Why Does My Search Engine Keep Changing to Secure Search?

"Secure Search" is a browser hijacker, not a real security tool — it gets installed alongside free software you downloaded, then resets your default search engine every time you try to change it back.

What Is "Secure Search" and Why Did It Take Over Your Browser?

Despite the reassuring name, Secure Search is a browser hijacker that redirects your searches through its own results page, which exists to generate ad revenue rather than to protect you.

The name is the whole trick. "Secure Search" sounds like a privacy or safety feature, which is exactly why people leave it alone after noticing it instead of removing it right away. In reality, it belongs to a long-running family of hijackers — most closely associated with the Conduit toolbar ecosystem — that took over default search settings on millions of computers throughout the 2010s and still circulates in newer, rebranded versions today.

A veteran malware researcher who has documented this exact category of software for years put it bluntly:

"This application, however, adds no real value and is created to redirect Internet users to search.conduit.com and prevent further modification of Internet browser settings by the user." — Tomas Meskauskas at PCrisk

That second half of the quote is the part that frustrates people most: some versions of this software actively block you from resetting your own search engine, which is what makes the problem feel like it's "stuck" rather than just inconvenient.

How Does Secure Search Get Installed?

Almost nobody installs Secure Search on purpose — it arrives bundled with a free program, PDF tool, or media downloader, hidden behind a default "Quick Install" option most people don't think to change.

As one malware-removal guide explains, the installation itself usually isn't sneaked past you so much as buried in front of you:

"The Conduit Search redirect is caused by a browser hijacker which is installed by the users, whether that is knowingly or not." — Stelian at MalwareTips

In practice, that means a checkbox you didn't notice during setup, agreed to without reading, or that was pre-checked by default. Free software bundlers make money by including offers like this, which is why the safest habit going forward is always choosing "Custom" or "Advanced" install options and unchecking anything you don't recognize.

How to Remove Secure Search for Good

Removing Secure Search means uninstalling the program or toolbar that installed it, not just changing your search engine setting back, since the hijacker is usually designed to reapply itself.

• Open your list of installed programs and look for anything mentioning "Secure Search," "Search Protect," "Conduit," or an unfamiliar toolbar from around when the problem started, and uninstall it
• Remove any matching browser extension from each browser you use — check Chrome, Firefox, and Edge separately, since a hijacker can affect more than one
• Reset your browser's search engine and homepage settings only after removing the program and extension, not before
• Clear your browser's shortcut target if you're on Windows, since some hijackers edit the shortcut itself to reopen a hijacked page regardless of your settings
• Run a dedicated anti-malware scan to catch leftover files or registry entries a manual uninstall typically misses

Why Won't It Let Me Change My Search Engine Back?

Some versions of this software include a "protection" feature that monitors your settings and reapplies its own search engine whenever it detects a change — which is the opposite of what its name implies. This is the main reason a quick manual reset doesn't stick: the program is still running in the background, undoing your change shortly after you make it. Removing the underlying program first is what actually breaks that cycle.

If your search engine changed to something else entirely, our broader guide covers the other common culprits:

Also Read: Why Does My Search Engine Keep Changing to Bing?

In Short

Secure Search is a browser hijacker that arrives bundled with free software and resets your default search engine, sometimes actively blocking attempts to change it back. The fix is to find and uninstall the program or toolbar behind it, remove its browser extension, and only then reset your search settings. A full anti-malware scan catches anything a manual uninstall leaves behind.

What You Also May Want To Know

Is Secure Search actually a virus?

It's typically classified as a "potentially unwanted program" rather than a virus, which means it doesn't usually destroy data or spread on its own, but it does install without clear consent and can be difficult to fully remove. Treat it as something to remove promptly rather than a minor annoyance.

Why does my search engine keep switching back to Secure Search after I reset it?

Because some versions actively monitor your browser settings and reapply themselves whenever you change them. The underlying program needs to be uninstalled first; resetting the search engine alone usually doesn't last.

Can Secure Search steal my information?

Some versions of this type of software track search queries and browsing habits to generate ad revenue, and a few have been linked to broader data collection. It's not guaranteed to be malicious in every case, but the lack of transparency around what it collects is reason enough to remove it.

How do I avoid reinstalling something like this?

Always choose the "Custom" or "Advanced" installation option when installing free software, and uncheck any bundled offers you don't recognize. Downloading software only from official sources also significantly reduces the risk.

Will antivirus software stop Secure Search from reinstalling?

Reputable anti-malware software will detect and block most known versions of this hijacker before installation, and can clean up an existing infection more thoroughly than a manual uninstall alone.

Reviewed and Updated on June 25, 2026 by George Wright