Hey, now, there are real human support volunteers here helping out, so please save your rage for other sites.

How bad is the situation --

(A) The default search engine changes from Google to Yahoo, but changing back is only successful until the next Firefox or system startup

(B) The default search engine changes from Google to Yahoo over and over and won't stay on Google

(C) The default search engine setting doesn't matter, the search is hijacked to Yahoo no matter what it says

As you know, Yahoo doesn't come with Firefox, it is most commonly injected by an add-on. So with that in mind: you can view, disable, and often remove unwanted or unknown extensions on the Add-ons page. Either:

• Ctrl+Shift+a (Mac: Command+Shift+a)
• "3-bar" menu button (or Tools menu) > Add-ons
• type or paste about:addons in the address bar and press Enter/Return

In the left column of the Add-ons page, click Extensions. On the right side, find the "Manage Your Extensions" heading.

If there is at least one extension before the next heading -- "Recommended Extensions" -- please continue:

Cast a critical eye over the list below that heading. Any extensions Firefox installs for built-in features are hidden from this page, so everything listed here is your choice (and your responsibility) to manage. Anything that mentions search, or private search, or looks suspicious or you just do not remember installing or why? If in doubt, disable (or remove). For your privacy and security, don't let mystery programs linger here.

After escaping the grip of a rogue add-on, you still might need to update your default search setting and remove suspicious one-click search engines. More on how to do that in this article: Change your default search settings in Firefox.

Any improvement?

Finally, to reduce the potential for reinfection, please supplement your regular security software with some of the well-regarded scanners listed in this support article: Troubleshoot Firefox issues caused by malware.

hi, firefox ships with google as the default engine - if yahoo is showing up without your knowledge that might be a sign of adware or a malicious addon being present on your system.

1. please go to the firefox menu ≡ > addons > extensions & remove any suspicious entries (toolbars, things that you have not installed intentionally, don't know what purpose they serve, etc).
2. also go to the windows control panel / programs and remove all toolbars or potentially unwanted software from there.
3. finally, run a full scan of your system with different security tools like the free version of malwarebytes & adwcleaner, which are specialised in adware and browser hijackers.

Remove a toolbar that has taken over your Firefox search or home page Troubleshoot Firefox issues caused by malware

I realized there are two other similar reports from Windows users in the space of 5 minutes, so something must be going around. Do you want to share your extensions list? You can copy/paste it from the Troubleshooting Information page. Either:

• "3-bar" menu button > "?" Help > Troubleshooting Information
• (menu bar) Help > Troubleshooting Information
• type or paste about:support in the address bar and press Enter

Scroll down past "Application Basics" and "Firefox Features" to "Add-ons". Then you can select and copy the table that follows (not the entire page, please, that's too much information) using either Ctrl+c or right-click > Copy and then paste it into a reply. It will be messy, but we're used it.

hi, firefox ships with google as the default engine - if yahoo is showing up without your knowledge that might be a sign of adware or a malicious addon being present on your system.

1. please go to the firefox menu ≡ > addons > extensions & remove any suspicious entries (toolbars, things that you have not installed intentionally, don't know what purpose they serve, etc).
2. also go to the windows control panel / programs and remove all toolbars or potentially unwanted software from there.
3. finally, run a full scan of your system with different security tools like the free version of malwarebytes & adwcleaner, which are specialised in adware and browser hijackers.

Remove a toolbar that has taken over your Firefox search or home page Troubleshoot Firefox issues caused by malware

Firefox Addons does not work at all. Damn. It goes to a blank new tab. I guess it is now important to not do anything

thanks for reporting back - please see if you can perform it once starting firefox in safemode: Troubleshoot extensions, themes and hardware acceleration issues to solve common Firefox problems

I realized there are two other similar reports from Windows users in the space of 5 minutes, so something must be going around. Do you want to share your extensions list? You can copy/paste it from the Troubleshooting Information page. Either:

• "3-bar" menu button > "?" Help > Troubleshooting Information
• (menu bar) Help > Troubleshooting Information
• type or paste about:support in the address bar and press Enter

Scroll down past "Application Basics" and "Firefox Features" to "Add-ons". Then you can select and copy the table that follows (not the entire page, please, that's too much information) using either Ctrl+c or right-click > Copy and then paste it into a reply. It will be messy, but we're used it.

