Google Search redirect loop fix for Windows

When this happens

You type a search into Google, click the first result—maybe a blog post or a product page—and instead of loading that page, the browser bounces you right back to the Google search results. Sometimes it lands on a different search query, sometimes the same one. Either way, you never get to the page you clicked. I've seen this on Windows 10, Windows 11, and even older systems like Windows 8.1. The trigger is almost always after you've installed some freeware or a browser extension from a shady source. Had a client last month who picked up a "YouTube downloader" toolbar—next day, every Google click looped back.

What's actually causing it

The root cause is usually one of three things, and I've seen all three in the wild. Most common: a malicious browser extension that intercepts your clicks. These extensions look legit—maybe a "shopping helper" or "save to PDF" tool—but they inject JavaScript that redirects your clicks through ad servers. The second cause: a corrupted DNS cache or a bad entry in your Windows hosts file that points Google's result links to a different IP. The third and rarest: a actual browser redirect virus that's modified browser shortcuts to include a proxy command. Don't bother with antivirus scans for this—they rarely catch it. The fix is manual and fast.

Fix 1: Kill the bad browser extensions

Start here. 9 times out of 10, this alone fixes it. Open Chrome (or Edge, Firefox—same steps roughly). Click the three-dot menu, go to Extensions, then Manage Extensions. Look at every single extension. Disable any you don't recognize or don't need. If you see something like "Shopping Assistant," "Save to Drive," or anything with generic icons—turn it off. Then restart your browser and try Google again. If it works, remove the extension entirely. Don't just disable it—delete it. I keep a list on my phone of the worst offenders, and "Price Tracker Pro" and "Quick Note" are the top two I've seen in the past six months.

Fix 2: Flush the DNS cache

If fix 1 didn't work, the problem might be cached DNS that's pointing to wrong servers. Open Command Prompt as Administrator. Click Start, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, choose Run as administrator. Then type this and press Enter:

ipconfig /flushdns

You'll see a message saying the DNS resolver cache was flushed. Then run this to clear any stuck entries:

netsh int ip reset

Reboot your machine. Test Google again. I've seen this fix redirect loops that came from dodgy ISP DNS redirects or malware that changed local DNS settings.

Fix 3: Check the hosts file for hijacking

This one's less common but more insidious. Some malware adds lines to the Windows hosts file that reroute specific domains. Open Notepad as Administrator—right-click Notepad, choose More, Run as administrator. Then go to File > Open and paste this path:

C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts

You'll see a file with some commented lines starting with #. If you see any line that doesn't start with # and has a domain like google.com or doubleclick.net, delete that entire line. For example, something like 127.0.0.1 google.com or 0.0.0.0 www.google.com. Save the file (you might need to force save if it's read-only—right-click the file, Properties, uncheck Read-only). Reboot and test.

Fix 4: Reset browser settings to default

If none of the above worked, the browser itself might have a corrupted profile or a hidden proxy setting. In Chrome, go to Settings, click Reset and clean up, then Restore settings to their original defaults. This clears your homepage, search engine, pinned tabs, and extensions. It doesn't delete bookmarks, history, or saved passwords. For Edge, it's Settings > Reset settings > Restore settings to their default values. For Firefox, Help > Troubleshoot Mode, then Refresh Firefox. I usually do this last because it's nuclear—but when extensions and DNS fail, this works.

Still looping? Check the browser shortcut

There's a rare variant where malware editing the shortcut target itself. Right-click your browser icon, choose Properties. In the Target field—it should end with chrome.exe or msedge.exe or firefox.exe. If you see anything after that, like "--proxy-server=something" or "--enable-extensions" pointing to a weird path, delete that extra text. Click Apply, then test. I've only seen this twice in my career, but both times the client swore they'd already tried everything. It was just the shortcut.

Pro tip: if you're in a hurry, just run Malwarebytes AdwCleaner—it specifically targets browser redirectors and often cleans them in one click. But the steps above are more thorough and don't depend on third-party tools.

What to do if it still fails

If you've done all four fixes and the redirect loop is still there, it's time to check your network hardware. Try a different DNS server—Google's 8.8.8.8 or Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1. In Windows, go to Network Settings, Change adapter options, right-click your network, Properties, select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4), and manually set the DNS. Also check if the same thing happens on your phone connected to the same Wi-Fi. If it does, the problem is your router or ISP—not your computer. I had a client last year whose TP-Link router was infected with a DNS-changing exploit that redirected every device. Replacing the router fixed it. But for most people, the browser extension fix kills it dead.