how to get rid of searchmonsoo.com

Question

I recently had a virus that was deleted, but now my regular search in Chrome and Edge has been replaced with searchmonsoon.com. How do I delete this too?

Answer 1

Hello, thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A.

1

First, run a full system scan with Windows Defender or a reputable antivirus tool such as Malwarebytes to check for malware on your PC and remove anything you find.

2

Then go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps.

Check whether any unknown apps are installed on your device.

If you see any app that you do not recognize, uninstall it from your device.

3

Check your Edge and Chrome extensions.

Click the three dots in the top-right corner, then select Extensions.

Remove any unknown extensions you find installed.

4

Change your default search engine in both Chrome and Edge.

If you are using Edge, paste the following link into the address bar:

edge://settings/privacy/services/search/searchEngines

For Chrome:

chrome://settings/searchEngines

Select Microsoft Bing as the default search engine for Edge, or choose your preferred search engine. Do the same for Chrome.

If you see that a search engine isn't needed, remove it from the lists on both of your browsers.

Let me know if you still need more help.

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Answer 2

This is usually caused by unwanted software or a browser extension that changed the browser’s search settings. Remove the unwanted software first, then reset the search engine in Edge, and remove any suspicious extensions.

1. Remove suspicious apps from Windows:
   • Open Start > Settings > Apps > Apps & features.
   • Sort by install date if needed.
   • Uninstall any recently installed app that was not intentionally installed.
2. Check Edge extensions:
   • Open Microsoft Edge.
   • Select Extensions (puzzle piece) > Manage Extensions.
   • Remove or disable any extension that is not recognized or that may be changing browser settings.
3. Reset the search engine in Edge:
   • In Edge, go to Settings and more > Settings.
   • Select Privacy, search, and services.
   • Select Search and connected services or Search and connected experiences, then Address bar and search.
   • Choose the preferred search engine from Search engine used in the address bar.
   • Remove suspicious search engines from the list if shown.
4. If an extension says “managed by your organization” but the device is not actually managed:
   • Run a full scan with Microsoft Defender or another reputable antivirus product.
   • If the problem keeps returning after removal, run Microsoft Defender Offline:
     • Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > Virus & threat protection
     • Under Current threats, select Scan options
     • Select Windows Defender Offline scan > Scan now
   • Note: the PC restarts before the offline scan starts.
5. If the extension still cannot be removed, advanced cleanup is possible, but it is risky:
   • Warning: editing the registry or deleting Edge policy keys can affect browser management settings. Back up the registry first.
   • Check these locations in Registry Editor:
     • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge
     • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge
   • Delete only keys related to the unwanted extension.
6. To reduce reinfection risk:
   • Download software only from official websites or the Microsoft Store.
   • Use Microsoft Edge protections and keep Microsoft Defender Antivirus enabled.

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References:

• Unwanted software
• Microsoft Edge Extensions: Frequently Asked Questions
• Change your default search engine in Microsoft Edge
• Troubleshoot problems with detecting and removing malware