Playbar.biz virus. How to remove? (Uninstall guide)
Reasons to eliminate Playbar.biz hijacker from your PC today
Playbar.biz website (by Advertising Group Limited) looks like a search engine. IT specialists conclude that this browsing tool belongs to browser hijacker category[1] as it is promoted via a potentially unwanted program (PUP) that alters settings in victim's web browser. Consequently, the victim gets bothered by various browsing disturbances: redirects, excessive advertising, etc. In addition, it is identical to Play-bar.net virus.
The unwanted program tends to sneak into the computer system unnoticed. It might get installed alongside a free game or another free app downloaded from the Internet. As a consequence, it places hxxp://Playbar.biz/ as default homepage and search engine provider in Chrome, Firefox and other browsers to start annoying the victim right away.[2] What is worst is that it clutters search findings with sponsored links. Some of these are considered dangerous as they can trigger redirects to shady external sites.
What is more, there are other hijackers of the same group roaming around: play-bar.net and play-bar-search.com. Likewise, it would be better to remove playbar.biz from the device. You can do it quickly with the help of Reimage. Below, you can see a couple of explanations on why it is better to get rid of the described PUP.
- In addition, the hijacker might spy on your browsing preferences. It might attempt to collect data such as your IP address, search queries, clicks and similar.
- The hijacker first sends user's queries to play-bar-search.com, then throws them to goto.searchclub.pro site, and then lands the victim on SaferBrowser Yahoo search results page filled with dubious results.
- The quality of search results might not be satisfying as more advertising domains are presented. Clicking on them might lead to insecure web domains.
- The later you eliminate the described hijacker, the more unwanted tools might get attached to the browser.
If you are looking for a new search engine, pay attention to some details. Reliable search engines do not bear such random or commercial titles as Playbar hijacker. What is more, the design of a front page is another feature worth mentioning.
Questions about Playbar.biz virus
Though there are multiple PUPs which try to allure users with as basic design as possible, others attract attention with eye-attracting themes and designs. Quick access links to gaming websites are another tools to catch users' attention. The latter is a common feature of many browser hijackers. However, such promotion of third-parties has its negative flaws. You might get redirected to affiliate websites forcefully.
Click 'Start -> Control Panel -> Programs and Features' (if you are 'Windows XP' user, click on 'Add/Remove Programs').
If you are 'Windows 10 / Windows 8' user, then right-click in the lower left corner of the screen. Once 'Quick Access Menu' shows up, select 'Control Panel' and 'Uninstall a Program'.
Right click on each of suspicious entries and select 'Uninstall'
Right click on browsers' icon and select 'Properties'
Select 'Shortcut' tab and delete 'http://isearch.babylon.com...' or other suspicious URL
Cick 'Go' and select 'Applications'
Click on every malicious entry and select 'Move to Trash'
Click on menu icon and select 'Manage add-ons'
Right click on each of malicious entries and select 'Disable'
Delete malicious URL, enter your desired domain name and click 'Apply' to save changes
Go to 'Advanced' tab and click on 'Reset' button. Now select 'Delete personal settings' and click on 'Reset' button again
Go to Settings and select 'Choose what to clear'
Select 'Clear' button
Open the start menu and select 'Task Manager'
Right-click 'Microsoft Edge' and select 'Go to details'
Select 'More details' if 'Go to details' option fails to show up
Find Microsoft Edge entries and select 'End Task'
Go to Microsoft Edge folder on your computer, right-click every entry and click 'Delete'
Find Windows PowerShell, right-click it and select 'Run as administrator'
Copy and paste a required command and press 'Enter'
Click on menu icon and select 'Add-ons'
Select 'Extensions' and look for malicious entries. Click 'Remove' to get rid of each of them
When in 'General' tab, delete malicious URL from 'Home Page' section or click on 'Restore to Default' button. Click 'OK' to save changes
Click on menu icon and then on '?'. Select 'Troubleshooting Information'
Click on 'Reset Firefox' button for a couple of times
Click on menu icon. Select 'Tools' and 'Extensions'
Look for malicious entries and delete each of them by clicking on the Trash bin icon
After clicking on menu and 'Settings', select 'Set pages'
Click 'X' to remove malicious URLs
When in 'Settings', select 'Manage search engines...'
Click 'X' to remove malicious URLs
When in 'Settings', scroll down to 'Reset browser settings' button and click on it
Click on 'Reset' button to complete your removal
Click on 'Safari' and select 'Preferences'
Go to 'Extensions' and uninstall malicious add-ons
When in 'General', delete malicious URL and enter your desired domain name
Click on 'Safari' and select 'Reset Safari...'
