Togosearching.com: what it is and how to remove it
One of the best features of modern browsers is that they can be customized in various ways - by adding most commonly browser websites, applying new themes, and more. However, possibly the biggest impact on your web browsing experience is made with the help of extensions, otherwise known as add-ons.
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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Togosearching.com: summary
| Name | Togosearching.com |
|---|---|
| Type | Browser hijacker |
| Related extension | Search by Togosearching |
| Symptoms | Changed homepage and new tab; search query redirects to search.yahoo.com; increased number of ads; promotional links at the top of search results |
| Impact | Manipulates user searches to make them visit sponsored content; does not always provides the best user experience |
| 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 7 more facts
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
|---|---|
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Search page | togosearching.com |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge and Firefox |
| First seen | 28 July 2021 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
Is Togosearching.com dangerous? What it collects
From our report of Jul 2021 · not reviewed since
Togosearching.com redirects: a sign of a browser hijacker
One of the best features of modern browsers is that they can be customized in various ways - by adding most commonly browser websites, applying new themes, and more.
However, possibly the biggest impact on your web browsing experience is made with the help of extensions, otherwise known as add-ons.
Unfortunately, not all extensions are useful - a lot of them were made without any effort or having user experience in mind - Search by Togosearching is one of such apps. The first thing you would notice upon the browser hijacker entry is that your homepage and new tab address are altered to http://togosearching.com/answer.php?q=.
As soon as you enter the search query, the hijacker would redirect you from there to search.yahoo.com. However, the PUP might also redirect to other search engines, such as Google. Due to this behavior, users might believe that they are using a legitimate search tool, although it is not the case at all.
You would soon notice that your searches are bloated and are not genuine - you see several ads at the top of the results. This way, app creators are trying to direct traffic to sponsored websites, acquiring pay-per-click revenue in the process. This also impacts your overall browsing experience negatively, and you might struggle to find the information you are actually after.
The so-called Togosearching.com virus might hijack Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, or other web browsers. The clearest sign of the infection is finding strange activities when searching the web.
The developers of the app are most likely to profit from the Yahoo affiliate program. This online advertising method is legitimate; however, users are not aware of the fact that they are being used as a money-making tools.
However, the appearance of the hijacker might lead to other issues, such as:
All these changes should not be tolerated because with the help of the hijacker might encounter serious cyber threats. For this reason, you should remove the app as soon as you notice your browser acting oddly.
If you do not want to use additional software, you can uninstall the hijacker manually by following the guidelines below the article.
- redirects to sponsored websites that might be potentially dangerous;
- delivery of misleading and aggressive ads;
- data tracking;
- installation of unknown third-party browser extensions, toolbars or add-ons.
From our report of Jul 2021 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Togosearching.com
- Eliminate the extension from your browser and clean web data/cache/cookies
How Togosearching.com got into your browser
From our report of Jul 2021 · not reviewed since
A browser hijack occurs during the installation of freeware or shareware.
This PUP might be promoted as a useful add-on or browser extension. However, most of the time, users agree to install them unintentionally.
Additional components usually are hidden under Quick/Recommended settings that do not openly disclose about third-party components and install them silently. To avoid this from happening, you have to choose Advanced/Custom settings and opt-out pre-selected entries.
Check your browser and PC
- Address:
togosearching.com
How to remove Togosearching.com
How to remove Togosearching.com 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 and delete togosearching.com
In Chrome open Settings > Search engine > Manage search engines and site search, make an engine you trust the default, and delete
togosearching.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 togosearching.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 3: Uninstall programs you did not mean to install
Togosearching.com 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 Togosearching.com 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.
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.
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 Jul 2021 · not reviewed since
The handbook of Togosearching.com elimination
Since Search by Togosearching is a browser extension, you need to eliminate it via the web browser.
If you have not yet undertaken this process, use the following instructions for Google Chrome (for other browsers, refer to the step-by-step guide below):
In some cases, this might not be enough, and you would have to clean your browser further. You can proceed with the below solution or employ to clean the browser automatically.
Additionally, you can remove the PUP automatically using anti-malware. Security software will simplify and speed up the hijacker's elimination. Below you can find our suggested software that already helped thousands of users in the United States, Denmark, , and Hungary.
- 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.
- 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.
Questions about Togosearching.com
Why does my search engine keep changing to togosearching.com?
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 togosearching.com 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.
Is togosearching.com a virus?
It is a browser hijacker, not a virus in the classic sense. togosearching.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 togosearching.com?
It is the search page used by the browser hijacker Togosearching.com. 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 togosearching.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 Togosearching.com, 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, Togosearching.com 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 togosearching.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 togosearching.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 Togosearching.com
- clear cookies and site data for togosearching.com
- treat sensitive searches made in the meantime as known to a third party
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.
Will Fortect remove Togosearching.com?
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 Togosearching.com, 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
- Comparitech: Browser hijacking: What is it and how do you prevent and remove it (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)
- Microsoft Learn: How Microsoft names malware (read October 6, 2026)