Stop Programs From Changing The IE9 Default Search Engine
Written by Alan Monday, 28 March 2011 08:00
One of the biggest headaches users face is web sites and programs that covertly change things like home pages and default search engines. It’s not only a hassle, but can also lead to spam, malware, and even fishing attacks. The programs that do this are not shady apps either – think Yahoo Messenger and Windows Live Essentials. Fortunately there is a way to stop your Internet Explorer 9 from changing your default search engine.
1. Open IE and click the cog (Tools) icon at the top right.
2. Select Manage Add Ons.
3. Click Search Providers in the left pane.
4. Highlight your preferred search engine and, near the bottom of the screen, put a check in the box next to Prevent programs from suggesting changes to my default search provider.
So now those pesky applications that you think you can trust can no longer just hijack your web browser. This is a really cool feature of IE9 and shows that Microsoft is finally starting to pay a bit of attention to these sorts of things.
Thanks but is not working “Stop Programs From Changing The IE9 Default Search Engine” process taht you suggested. I think is a program that made automatic the cghange, because any way I delete the provider and just let the one I want, it again change it when I satrt the browser.
If you have another suggestion I will appreciated.
I am usin windows live chat, may it is the one taht change?
regards
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Hi Alan,
I’m at a bit of a loss here. I would like to be able to get to the point where I set IE9 to not suggest changes to my preferred default search provider, but I can’t even set my preferred default search provider!
When adding the alternative search provider in IE9, by clicking on the “Find more search providers…” link in the “View and manage your Internet Explorer add-ons” screen, I am redirected to a regionalised (in my case AU) Internet Explorer Gallery Add-ons page. On this there is (strangely) a Google Accelerator, but no Google Search Provider!? From what I’ve been reading in my quest for an answer, it looks like the US gallery isn’t lacking the search provider; and I can’t comment on other regionalised gallery sites…
Also, in the IE8 gallery there was always an wasy to get to “custom” provider section, which made it pretty easy to set up a preferred provider that wasn’t in the gallery. This has also, unfortunately gone.
Call me cynical but, I expect Microsoft are going to gain a significant marketshare in search engine utilisation by making this more difficult!
David,
I am going to look into this and try to put together a post and how-to. Should be done in a few days. thanks for the heads-up.
Alan
Recherche actualités, Emploi, l ‘autre meta-moteur de recherche Sukoga.com…
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