Select all options and click on 'Reset' button
Frequently, such web pages harbor dangerous programs. If one of such enters the device, your PC might highly deteriorate. Though the browser hijacker does not raise data leakage risk, but there is a possibility that you might be misled to a web page inhabited by severe malware. In short, playbar.biz redirect might become a troublesome phenomenon. If you notice that the redirect web pages pop-up, cancel them before they are fully loaded.
The browser hijacker might also implant its “helper elements.[3]” They are not only responsible for consolidating the hijacker’s position on the system but they might also accelerate the installation of additional plug-ins and browser extensions.
Rarely, they are practical. They might also trouble the uninstallation process. Finally, the PUP substitutes its privacy policy with the one provided by Yahoo. However, since it is still an independent website, it is unsure whether it follows the provisions of the policy correctly. In short, not only your non-personal information but personal data might be targetted by third-parties and online companies. Those are the main reasons to start playbar.biz removal today.
Methods used to proliferate the potentially unwanted program
This browser hijacker might have sneaked into the PC while you recklessly installed another application. Specifically, the browser hijack occurs when you quickly rush through the installation wizard. Spyware distributors are aware of such common tendency, thus, they place the unwanted tools to freeware.
Unfortunately, the method still proves to be effective as users dash through the stages without giving a second look. Furthermore, within seconds the hijacker finds its place in the system. If you are willing not to commit the same mistake again, keep in mind this advice. After installing any application, opt for “Custom” settings. Likewise, you will see optional applications. Unmark the unnecessary applications and proceed with installing the preferred program.
Free Playbar.biz removal guide
The elimination can be completed using either manual or automatic playbar.biz removal method. The latter might be more effective an anti-spyware application is specifically designed for locating all elements of the hijacker. Users trying to delete the said hijacker manually are likely to leave some registry files on the system. This system panel should be handled by experienced computer users only.
If you do not know how to remove playbar.biz virus and the registry files manually, better leave this task for anti-spyware or anti-malware software. If you still want to try to eliminate the hijacker manually, use instructions prepared by 2-Spyware team.
You can remove Playbar.biz automatically with a help of one of these programs: Reimage, Plumbytes Anti-MalwareWebroot SecureAnywhere AntiVirus, Malwarebytes Anti Malware. We recommend these applications because they can easily delete potentially unwanted programs and viruses with all their files and registry entries that are related to them.
To remove Playbar.biz virus, follow these steps:
Get rid of Playbar.biz from Windows systems
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Click Start → Control Panel → Programs and Features (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
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If you are Windows 10 / Windows 8 user, then right-click in the lower left corner of the screen. Once Quick Access Menu shows up, select Control Panel and Uninstall a Program.
- Uninstall Playbar.biz and related programs
Here, look for Playbar.biz or any other recently installed suspicious programs. -
Uninstall them and click OK to save these changes.
- Remove Playbar.biz from Windows shortcuts
Right click on the shortcut of Mozilla Firefox and select Properties. -
Go to Shortcut tab and look at the Target field. Delete malicious URL that is related to your virus.
Repeat steps that are given above with all browsers' shortcuts, including Internet Explorer and Google Chrome. Make sure you check all locations of these shortcuts, including Desktop, Start Menu and taskbar.
WindowsMac OS XInternet ExplorerMicrosoft EdgeFirefoxGoogle ChromeSafariEliminate Playbar.biz from Mac OS X system
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If you are using OS X, click Go button at the top left of the screen and select Applications.
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Wait until you see Applications folder and look for Playbar.biz or any other suspicious programs on it. Now right click on every of such entries and select Move to Trash.
Uninstall Playbar.biz from Internet Explorer (IE)
If you choose manual elimination, precisely follow the guidelines. The hijacker must be fully eliminated with all its registry keys.
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Remove dangerous add-ons
Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top right corner of the browser and choose Manage Add-ons. -
You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for Playbar.biz and other suspicious plugins. Disable these entries by clicking Disable:
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Change your homepage if it was altered by virus:
Click on the gear icon (menu) on the top right corner of the browser and select Internet Options. Stay in General tab. -
Here, remove malicious URL and enter preferable domain name. Click Apply to save changes.
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Reset Internet Explorer
Click on the gear icon (menu) again and select Internet options. Go to Advanced tab. - Here, select Reset.
