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HDConverterSearch (Removal Guide) - Free Instructions

by Alice Woods - - | Type: Browser hijacker

HDConverterSearch Removal Guide

What is HDConverterSearch?

HDConverterSearch is the search hijacker that triggers unwanted changes in settings regarding the browsing activities

HDConverterSearchHDConverterSearch is the program that triggers changes on the web browser to control the traffic and behavior of the user. HDConverterSearch – the search engine that manipulates settings oft the start page and the homepage, default preferences. This browser hijacker aims to affect the online traffic and users' time on the internet by showing commercial content, sponsored materials. When you visit any site of your choice this intruder triggers other pop-ups, redirects, and appearance of the material that is related to advertisements, third-party companies. There is no reason to keep the program on the machine, especially allow the extension to get added to your browser. This is the cyber threat otherwise characterized as a potentially unwanted program[1], so you need to clear this off of the machine properly. The best way to do so is with anti-malware tools and programs designed especially for the purpose.

Name HDConverterSearch
Type Browser hijacker
Issues The program focuses on redirecting the online traffic, so the user is exposed to third-party commercial content and can trigger additional installs unwantedly and unknowingly
Symptoms The web browser gets affected when the particular preferences and settings get manipulated by the PUP that runs in the background. When your default search engine is changed, you can be sure that the machine is affected by a hijack
Distribution The program can be spread by other PUPs and from insecure sites or during shady freeware installation processes
Elimination You should remove HDConverterSearch properly by running the AV tool that is designed to clear such intruders and other possibly dangerous threats
Repair Recover from the damage that this PUP might leftover and run FortectIntego that can possibly find and fix affected files

HDConverterSearch is the program that has been affecting users' browsing experiences because it alters settings and preferences to control visits and redirect people to sites of third-party sponsors. Settings of the search engine, address bar, homepage get affected at first, so your online searches display results injected with ads.

HDConverterSearch virus is called that because it manages to read and change data on associated sites, read your browsing history, and even track such details with the goal of sharing information with other companies. Your data might end up in the wrong hands, and such activities can lead to privacy issues or identity theft.

This data-tracking[2] and shady sharing behavior is one of the many reasons that should encourage you to perform HDConverterSearch removal as soon as possible. It might not be easy when the browser extension is the one that affects your machine and performance, but you have a few options.

Unfortunately, the installation process of the potentially unwanted program like this happens behind your back and cannot be easily controlled since the PUP developer that released this HDConverterSearch hijack relies on shady methods and software bundling. Experts[3] always talk about the risk that comes from downloading programs from the internet, but users still ignore red flags.

HDConverterSearch PUPHDConverterSearch is the hijacker related to shady advertisers thatshow pop0ups and baners with ads. The process that allows you to remove HDConverterSearch from the system thoroughly should involve professional anti-malware tools because having a PUP might trigger other application installations and attract cyber intruders with more dangerous purposes.

Remember that HDConverterSearch comes mainly as a web browser extension, so it gets added to the system by the developer without asking for proper permission. Once that is down, your machine is no longer working as it supposed to, so you experience unwanted symptoms.

Redirects, additional pop-up ads, banners, and search results injected with various hyperlinks to the malicious site indicates that the browser is affected. These intruders, like the HDConverterSearch add-on, can be persistent since the PUP manages to run in that background unnoticed. To clear all the files added behind your back – run FortectIntego or a similar cleaning tool and repair altered parts.

HDConverterSearch virusHDConverterSearch is the browser hiajcker that makes changes in settings on the web browser so you are not the one that controls what sites you see and visit.

Browser hijackers and other potentially unwanted threats use different methods for the distribution

Potentially unwanted programs rely on deceptive methods that allow tricking people into installing useless tools and browser-based programs. There are various issues regarding such content because you can visit a malicious page or agree to install dangerous applications.

You need to rely on trustworthy programs and reliable sources that ensure secure downloads of the freeware. Also, you should always go for Advanced or Custom installation options, so all the pre-packed applications get seen, and you can uncheck suspicious ones yourself.

HDConverterSearch removal process needs to start as soon as possible

Make sure to run the anti-malware program once you notice the suspicious symptoms and try to find all the PUP traces to remove HDConverterSearch as soon as you notice changes. Any manipulations can affect the persistence and make it more difficult to clean the machine.

HDConverterSearch virus becomes annoying when PUP manages to run in the background for a while. You need an anti-malware tool that can find all the programs and annoying programs. Also, virus damage removal is important, so find a PC repair tool or cleaning application that could recover files and functions for you.

