Conduit Search refers to a family of browser toolbars, search pages, and settings-changing software historically associated with Conduit. Security products may classify related components as a potentially unwanted application or browser hijacker. It can replace the homepage, new-tab page, or default search engine and may return after one setting is corrected.
Conduit is not a required part of Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Windows, or macOS. Remove it when you did not intentionally install it or cannot control the affected browser settings.
Signs of a Conduit browser hijacker
- New tabs or the homepage open a Conduit-branded or unfamiliar search page.
- Address-bar searches pass through an unexpected site before reaching another search engine.
- An unknown toolbar or extension appears in one or more browsers.
- The default search engine, startup pages, or notification permissions change again after correction.
- The browser reports "Managed by your organization" on a personal device.
- Search results contain unusually aggressive ads or redirects.
- The same unwanted settings reappear after browser synchronization.
How Conduit gets installed
Older Conduit components were commonly bundled with free software and toolbar installers. Similar browser hijackers still arrive through:
- installers that include preselected optional offers;
- fake updates, download buttons, codecs, converters, and cracked software;
- extensions installed from unofficial sources;
- notification prompts that imitate a download or verification step;
- browser policies or profiles added by unwanted software.
Remove Conduit from the operating system first
- Disconnect browser synchronization temporarily if it immediately restores the unwanted extension or settings.
- Open the installed-applications list and sort by installation date.
- Uninstall unfamiliar toolbars, search protectors, download managers, and applications installed with the first redirect.
- Review startup applications and scheduled tasks for the same publisher or installation path.
- Run an updated full security scan and quarantine related unwanted software.
- Restart normally before repairing browser settings.
Do not delete random registry keys or system files based only on the word "Conduit." Record the publisher and path and create a backup before changing unfamiliar system configuration.
Remove Conduit from Chrome
- Open Extensions → Manage extensions and remove unknown search, toolbar, coupon, converter, or new-tab extensions.
- Open Settings → Search engine and select the intended provider. Remove unwanted entries from site search where possible.
- Check On startup and remove unfamiliar pages.
- Check Privacy and security → Site settings → Notifications and revoke suspicious permissions.
- If redirects continue, use Reset settings → Restore settings to their original defaults.
Remove Conduit from Microsoft Edge
- Open Extensions → Manage extensions and remove unwanted items.
- Open Settings → Privacy, search, and services → Address bar and search and restore the desired search engine.
- Check Start, home, and new tabs for unfamiliar pages.
- Review notification permissions under cookies and site permissions.
- Use Reset settings if the configuration still returns.
Remove Conduit from Firefox
- Open Add-ons and themes → Extensions and remove unknown add-ons.
- Open Settings → Search and restore the default search engine.
- Check Home for altered homepage and new-window settings.
- Review notification permissions under Privacy & Security.
- If necessary, use Firefox's troubleshooting-information page to Refresh Firefox.
If Conduit keeps coming back
| Persistence source | What to check |
|---|---|
| Browser sync | Extensions and settings on every synchronized device; remove the unwanted item before turning sync back on. |
| Installed software | Applications, startup entries, services, and scheduled tasks that rewrite browser preferences. |
| Managed browser policy | Policy pages in the browser and device-management profiles. On a work device, contact the administrator rather than deleting policy. |
| Shortcut modification | The browser shortcut target should end with the legitimate browser executable, not an added URL or script. |
| Proxy or DNS change | Unexpected proxy, DNS, VPN, or hosts-file configuration. |
If every browser redirects in the same way, investigate system-level software, proxy, DNS, and network configuration rather than repeatedly reinstalling each browser.
After removal
- Update the browser and operating system.
- Clear unwanted site permissions and cookies for the redirecting domains.
- Change passwords only if you entered them on a suspicious page or evidence indicates credential theft; use a clean device when compromise is possible.
- Re-enable synchronization carefully and confirm the unwanted extension does not return.
- Install future software with optional offers disabled and verify the publisher.
Frequently asked questions
Is Conduit Search a virus?
It is more accurately described as a browser hijacker or potentially unwanted application than a self-replicating computer virus. Related installers can still expose users to unsafe redirects and additional software.
Will resetting the browser remove Conduit?
A reset can repair browser settings, but it may not remove the installed application, policy, scheduled task, or synchronized extension that changed them. Check the operating system and all synced devices.
Why does the redirect affect more than one browser?
The cause may be a system-level application, proxy, DNS setting, managed policy, or software installed into several browsers. Correcting only one browser leaves the shared cause active.