Remove Funsearch (Removal Guide)

Funsearch – a browser hijacker that promotes a fake search engine

Funsearch

Funsearch is a browser hijacker that changes browser settings in order to promote a fake search engine named quicknewtab.com. This website is called a fake search engine because it doesn't produce any search results, it just forwards all search inquiries to other legit search pages.

Browser hijackers usually change home page preference, new tab option, and the default search engine, so each time a new window is opened or a search query is typed in, all traffic is first sent through their sponsored or promoted sites until landing on a legitimate search engine sites, like google.com, search.yahoo.com, and so on.

Funsearch browser hijacker is considered as a potentially unwanted program, or PUP^[1] for short, due to the stealthy distribution and installation techniques. Usually, these applications end up on computers without the consent of their owners through freeware bundles or deceptive ads.

name	Funsearch
Type	Browser hijacker
distribution	Various browser web stores, misleading ads, freeware bundles
Symptoms	Browser settings such as default search engine, new tab, and the home page changed to quicknewtab.com
risks	Browser hijackers are known to collect various browsing and personal information of the user. That data could be sold to third parties which intentions might be malicious
Removal	Either perform a full system scan with anti-malware software or follow our guidelines at the bottom of this article on how to remove it manually
system repair	Once Funsearch removal is completed, users should run a full system scan with the Fortect Intego app to undo any changes done to the system registry and any other core settings

When computer users have Funsearch installed on their devices all search inquiries are redirected to quicknewtab.com, then to my-search.com and/or search-checker.com, when finally, depending on users geolocation, the user ends up in either google.com or bing.com.

PUPs like the Funsearch are known to gather various browsing data, such as search queries, visited pages, clicks, etc., and personal data, like IP addresses, geolocation, and so on. This collected information might be sold to third parties that may include cybercriminals that could use this data for malicious purposes.

That being said, it is unsafe to have this browser hijacker installed on any device and to use it. We recommend users to remove Funsearch from their computers or cell phones with the help of an anti-malware program like SpyHunter Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes Malwarebytes to make sure that all its parts are removed correctly. Manual removal is also possible, we provide a guide on how to it at the bottom of this article.

Browser hijackers might have altered the system registry that could lead to slower performance, adware renewal, and other system issues, so after Funsearch removal experts^[2] recommend performing a full system scan with the Fortect Intego app to undo any changes that the browser intruder could have done.

Funsearch hijack

Simple steps to evade PUPs such as browser hijackers

As we stated previously, browser hijackers are considered potentially unwanted programs due to their sneaky installation techniques. All you have to do to evade these PUPs is stick to our recommended steps and your everyday browsing experience won't be disturbed.

Acquire a trustworthy anti-malware program. Regularly update its virus database and perform full system scans at least once a week. A reliable anti-virus engine will prevent cyberattacks.^[3]
When installing freeware or software bundles, please take the time and choose Advanced or Custom installation instead of the Quick or Standard one. Remove all ticks from pre-selected boxes agreeing to install some third-party software, that you didn't even know will be installed in the first place.
Try to avoid non-official software distributors. Buy desired apps from official web stores of the developers to avoid software bundles altogether.

Instructions for system repair and Funsearch removal

Although potentially unwanted programs are not categorized as malware like the Lisp or Nobu ransomware, that doesn't mean that keeping and using them is completely safe. Having a browser hijacker might lead to the installation of other PUPs or even malicious software.

Funsearch virus

Therefore, we recommend users to remove Funsearch browser hijacker as soon as they spot it on their devices. Manual removal is possible and you can do it with the help of our step-by-step instruction at the bottom of this article. If you can't be bothered with it, you can use anti-malware apps to do it.

After Funsearch removal is done with, users should consider performing system tune-up with appropriate system repair tools to revert any changes that the browser hijacker might have caused to core system settings.

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 Funsearch

Funsearch – a browser hijacker that promotes a fake search engine

Simple steps to evade PUPs such as browser hijackers