Can't change default search engine on Chrome for Mac? Try this workaround

If you are also one of those users who are unable to change their search engines on Google Chrome on Mac, then you have stumbled on the right place.

Users have claimed that there default search engine is changed to some website called ‘akamaihd.net‘, and they are unable to get rid of it. This issue was reported by users a few months ago and it still seems to be hanging around for some.

You can read some of the reports below:

Chrome won’t let me change my default search engine back to google after it shut down unexpectedly. I’ve tried Malwarebytes and deleted everything that came up. All the other solutions I found online was for windows, but I have a Mac. I’d rather only reset my chrome settings as a last resort. Please help!!!

(Source)

,

Unable to change default search engine in Chrome with search6188182-a.akamaihd.net
Ran Malwarebytes and Sophos Home, which said my Mac is clean—no virus

(Source)

I don’t have a solution . . . only writing to say I’ve got the same problem–I’ve used Chrome for yearsss, and this just happened today. It seems “default290967113-a.akamaihd.net” has hijacked my google search engine. I tried two antivirus scans: malwarebytes and AGV; but neither did a thing. I also contacted Apple help and was on the phone with a tech person for 45 minutes, and they finally said, “Reach out to Google.” If Google/Chrome is listening . . . I’m on to other options and only to return if it is fixed.

(Source)

Notably, this issue has been covered by various publications and was termed as adware. But it hasn’t been covered as a hindrance to changing the default search engine, which is from an end user’s perspective.

Fortunately, there is a workaround available for this issue. According to a Google Chrome community member, you just need to remove malicious profiles from System Preferences.

This worked for me.
1. Go to System Preferences
2. Profiles
3. Remove the anonymous profile/s

(Source)

And according to some users, the trick to remove suspicious profiles from the System preferences has indeed removed the culprit ‘akamaihd.net’ search engine.

Let us know in the comments below if you also faced a similar issue with Chrome on Mac and whether this workaround got you out of it or not?

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