Bettersearch.co is the app that targets to hijack your usual web browser
Bettersearch.co is a browser hijacker[1], which disguises itself under the appearance of a search engine. Despite the attempt to mimic well-known web directories like Google, Bing, or Yahoo, it is still categorized as a fraudulent search engine or a potentially unwanted program (PUP). Since security experts suggest avoiding using its services, we aim to provide a brief explanation of the reasons why.
Evaluating the reliability of this search engine, you should know that it is designed to collect various information about your browsing routine. The gathered data might vary from IP address to your e-mail address depending on the information you submit in the search bar.
| Name | Bettersearch.co |
|---|---|
| Type | Browser hijacker, potentially unwanted program |
| Distribution | Freeware installations, other PUPs, malicious sites |
| Issues | Redirects, sponsored content, suspicious pop-ups |
| Elimination | You can run anti-malware tool and remove the intruder properly |
| Repair | Rely on tools like FortectIntego and fix any issues with the system |
This feature of this search engine is programmed to use the collected data in providing advertisements on your frequently visited pages. It helps to trick you into clicking on those ads and generating pay-per-click revenue for the developers. Sponsored content and third-party ads can also appear on the screen. In my professional opinion, it is quite a strong reason to start Bettersearch.co removal right away.
However, the browser hijacker not only infiltrates tracking cookies on your browser, but also specific plug-ins, extensions, and add-ons. They help this PUP initiate certain modifications to set hxxp://bettersearch.co/ as your default search provider. It means that every time you launch your browser or open a new tab, you will be redirected to the fraudulent search engine and prevented from resetting the browser parameters.
Note that this unreliable program might lead to suspicious pages and proliferate malware infections on your PC as well[2]. If you are tired of the continuous redirects, you can employ professional security software such as SpyHunterCombo Cleaner, MalwarebytesMalwarebytes to get rid of the browser hijacker automatically.
We recommend this program since it is the quickest and safest way to remove Bettersearch.co virus from your system. To reach the best result, you can use the manual termination guide as well. It is presented at the end of this article, don’t forget to check.
PUPs hide in the installers of the freeware
Sadly, you have probably infiltrated the browser hijacker by yourself since it is bundled with third-party applications. If you wonder how, be aware that the developers invented a sneaky way to stealthily infect your PC — they offer Quick or Recommended settings and do not entirely disguise the information about PUPs in them.
Therefore, you can protect your computer from hijack by always choosing Advanced or Custom options. This way you will be able to detect the additional downloads if you follow the installation procedure carefully. The most important step is not to forget to unmark the pre-selected boxes which allow infiltrating unknown applications on your system.
The best method to uninstall the hijacker
Experts from NoVirus.uk[3] warn that due to the specific extensions which come along with the browser hijacker it is almost impossible to remove Bettersearch.co virus for a regular computer user. We suggest you use an antivirus program to circumvent the system of the PUP.
It is the simplest way since all you have to do is to download security software from the verified developers and let it scan your files thoroughly. Additionally, we attach manual Bettersearch.co removal instructions to guide you through the termination process and help reach the best result — a hijacker-free system within several minutes.
Uninstall from Windows
Uninstall from Windows 10/8:
- Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel (Windows XP users should click on Add/Remove Programs).
- In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.
Remove the unwanted program:
- In the Programs and Features window, look for any recently installed suspicious entries, select them, and click Uninstall.
- If User Account Control appears, click Yes to confirm, then complete the removal.
Delete from macOS
Remove the unwanted application:
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).
Delete leftover files and folders:
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
- Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.
- Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.
Remove from Microsoft Edge
Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:
- Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
- From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
- Click Remove.
Clear cookies and other browser data:
- Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- 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.
Restore new tab and homepage settings:
- Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
- Then find On startup section.
- Click Remove next to any suspicious startup page.
Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:
- Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
- Select Details tab.
- 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.
Instructions for Chromium-based Edge
Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):
- Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
- Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and site data:
- Click on Menu and go to Settings.
- Select Privacy, search and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Under Time range, pick All time.
- Select Clear now.
Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- On the left side, pick Reset settings.
- Select Restore settings to their default values.
- Confirm with Reset.
- This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.
Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
Remove dangerous extensions:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
- Select Add-ons.
- In here, select the unwanted extension and click Remove.
Reset the homepage:
- Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
- Choose Settings.
- Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.
Clear cookies and site data:
- Click Menu and pick Settings.
- Go to Privacy & Security section.
- Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
- Click on Clear Data...
- Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.
Reset Mozilla Firefox
If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
- Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.
- Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
- Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.
Remove from Google Chrome
Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
- Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
- In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all suspicious extensions related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and web data from Chrome:
- Click on Menu and pick Settings.
- Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
- Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
- Click Clear data.
Change your homepage:
- Click menu and choose Settings.
- Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
- 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:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
- Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
- Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
- Confirm with Reset settings.
Delete from Safari
Remove dangerous extensions:
- Open Safari, click Safari in the menu at the top-left of the screen, and select Preferences.
- Go to the Extensions tab, look for any suspicious entries, and click Uninstall to remove them.
Clear history and website data:
- Click Safari in the menu and pick Clear History.
- Set Clear to all history and confirm with Clear History.
Reset Safari:
- Click Safari in the menu and select Preferences > Advanced.
- Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
- From the menu bar, click Develop and select Empty Caches.
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