Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and the Yahoo Answers website is now in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

Other than "Manage Search Providers", how can we reset which site is used for our internet searches?

"Ask" somehow set itself up as my 'default' search if I type in the ADDRESS bar (not the Search box, top right) in Internet Explorer. I have set my DEFAULT search provider to Google, but Ask still overrides it. I think there is something set in my start-up, but not sure. How do I find - and CHANGE - this? I do not like Ask!

Update:

I can't change my browser. The system is at work and won't allow that.

5 Answers

Relevance
  • ?
    Lv 7
    10 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    Hello there,

    I've had this happen to me too, it gets installed along with something else you wanted and downloaded. The easiest way to get rid of it was to uninstall the toolbar from the installed programs. If it asks if you want to keep 'Ask' as the default search engine, click no!

    Here is how:

    Windows XP:

    Close all open Web browsers

    From the "Start" menu in Windows, select "Control Panel"

    Select "Add/Remove Programs"

    Select the program with the Ask logo and the text "Ask Toolbar" (or our partner’s brand for a custom Toolbar)

    Click "Change/Remove"

    Windows Vista:

    Close all open Web browsers

    From the "Start" menu in Windows, select "Control Panel". Under the "Programs" icon, select "Uninstall a program"

    Select the program with the Ask logo and the text "Ask Toolbar" (or our partner’s brand for a custom Toolbar)

    Click "Uninstall" and then "Continue" to remove the Toolbar

    Windows 7:

    From your computer's 'Start' button, select 'Control Panel'

    Click the "Uninstall a Program" option found under the "Programs" category

    Select the program with the Ask logo and the text "Ask Toolbar" (or our partner's brand for a custom Toolbar)

    Click 'Remove'

    You can also uninstall the toolbar directly from the toolbar

    Click on the chevron (down arrow) on the Option button on the toolbar

    Select "Uninstall" from the drop down menu

    Click "Yes" when asked "Are you sure you want to uninstall this product"

    Close all open web browsers

    Click "OK" on the popup window

    If that does not work try the "HijackThis by Trend Micro" it will identified and removed the Ask.com browser helper.

    All the best to you, and I hope that this helped you.

    Barbara

  • Anonymous
    5 years ago

    Manage Search Providers

  • 10 years ago

    I have had this happen too, but I learned my lesson to not use IE anymore period, try Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Opera. BUT, in IE, this might not be the right answer but you seem to have already gone to 1. tools 2. internet options 3. general 4. search providers - settings 5. choose one then close and then "ok". so if so I think you may have installed a program that snuk this onto you. If this happened recently, just do a system restore to when things were right, or uninstall the program that "carried" this sneek installation of ASK into your system. it did not happen without your approval, but we "approve" these things without knowing it sometimes. If none of this helps I apologize, and will seek more advice and get back to you. Happy trails...

  • Anonymous
    5 years ago

    Its plenty greater relaxing this way. some people relatively dont have a clue wot they are talking approximately yet they pretend they know all of it. countless the solutions are hillarious. in case you like a competent source of information persist with utilising the internet. often times its superb just to get different peoples opinions on issues and not unavoidably a right away answer.

  • Anonymous
    10 years ago

    First of all, stop using Internet Explorer, unless of course you want to get malware on your computer.

    Google is Google Chrome's default search engine, use that.

Still have questions? Get your answers by asking now.