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When in the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset again to complete Playbar.biz removal.
Erase Playbar.biz virus from Microsoft Edge
Reset Microsoft Edge settings (Method 1):
- Launch Microsoft Edge app and click More (three dots at the top right corner of the screen).
- Click Settings to open more options.
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Once Settings window shows up, click Choose what to clear button under Clear browsing data option.
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Here, select all what you want to remove and click Clear.
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Now you should right-click on the Start button (Windows logo). Here, select Task Manager.
- When in Processes tab, search for Microsoft Edge.
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Right-click on it and choose Go to details option. If can’t see Go to details option, click More details and repeat previous steps.
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When Details tab shows up, find every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right click on each of them and select End Task to end these entries.
Resetting Microsoft Edge browser (Method 2):
If Method 1 failed to help you, you need to use an advanced Edge reset method.
- Note: you need to backup your data before using this method.
- Find this folder on your computer:
C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe. -
Select every entry which is saved on it and right click with your mouse. Then Delete option.
- Click the Start button (Windows logo) and type in window power in Search my stuff line.
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Right-click the Windows PowerShell entry and choose Run as administrator.
- Once Administrator: Windows PowerShell window shows up, paste this command line after PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> and press Enter:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register $($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml -Verbose}
Once these steps are finished, Playbar.biz should be removed from your Microsoft Edge browser.
WindowsMac OS XInternet ExplorerMicrosoft EdgeFirefoxGoogle ChromeSafariRemove Playbar.biz from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
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Remove dangerous extensions
Open Mozilla Firefox, click on the menu icon (top right corner) and select Add-ons → Extensions. -
Here, select Playbar.biz and other questionable plugins. Click Remove to delete these entries.
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Change your homepage if it was altered by virus:
Click on the menu (top right corner), choose Options → General. - Here, delete malicious URL and enter preferable website or click Restore to default.
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Click OK to save these changes.
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Reset Mozilla Firefox
Click on the Firefox menu on the top left and click on the question mark. Here, choose Troubleshooting Information. -
Now you will see Reset Firefox to its default state message with Reset Firefox button. Click this button for several times and complete Playbar.biz removal.
Delete Playbar.biz from Google Chrome
Find all entries associated with PlayBar Biz virus and delete them. If you do not know where to look for such entries in Chrome, enter chrome://extensions in the URL bar.
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Delete malicious plugins
Open Google Chrome, click on the menu icon (top right corner) and select Tools → Extensions. -
Here, select Playbar.biz and other malicious plugins and select trash icon to delete these entries.
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Change your homepage and default search engine if it was altered by your virus
Click on menu icon and choose Settings. -
Here, look for the Open a specific page or set of pages under On startup option and click on Set pages.
- Now you should see another window. Here, delete malicious search sites and enter the one that you want to use as your homepage.
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Click on menu icon again and choose Settings → Manage Search engines under the Search section.
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When in Search Engines..., remove malicious search sites. You should leave only Google or your preferred domain name.
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Reset Google Chrome
Click on menu icon on the top right of your Google Chrome and select Settings. -
Scroll down to the end of the page and click on Reset browser settings.
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Click Reset to confirm this action and complete Playbar.biz removal.
Get rid of Playbar.biz from Safari
- Remove dangerous extensions
Open Safari web browser and click on Safari in menu at the top left of the screen. Once you do this, select Preferences. -
Here, select Extensions and look for Playbar.biz or other suspicious entries. Click on the Uninstall button to get rid each of them.
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Change your homepage if it was altered by virus:
Open your Safari web browser and click on Safari in menu section. Here, select Preferences as it was displayed previously and select General. -
Here, look at the Homepage field. If it was altered by Playbar.biz, remove unwanted link and enter the one that you want to use for your searches. Remember to include the "http://" before typing in the address of the page.
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Reset Safari
Open Safari browser and click on Safari in menu section at the top left of the screen. Here, select Reset Safari.... -
Now you will see a detailed dialog window filled with reset options. All of those options are usually checked, but you can specify which of them you want to reset. Click the Reset button to complete Playbar.biz removal process.
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References
- ^ NoVirus. NoVirus. Cyber Security Experts Share Their Opinion, Malware and Spyware News.
- ^ Eric Chien. Techniques of Adware and Spyware. Symantec Security Response. Security Information of a Time critical Nature.
- ^ Browser Hijack Objects (BHOs). Malwarebytes Blog. Latest Security News, Threat Research.