HiAnime is not a service you should treat as safe or currently verified in 2026. The original operation stopped working in March, and its community administrators later said it had ceased operations permanently. A page, app, APK, or browser extension that now uses the HiAnime name may be an unrelated clone. Simply opening a page does not prove that your device is infected, but the risk changes if you followed a redirect, allowed notifications, installed something, ran a file, or entered a password or payment card.
What happened to the original HiAnime?
HiAnime was part of a specific brand lineage. The U.S. Trade Representative’s 2025 Notorious Markets report describes HiAnime as the successor to AniWatch, which had itself followed Zoro.to; the report says the service adopted the HiAnime name in March 2024.[1] That history is different from 9Anime and its later AniWave name. The similar names do not mean the services shared an operator or an official successor.
After the HiAnime sites went offline, a HiAnime community administrator said on May 31, 2026, that the team had lost contact with the website operators and concluded the service would not return.[2] That announcement is the most useful answer to claims that a newly found domain or app is an official comeback: a familiar logo, copied catalog, or working player is not proof of continuity.
This article does not publish a mirror list or endorse a current HiAnime address. Search results can change quickly, and a clone may copy an old “official domains” page. Treat any claimed return as unverified unless ownership is established by evidence outside the site itself.
Is HiAnime safe? Decide by what happened
| Situation | Risk and what to do |
|---|---|
| An old bookmark stopped working or showed a goodbye page | Do not search for a replacement mirror from ads or social comments. The original service is no longer a dependable owner of the name. |
| A new site claims that HiAnime is back | Treat it as an unrelated clone until independently proven otherwise. Do not log in, install an app, or grant permissions to test it. |
| A Play button opened another domain | Close the destination. Do not complete a fake CAPTCHA, run a command, call support, connect a wallet, or pay a verification fee. |
| You allowed browser notifications | Revoke the permission. It can produce ads and fake security warnings after the streaming tab is closed. |
| You downloaded an APK, player, extension, or update | Do not run it. Delete or quarantine it and scan it. Ordinary browser video does not require an unknown codec or executable. |
| You installed or ran something | Remove the item, inspect browser and startup changes, and run a full device scan before using sensitive accounts. |
| You entered a password or payment card | Recover the account from a clean device, revoke sessions, enable MFA, and contact the card issuer if payment data was submitted. |
Why a HiAnime clone can look convincing
Copied branding and catalogs
A clone can reuse the name, colors, episode lists, and interface of a defunct service. HTTPS only protects the connection to the domain shown in the address bar; it does not establish who operates that domain. Search ads, social profiles, copied announcements, and a high-quality layout are also not ownership checks.
Look for the exact address in browser history rather than revisiting the page. Extra words, swapped letters, multiple subdomains, an unfamiliar top-level domain, or a different address after the first click are warning signs. A reputation report can add context, but a clean result for one URL cannot verify every embedded player, advertisement, redirect, download, or future response.
Fake Play buttons and redirect chains
The first click may open a pop-under, betting page, fake update, wallet prompt, or technical-support warning while the video page remains visible. That design makes the redirect feel like a necessary playback step. It is the same mechanism described in the guide to free streaming site scams.
Do not follow instructions that ask you to paste a command into Windows Run, PowerShell, Terminal, or a browser console. Do not install a “HD player,” “codec,” certificate, browser profile, or remote-support program. Close the tab; if it resists, end the browser process and reopen it without restoring the suspicious tabs.
Notifications that appear after the site is closed
A page may tell you to click Allow to prove you are human, confirm your age, or begin playback. Notification permission is not a CAPTCHA or player control. Chrome documents that site notification permissions can be changed under Settings → Privacy and security → Site Settings → Notifications.[3] Remove any unfamiliar allowed site rather than clicking the warning it sends.
These notifications often imitate antivirus alerts, prize messages, or subscription problems. If they continue, follow the fake virus alert cleanup steps instead of calling a number or downloading the advertised tool.
Unofficial apps, APKs, and extensions
An app store listing or signed package is not automatically an official continuation of HiAnime. Check the developer identity, publisher history, requested permissions, privacy policy, and distribution source. Avoid sideloaded APKs and extensions promoted by a clone, especially when they request accessibility control, notification access, device administration, broad browsing-data access, or permission to install other packages.
On Windows, do not run an EXE just because its name includes HiAnime, Anime Player, Update, or Codec. The safe EXE inspection guide shows how to check the path, signature, hash, and reputation before execution.
What to do after using a HiAnime-branded site or app
- Close the page and its redirects. Do not return to reproduce a pop-up. Use browser history to record the addresses if you need them for reporting.
- Check recent downloads. Remove unexpected installers, archives, APKs, disk images, scripts, and documents. Do not open a file to find out what it is.
- Revoke notifications. Remove unfamiliar allowed sites. Also block unexpected pop-ups and redirects for the affected domain.
- Remove unfamiliar extensions and apps. Sort by installation date when possible. Restart the browser or device and confirm the item does not return.
- Review browser changes. Check the search engine, home page, startup pages, proxy settings, and any “managed by your organization” message that appeared unexpectedly.
- Scan if a file or app ran. Removing the visible installer may leave a startup entry, scheduled task, service, browser change, or bundled module. Run a full Gridinsoft Anti-Malware scan, remove detections, reboot, and scan again if redirects or alerts return.
If hianime keeps showing unwanted pop-ups, you likely granted it permission to send notifications. To stop them, you need to revoke that permission in your browser settings.
- Copy and paste this into the address bar:
chrome://settings/content/notifications - Scroll down to the Allowed to send notifications list.
