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  • Active
  • Severity: Medium
  • Browser Hijackers
  • Windows, Mac
  • Verified · Nov 2019

How to remove Search.fbdownloader.com

A step-by-step removal guide for affected devices. Follow the verified procedure below — most readers complete it in under 10 minutes.

Jake Doevan · Computer technology expert

FBdownloader.com is an application that offers automatic download of tagged Facebook photos but hijacks the browsers instead

Search.fbdownloader.com

Search.fbdownloader.com is a browser hijacker that is advertised as a useful tool that can help users download all the photos they are tagged on Facebook automatically. The app is known to spread as a browser extension FbDownloader, and is often promoted on third-party sites or included in software bundle packages – this allows the stealthy infiltration, and users rarely know where this potentially unwanted program came from.

Once installed, FbDownloader will automatically change the search engine, new tab address, and the homepage of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, or another browser to Search.fbdownloader.com without asking for direct permission first. After that, users will be forced to browse the internet via the hijacked engine, unless FbDownloader removal is performed.

While on the system, the search engine Search.fbdownloader.com will not show genuine search results but instead will present users with numerous sponsored links, display intrusive ads on all sites that they visit, secretly spy on their browsing habits and also automatically post on the Facebook wall.

Name Search.fbdownloader.com
Type Browser hijacker
Category Potentially unwanted program
Extension FbDownloader
Infiltration  Software bundles, third-party sites, ads 
Risks involved  Installation of other potentially unwanted programs, money loss, data disclosure to unknown parties
Symptoms  Changes web browser settings, shows sponsored links, shows intrusive ads, etc. 
Termination You can delete the hijacker manually by following our guide below or scanning your system with security software
System optimization To make sure your computer is in its best shape, use FortectIntego

Right away, the hijacker sparks suspicions – you cannot access its supposedly official site search.fbdownloader.com. Besides the mentioned feature, hijackers also tend to:

  • redirect to sponsored web pages
  • promote rogue security tools
  • bother users with annoying online surveys
  • display more advertising content beside the search tools

Such search tools, which trigger more doubts rather than evoke the impression of reliability, tend to be a part of pay-per-click advertising.[1] Thus, expecting efficiency from this tool might be too naive. Instead, we suggest you remove Search.fbdownloader.com by either scanning your machine with anti-malware or terminating the extension manually as explained below. Additionally, if you are experiencing frequent system crashes or other unwanted Windows behavior, use FortectIntego for a quick fix.

Search.fbdownloader.com PUP

Besides excessive advertising techniques and fake search results, Search.fbdownloader.com is also known for its information tracking. Just as many other browser hijackers, this app will record your time online – data like IP address, links clicked, visited sites, technical details of your device, Cookies,[2], etc. will be sent off to unknown parties. Besides that, Search.fbdownloader.com hijacker also asks for personal data like name and email, as claimed in the Privacy Policy:

In order to download and use the Software Application, you will be asked for certain personally identifiable information such as name and email address. The information you provide may be used by us to communicate with you in the future.

The information gathered by Fbdownloader.com is then used for targeted advertising so that the displayed ads would be more relevant to you. While some of this content might be harmless, some of the sites that the PUP might link you to tech support scam (such as “VIRUS ALERT FROM MICROSOFT” or “Your PC is infected with 3 viruses“), phishing, spoofing, or even malware-laden sites.

Therefore, never click on content if you get redirected, as well as use top links that are provided at the top of your search results. Instead, get rid of Search.fbdownloader.com virus by removing the unwanted program from your system – check the bottom section of the article to see how.

Taking inspiration from social media

FbDownloader is one of the dozens of similar search tools which seemingly grant you the privilege to download large sized videos and photos. Similarly, there have been multiple Youtube video counterparts. However, only a few of them happen to be legitimate.

The information gathering, however, is not the only problem when it comes to browser hijackers like Search.fbdownloader.com. The potentially unwanted application can also greatly influence the websites that you visit, and so affecting articles you read, products you purchase and even form your views on various topics.

Also, you should not disregard FbDownloader redirect phenomenon. Since the PUP concentrates on advertising, it might direct users to unsafe domains as well.[3]Furthermore, you should not download any software promoted by this PUP as you may download a compromised app as well. Thus, you may be inclined to remove FbDownloader right away.

Search.fbdownloader.com AV detection

Preventing the installation of PUP-like programs

Installation of potentially unwanted programs is a common occurrence. What is not common, however, is the knowledge where these applications come from, as most users simply find their homepage hijacked seemingly out of nowhere. However, it could not be further from the truth, as most computer infections are initiated by users themselves, and PUPs are not an exception.

Most of the unwanted programs reach your machine during the installation of freeware or shareware applications you download from third-party sites. While there is nothing illegal about software bundling, the technique was perfected over the years to reduce the chances users will notice that additional components are offered during the installation of the desired application.

