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| A Firefox extension can change your search or homepage settings. Learn how to find the add-on causing the problem. |
If Firefox suddenly opens a different homepage, shows an unfamiliar new tab page or searches with a different engine, an extension is one of the most likely causes. Some extensions can take control of these settings, and Firefox can often show you which one did it. This guide shows how to find the extension responsible, remove it and restore your settings.
Signs that an add-on changed your settings
Mozilla lists these as typical signs that an add-on is affecting Firefox:
- Your default search engine changed unexpectedly.
- Your homepage or other browser settings changed.
- Searches or page loads redirect to a different website or search provider.
- Web pages show unexpected changes.
Not every change comes from an extension, but checking extensions first is the quickest test, and it costs you nothing.
Where to look first
| What changed | Where to check | Go to |
|---|---|---|
| Homepage or New Tab page | Settings, then Home | Step 1 |
| Default search engine | Settings, then Search | Step 2 |
| Firefox doesn't name any extension | Troubleshoot Mode | Step 4 |
| Settings come back after you fix them | Bundled software, shortcut or malware | Step 6 |
Step 1: Check whether Firefox names the extension (homepage and New Tab)
When an extension takes control of the homepage or New Tab page, Firefox asks you the first time it opens afterwards whether the change is okay. You can also see it later in Settings. This follows Mozilla's article An extension changed my New Tab page or home page.
- Open the menu and select Settings.
- Click Home (called Home and startup in newer versions).
- Look under New tabs in the Homepage section. If an extension changed the setting, it is named there.
- Click Restore defaults. Firefox then stops the extension from changing the page again, and the page goes back to what you had set before.
To choose your own homepage afterwards, see Mozilla's guide on how to set the home page.
Step 2: Check your default search engine
Mozilla notes that some extensions can set a new default search engine. To check:
- Open Settings and select Search.
- Look at the Default search engine setting. If an extension set it, Firefox shows a note saying so.
- Either disable or remove that extension, or pick the search engine you prefer from the drop-down menu.
If a search engine was installed by an extension, you can't delete it from the Search page. Mozilla says to remove it from the Add-ons Manager instead (Step 3). The full options are in Manage Firefox search settings. If you removed any built-in engines, the Restore Default Search Engines button brings them back.
Step 3: Disable or remove the extension
- Open the menu, click Extensions and themes, then Extensions.
- Find the extension you want to remove.
- Click the three-dot menu on its right and select Remove.
- If Firefox shows Restart now, click it. Mozilla says your tabs are saved and restored after the restart.
If removal doesn't work, you can disable the extension as a workaround. Mozilla also has an article for when you cannot remove an add-on.
Step 4: Find the culprit when Firefox doesn't name it
Mozilla's recommended method has two parts:
- Restart Firefox with add-ons disabled using Troubleshoot Mode. If the unwanted behaviour disappears, an add-on is involved.
- Restart Firefox normally, then disable your add-ons one at a time until the problem stops. The last one you disabled is the cause, so remove it.
Example (illustrative): You have five extensions installed, and searches keep redirecting to an unfamiliar site. In Troubleshoot Mode the redirect doesn't happen. Back in normal mode, you disable extensions one by one, and the redirect stops after you disable a "free PDF tools" extension you barely remember installing. That one goes.
Mozilla describes the process in Troubleshoot issues related to add-ons.
Step 5: Reset your homepage and search after removing it
After removing the extension, check that your settings are what you want. Mozilla says you may need to restore the default New Tab page, homepage and search engine yourself. Use Settings, then Home and Search. The relevant guides are New Tab page in Firefox, How to set the home page and Manage Firefox search settings.
Step 6: If the changes keep coming back
If the unwanted homepage or search returns after a restart, the extension may not be the only cause. Mozilla's guide to removing a toolbar that has taken over your Firefox search or home page lists these possibilities:
- Bundled software. Toolbars can arrive when you click an "Install" link, run a toolbar installer, or install other software that includes one. During installs, deselect any option for extra toolbars or bundled software you don't want.
- A customised copy of Firefox. Some software providers distribute their own version of Firefox. Mozilla says that if your installation was customised by another provider, you should uninstall Firefox and download it again from the official Firefox download page.
- A manipulated shortcut. If a page keeps loading even though you set a different homepage, the Firefox shortcut may have been changed. See Wrong home page opens when I start Firefox.
- Malicious software. If the unwanted toolbar, homepage and search engine return after every restart, Mozilla says you may have malicious software installed. Follow its guide to troubleshoot Firefox issues caused by malware.
Mozilla also notes that its Refresh Firefox feature can fix many issues by restoring Firefox to its default state while saving your essential information. Read what it keeps and what it resets before you use it, because it resets add-ons and settings. If you use Windows 11, you can also review the programs on your computer with our guide to uninstalling programs on Windows 11.
How to avoid it next time
- Install extensions from the Recommended Extensions program when one fits your need. Mozilla says these extensions are thoroughly evaluated for safety.
- Download Firefox only from the official Firefox download page.
- Read each installer screen and untick optional toolbars or bundled programs.
- Remove extensions you no longer use.
Conclusion
Start with Settings, because Firefox often names the extension that changed your homepage or search. If it doesn't, Troubleshoot Mode and disabling add-ons one at a time will find it. Remove the extension, restore your settings, and look at bundled software or malware only if the changes keep returning. For more on installation problems, see our guide to diagnosing failed software installations and our complete guide to fixing common software problems. Chrome users can read what to do when Chrome extensions disappear.
Frequently asked questions
Does Firefox warn me when an extension changes my homepage?
Mozilla says Firefox asks you the first time you open it after an extension takes control of the homepage or New Tab page. You can also see which extension is responsible in Settings, under Home.
Will removing the extension restore my old homepage?
Clicking Restore defaults in the Home settings brings back what you had set before, according to Mozilla. After removing a toolbar-style add-on, Mozilla says you may still need to reset your homepage, New Tab page and search engine yourself.
Is a changed homepage a sign of a virus?
Not necessarily. An extension or bundled software can cause it. But if the unwanted settings return after every restart, Mozilla says you may have malicious software and points to its malware troubleshooting guide.
Will Refresh Firefox delete my data?
Mozilla describes Refresh Firefox as restoring the browser to its default state while saving your essential information. It also resets add-ons and settings, so read Mozilla's article before using it.
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