How to uninstall the Babylon search engine from Windows, Chrome, Edge and Firefox

Applies to: Windows 11 and Windows 10 with Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge or Mozilla Firefox.

What Babylon search is

Babylon is a translation program. Its free version, and many free downloads that bundled it, used to install a Babylon toolbar and change the browser’s home page and default search engine to Babylon search (search.babylon.com or similar addresses). Security tools treat it as a potentially unwanted program (PUP) or browser hijacker rather than a virus: it doesn’t destroy files, but it changes your settings without a clear choice and shows its own search results and ads.

Because the change comes from installed software, just switching the search engine back usually doesn’t last. Remove the programs first, then clean each browser.

Step 1: Uninstall Babylon programs from Windows

1. Right-click Start and choose Installed apps (Windows 11) or Apps and Features (Windows 10).
2. Sort the list by install date, or search for Babylon.
3. Uninstall every entry with Babylon in its name, such as Babylon, Babylon toolbar or Babylon Chrome Toolbar. Select the three dots (or the app) and choose Uninstall.
4. Also uninstall other programs you don’t recognize that were installed on the same day, especially toolbars, “search protect” or “browser protection” tools, and download managers. These are often what reset the search engine.
5. Restart the PC.

If an entry won’t uninstall from Settings, try the classic list: press Win + R, type appwiz.cpl and press Enter. When an uninstaller asks whether to keep Babylon as your home page or search engine, choose No or clear those boxes.

Step 2: Remove Babylon from Chrome

1. Go to chrome://extensions and remove any Babylon or unknown extension with Remove.
2. Open Settings > Search engine, set Search engine used in the address bar to Google or another engine you trust, then open Manage search engines and site search and delete the Babylon entry (three dots, Delete).
3. Open Settings > On startup and remove any Babylon page, or choose Open the New Tab page.
4. If Babylon still appears, go to Settings > Reset settings and select Restore settings to their original defaults, then Reset settings. Bookmarks, history and saved passwords are kept.

For more on choosing a default search engine in each browser, see how to get rid of an unwanted search engine.

Step 3: Remove Babylon from Edge

1. Go to edge://extensions and remove any Babylon or unknown extension.
2. Open Settings > Privacy, search, and services, scroll to Address bar and search (in some versions it’s a separate Search and services page) and set Search engine used in the address bar to the engine you want. In Manage search engines, remove Babylon.
3. Check Settings > Start, home, and new tabs and remove any Babylon page.
4. If it persists, use Settings > Reset settings and select Restore settings to their default values.

Step 4: Remove Babylon from Firefox

1. Go to about:addons and remove any Babylon or unknown extension.
2. Open Settings > Search and choose your Default Search Engine. Remove Babylon from the Search Shortcuts list.
3. Open Settings > Home and set the homepage and new windows back to Firefox Home.
4. If it still comes back, type about:support in the address bar and choose Refresh Firefox. It removes add-ons and customizations but keeps bookmarks and passwords.

Step 5: Check browser shortcuts

Some hijackers add the Babylon address to the browser shortcut itself, so the page opens even after you fix the settings. Right-click the browser shortcut on the desktop or taskbar (on the taskbar, right-click the icon, then right-click the browser name), choose Properties and look at Target.

It should end with the program file, for example "C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe". Delete any web address after the closing quote, then select OK. If you’re unsure, unpin and delete the shortcut and create a new one from the Start menu.

Step 6: Scan for leftovers

Open Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, run a Full scan, and remove anything it finds. Make sure Potentially unwanted app blocking is turned on under App & browser control > Reputation-based protection settings so similar bundles are blocked next time. Our guide on how to scan for malware on Windows covers offline scans and second-opinion scanners if something survives.

If Babylon keeps coming back

• In Chrome, open chrome://policy. If you see policies you didn’t set (for example DefaultSearchProviderSearchURL pointing to Babylon) on a personal PC, a program has added browser policies. Edge shows the same at edge://policy. Removing the program that set them, then running a full scan, usually clears them.
• Check Settings > Apps > Startup and Task Manager’s Startup apps tab for unknown entries and disable them.
• Sign in to Chrome sync or Edge sync only after cleaning: a synced extension or setting can return on every device until you remove it from the synced profile.
• If nothing works, create a new browser profile and move your bookmarks into it.

Related guides

• How to get rid of an unwanted search engine in Chrome, Edge and Firefox
• How to Scan for Malware on Windows 11 and 10 (Free, Built-In Tools)
• How to disable Bing search in Windows 11 and Windows 10
• How to remove Ask search engine from Chrome, Edge and Firefox

Official sources: for more detail, see the vendors’ own pages:

• Google Chrome Help: Remove unwanted ads, pop-ups and malware
• Microsoft Support: Uninstall or remove apps and programs in Windows

Frequently asked questions

Is Babylon search a virus?

Not in the usual sense. It’s classed as a potentially unwanted program because it changes your browser settings and shows its own results and ads. It’s still worth removing, and the bundles that installed it sometimes include worse software.

Will resetting my browser delete my bookmarks?

No. A reset in Chrome or Edge, or a Firefox refresh, keeps bookmarks, history and saved passwords. It turns off extensions and clears cookies and site settings, so you may need to sign in to some sites again.

Can I keep the Babylon translator and remove only the search?

Usually yes: uninstall only the toolbar or search entries, then fix the browser settings. If the search engine keeps returning, the main program is likely resetting it and should go too.