Skip to content
  • Active
  • Severity: Medium
  • Browser Hijackers
  • Windows, Mac
  • Verified · Dec 2019

How to remove Only-search.com

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

Julie Splinters · Anti-malware specialist

Only-search.com –  an unreliable search engine that might deliver misleading search query results

Only-search.com browser hijacker

Only-search.com is a website that looks like an entirely normal search engine. However, it is used to make the pay-per-click advertising system generate revenue for the developers of this search page and redirect the users to other affiliate sources. It is pretty obvious that this search engine is not a popular one, and computer users are not going to install it by their wish. However, this website can appear in your Internet browser in case you install Only-search.com on your system. It is described as a potentially unwanted program (PUP),[1] which can perform arbitrary changes to your browser settings such as the default search provider, homepage, and new tab URL bar after it infiltrates your computer.

Name Only-search.com
Category Browser hijacker/potentially unwanted program
Tasks This PUP might seek to benefit from the pay-per-click technique by loading you with intrusive advertisements. Also, it can cause redirects o affiliate domains, start tracking browsing-related data, perform browser changes on the search provider, homepage, and new tab URL sections
Browsers All types of web browsers, including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, and Safari can get infected with this browser hijacker
Spreading The most popular browser hijacker distribution source is through a commonly-known deceptive technique “bundling” when the PUP arrives as an additional component in an entire software package
Removal You can successfully eliminate the PUP with the help of automatical software or by completing the manual step-by-step guidelines that have been added to the end of this article
Fix If you have found some signs of system compromisation, you can try repairing the machine with FortectIntego

You should stay away from this web page and use an alternative and a popular search engine instead of this one because Only-search.com is described as a spyware type software. It means that it can spy on your activity on the Internet – it tracks your clicks, most visited websites, downloads, bookmarks,[2] search queries, and similar information.

It is not known why this program needs such information, but some security experts share their opinion and say that Only-search.com might share this information with its partners. Additionally, the potentially unwanted program might use the gathered information for providing users with targeted advertising.

However, data collection is not yet the worst thing this program does. What is more, even if Only-search.com virus looks like a regular search engine, it delivers many sponsored search outcomes, which might be injected with deceptive hyperlinks that can lead you to completely different web pages than you expect to go.

Only-search.com virus

We strongly recommend avoiding clicking on Only-search.com search outcomes as you can end up on dubious web sources that might promote infectious programs. Remember that you should never agree to install programs that are offered to you in an obtrusive way. Do you really believe that reliable and safe programs would be promoted in such a shady way?

If you do not want to install dubious software or an infectious file, we recommend you NOT to agree with such annoying proposals to get suspicious freeware. Our suggestion is not to use Only-search.com suspicious search engine as it is highly untrustworthy and you can use an alternative one such as Google or Bing instead.

However, before you set another website as your homepage, you must remove Only-search.com PUP from your system. You can do that with anti-spyware software or the manual step-by-step guidelines that have been added to the end of this article. Also, do not forget to clean web browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Explorer, Edge, and Safari.

Once Only-search.com removal is completed, it is time to check the system for possible compromisation. Due to the fact that browser hijackers might bring other PUPs and even malware to the computer, your system might face some negative effects. If you have found some fixing-requiring content, try repairing it with software such as FortectIntego.

Only-search.com PUP

Browser hijacker distribution methods

Browser hijackers are usually spread by using the “bundling” method. It means that these programs can be placed on your computer at the same time as you install any freeware and shareware.[3] Keep in mind that software packs can be installed using one installation setup, so you have to monitor the installation process and adjust the installation settings in a particular way so you could refuse to install additional applications that might be attached to your preferred software.

Keep in mind that you should read Terms of Use and Privacy Policy documents at all times. These documents usually disclose whether the software you have downloaded promotes third-party software or not. If you find such statements, you need to refuse to install such additions. For that, we recommend opting for advanced or custom installation mode and deselect the agreements to install optional freeware. That is all you need to do.

Last but not least, we want to talk about automatical computer safety. Every user should invest in his/her automatical protection that includes downloading reliable antivirus tools. Look for other user reviews online and choose the best tool that will suit all of your needs. Additionally, make sure that your antimalware software never lacks any required software updates, otherwise, the program might not be able to function properly.

Get rid of Only-search.com virus

Only-Search.com virus is NOT a dangerous computer threat, and it cannot pose harm to your computer other than continuous system slowdowns. Needless to say, this search engine is intrusive and untrustworthy, so you should be very cautious when using it. If it has already appeared on your computer after downloading freeware or shareware, you should follow a guide below and remove Only-Search.com.

If you do not think that the browser hijacker is annoying, you should keep in mind that it may deliver you altered search outcomes that may trick you into visiting suspicious websites. Use the manual Only-Search.com removal guide that we have provided to remove this browser parasite manually; alternatively, you can just install anti-spyware software and delete this browser hijacker automatically.

Experts from Virusai.lt[4] remind that when dealing with browser hijackers it is very important to clean web browser apps as they might be infected. Thus, wipe all unwanted content out of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, and Safari.

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

Did this guide help?

3 comments

  1. Renneee

    only search redirects you to random dangerous pages. if you do not want to end up with a computer threat, i would not recommend browsing on the websites that this search engine recommends you to visit. i ended up on some gambling websites!

  2. velezzo

    Very bad search engine, I havent found what i wanted to search via only-search page. It seems to open pages that it wants you to visit. They do not seem to be trustworthy. Glad I have found this article. removed this browser hijacker easily!

  3. William

    I did not expect that it is THAT easy to remove computer parasites, wow. Now I will know how to remove them if some parasite tries to slither into my PC without my knowledge :) good tutorial, thnx.

Read in your language

Spyware News
Privacy preferences

We use cookies to improve your experience and analyze traffic. Some cookies enable embedded content like videos and social posts. Choose what you allow — you can change this anytime.