Guides / Protect
Browser Hijack Check
Looks for what browser hijackers and adware leave behind: forced settings, a changed search engine or home page, a proxy, blocked security sites and altered browser shortcuts.
When to use it
- Your browser opens a home page or search engine you did not pick.
- Your browser says it is "managed by your organization" on a home PC.
How to use it
- Open Brightfix and go to Protect.
- Choose Browser Hijack Check. Brightfix checks first and changes nothing yet.
- Read the list. Each item says what it is and what will happen.
- Tick what you want, then choose the button to go ahead.
What it changes
Only what you tick: removes forced browser policies, resets search and home page, removes the proxy, restores shortcuts.
What it never does
- Nothing is ticked for you.
- Never removes bookmarks, passwords or history.
Undo
Every fix can be undone from History and undo.
Advanced details
- Reads browser policy keys, Firefox policies.json, each profile's start and search settings, Internet Settings and the hosts file.
- Registry keys are backed up before every change.
Every action is logged with the time, the command, the result and the exit code.