Thus, never rush the process: watch out for small print, pre-ticked boxes, misleading offers, deceptive buttons, and never pick Recommended/Quick settings. Instead, opt for Advanced/Custom mode, and you will be able to get rid of the optional programs before they manage to enter your computer.

Eliminate search.fbdownloader.com components

You can choose from two Fbdownloader removal options. Manual instructions are provided below – you need to enter the list of the installed applications and carefully check each one of them. Be aware that some PUPs hide under different names or might not even be visible under the installed program list.

If you are in a rush, let an anti-spyware tool remove search.fbdownloader.com virus for you. The software will also get rid of its cookies and web objects – simply download a reliable anti-malware and perform a full system scan. After you are sure that no unwanted programs are present on your device, make sure you reset each of the installed browsers to prevent Fbdownloader hijacker from showing you the sponsored links.

Note that the hijacker targets every country's users, be it the Netherlands[4] or Greece.

Uninstall from Windows

Uninstall from Windows 10/8:

  1. Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
  2. Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 10/8

Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:

  1. Click on Windows Start > Control Panel (Windows XP users should click on Add/Remove Programs).
  2. In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 7/XP

Remove the unwanted program:

  1. In the Programs and Features window, look for any recently installed suspicious entries, select them, and click Uninstall.
  2. If User Account Control appears, click Yes to confirm, then complete the removal.Uninstall the unwanted program from Windows

Delete from macOS

Remove the unwanted application:

  1. From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
  2. In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).Uninstall from Mac

Delete leftover files and folders:

  1. Select Go > Go to Folder.
  2. Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
  3. Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.Delete leftover files from Mac
  4. Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.

Reset Internet Explorer

Remove dangerous add-ons:

  1. Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top-right corner of the browser
  2. Pick Manage Add-ons.
  3. You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for suspicious plugins. Click on these entries and select Disable.Remove add-ons from Internet Explorer

Change your homepage if it was altered:

  1. Open IE and click on the Gear icon.
  2. Select Internet Options.
  3. In the General tab, delete the Home page address and replace it by your preferred one (for example, Google.com).
  4. Click Apply and then select OK.Reset IE homepage

Delete temporary files:

  1. Press on the Gear icon and select Internet Options.
  2. Under Browsing history, click Delete...
  3. Select relevant fields and press Delete.Clear temporary files from Internet Explorer

Reset Internet Explorer:

  1. Click on Gear icon > Internet options and select Advanced tab.
  2. Select Reset.
  3. In the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset.Reset Internet Explorer

Remove from Microsoft Edge

Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:

  1. Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
  2. From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
  3. Click Remove.Remove extensions from Edge

Clear cookies and other browser data:

  1. Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
  2. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  3. Select Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear.Clear Edge browsing data

Restore new tab and homepage settings:

  1. Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
  2. Then find On startup section.
  3. Click Remove next to any suspicious startup page.

Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:

  1. Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
  2. Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
  3. Select Details tab.
  4. Now scroll down and locate every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right-click on each of them and select End Task to stop MS Edge from running.Reset MS Edge

Instructions for Chromium-based Edge

Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):

  1. Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
  2. Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chromium Edge

Clear cache and site data:

  1. Click on Menu and go to Settings.
  2. Select Privacy, search and services.
  3. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  4. Under Time range, pick All time.
  5. Select Clear now.Clear browser data from Chroum Edge

Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. On the left side, pick Reset settings.
  3. Select Restore settings to their default values.
  4. Confirm with Reset.
  5. This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.Reset Chromium Edge

Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
  2. Select Add-ons.
  3. In here, select the unwanted extension and click Remove.Remove extensions from Firefox

Reset the homepage:

  1. Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
  2. Choose Settings.
  3. Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.

Clear cookies and site data:

  1. Click Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Go to Privacy & Security section.
  3. Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
  4. Click on Clear Data...
  5. Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.Clear cookies and site data from Firefox

Reset Mozilla Firefox

If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
  2. Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.Reset Firefox 1
  3. Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
  4. Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.Reset Firefox 2

Remove from Google Chrome

Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

  1. Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
  2. In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all suspicious extensions related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chrome

Clear cache and web data from Chrome:

  1. Click on Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
  3. Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
  4. Click Clear data.Clear cache and web data from Chrome

Change your homepage:

  1. Click menu and choose Settings.
  2. Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
  3. Click on Open a specific or set of pages and click on three dots to find the Remove option.

Reset Google Chrome:

If the previous methods did not help you, reset Google Chrome to eliminate all the unwanted components:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
  3. Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
  4. Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
  5. Confirm with Reset settings.Reset Chrome 2

Delete from Safari

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Safari, click Safari in the menu at the top-left of the screen, and select Preferences.
  2. Go to the Extensions tab, look for any suspicious entries, and click Uninstall to remove them.Remove extensions from Safari

Clear history and website data:

  1. Click Safari in the menu and pick Clear History.
  2. Set Clear to all history and confirm with Clear History.Clear history from Safari

Reset Safari:

  1. Click Safari in the menu and select Preferences > Advanced.
  2. Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
  3. From the menu bar, click Develop and select Empty Caches.Reset Safari

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