Summary: Occasionally, when installing software it'll change your home page "for you". I'll walk you through why, and what to do to reset it.
I upgraded Internet Explorer to Version 8, and I've always had MSN as my homepage. Now, suddenly, the MSN homepage has changed to something called "Preview MSN". It has a white background. I hate it. Can I change it back, and if so, how do I do it?
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It's actually fairly annoying, but many software installation programs these days will offer to change your browser's home page "for you" to whatever they think it should be. Sometimes they don't even ask and just do it, which to me is simply unacceptable.
Since I create and use my own custom browser home page, it's more than a little annoying when it gets changed out from underneath me.
So yes, let me show you how to reset it, and throw out a tip or two to avoid it being changed again "for you" in the future.
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First, the basics - how to set your browser's home page.
Internet Explorer
First, navigate to the page that you want to use as your home page. That means if you want to use "iGoogle", Google's custom home page service, step one is simply to go there - http://www.iGoogle.com.
Then, while on that page, click on the Tools menu, Internet Options item, and then click on the General tab.
You can see the Google page in the background, and that the current Homepage in Internet Options is set to the MSN preview page.
Simply click the Use current button, followed by the OK button and your home page will be changed to the page you're currently viewing.
Firefox
The procedure for Firefox is similar.
First Navigate to the page you want as your new home page. Then click on the Tools menu, Options item, and the Main tab:
Once again you can see the Google page in the background, and that the current Home Page in the Options dialog is set to the MSN preview page.
Simply click on Use Current Page, and then OK, and the home page will be changed to the page you're currently on.
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How'd this happen?
There are typically three causes for an unexpected home page change.
It asked and you said yes.
This is perhaps the most common scenario. When installing software never accept the default settings that might be offered. Always choose the "custom" or "advanced" set of installation options when asked. The reason is simple - very often one of those default options is to change your browser's home page. Make sure you pay attention to all the options offered when you install or update software, and take care to opt-out of any changes like this that you're not interested in receiving. (Installing additional toolbars in your browser is another common option down this path.)
It didn't ask and did it anyway.
Some installation programs don't bother to ask. They simply assume that because you're installing what they have to offer, they have the right to change your home page as they see fit. In my opinion this is evil, but it happens. Watch for it as you install software, and prepare to revert using the instructions above if it does.
It's hard to call this much different than the third scenario...
Malware did it.
Spyware is absolutely notorious for hijacking home pages. Typically it's not to something as benign as an MSN preview page, but often to more questionable sites. Make sure you're running a good anti-spyware solution to protect yourself from this scenario.
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Update: A number of people are coming here because of an apparent change to the MSN home page. I've written a new article on that: How do I get the old msn.com homepage back?
Related:
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Why, in IE's Tools, Internet Options, is the Home Page selection grayed and unusable? In an effort to prevent malware from hijacking your browser's home page anti-spyware software may inadvertently prevent you from changing it as well.
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Why do I suddenly have another toolbar in my browser? Browser toolbars come from two places: the browser, and addons or toolbars you ask for. It's easy to ask for toolbars without realizing it.
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Spyware: How do I remove and avoid spyware? Spyware and other forms of malware are only becoming more common. We'll review the steps you need to take to avoid spyware and its fallout.
Article C3923 - November 13, 2009
Hey, switch to iGoogle.
Posted by: Alex Netherton at November 18, 2009 6:44 AMI entered uk.yahoo.com into IE8 & it brought up m.uk.yahoo.com. I followed your instrucions & clicked on Use Current, followed by clicking OK. I also changed the small browser window at top-right of IE8 from Microsoft to Google. Next time I brought up IE8, up came the old uk.msn.com/?ocid=iefvrt & the browser window again showed Microsoft instead of Google.
Posted by: Ron Shaw at November 18, 2009 11:57 PMWhen in Yahoo! I have more than once clicked on "Make Y! your homepage" which offers uk.yahoo.com "as your only home page", but next time I bring up IE8, I'm back with msn.com.
This homepage hijacking happened several months ago. At the time I was using MS Windows Dedender, & I have since switched to Malwarebytes, but neither has picked up the unwanted msn homepage & browser. I have run a full scan of MS Malicious S/W Removal tool which didn't detect anything.
However, when I click on Mozilla Firefox,up comes m.yahoo.com and Google in the browser window.
i cannot get "google advanced page" to remain as my honme page; it keeps reverting back to the normal GOOGLE page (with its goofy mouse-over highlights, etc).
I've selected their ADVANCED search, set it as the home page, it retains it for a couple time, then later it goes back to www.google.com
it is only on my VISTA tablet machine; my othe macchines seem to retain the settings
thanks
Posted by: nick at December 14, 2009 7:34 AMNick
You are my TOP MAN. I have been messing about for the last couple of hours to no avail. Ten minuets after reading your notes, HEY PRESTO, bring out the champagne, you have solved my problems. HAPPY NEW YEAR to you all over the water, from all us LIMEYS.
Posted by: ANTHONY EDWARDS at January 14, 2010 8:20 AMI do not like the glaring white..I am not able to get my local weather to show up as before and I like the old format much better..
Posted by: Tom at January 29, 2010 9:13 AMI am beginning to lok at other home pages.