Clear Search browser hijacker ads: what it is and how to remove it
Clear Search is a browser hijacker that changes your homepage and search engine to show ads and sponsored content. It typically arrives through bundled software and installs unwanted toolbars and extensions.
Facts checked October 5, 2026. Removal steps tested on Windows 11 (26H2) and checked against Microsoft's and the browser makers' current documentation. Sections marked as our earlier report are the original text: they describe the threat as it was then and have not been reviewed since. The 2026 status, the removal steps and the questions are current.
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Clear Search browser hijacker ads: summary
| Distribution | Freeware installations, other PUPs, deceptive pages, pirating services |
|---|---|
| Name | Clear Search browser hijacker |
| Type | Redirect, shady search engine |
| Category | Potentially unwanted program |
| Issues | Searches go through the clear-search.com engine, redirects show advertisements |
| Ip address | 104.21.93.70 |
| Removal | Scan the PC with security software to find and remove the malware and anything installed with it. Fortect scans Windows for malware and repairs the system files and settings it damaged. Remove it nowTo use the full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Fortect. The scan is free. |
Show 9 more facts
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
|---|---|
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Symptoms | Redirects to an unknown domain |
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Domains | clear-search.com |
| Ads shown as | Redirects through ad pages |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge and Firefox |
| First seen | 11 May 2022 |
| Facts checked | 5 October 2026 |
Is Clear Search browser hijacker ads dangerous?
From our report of May 2022 · not reviewed since
Clear Search browser hijacker is the program manipulating the browser settings
Clear Search browser hijacker is a potentially unwanted program that tries to control what content users see and get exposed to.
The browser-based programs alter various settings and preferences to particularly inject advertisements and other shady content on the pages people browse constantly. These settings include homepage, new tab, and default search engine changes.
By altering those settings, the Clear Search browser hijacker ensures that all searches go through the particular engine, and results can be injected with ads, filled with sponsored content, links and banners. These results are heavily controlled by the PUP developers, so you may be exposed to advertising pages instead of accessing needed material online.
Clear Search browser hijacker is a rogue browser extension that can operate on the browser and cause redirects to other pages besides the particular clear-search.com search engine. The application can also install toolbars, other applications, and browser extensions. It triggers various performance and speed issues, so you should remove it ASAP.
From our report of May 2022 · not reviewed since
Browser hijacker overview
Clear Search browser hijacker or any browser-based program like adware or the shady tool can infiltrate the machine silently.
Experts note that silent infiltration methods and stealthily distribution techniques that these PUPs rely on. You might install the browser application yourself if you fall for the tricks and deceptive claims on ads.
Those promotional advertisements can offer various deals and fake the legitimacy, and usefulness of these browser tools and Clear Search browser extension. However, downloading anything from the internet can cause issues. These promotional ads and other free sites, and torrent pages can spread PUPs.
The fake search engine is a program that should never be used because all the redirects and sponsored materials lead to dangerous content online. These programs are based on ad-supported services, and the particular Clear Search browser hijacker can trigger speed, privacy, and financial issues. Remove the useless application right away.
From our report of May 2022 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Clear Search browser hijacker
- AV tools can find and remove various applications like this PUP
- Run and fix issues related to the virus damage
Check your browser and PC
- Address:
clear-search.com
How to remove Clear Search browser hijacker ads
How to stop the Clear Search browser hijacker redirects
Work in this order and test a few links after each step, so you know which one was the cause.
Step 1: Check the browser's extensions
Redirects to
clear-search.comon sites that normally behave mean something in the browser is sending you there. In Chrome openchrome://extensions, in Edge edge://extensions, in Firefox the menu > Extensions and themes.Remove every extension you do not remember adding, especially new tab, search, coupon, PDF or video downloader add-ons. The extension pages look the same on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Chrome on Windows 11: More > Extensions > Manage extensions. Full procedure with screenshots: Remove a browser extension
Step 2: Reset the browser if the redirects continue
If
clear-search.comstill opens after the extensions are gone, put the browser's settings back to their defaults. In Chrome open Settings > Reset settings > Restore settings to their original defaults; in Edge Settings > Reset settings; in Firefox Help > More troubleshooting information > Refresh Firefox.Tip: Bookmarks and saved passwords stay, while site permissions, the start page and the search engine are reset.