- Find hianime.
- Click the three dots (...) next to it and select Remove (or Block).
- Open Safari and go to Settings (or Preferences).
- Click the Websites tab and select Notifications on the left.
- Find hianime in the list on the right.
- Select it and click Remove (or change "Allow" to "Deny").
- Copy and paste this into the address bar:
about:preferences#privacy - Scroll down to Permissions and click Settings... next to Notifications.
- Type hianime in the search bar or find it in the list.
- Select the site and click Remove Website.
- Copy and paste this into the address bar:
edge://settings/content/notifications - Look under the Allow section.
- Find hianime.
- Click the three dots (...) next to it and select Remove (or Block).
- Copy and paste this into the address bar:
brave://settings/content/notifications - Scroll to the Allowed to send notifications list.
- Find hianime.
- Click the three dots (...) and select Remove (or Block).
- Copy and paste this into the address bar:
opera://settings/content/notifications - Check the Allowed to send notifications list.
- Find hianime.
- Click the three dots next to it and select Remove.
- Launch Chrome.
- Click the three dots (...) in the top right corner.
- Select Extensions > Manage Extensions.
- Click Remove next to the extension you want to delete.
Quick Access: Type chrome://extensions/ in the address bar.
- Open Safari.
- In the menu bar, click Safari and select Settings (or Preferences).
- Click on the Extensions tab.
- Select the extension and click Uninstall.
- Click the menu button, select Add-ons and themes.
- Go to the Extensions tab.
- Click the three dots (...) next to the extension and select Remove.
Quick Access: Type about:addons in the address bar.
- Launch Microsoft Edge.
- Click the three dots (...) in the top right corner.
- Select Extensions.
- Find the extension and click Remove.
Quick Access: Type edge://extensions/ in the address bar.
- Launch Brave browser.
- Click the menu icon > Extensions.
- Find the extension and click Remove.
Quick Access: Type brave://extensions/ in the address bar.
- Launch Opera.
- Click the Opera logo in the top left corner.
- Select Extensions > Extensions.
- Click the X or Remove button next to the extension.
Quick Access: Type opera://extensions/ in the address bar.
Open Extensions/Add-ons again and remove any entry linked to hianime or clearly out of place.
If you see hianime or other suspicious applications that you don't remember installing, you should remove them as well.
- Right-click the Start button and select Installed Apps (or Apps & Features).
- Scroll through the list to find hianime or any other unfamiliar program.
- Click the three dots (...) next to it and select Uninstall.
- Open Finder and go to the Applications folder.
- Locate hianime or any app you don't recognize.
- Drag it to the Trash.
- Empty the trash to remove it permanently.
- Go to Settings > Apps > See all apps.
- Find hianime or any suspicious app in the list.
- Tap on it and select Uninstall.
If the page or email made you download an invoice, coupon, tracking app, browser extension, or support tool, scan the PC before opening it again or logging into sensitive accounts.
Scan after an unverified app or downloadIf you entered a password, session, or card
Use a clean device for account recovery. Change the exposed password and every other account that reused it, sign out other sessions, enable multi-factor authentication, and review recovery addresses and email forwarding rules. Removing an app does not invalidate a stolen session or password.
If you submitted card details for “age verification,” a free trial, or a small identity check, contact the issuer through the official banking app or the number printed on the card. Ask whether the card should be locked or replaced, review pending transactions, and dispute unauthorized charges. A malware scan can inspect the device, but it cannot recover credentials or cancel a card transaction.
How to assess the address without revisiting it
- Copy the exact URL from browser history, not from a search ad or social reply.
- Check whether the first click moved to a different host.
- Review Downloads and browser permissions created at the same time.
- Use a URL reputation check as one signal, not a guarantee for the whole ad and redirect chain.
- Do not install a file, extension, certificate, or app simply to test whether the site works.
FAQ
Is HiAnime back in 2026?
No current return is verified by the original operation. The community administrators said the website had ceased operations after they lost contact with its team. Treat pages claiming to be a comeback as unrelated until ownership is independently established.
Is HiAnime the same as 9Anime?
No. HiAnime followed the Zoro.to and AniWatch names. 9Anime followed a separate history and later used the AniWave name. Similar anime-streaming names do not prove shared ownership.
Am I infected if I only opened a HiAnime clone?
Not necessarily. The lower-risk case is opening and closing the page without granting permissions, downloading or running anything, installing an app or extension, or entering data. Still check Downloads and notification permissions if redirects appeared.
Is a HiAnime app or APK safe?
Do not assume it is official because of the name or artwork. Verify the developer, store listing, signature, permissions, and reputation independently. Avoid sideloaded APKs or extensions promoted by an unverified clone.
Do a VPN or ad blocker make a clone safe?
No. They may change network routing or reduce some advertising, but they do not verify the operator, protect a password entered into a fake form, make an APK trustworthy, or neutralize a file you run.
References
- Office of the United States Trade Representative. “2025 Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy,” USTR, 2026, pp. 31–32; accessed July 22, 2026. ustr.gov/sites/default/files/files/Press/Releases/2026/2025%20Notorious%20Markets%20List%20%28final%29.pdf
- HiAnime Team Administrator. “The Future of HiAnime and Its Community.” HiAnimeZone community announcement, May 31, 2026; accessed July 22, 2026. reddit.com/r/HiAnimeZone/comments/1tssh8r/the_future_of_hianime_and_its_community/
- Google Chrome Help. “Use Notifications to Get Alerts.” Google, accessed July 22, 2026. support.google.com/chrome/answer/3220216
