BrowserWatch (Removal Guide) - Easy Removal Guide
BrowserWatch Removal Guide
What is BrowserWatch?
Adware programs aggressively push BrowserWatch Chrome extension
BrowserWatch is a potentially unwanted program (PUP) that is widely promoted via adware programs. It’s a suspicious Google Chrome extension[1] that promises to improve browsing security and privacy. However, this add-on created by bdata-service.com is used for generating advertising-based revenue for the developers.
However, this extension might also be promoted in software bundles. It means the PUP might enter the system unnoticed. Due to this characteristic, users often refer to it as BrowserWatch virus. But it’s not the right term to describe this application because it cannot cause direct harm to your device.
After the BrowserWatch hijack or installation, you will find a small icon in the browser’s toolbar. However, it’s not the main problem. You might also have to deal with these obstacles:
- replaced homepage, default search engine or new tab address;
- delivery of annoying ads, pop-ups, banners and other types of online ads;
- constant redirects to suspicious websites;
- data tracking.
According to the research team from NoVirus.uk,[2] the biggest threats are related to BrowserWatch redirect tendencies. The PUP might open browser’s tab and force users to visit highly suspicious websites, including adult-themed, illegal software download or video streaming sites.
However, BrowserWatch might also redirect to tech support scam,[3] phishing or malware-related websites. For this reason, your chances to encounter cyber threats might increase after the hijack. Additionally, your privacy might be put at risk too.
The Privacy Policy of the program tells that this add-on collects non-personally identifiable information, such as browsing history or time spent online. However, in some cases, it might also collect personal information, such as full name or email address.
The problem is that aggregated details might be shared with third-parties. Of course, usually, they are advertising networks or companies. However, some delicate details might end up in the hands of cyber criminals too. Thus, BrowserWatch removal is necessary to protect your privacy.
Users are suggested to remove BrowserWatch with FortectIntego or another anti-malware software. However, you can also get rid of it and its related components manually. The guide at the end of the article will help you to succeed with this task.
BrowserWatch is a shady Chrome add-on that is promoted with the help of adware programs.
Two ways to install a hijacker
Browser Watch is available to download on the official website be-watches.com. This domain is actively advertised with the help of adware programs. Typically, these ad-supported applications arrive on the system in the freeware or shareware bundle. After the infiltration, they might alter browser’s settings and start redirects to this site.
This Chrome add-on might be spread in software bundles too. For this reason, it’s important to learn to install freeware correctly:
Use Advanced/Custom instead of Quick/Recommended installation settings;
Read EULA, Terms of Use, Privacy Policy and other provided information;
Remove ticks from pre-selected applications that are offered to download along with the primary program.
Uninstall BrowserWatch from Google Chrome entirely
There’s no doubt that you have to remove BrowserWatch extension from the browser. Thus, navigate to Chrome’s extensions and click the Trash icon next to this entry. Additionally, look up for other suspicious applications that may have been installed without your knowledge too.
However, potentially unwanted programs might also install additional components, or the same software bundle may have installed other undesired apps. Thus, you should check the list of installed programs too. To speed up this process, you should opt for the automatic BrowserWatch removal which requires scanning the system with anti-malware software.
You may remove virus damage with a help of FortectIntego. SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner and Malwarebytes are recommended to detect potentially unwanted programs and viruses with all their files and registry entries that are related to them.
Getting rid of BrowserWatch. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
Check the system for suspicious programs and uninstall them as explained below:
Instructions for Windows 10/8 machines:
- Enter Control Panel into Windows search box and hit Enter or click on the search result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
- From the list, find the entry of the suspicious program.
- Right-click on the application and select Uninstall.
- If User Account Control shows up, click Yes.
- Wait till uninstallation process is complete and click OK.
If you are Windows 7/XP user, proceed with the following instructions:
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel located on the right pane (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
- In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.
- Pick the unwanted application by clicking on it once.
- At the top, click Uninstall/Change.
- In the confirmation prompt, pick Yes.
- Click OK once the removal process is finished.
Delete from macOS
Check the list of installed apps and remove all the entries that might be related or came together in Mac OS X with BrowserWatch.
Remove items from Applications folder:
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for all related entries.
- Click on the app and drag it to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash)
To fully remove an unwanted app, you need to access Application Support, LaunchAgents, and LaunchDaemons folders and delete relevant files:
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and click Go or press Enter.
- In the Application Support folder, look for any dubious entries and then delete them.
- Now enter /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders the same way and terminate all the related .plist files.
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 on Uninstall at the bottom.
Clear cookies and other browser data:
- Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Privacy & security.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Select everything (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 Disable if you found any suspicious domain.
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.
If this solution failed to help you, you need to use an advanced Edge reset method. Note that you need to backup your data before proceeding.
- Find the following folder on your computer: C:\\Users\\%username%\\AppData\\Local\\Packages\\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe.
- Press Ctrl + A on your keyboard to select all folders.
- Right-click on them and pick Delete
- Now right-click on the Start button and pick Windows PowerShell (Admin).
- When the new window opens, copy and paste the following command, and then press Enter:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\\AppXManifest.xml” -Verbose
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.
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 unwanted plugin and click Remove.
Reset the homepage:
- Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
- Choose Options.
- Under Home options, enter your preferred site that will open every time you newly open the Mozilla Firefox.
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, as well as Cached Web Content and press 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
Open the list of Google Chrome extensions. Uninstall all questionable entries, including BrowserWatch. Then reset the browser to remove all invisible entries and tracking cookies.
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 the suspicious plugins that might be 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 unwanted extensions from Safari:
- Click Safari > Preferences…
- In the new window, pick Extensions.
- Select the unwanted extension and select Uninstall.
Clear cookies and other website data from Safari:
- Click Safari > Clear History…
- From the drop-down menu under Clear, pick all history.
- Confirm with Clear History.
Reset Safari if the above-mentioned steps did not help you:
- Click Safari > Preferences…
- Go to Advanced tab.
- Tick the Show Develop menu in menu bar.
- From the menu bar, click Develop, and then select Empty Caches.
After uninstalling this potentially unwanted program (PUP) and fixing each of your web browsers, we recommend you to scan your PC system with a reputable anti-spyware. This will help you to get rid of BrowserWatch registry traces and will also identify related parasites or possible malware infections on your computer. For that you can use our top-rated malware remover: FortectIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes.
How to prevent from getting adware
Stream videos without limitations, no matter where you are
There are multiple parties that could find out almost anything about you by checking your online activity. While this is highly unlikely, advertisers and tech companies are constantly tracking you online. The first step to privacy should be a secure browser that focuses on tracker reduction to a minimum.
Even if you employ a secure browser, you will not be able to access websites that are restricted due to local government laws or other reasons. In other words, you may not be able to stream Disney+ or US-based Netflix in some countries. To bypass these restrictions, you can employ a powerful Private Internet Access VPN, which provides dedicated servers for torrenting and streaming, not slowing you down in the process.
Data backups are important – recover your lost files
Ransomware is one of the biggest threats to personal data. Once it is executed on a machine, it launches a sophisticated encryption algorithm that locks all your files, although it does not destroy them. The most common misconception is that anti-malware software can return files to their previous states. This is not true, however, and data remains locked after the malicious payload is deleted.
While regular data backups are the only secure method to recover your files after a ransomware attack, tools such as Data Recovery Pro can also be effective and restore at least some of your lost data.
- ^ Christopher Kanaracus. Google Chrome Once Again Target of Malicious Extensions. Threatpost. Security news.
- ^ No Virus. No Virus. British cyber security news.
- ^ New tech support scam launches communication or phone call app. Microsoft Secure. The official website.