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  • Active
  • Severity: High
  • Stealing programs
  • Windows, Mac
  • Verified · Sep 2018

How to remove Foxstart

A step-by-step removal guide for affected devices. Follow the verified procedure below — most readers complete it in under 10 minutes.

Jake Doevan · Computer technology expert

Foxstart is a browser hijacker which claims to be all-in-one Start Page

Foxstart image

Foxstart is a fraudulent search engine which allows computer users to directly perform queries in Yahoo, YouTube, eBay, Wikipedia, Pinterest and other websites from one Start Page. Although, experts warn that this potentially unwanted program (PUP)[1] might seem legitimate and useful at first. Later, users notice browser modifications which can help generate intrusive ads or provide personal information for third-parties.

Name Foxstart
Type Browser hijacker
Sub-type Potentially Unwanted Program (PUP)
Danger level Medium. Performs only browser changes
Symptoms After the infiltration, your new tab URL, homepage and default search engine is assigned to Foxstart.com
Compatible OS Windows and Mac OS
Distribution This application infiltrates the system once the person installs freeware unattentively
Removal You can get rid of Foxstart easily with FortectIntego 

As soon as it infiltrates the system via software-bundles, Foxstart causes changes in the start page, default search engine, and blocks such well-known search engines as Google, Yahoo or Bing. In other terms, users are forced to perform search queries through Foxstart.com website.

Some people do not find such changes significant and continue using this fraudulent search engine. Unfortunately, users are not aware that Foxstart might collect non-personally identifiable information about its users. The gathered data usually includes the following and may be shared with third-parties without your consent:

  • Browser history;
  • ISP;
  • Geolocation;
  • IP address.

While this data might not personally identify you, it can be used to draw the picture of your browsing habits and customize online ads accordingly. This way, the developers of Foxstart would increase the chances of you clicking on the e-commerce content and generating pay-per-click[2] revenue for them. 

Foxstart illustration

Furthermore, the query results of Foxstart are altered to push affiliate content. Likewise, if you continue using this fraudulent search engine, you will never receive the best and search results. In fact, some links might even lead you to potentially malicious websites and increase the risk of malware infections. 

If you want to protect your computer and obtain reliable search results, you should remove Foxstart without hesitation. Our security researchers have created instructions to help you get rid of this PUP and reset modifications in the most popular browsers, like Mozilla Firefox, Safari, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, and others. 

Additionally, you can complete these steps faster if you install a professional security tool for Foxstart removal. Our top choice is FortectIntego. Although, you might use similar antivirus of your choice as well. 

Software-bundles is the main PUP infiltration source

According to the experts[3], people can visit the page of this fraudulent search engine and set it as the default search engine manually. However, latest research revealed that the primary way how potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) enter the system is the software-bundles. 

Some free programs online carry additional components inside their installers. People who agree to Quick or Recommended installation mode are not fully disclosed about other applications and end up installing them together with the primary software. 

If you want to avoid potentially unwanted programs (PUPs), you should change the installation mode to Custom or Advanced and monitor the procedure carefully. Opt out all check marks which allow installing unknown software or changing your browser settings. 

Easy ways to uninstall Foxstart virus

While Foxstart virus is merely a term used by frustrated computer users, this application can be really annoying. Luckily, researchers present two easy ways how you can remove Foxstart from your computer. 

You can complete Foxstart removal automatically if you download and install a professional antivirus tool. You can find our top security programs listed below. Run a full system scan with one of them and your computer will be free from PUPs. 

If you want to uninstall Foxstart manually, you might need some extra help. For that, check the step-by-step instructions which are appended at the end of this article. Also, don't forget to reset the affected browsers.

Uninstall from Windows

Uninstall from Windows 10/8:

  1. Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
  2. Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 10/8

Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:

  1. Click on Windows Start > Control Panel (Windows XP users should click on Add/Remove Programs).
  2. In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 7/XP

Remove the unwanted program:

  1. In the Programs and Features window, look for any recently installed suspicious entries, select them, and click Uninstall.
  2. If User Account Control appears, click Yes to confirm, then complete the removal.Uninstall the unwanted program from Windows

Delete from macOS

Remove the unwanted application:

  1. From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
  2. In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).Uninstall from Mac

Delete leftover files and folders:

  1. Select Go > Go to Folder.
  2. Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
  3. Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.Delete leftover files from Mac
  4. Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.

Reset Internet Explorer

Remove dangerous add-ons:

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

Change your homepage if it was altered:

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

Delete temporary files:

  1. Press on the Gear icon and select Internet Options.
  2. Under Browsing history, click Delete...
  3. Select relevant fields and press Delete.Clear temporary files from Internet Explorer

Reset Internet Explorer:

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

Remove from Microsoft Edge

Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:

  1. Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
  2. From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
  3. Click Remove.Remove extensions from Edge

Clear cookies and other browser data:

  1. Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
  2. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  3. 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.Clear Edge browsing data

Restore new tab and homepage settings:

  1. Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
  2. Then find On startup section.
  3. Click Remove next to any suspicious startup page.

Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:

  1. Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
  2. Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
  3. Select Details tab.
  4. 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.Reset MS Edge

Instructions for Chromium-based Edge

Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):

  1. Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
  2. Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chromium Edge

Clear cache and site data:

  1. Click on Menu and go to Settings.
  2. Select Privacy, search and services.
  3. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  4. Under Time range, pick All time.
  5. Select Clear now.Clear browser data from Chroum Edge

Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. On the left side, pick Reset settings.
  3. Select Restore settings to their default values.
  4. Confirm with Reset.
  5. This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.Reset Chromium Edge

Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
  2. Select Add-ons.
  3. In here, select the unwanted extension and click Remove.Remove extensions from Firefox

Reset the homepage:

  1. Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
  2. Choose Settings.
  3. Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.

Clear cookies and site data:

  1. Click Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Go to Privacy & Security section.
  3. Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
  4. Click on Clear Data...
  5. Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.Clear cookies and site data from Firefox

Reset Mozilla Firefox

If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
  2. Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.Reset Firefox 1
  3. Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
  4. Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.Reset Firefox 2

Remove from Google Chrome

Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

  1. Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
  2. In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all suspicious extensions related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chrome

Clear cache and web data from Chrome:

  1. Click on Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
  3. Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
  4. Click Clear data.Clear cache and web data from Chrome

Change your homepage:

  1. Click menu and choose Settings.
  2. Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
  3. 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:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
  3. Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
  4. Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
  5. Confirm with Reset settings.Reset Chrome 2

Delete from Safari

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Safari, click Safari in the menu at the top-left of the screen, and select Preferences.
  2. Go to the Extensions tab, look for any suspicious entries, and click Uninstall to remove them.Remove extensions from Safari

Clear history and website data:

  1. Click Safari in the menu and pick Clear History.
  2. Set Clear to all history and confirm with Clear History.Clear history from Safari

Reset Safari:

  1. Click Safari in the menu and select Preferences > Advanced.
  2. Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
  3. From the menu bar, click Develop and select Empty Caches.Reset Safari

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