Remove Maps Assist (Removal Instructions) – Chrome, Firefox, IE, Edge

Maps Assist is a browser hijacker that redirects all search results to Yahoo

Maps Assist

Maps Assist is a potentially unwanted application that users can encounter when downloading freeware from third-party websites, among others. While the installation can sometimes be intentional via Chrome Store, most find it on their Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, or another browser, seemingly out of nowhere due to deceptive distribution techniques.

Once installed, Maps Assist will append an extension to the used browser and change other preferences, such as the new tab/homepage, which would be set to mapsassist.com. Additionally, a fake search engine is also presented to users – each time they search for something online, they will be redirected to Yahoo.

Unlike the original Yahoo engine, however, Maps Assist hijack would show alternative search results, most of which are filled with sponsored links that the top. In the background, the PUA collects a variety of information about users – the practice is very common and used for targeted advertising, as well as sharing of such details with affiliates, service providers, as well as third parties.

Name	Maps Assist
Type	Browser hijacker, potentially unwanted program
Developer	Innover Group
Distribution	The extension can be downloaded from official sources, although most users install it through software bundle packages downloaded from third-party sites
Symptoms	Maps Assist extension installed on the web browser (in some cases, the hijack might be related to the installed application instead) Homepage and new tab URL set to mapsassist.com A customized search engine redirects all search results to Yahoo Search results filled with sponsored links
Risks	Installation of other unwanted software/malware, information disclosure to unknown parties, monetary loss
Removal	To uninstall the app, access the extension section of your web browser; in case the hijack is related to an installed application, follow the steps we provide in our instructions below
Additional steps	In case you can not eliminate the extension or an application, you should reset the installed browsers, and perform scans with powerful anti-malware, as well as repair software such as Fortect Intego

Browser hijackers are extremely common and can be downloaded from many different places. While not considered as major security threats, these unwanted programs should not be ignored, especially if they showed up on the system without permission.

Some browser hijackers, such as Mazy Search, Flare Search, or Search Marquis, are known to set “Managed by your organization” on the web browser, which may prevent an easy termination of these apps. Thus, if you fail to remove Maps Assist in a regular way through the extensions section, there might be that there is another PUP installed on your system, or your browser settings are not allowing you to do that.

Maps Assist is an extension that attempts to flaunt its functionality, in this case – directions and maps assistance. The maps function identically to Google Maps, however, so there is nothing unique about this functionality. Even if you choose to use this feature, keep in mind that it comes with a (hidden) cost that might not be so apparent straight away.

As soon as the hijacker gains access to the web browser, it changes the homepage, the new tab, and the search engine to a customized one. This way, users who search via these tools will be rerouted to a well-known provider Yahoo. Unlike regular Yahoo results, however, users will be presented with several Maps Assist ads at the top – these links are used for monetization by the hijacker authors.

While showing ads is a common practice, you should keep in mind that the top results are paid for and are not organic.^[1] As a result, the web browsing experience can be completely altered, and relevant information hard to find. In some cases, users might not even notice the “Ads” notification, and they might believe that their searches are genuine.

Maps Assist hijack

If you still wonder whether you should perform Maps Assist removal, you should check the website's Privacy Policy section. It soon becomes evident that the developers gather a large portion of information about you, some of which might be shared with third parties for marketing purposes. Examples of such collected data include:

IP address and Internet Service Provider (ISP)
Geolocation
Browser and installed extension information
Links clicked
Sites visited
Wallpapers downloaded
Uploaded files
Flight routes, etc.

As evident, such extensive data harvesting might cause serious privacy issues in case these details end up in cybercriminals' hands. Therefore, experts^[2] advise not risking and preventing third-parties from tracking you. As evident, the solution is to uninstall Maps Assist ASAP.

To do that, you should get rid of the Maps Assist extension – simply access browser settings. In some cases, the hijack could be related to another program installed on your system. In such a case, we recommend scanning the device with anti-malware such as SpyHunter Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes Malwarebytes and then fixing possible virus damage with Fortect Intego repair utility.

You can easily prevent unintentional installation of unwanted programs

Trojans^[3] are known to be installed when users believe that they are installing a legitimate program on their computer. The best example is a pirated application installer that offers to bypass the program's licensing process, allowing it to be used for free. Similarly, browser hijackers end up on users' computers without permission, although the major difference is that they install PUPs themselves – although they are tricked into doing so in the first place.

Software bundling is one of the most common PUP distribution tactics used regularly by various freeware authors and software distribution sites. This tactic involves incorporating several applications into a single installer and then tricking users into installing them unintentionally. For that, several deceptive methods are used, including:

Hiding optional programs under the Advanced/Custom installation settings;
Providing misleading button placements during the installation;
Including relevant information within the fine print, most of which is never read by users;
Pre-ticking checkboxes so that users miss the agreement of the installation of optional apps.

Thus, you should be vigilant when you install software from third-party sources (we recommend staying away from pirated programs and software cracks altogether – your machine could easily be infected with malware) – always pick Advanced/Custom settings instead of Recommended ones, read the installation instructions/fine print, untick checkboxes, and install powerful anti-malware that would warn you about potentially unwanted programs.

Maps Assist virus

Maps Assist removal instructions

As previously mentioned, there should not be too much trouble when trying to remove Maps Assist. This application typically comes as an extension and can be found either as an icon in the corner of the window or by accessing the settings of the web browser. However, there might be some difficulties when trying to uninstall the unwanted programs, as they might hijack the browser significantly (e.g., the “Managed by your organization” feature might prevent the elimination of the extension).

In such a case, Maps Assist removal can be performed with the help of browser reset – you can find the details below. Additionally, unwanted applications might also be installed on your system; you should check the installed program section via Control Panel (Windows) or Applications folder (Mac). Furthermore, you should also perform a full system scan with powerful anti-malware – it should also allow you to get rid of the invisible threats that could be present on your machine.

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.

Reset Internet Explorer

Remove dangerous add-ons:

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

Change your homepage if it was altered:

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

Delete temporary files:

Press on the Gear icon and select Internet Options.
Under Browsing history, click Delete...
Select relevant fields and press Delete.

Reset Internet Explorer:

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

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.

How to remove Maps Assist

Maps Assist is a browser hijacker that redirects all search results to Yahoo

You can easily prevent unintentional installation of unwanted programs