How to Remove Yahoo from Safari: A Simple Guide

If you’ve been using Safari as your primary web browser, you may have noticed that Yahoo has taken over your search engine, homepage, or new tab layout. For many users, this can be bothersome, especially if you prefer another search engine like Google, Bing, or DuckDuckGo. Don’t worry; removing Yahoo from Safari is a straightforward process. In this blog post, we will guide you step-by-step on how to revert back to your preferred settings.

Step 1: Change Your Default Search Engine

Changing your default search engine in Safari is the first step to removing Yahoo from your browsing experience. Here’s how to do that:

1. Open Safari on your Mac or iOS device.
2. For Mac Users:
   • Click on Safari in the menu bar at the top left corner of your screen.
   • Select Preferences from the dropdown menu.
   • In the Preferences window, click on the Search tab.
   • You will see a dropdown list next to “Search engine.” Click on it and select your preferred search engine (like Google or Bing).
3. For iOS Users:
   • Open the Settings app on your device and scroll down to find Safari.
   • Tap on Safari and then tap on Search Engine.
   • From the available options, select your preferred search engine.

Step 2: Remove Yahoo from Your Homepage

Next, you’ll want to ensure Yahoo isn’t set as your homepage or what appears when you open a new tab.

1. For Mac Users:
   • Go back to Safari and select Preferences from the menu.
   • Click on the General tab.
   • In the “Homepage” field, you will see the current homepage URL. Simply delete the Yahoo URL and replace it with your preferred homepage (like https://www.google.com or any other site you prefer).
   • To apply this to new tabs, find the “New tabs open with” dropdown, and select Homepage if that aligns with your new settings.
2. For iOS Users:
   • Again, navigate to the Settings app.
   • Scroll down and select Safari.
   • Look for the option labeled Start Page or Homepage and change it to your desired URL if necessary.

Step 3: Check for Extensions and Remove Any Unwanted Add-ons

Sometimes, Yahoo can hijack your browser settings through installed extensions or add-ons. It’s essential to check for and remove any suspicious extensions.

1. For Mac Users:
   • Open Safari and click on Safari in the menu bar.
   • Select Preferences and then click on the Extensions tab.
   • Review the list of installed extensions. If you see any that look unfamiliar or that you don’t remember installing, select them and click on Uninstall.
2. For iOS Users:
   • Open the Settings app.
   • Scroll down to Safari and tap on Extensions. Review the installed extensions and remove any that are unnecessary.

Step 4: Reset Safari (if necessary)

If after performing the above steps Yahoo still appears, consider resetting Safari to its default settings.

For Mac Users:

1. Open Safari.
2. Click on Safari in the menu bar and select Clear History.
3. Choose the time range and then click Clear History.
4. You can also go back to the Preferences and on the Privacy tab, click Manage Website Data. From there, you can remove any data that could be linked to Yahoo.

For iOS Users:

1. Go to Settings and scroll down to find Safari.
2. Tap on Clear History and Website Data, then tap again to confirm.

Removing Yahoo from Safari can seem like a daunting task, but by following the steps outlined above, you can easily restore your preferred browsing experience. Remember to regularly check your settings and installed extensions to further ensure that your browser remains free of unwanted changes. Happy browsing!