Mar212012

How can I set the search engine used by Chrome back to the default?

Nedim Baši? asks:

I installed some software and it changed the default search engine in Google Chrome. I guess it’s a virus, or something like that. The problem is that on the option in Chrome it says that Google is the default, but that’s obviously not the case. I tried to re-install Chrome and tried to delete browsing data but nothing worked. Can anyone help me? This problem means I can’t type search content into the URL field, and that’s a feature I can’t live without.


Browser: Chrome 17
System: Windows
Tagged: , , ,

Comments for this Question are closed.

If you are looking for help, please ask a new question here.

We will be happy to help you!

4 Answers -

0 votes

Karkala Nayak

March 21, 2012

Hello,

you can check out chrome help section to “Set your default search engine”

Here is the link
http://support.google.com/chrome/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=95426 

Happy surfing!

0 votes

ha14

March 21, 2012

if you suspect you have a virus that do this.
boot to safe mode and scan your windows with malwarebytes antimalware, superantispyware, clamwin portable.

then reinstall chrome and see you can get your search engine back.

In this path there is Web data file C:UsersdanielAppDataLocalGoogleChromeUser DataDefaultWeb Data.
If you want to change the default search provider in Google Chrome you have to modify ‘Web Data’ file wich is an SQLite file.
See the content of file with SQLite Database Browser or SQlite studio
http://sqlitebrowser.sourceforge.net/
http://sqlitestudio.one.pl/index.rvt
http://groups.google.com/a/googleproductforums.com/forum/#!category-topic/chrome/give-feature-feedback-and-suggestions/ElfXYc48cCo

you can also delete webdata and re-open google chrome to see if it will restore default search?

0 votes

Nedim Baši?

March 21, 2012

I managed to find some software over revo uninstaller that was installed but it wasnt found over control panel… so i uninstalled it and everything is back to normal. Thanks for the help and for replying so fast.

ha14

glad your issues were fixed, thanks for your reply.

March 21, 2012
0 votes

Gordon Hay

March 22, 2012

This query is an object lesson in reading each dialogue box carefully when installing a new program – some will add a default search engine like Ask, Crawler etc. unless you uncheck it when it appears in the box. Also others will try to sneak in trial versions of other programs (McAfee with adobe updates for instance) if you don’t spot and uncheck the permission box.