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.

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Different software has a different purpose. If you didn’t succeed in fixing corrupted files with Fortect, try running SpyHunter 5.
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Getting rid of HDConverterSearch. Follow these steps

Uninstall from Windows

The system should get properly cleaned after the process of HDConverterSearch removal

Instructions for Windows 10/8  machines:

  1. Enter Control Panel into Windows search box and hit Enter or click on the search result.
  2. Under Programs, select Uninstall a program. Uninstall from Windows 1
  3. From the list, find the entry of the suspicious program.
  4. Right-click on the application and select Uninstall.
  5. If User Account Control shows up, click Yes.
  6. Wait till uninstallation process is complete and click OK. Uninstall from Windows 2

If you are Windows 7/XP user, proceed with the following instructions:

  1. Click on Windows Start > Control Panel located on the right pane (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
  2. In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program. Uninstall from Windows 7/XP
  3. Pick the unwanted application by clicking on it once.
  4. At the top, click Uninstall/Change.
  5. In the confirmation prompt, pick Yes.
  6. Click OK once the removal process is finished.

Delete from macOS

Remove items from Applications folder:

  1. From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
  2. In the Applications folder, look for all related entries.
  3. Click on the app and drag it to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash) Uninstall from Mac 1

To fully remove an unwanted app, you need to access Application Support, LaunchAgents, and LaunchDaemons folders and delete relevant files:

  1. Select Go > Go to Folder.
  2. Enter /Library/Application Support and click Go or press Enter.
  3. In the Application Support folder, look for any dubious entries and then delete them.
  4. Now enter /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders the same way and terminate all the related .plist files. Uninstall from Mac 2

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 on Uninstall at the bottom. 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 Privacy & security.
  2. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  3. Select everything (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 Disable if you found any suspicious domain.

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

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.

  1. Find the following folder on your computer: C:\\Users\\%username%\\AppData\\Local\\Packages\\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe.
  2. Press Ctrl + A on your keyboard to select all folders.
  3. Right-click on them and pick Delete Advanced MS Edge reset 1
  4. Now right-click on the Start button and pick Windows PowerShell (Admin).
  5. 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 Advanced MS Edge reset 2

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. 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 unwanted plugin 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 Options.
  3. Under Home options, enter your preferred site that will open every time you newly open the Mozilla Firefox.

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, as well as Cached Web Content and press 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

You can find the extension with the same HDConverterSearch name added behind your back, so make sure to clear the web browser from any suspicious materials

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 the suspicious plugins that might be 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 unwanted extensions from Safari:

  1. Click Safari > Preferences…
  2. In the new window, pick Extensions.
  3. Select the unwanted extension and select Uninstall. Remove extensions from Safari

Clear cookies and other website data from Safari:

  1. Click Safari > Clear History…
  2. From the drop-down menu under Clear, pick all history.
  3. Confirm with Clear History. Clear cookies and website data from Safari

Reset Safari if the above-mentioned steps did not help you:

  1. Click Safari > Preferences…
  2. Go to Advanced tab.
  3. Tick the Show Develop menu in menu bar.
  4. From the menu bar, click Develop, and then select Empty Caches. Reset Safari

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 HDConverterSearch 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 browser hijacker

Access your website securely from any location

When you work on the domain, site, blog, or different project that requires constant management, content creation, or coding, you may need to connect to the server and content management service more often. The best solution for creating a tighter network could be a dedicated/fixed IP address.

If you make your IP address static and set to your device, you can connect to the CMS from any location and do not create any additional issues for the server or network manager that needs to monitor connections and activities. VPN software providers like Private Internet Access can help you with such settings and offer the option to control the online reputation and manage projects easily from any part of the world.

 

Recover files after data-affecting malware attacks

While much of the data can be accidentally deleted due to various reasons, malware is one of the main culprits that can cause loss of pictures, documents, videos, and other important files. More serious malware infections lead to significant data loss when your documents, system files, and images get encrypted. In particular, ransomware is is a type of malware that focuses on such functions, so your files become useless without an ability to access them.

Even though there is little to no possibility to recover after file-locking threats, some applications have features for data recovery in the system. In some cases, Data Recovery Pro can also help to recover at least some portion of your data after data-locking virus infection or general cyber infection. 

 

About the author
Alice Woods
Alice Woods - Likes to teach users about virus prevention

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