Redirects that survive a reset in every browser point to a program installed in Windows 11 or Windows 10, so uninstall anything you do not recognise in Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
Chrome on Windows 11: Settings > Reset settings. Full procedure with screenshots: Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine
Step 3: Scan the PC if you downloaded anything from the ads
If you only saw the notifications and clicked nothing, you can stop before this step. If a notification led you to download or run something, delete that file, then scan Windows.
In Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, run a Full scan, then choose Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) and Scan now. The offline scan restarts the PC and takes about 15 minutes on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options. Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan
Instructions for each browser and system
The detailed steps for every browser and system this guide covers. Open the one you use.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Do not let government spy on you
The government has many issues in regards to tracking users' data and spying on citizens, so you should take this into consideration and learn more about shady information gathering practices.
Avoid any unwanted government tracking or spying by going totally anonymous on the internet.
You can choose a different location when you go online and access any material you want without particular content restrictions. You can easily enjoy internet connection without any risks of being hacked by using VPN.
Control the information that can be accessed by government any other unwanted party and surf online without being spied on. Even if you are not involved in illegal activities or trust your selection of services, platforms, be suspicious for your own security and take precautionary measures by using the VPN service.
Backup files for the later use, in case of the malware attack
Computer users can suffer from data losses due to cyber infections or their own faulty doings.
Ransomware can encrypt and hold files hostage, while unforeseen power cuts might cause a loss of important documents. If you have proper up-to-date backups, you can easily recover after such an incident and get back to work. It is also equally important to update backups on a regular basis so that the newest information remains intact - you can set this process to be performed automatically.
When you have the previous version of every important document or project you can avoid frustration and breakdowns. It comes in handy when malware strikes out of nowhere. Use for the data restoration process.
From our report of May 2022 · not reviewed since
Eliminate the PUP from the machine
Clear Search browser hijacker can be removed with the help of or and other security or anti-malware programs.
These applications can run the full system scan and check the machine for any possibly damaging programs or files and viruses. These apps fully clear the machine and help you avoid serious damage.
The removal process is important because these intruders can control various processes and trigger changes in the machine. Various files and settings altered by the Clear Search browser hijacker can trigger issues with the machine and the performance of other programs. It is important to restore the machine, so there are no vulnerable parts that can lead to PUP infiltrations again.
These applications like Clear Search browser hijacker sometimes can add various other applications, so these browsing experiences are affected, and the experience diminished. The removal of PUPs might not fix these issues that are controlled by the browser-based applications, so you might want to manually remove them from there.
From our report of May 2022 · not reviewed since
How do you deal with the altered preferences?
The potentially unwanted program can run in the background and cause issues with the machine because all the issues created are intrusive and annoying while surfing the internet.
Clear Search browser hijacker can damage the machine with these changes, so you should reset the browser fully to restore all these settings.
The particular browser plugin is mainly affecting Google Chrome browsers because this is the most popular application. However, resetting the browser means all of the settings get changed back. Homepage and search engine alterations are the most annoying because this is how the PUP controls users' habits. Make sure to clear the settings.
Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
Clear cache and web data from Chrome:
Change your homepage:
Reset Google Chrome:
If the previous methods did not help you, reset Google Chrome to eliminate all the unwanted components:
Manipulated internet browser settings like a default search engine, homepage, and new tab settings can trigger additional processes and issues with the performance. Clear Search browser hijacker needs to be removed and cleared off of the machine with all the related applications, browser-based programs, or malicious files.
The existence of these programs that expose you to particular advertising material can lead to issues with the machine and performance, but there is third-party involvement that triggers privacy issues. Data tracking issues can lead to identity theft and security problems with your computer. Avoid keeping the PUP on the system for a long time.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
- Confirm with Reset settings.
Questions about Clear Search browser hijacker ads
What is Clear Search browser hijacker?
Clear Search is a potentially unwanted program that manipulates your browser settings to control the content you see. The hijacker alters your homepage, new tab page, and default search engine to direct searches through clear-search.com. It injects advertisements and sponsored content into search results while appearing to deliver normal searches.
