If you are also one of those users who are unable to change their search engines on Google Chrome on Mac, then you have stumbled on the right place.
If your browser suddenly started opening bing.com webpage instead of your preferred search engine, then your Mac is infected with a browser hijacker. Browser hijacker is a type of malware that often penetrates victims’ devices together with free programs and then integrates into the browser. This is happening to me too. I have removed Bing from Settings and I have even reset to default in Chrome. I looked in Applications on my Mac and I see nothing new and nothing related to Bing.
Apple could make Bing or Yahoo its default search engine, but they don’t meet Apple’s privacy stance, either. And they’re just objectively not as good as Google, so why bother? The Brave browser is a fast, private and secure web browser for PC, Mac and mobile. Download now to enjoy a faster ad-free browsing experience that saves data and battery life by blocking tracking software. The Bing homepage, and search engine provider that this hijacker imposes on the user’s browsers aren’t harmful. Bing is a legitimate search engine used by millions of users. However, in addition to the replacement of your search engine and starting page, the Bing Redirect Virus (Mac) may also install additional helper elements in your browser.
Users have claimed that there default search engine is changed to some website called ‘akamaihd.net‘, and they are unable to get rid of it. This issue was reported by users a few months ago and it still seems to be hanging around for some.
You can read some of the reports below:
Chrome won’t let me change my default search engine back to google after it shut down unexpectedly. I’ve tried Malwarebytes and deleted everything that came up. All the other solutions I found online was for windows, but I have a Mac. I’d rather only reset my chrome settings as a last resort. Please help!!!
(Source)
Unable to change default search engine in Chrome with search6188182-a.akamaihd.net Ran Malwarebytes and Sophos Home, which said my Mac is clean—no virus
(Source)
I don’t have a solution . . . only writing to say I’ve got the same problem–I’ve used Chrome for yearsss, and this just happened today. It seems “default290967113-a.akamaihd.net” has hijacked my google search engine. I tried two antivirus scans: malwarebytes and AGV; but neither did a thing. I also contacted Apple help and was on the phone with a tech person for 45 minutes, and they finally said, “Reach out to Google.” If Google/Chrome is listening . . . I’m on to other options and only to return if it is fixed.
(Source)
Notably, this issue has been covered by various publications and was termed as adware. But it hasn’t been covered as a hindrance to changing the default search engine, which is from an end user’s perspective.
Fortunately, there is a workaround available for this issue. According to a Google Chrome community member, you just need to remove malicious profiles from System Preferences.
This worked for me. 1. Go to System Preferences 2. Profiles 3. Remove the anonymous profile/s
And according to some users, the trick to remove suspicious profiles from the System preferences has indeed removed the culprit ‘akamaihd.net’ search engine.
Let us know in the comments below if you also faced a similar issue with Chrome on Mac and whether this workaround got you out of it or not?
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1,535 downloadsUpdated: April 11, 2016Ad-supported
Automatically perform custom queries and earn the rewards and free credit provided by Bing's loyalty program using this software solution
What's new in Bing Rewards Search Bot 1.1.0:
Proxies can now be used! You can now use (account)/(pass)/(proxy)/(port) in accounts.txt. If you don’t have a proxy, you can still use (account)/(pass)
Dashboard browsing by right clicking on the account on the left panel and selecting the option. Will use your proxy data so you can browse the redeem store and do daily rewards.
Disable random sentence generator. Useful if you have your own sentences typed up in the words.txt file.
New clear cache class function. This fixes the problem of seeing old accounts still logged in, when they really are not.
Read the full changelog
While some could argue that Microsoft is trying to bribe users into using their search engine, let us not forget that incentives are a common practice in all industries that focus on customers. If you are using the Bing rewards program, then you are updated about the requirements you need to meet to qualify the prizes.
As the name suggests, Bing Rewards Search Bot is an application designed to automate the process of searching for rewards based on your keywords or phrases.
Clean and straightforward looks, easy to use
After an outspoken installation, you are required to log in using your Bing account before you can gather rewards from performing queries. The program comes with an intuitive GUI that consists of the main window that enables you to view the searches that are conducted on Bing in real time.
As far as the functionality is concerned, you will be glad to learn that the application does most tasks automatically and you only need to provide your Live accounts. Although it uses your accounts, you can set the app to delete the login cookies and hence, make sure your accounts are safe
Enables you to perform customized searches
It is worth mentioning that the utility permits you to start the program with Windows and perform your daily searches automatically. Prison architect mac download. You can configure the app to do the daily task quietly in the background from the settings window. Moreover, you can specify if the prefer the program performs the queries using a keyphrase or keyword.
You should know that the application allows you to employ as many accounts as you want and you can switch between them to perform your daily queries. You can preview the account, mode along with the minimum and maximum speeds of the searches in the upper section of the window. Endicia for mac software download.
A tool for anyone enrolled in the Bing rewards program
All in all, if you are looking for a solution that enables you to perform the minimum searches on desktop and mobile necessary for the participants at the Bing rewards program, you can consider giving this app a try.
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Bing Rewards Search Bot was reviewed by Alexandra Sava
4.5/5
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Bing Account
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Bing Rewards Search Bot 1.1.1.0
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runs on:
Windows 10 Windows 8 Windows 7 Windows Vista Windows XP