Homesweeklies.com is a potentially unwanted program that takes over the web browser
Homesweeklies.com is a browser hijacker[1] that has recently been bugging Mac users. Upon infiltration, the potentially unwanted program alters settings of such web browsers Safari, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Opera, and sets the homepage to hxxp://homesweeklies.com. Because PUPs are usually distributed with the help of software bundling, Homesweeklies.com hijack is rarely noticed by users. Nevertheless, the presence of the unwanted application can be seen very shortly, as users start to struggle with intrusive pop-up ads, redirects, slow browser operation, and other disturbances. According to research, the app is a part of Genieo deceptive software.
| Summary | |
| Name | Homesweeklies.com |
| Type | Browser hijacker, PUP |
| Extension | PlaySearchNow |
| Related | Search.playsearchnow.com |
| Infiltration | Software bundling, insecure websites |
| Symptoms | Altered web browser settings, intrusive ads, redirects, slow browser, etc. |
| Elimination | Check our manual removal guide below |
| Optimization | To make sure your computer fully recovers from the infection, we suggest scanning it with FortectIntego |
Homesweeklies.com spreads as a browser extension PlaySearchNow. Users can sometimes be tricked into downloading it on shady websites. Nevertheless, it is most likely to be bundled with freeware and shareware. While the browser hijacker presents numerous sponsored links on the homepage, the search engine does not work entirely. This is another reason to remove Homesweeklies.com virus from macOS and use legitimate search engines instead.
The Homesweeklies.com browser hijacker does the following:
- Takes over the installed web browsers;
- Displays questionable ads, banners, coupons, etc.;
- Tricks users into installing other potentially dangerous software;
- Slows down the browser;
- Tracks users' searches and other non-personally identifiable information;
- Leads users to sponsored sites to profit from pay-per-click[2] scheme, etc.
While redirects and pop-ups to suspicious websites can lead you to phishing or malware-laden sites, the information tracking can compromise your online safety. Indeed, Homesweeklies.com authors reveal that they are tracking various data about users, as follows:
When operating the Extension and executing the Services we collect non personal information of end users that includes the following: operating system type and version, installed browsers type and versions language, access timestamp browsing data and search queries. At all time, we make sure to extract and store the data in an anonymous and aggregative manner.
While the non-PPI might not seem significant, don't forget that third-parties are tracking you continuously, meaning that they know what music you like, where do you shop, what movies you watch, etc. Due to privacy issues, users should be able to opt out of such information gathering. Unfortunately, there is no law preventing third-parties from gathering such data, so the best way to stay private is to refrain from using Homesweeklies.com and PlaySearchNow services.
Additionally, users on official Apple forums said that they are struggling[3] with Homesweeklies.com removal. However, the full elimination of the extension, along with browser reset should do the trick. If not successful, you should try more steps we provide below. Also, because some users struggled to remove PlaySearchNow, we suggest you scan your device with FortectIntego – it can repair the damage done by the virus.
Bundled software should be avoided at all costs
While not ALL bundled software is malicious or unwanted (for example, Dropbox or certain security software). However, most of the applications that are offered as optional components, and are hidden under Advanced or Custom installation settings are generally useless and will only clutter your machine.
Therefore, it is crucial to learn how to install free software from the internet correctly. These tips might help you:
- Download software from official websites only and avoid Download.com, Softpedia, and similar sites;
- Read app's review before installing it;
- During the installation, make sure you do not skip steps. Freeware authors often use marketing tricks like greyed out buttons that make users think that no other options are available;
- Read through ToS and Privacy Policy;
- Never pick Recommended options, regardless of the software you are installing;
- Select Advanced/Custom settings and eliminate all the optional components that are suggested.
Uninstall Homesweeklies.com and Play Search Now extension from Mac
While potentially unwanted programs are usually easy to eliminate, some PUPs cause users' problems. Homesweeklies.com removal proved quite difficult for several users that complained on official Apple forums. Nevertheless, the solution was found.
First of all, to completely remove Homesweeklies.com virus from your Mac, you should perform a regular procedure and move the extension or any other unwanted components to the Trash, as explained below. Next, you should reset each of the browsers that are installed on your device. However, if that did not stop the redirects and other activities, you should delete all the unwanted entries in your Library.
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.
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