only the end point.
These steps remove what sends the browser there, then put the search engine back.
Step 1: Put the search engine back and delete surfpageing.com
In Chrome open Settings > Search engine > Manage search engines and site search, make an engine you trust the default, and delete
surfpageing.comfrom the list.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 surfpageing.com 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 2: 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 3: Uninstall programs you did not mean to install
Surfpageing.com virus rarely comes alone: it is usually installed by, or together with, a free program. In Windows 11 open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, in Windows 10 Settings > Apps > Apps & features, and sort by install date.
Uninstall every entry from the day the trouble began that you did not install on purpose, for example a download manager, a converter or a browser you never chose.
Keep drivers and entries from Microsoft, Intel, AMD, NVIDIA or your PC's maker unless you are sure.
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 surfpageing.com virus 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
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
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.
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.
From our report of Dec 2015 · not reviewed since
What should I do to remove this PUP from my PC?
Of course, those who are reading this pose are interested in the surfpageing.com removal options.
In fact, there are two options – automatic and manual removal. If you have already been dealing with the removal of browser hijackers, then we are pretty sure that the manual removal guide will be enough for you to remove surfpageing.com virus once and for all.
However, if you want to make sure that your PC is PUP and virus-free, we would still recommend running a scan with a professional malware removal tool.
Questions about surfpageing.com virus
Is it safe to keep surfpageing.com as my search engine?
It is not recommended. Searches through surfpageing.com usually still return results, but the operator sees every query, often stores it with an identifier for your browser and shows extra ads or paid links. Some hijacked results lead to fake downloads or scam pages.
You also did not choose it, which means something changed your settings without asking and may still be installed. Set your own search engine back, remove the extension or program that set surfpageing.com, and check the browser's other settings, such as the start page and notification permissions, for further changes made at the same time.
Is surfpageing.com a virus?
It is a browser hijacker, not a virus in the classic sense. surfpageing.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.
What is surfpageing.com?
It is the search page used by the browser hijacker surfpageing.com virus. It has no search index of its own: it forwards your queries to another search engine and adds ads and tracking along the way.
People rarely choose it on purpose; it becomes the default search engine, home page or new tab after an extension, program or policy changes the browser settings. The page itself is not malware, but it should not be in your browser if you did not set it. The steps above remove the source and restore your settings.
Is surfpageing.com dangerous?
It is not designed to infect the PC, but it is not neutral either. It logs searches, adds sponsored results that are hard to tell apart from real ones, and its ad partners are not checked as strictly as those of major search engines.
Some hijacker pages have shown ads for fake updates, tech support scams and unwanted software. The main harm is to privacy. Remove surfpageing.com virus, and if you entered personal data on sites reached through its results, check those sites carefully.
Do I have to fix every browser?
Yes, every one where the search engine or start page changed. In the cases we checked, surfpageing.com virus affected Chrome, Edge and Firefox.
Each browser stores its own search settings and extensions, so fixing one does not fix the others, and Windows-level changes such as shortcuts can affect each browser differently. Work through them one at a time:
- remove the extension
- check the policies
- restore the search engine
- start page
If you sync a browser, stay signed in so the fix spreads to your other computers.
Did surfpageing.com record my searches?
Almost certainly. Logging is the point of a hijacker search page: each query, with your IP address, browser details and the result you clicked, is valuable to advertisers.
The operators of surfpageing.com can store and share that data under their own privacy policy, which you never agreed to knowingly. There is no way to delete it from their side. What you can do is stop the flow:
- remove surfpageing.com virus
- clear cookies and site data for surfpageing.com
- treat sensitive searches made in the meantime as known to a third party
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.
Why does my search page look slightly different?
Because it is not your search engine's own page. Surfpageing.com virus sends searches to surfpageing.com, which may copy the colours and layout of a known search engine while adding its own ads and tracking. Small differences give it away:
- an unfamiliar address
- more ads than usual
- a different logo
- a search box with a brand name you do not recognise
Remove the hijacker and set your search engine again from the browser's settings to get the real page back. Then delete the hijacker's entry from the saved search engines list.
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.
Will Fortect remove surfpageing.com 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 surfpageing.com 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
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 7, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 7, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: How Microsoft names malware (read October 7, 2026)