How to get rid of Bing redirect virus

Bing is one of the most popular search engines around, second only to Google. You’d think a search engine with so many users and the backing of Microsoft would be able to avoid clumsy bugs and viruses, but you'd be wrong.

Bing isn't the culprit, just the excuse for hackers to infect your system. Many users have no idea why Google keeps switching to Bing, or that the Bing search engine virus even exists. Bing is just the most recent example of a search engine being used as a front for malware; Google and Yahoo have both been victims, too.

We'll tell you why Google redirects to Bing, what to do if you notice Bing hijacking Google search, and how to keep your Mac free of malware so it never happens again.

What is Bing redirect virus?

When Google search redirects to Bing, or if you notice another search engine doing the same, it’s likely unwanted. If you’re not already using bing, chances are you prefer another search engine.

Like any virus, the Bing redirect virus is an attempt by hackers to take over your system. Once your system is hijacked, hijackers can do things like make changes to your system, install apps or services you don’t want them to, and change your search or browser behaviors. 

How did Bing redirect got into my Mac?

Most malware arrives to your computer the same way: you downloaded it.

Nobody purposefully downloads malware or viruses, they are hidden inside other software downloads. You may have thought you were downloading a book, movie, game, or other app and unwittingly downloaded a bit of spyware with it!

Is this Dangerous?

Malware isn’t always dangerous, but it’s never safe. Hackers don’t create malware to do anything good for your system!

It’s best to assume a Bing redirect virus Mac Chrome or other browsers display is bad news. When someone first notices it, they may wonder how to get rid of Bing on Mac – but that’s not the cure. In fact, you can’t really get rid of Bing; again, the search engine itself is fine. 

How to automatically remove Bing redirect

When you really want to get rid of the Bing redirect virus full, you need CleanMyMac X.

CleanMyMac X keeps your Mac running at peak performance, and has a module specifically designed for Malware. The development team behind the app constantly update the known malware and viruses list with new threats, including the Bing redirect virus. Simply scanning for malware shows you which viruses may have invaded your Mac.

Here’s how to check for malware and viruses with CleanMyMac X:

1. Open CleanMyMac X on your Mac
2. On the left side of the window, click “Malware Removal”
3. Click “Scan” at the bottom of the window. 

If your Mac has any viruses, including those caused by Bing redirect, CleanMyMac X will let you know, and offer to remove them for you. 

How to manually remove Bing Redirect from Mac

Although you can’t remove malware without unique software such as CleanMyMac X, you can stop the Bing redirect virus from affecting your Mac if you notice it. If I wanted to know how to get Bing off my search, I’d start with these two steps. 

Check Activity Monitor for any malicious entry 

1. Open Activity Monitor on your Mac
2. Select a process that looks suspicious
3. Click the ‘X’ icon in the top left corner of the window to stop the process from running. 

If you use iStat Menus for Mac monitoring, you can find the signs of malware infection by looking at the CPU module. See any unusual CPU hogs or processes you don’t recognize? It’s best to get rid of them. 

iStat Menus has tons of advanced monitoring tools the macOS Activity Monitor doesn’t have, some of which will come helpful in investigating Mac performance issues — fans, disk activity, network processes, etc. 

Check login items

Another thing to look into is login items. Sometimes, an app that shouldn’t be opening when you log in is opening for some reason and it could be a sign of a malicious process. The easiest way to check and possibly remove your login items is to use CleanMyMac X: 

1. Open CleanMyMac X > Optimization 
2. Choose Login Items
3. Select the items you want to stop from opening every time you log in and click Perform. 

To remove login items manually, go to System Preferences > Users & Groups. Open the Login Items tab and check the boxes in the Hide column next to login items. 

Delete virus redirect from Google Chrome

Chrome or other browsers can be at fault for carrying viruses, too. It’s most common with browser extensions, so here’s how to remove the Bing redirect virus on Chrome:

1. Open the Chrome browser on your Mac
2. In the URL bar, type the following command: chrome://extensions
3. Discover any extensions that may be suspicious. If you find one, click “Remove” in its tile. 

Remove Bing redirect virus from Safari

Here’s how to remove extensions that may carry the Bing redirect virus on Safari:

1. Open the Safari browser on your Mac
2. In the menu bar, select “Safari”
3. Select “Preferences”
4. Choose the “Extensions” tab
5. Select an extension
6. Click “Uninstall.”

If Safari is redirecting to the Bing landing page as your homepage, go to Safari > Preferences > General, and enter the homepage URL of your choosing next to “Homepage.”

Clean your Firefox browser

Here’s how to remove extensions from Firefox:

1. Open the Firefox browser on your Mac
2. Click the three-line menu icon on the top right of the window
3. Select “Add-ons”
4. Select “Extensions”
5. Next to an extension you’d like to remove, click the three-dot menu
6. Click “Remove.”

To change your homepage, follow these steps:

1. Open the Firefox browser on your Mac
2. Select the three-line menu icon on the top right of the window
3. Select “Preferences”
4. Select “Home” on the left side of the window
5. Next to “Homepage and new windows,” choose the homepage you prefer

Tip: Use CleanMyMac X to remove suspicious extensions across all your browsers at once. Open the app and choose Extensions in the left menu. Select all the extensions you want to get rid of and click Remove. 

Still worrying about your Mac?

CleanMyMac X is one of the best tools you can download to keep your Mac running in perfect shape. Not only will it remove malware and viruses, it helps you remove apps and all of that app’s associated files. Finder just deletes the app, but CleanMyMac X destroys any files an app left behind on your Mac. 

iStat Menus is another excellent app for your Mac, helping you monitor your Mac’s performance around the clock. Living in your menu bar, iStat Menus helps diagnose why your fans are spinning hard or your computer slows down. Often, malware and viruses take up tons of resources when infected with a virus, and iStat Menus can help you detect those issues early.

Viruses can also cause data loss, so having a reliable backup program is worthwhile. Get Backup Pro will help you back up your entire Mac, or just the data you really don’t want to lose.

If you do catch a pesky virus on your Mac, sometimes reverting to an older version is a helpful way to totally ditch the virus. Get Backup Pro creates fully bootable backups you can revert to any time, and allows you to backup folders on your Mac at different intervals. The app has a really powerful compression algorithm that reduces the overall size of compressed backups by up to 60 percent!

Save money on Mac malware removal with Setapp

Viruses and malware are always trouble, so you should have apps and services that keep you safe, and your data free from harm. 

All three of the apps mentioned here – Get Backup Pro, iStat Menus, and CleanMyMac X – are available for free during a seven day trial of Setapp, the world’s most complete suite of Mac and iPhone apps — over 240 in one pack! 

When the trial period ends, Setapp is only $9.99 per month for continued access. It’s an incredible deal for so many apps, so why wait? Give Setapp a try now!