Where did you install Firefox from? Help Mozilla uncover 3rd party websites that offer problematic Firefox installation by taking part in our campaign. There will be swag, and you'll be featured in our blog if you manage to report at least 10 valid reports!

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Why does ask.com become my default search engine everytime I update Firefox?

  • 1 reply
  • 5 have this problem
  • 6 views
  • Last reply by guigs

more options

Either when I update Firefox or when I update Java (I'm not sure which is responsible yet), ask.com becomes my homepage and my default search engine. When I type a query into the address bar and hit enter ask.com comes up instead of Google. I can fix my homepage easily but I have to use the about:config to change my search engine back which I really do not like to have to do. How can I prevent this? I think I've had viruses I prefer more than Ask.com's search page full of ads!

Either when I update Firefox or when I update Java (I'm not sure which is responsible yet), ask.com becomes my homepage and my default search engine. When I type a query into the address bar and hit enter ask.com comes up instead of Google. I can fix my homepage easily but I have to use the about:config to change my search engine back which I really do not like to have to do. How can I prevent this? I think I've had viruses I prefer more than Ask.com's search page full of ads!

All Replies (1)

more options

This happens when there is a hijacker or a toolbar that may have been installed. I think you may be spot on the Java update, I saw this on an question a year back http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2421591,00.asp

Please first try these steps: Remove a toolbar that has Taken over your Firefox Search and that article above.

Please post back with your results.