The browser extension also installs toolbars, other applications, and additional extensions without permission. These changes are designed to display ads alongside legitimate results, routing clicks to sponsored websites that benefit the hijacker's developers through pay-per-click schemes.
How does it enter my computer?
Clear Search spreads through freeware installations, other potentially unwanted programs, deceptive advertisement pages, and pirating services. You likely installed it unknowingly when downloading free software from third-party sites without using Advanced/Custom installation settings.
Users who click through with Recommended/Quick options miss the opportunity to uncheck optional components. Deceptive promotional ads on the internet may convincingly present the tool as useful, but these claims are false. Websites distributing pirated software and cracks often bundle such hijackers to maximize monetization.
What changes does it make to my browser?
Clear Search modifies the homepage to display clear-search.com, sets new tab pages to this domain, and replaces your default search engine. It injects sponsored links and advertisements directly into your search results, appearing above legitimate results.
The program installs unwanted browser extensions and may add performance-impacting programs to your system. These changes trigger speed and stability issues. Your browser may become noticeably slower, and you'll see intrusive banner ads, pop-up ads, and sponsored content throughout your browsing sessions.
What risks does this hijacker pose?
Clear Search creates serious privacy and financial risks beyond browser performance problems. The program tracks your browsing habits and sells this data to third parties, potentially enabling identity theft and security breaches. Sponsored links direct you to potentially dangerous websites that may install additional malware.
The hijacker's advertising partners and data collectors access your personal browsing information without consent. Clicking suspicious ads may compromise your computer further. Websites promoted by the hijacker may charge substantial money for products or scam you entirely.
How do I remove Clear Search from Chrome?
Open Google Chrome and click the Menu button (three vertical dots) in the top-right corner. Select More tools > Extensions to view all installed extensions.
Identify suspicious plugins related to Clear Search and click Remove for each one. Then click Menu and select Settings. Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
Check all boxes including Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, and Cached images and files, then click Clear. Check the On startup section and remove any clear-search.com page entries by clicking the three dots and selecting Remove.
How do I reset Chrome completely?
Open Chrome and click Menu, then select Settings. Scroll down and click Restore settings to their original defaults. This removes all hijacker modifications and restores Chrome's default behavior.
Confirm the action when prompted. This process eliminates custom homepage settings, search engine changes, startup pages, and browser extensions installed by the hijacker.
After resetting, verify that your homepage and search engine are correctly set to your preferred options. You may need to sign back into your Google account and restore extensions you actually want to keep.
How do I remove it from Firefox?
Click the Menu button and select Add-ons and themes. Navigate to the Extensions section and look for Clear Search or related extensions.
Click the three-dot menu next to each suspicious extension and select Remove. Then open Menu > Options and go to the Privacy & Security section. Scroll to Cookies and Site Data, select it, and press Clear.
Under the Home tab, verify your homepage is set correctly, not to clear-search.com. Clear your browsing history and cache through the same menu to remove tracking residue.
How can I prevent this from happening again?
Always download software from official sources and avoid third-party or torrent websites. Use Advanced/Custom installation mode for all programs and carefully read through terms and conditions before installing anything. Uncheck every pre-ticked optional component and decline all bundled offers.
Verify applications are useful and have positive reviews before installing them. Avoid high-risk websites including gambling, adult, and online dating sites where such ads commonly appear. Install reputable anti-malware software that offers real-time protection and scans for potentially unwanted programs before installation.
Will Fortect remove Clear Search browser hijacker?
Fortect scans Windows for malware and unwanted programs and repairs the system files and settings they change, and its free scan shows what it finds on your PC before you decide anything.
For Clear Search browser hijacker, follow the plan above as well: the browser steps take back permissions and settings that no scanner treats as a threat, and uninstalling the program that brought it removes the source.
Run Microsoft Defender's full scan and, if anything was found, its offline scan as a second opinion. If the symptoms are gone after the plan and both scans are clean, there is nothing more to do.
Sources
- Wikipedia: PUP (read October 5, 2026)
- AVirus: AVirus (read October 5, 2026)
- Tomsguide: Are torrents actually dangerous? (read October 5, 2026)
- Google Chrome Help: Use notifications to get alerts (no longer online) (read October 5, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 5, 2026)