Remove Easy Searching App (Improved Guide)

Easy Searching App – a redirect virus that inserts ads into your searches

Easy Searching App

Easy Searching App is a potentially unwanted program with plenty of browser-hijacking^[1] qualities and can usually be found as an extension on Google Chrome. While some users might install the app after accessing a suspicious site promoting it, most people find it on their browsers unexpectedly. This happens due to a prominent software distribution technique known as bundling, where several applications are compiled into a single installer, typically downloaded from third-party websites.

Most browser hijackers change the homepage and new tab address of the browser upon installation. The so-called Easy Searching App virus is sneakier in this regard, as it makes invisible changes in the background. Despite this, users' searches are altered – they are injected with ads and sponsored links, which can be quite a frustrating experience. Thus, if your homepage is set to Google and your browser's address bar is briefly showing keysearchs.com or other URLs, you are likely dealing with a browser hijacker.

Name	Easy Searching App
Type	Browser hijacker, potentially unwanted program
IP address	104.18.37.162
Distribution	Software bundle packages, deceptive ads, fake update prompts
Symptoms	Homepage and new tab address is set to something else; searches are rerouted through keysearchs.com, my-sreach.com, or search-checker.com; search results are filled with sponsored links, etc.
Risks	While browser hijackers pose minimum security risks, under certain circumstances, users might infect their devices with other PUPs, disclose their personal information to unknown parties, or suffer financial losses
Removal	You can uninstall potentially unwanted programs by following the manual guide below or by scanning the computer with powerful anti-malware software
Optional steps	Computer infections can cause significant damage to system files or disrupt normal settings. To revert these changes and remediate the OS, perform a full system scan with Fortect Intego repair software

Due to deceptive distribution techniques, some users might not even be aware of the Easy Searching App hijack. In other words, those who use google.com as their main search provider might not spot major differences post-infection, as the homepage URL remains the same. Nonetheless, research has shown that some users experience extensive browser hijacking symptoms, which include:

Unknown browser extension(s) installed without permission;
All searches are redirected to Bing, Yahoo, or another provider;
Search results are littered with sponsored links;
Suspicious URLs, such as keysearchs.com, my-sreach.com, or search-checker.com can be seen when searches are performed;
Decreased overall browsing experience.

There are thousands of browser hijackers on the market (for example, UltimateStreamSearch, DailyLocalGuide, Dosearch Lite, and others), and most of them have a lot in common. Security experts^[2] generally do not consider such apps as malware, hence anti-virus tools such as SpyHunter Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes Malwarebytes often detect them as potentially unwanted programs or do not detect them at all. That being said, it does not mean that they can not negatively impact users' web browsing experience.

Once installed, Easy Searching App changes the browser settings to feed users with promotional offers and ads. Typically, an already established search provider is used, such as Yahoo, Google, or Bing, but the provided results are not genuine, as they go through special filters/redirects. Since sponsored ads are shown at the top, users are more likely to click on these links.

In the meantime, users might struggle to find relevant information they have been looking for or be persuaded to install particular software or buy promoted products online. These offers are not necessarily always beneficial for users, hence they might lose their money buying items or programs that do not satisfy their needs.

Easy Searching App virus

Besides the meddling of search results, Easy Searching App removal is also warranted due to the information gathering practices. Most potentially unwanted programs gather data for marketing purposes – IP address, ISP, geo-location, visited sites, history, timestamps, cookies, and other details are harvested and then used for personalized advertisements. This increases the profits of the developers.

To remove Easy Searching App, all you have to do is find the extension and uninstall it from your web browser. If you need more details, check the bottom section of this post. Experts also advise performing a full system scan with anti-malware software and then fixing potential virus damage with repair tools such as Fortect Intego.

Culprit of the unintentional PUP installation – software bundling

There is a reason why potentially unwanted programs are called that way – they are mostly unwanted. Users would typically not install them on purpose; PUPs often include questionable functionality that often brings no benefits for the end-users. To make these apps viable, developers often distribute them via software bundles, widely available on third-party software hosting sites. In these situations, the pay-per-install^[3] technique is often used, as it allows to spread these questionable apps easier and benefit both parties – distributors and developers.

While bundling is not quite fair, it is a legitimate marketing practice, so each time you visit a third-party site to download apps, you are at risk of bringing in browser hijackers or other programs. For that reason, you should be vigilant when dealing with such situations and always scrutinize the installation process of the desired program.

You should never rush through steps, read the installation instructions carefully, decline all the offers, read the fine print, and, most importantly, always pick Advanced/Custom settings rather than Recommended/Quick ones if prompted. You then would be able to remove all the ticks from the checkboxes that would otherwise grant permission for optional components to be installed.

Delete Easy Searching App from your browser with ease

One of the good things about browser hijackers is that they are typically easy to get rid of – especially if the symptoms are caused by an extension. In such a case, all you have to do is access the settings section of your browser and remove Easy Searching App from the list. While you are there, it is also worth checking for other unwanted apps, as they often travel in bulks, so it might be that you also permitted other PUPs to be installed without realizing it.

Easy Searching App

Keep in mind that other potentially unwanted applications might be installed on your operating system, so you can follow the steps we provide below to eliminate them correctly. Likewise, for more sneakier infections or malware, you can employ security software that would find and eliminate all the PUPs automatically for you (Easy Searching App removal in such a way could also be possible, so you can try that as well).

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 Easy Searching App

Easy Searching App – a redirect virus that inserts ads into your searches

Culprit of the unintentional PUP installation – software bundling