From looking for Troubleshooting information I get "Sorry! There are no results for Options for "Troubleshooting Information"" Also the ADD-Ons no longer exists.

I guess firefox does not want people using it to be able to keep it. They want it uninstalled and thrown away.

The support volunteers guiding you through this diagnostic process are using Firefox right now, and it's working normally. We want you to succeed to maybe lay off the attitude and try the next step:

thanks for reporting back - please see if you can perform it once starting firefox in safemode: Troubleshoot extensions, themes and hardware acceleration issues to solve common Firefox problems

In its Safe Mode, Firefox temporarily deactivates extensions so if an extension is causing the problem, it won't be able to interfere in Safe Mode.

Yahoo was completely removed as one of the default search engines since Firefox 57.0 and later Releases.

There are some (possible) reasons as mentioned in https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/forums/contributors/712925

So I agree the Yahoo you are seeing is not from Mozilla or the Firefox web browser. Some form of malware or hijack perhaps. If you are seeing this recently then perhaps something you installed or updated recently took control.

I remember many years ago some ISP's used to send you to their own search pages that used say Yahoo if you say mistyped a url though you could often opt out of that feature somewhere on their page.

The support volunteers guiding you through this diagnostic process are using Firefox right now, and it's working normally. We want you to succeed to maybe lay off the attitude and try the next step:

philipp said

thanks for reporting back - please see if you can perform it once starting firefox in safemode: Troubleshoot extensions, themes and hardware acceleration issues to solve common Firefox problems

In its Safe Mode, Firefox temporarily deactivates extensions so if an extension is causing the problem, it won't be able to interfere in Safe Mode.

I did the safe mode. For one short time I could use Google search but now the shit is back. And again the ADD-Ons no longer exists. And Troubleshooting information does not exist. And yes the latest update was done. Firefox is now 100% hell. And I'm now using Chrome.

Yahoo was completely removed as one of the default search engines since Firefox 57.0 and later Releases. There are some (possible) reasons as mentioned in https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/forums/contributors/712925 So I agree the Yahoo you are seeing is not from Mozilla or the Firefox web browser. Some form of malware or hijack perhaps. If you are seeing this recently then perhaps something you installed or updated recently took control. I remember many years ago some ISP's used to send you to their own search pages that used say Yahoo if you say mistyped a url though you could often opt out of that feature somewhere on their page.

No all the updates for Firefox has happened. And I did the safe mode. For one short time I could use Google search but now the shit is back. And again the ADD-Ons no longer exists. And Troubleshooting information does not exist. And yes the latest update was done. Firefox is now 100% hell. And I'm now using Chrome.

Do you perhaps use a proxy or VPN connection?

Again no version of Firefox including the current 79.0 Release has anything to with Yahoo for a good while as Mozilla stopped including the Yahoo search engine ever since the Firefox 57.0 release.

Do you perhaps use a proxy or VPN connection? Again no version of Firefox including the current 79.0 Release has anything to with Yahoo for a good while as Mozilla stopped including the Yahoo search engine ever since the Firefox 57.0 release.

No I don't have Proxy or VPN. And again Firefox went up to 79.0 (64-bit) and they seem to love Yahoo.

I assume you are searching from the address bar. When you are typing, does the drop-down say Firefox will "Search with Google"?

If the drop-down mentions searching with anything other than Google, check your default search engine setting: Change your default search settings in Firefox.

If the drop-down mentions searching with Google, but results are delivered on a different site: What is the URL of the results page? You can copy paste from the address bar here. Due to the spam filter, your post will be diverted to moderation, but it will appear eventually.

No I don't have Proxy or VPN. And again Firefox went up to 79.0 (64-bit) and they seem to love Yahoo.

I beg to differ on that https://blog.mozilla.org/blog/2017/12/05/mozilla-files-cross-complaint-against-yahoo-holdings-and-oath/ as this was linked in the thread I mention earlier about the complete removal of Yahoo in Firefox.