Remove Q1wws.icu (Removal Guide) - Free Instructions
Q1wws.icu is a browser hijacker that shows misleading search results
Q1wws.icu is a potentially unwanted program[1] created by a Chicago-based company QxSearch Inc. This questionable app usually infiltrates machines when users carelessly install shareware or freeware and sets the homepage and new tab address to hxxps://q1wws.icu/results.php?wd= on Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, or another browser. Additionally, Q1wws.icu displays sponsored links at the top the search results, redirects to suspicious websites and displays ads on sites that usually do not engage in such activities. Finally, potentially unwanted programs usually track and record information about its users using such tools like beacons or tracking cookies, so online privacy might be breached. Thus, if you found that your homepage and new tab URL suddenly changed, we highly advise you read this article in order to find out how to remove Q1wws.icu hijack from your device and keep your browsing activities private.
| Name | Q1wws.icu |
| Type | Browser hijacker/PUP |
| Developer | QxSearch Inc |
| Distribution | Software bundling, insecure websites |
| Risk factors | Installation of other unwanted software, expose to excessive commercial content, information tracking, computer infections, etc. |
| Symptoms | Changes web browser settings, redirects, pop-up ads, fake search results, etc. |
| Termination | Make use of our instructions below or employ security application |
| Recovery | To recover from the infection, scan your device with Reimage Reimage Cleaner Intego |
Q1wws.icu is not the only browser hijacker that QxSearch Inc produced, as it is also responsible for Bvts.xyz, Tyd1.xyz, and many similar sites. Visually, all these PUPs look identical – no thought was put into the design – it is a plain search bar with not many options available. However, as soon as users perform a search, they will notice the enormous amount of sponsored links.
The developers of Q1wws.icu virus seek to gain revenue by displaying commercial links, as each click counts, even an accidental one. For that reason, it is in PUP authors' best interest to install the application on as many computers as possible. Unfortunately, end users are the ones suffering from adverse effects of such a business model, as the presence of Q1wws.icu hijacker does not bring any benefits to them.
Once redirected or when clicked on a link, users may end up on phishing,[2] fraudulent, scam or even malware-laden sites. In case the computer is not protected with anti-malware software, the risk of infection increases. Therefore, it is vital to have a security application installed at all times. Those who notice suspicious redirects and similar activity should immediately proceed with Q1wws.icu removal.
For that, you can employ an anti-virus solution or take advantage of our manual removal guide below. Once you are sure that Q1wws.icu is terminated, you should reset each of the installed browsers and also scan your device with Reimage Reimage Cleaner Intego for best results.
Q1wws.icu is a potentially unwanted program that enters systems via software bundling and modifies web browser settings
Software bundling – a way for potentially unwanted programs to propagate
Users are rarely concerned about cybersecurity before a major incident happens, such as ransomware or another severe virus. Nevertheless, not many realize that infections do not simply “come” to computers. In most cases, the initiator is the end users, and the risk is increased if they do not take any precautionary measures to protect themselves.
While browser hijackers and similar PUPs are considered to be minor infections, it does not mean that it is OK to stay infected (due to reasons mentioned in the previous section). Therefore, the best solution would be not to get infected in the first place.
Software bundling is one of the most popular distribution techniques used freeware and shareware developers to install PUPs on users' devices. Unfortunately, this technique allows a deceptive installation without users noticing in most cases. This is due to them proceed with the installation without paying attention to the procedure attentively.
Thus, never rush the process, especially when dealing with the apps from third-party sites. It is not a secret that all free software distribution sites take up software bundling, although even official apps tent to do the same (for example, the notorious Ask toolbar was bundled with Java and similar updates).
Never rush the process and always check each step carefully to avoid various tricks, such as grayed out buttons, misleading instructions, pre-ticked boxes, and similar. Also, always opt for Advanced or Custom installation and terminate optional components prior they can be installed.
Remove Q1wws.icu browser hijacker from your system to stay safe online
To remove Q1wws.icu, you will have to either employ reputable security software or make use of our manual guide below. While both methods can be effective, experts[3] strongly advise combining both.
You can perform a full Q1wws.icu removal if you enter Programs section on Windows or installed Applications folder or Mac. Simply look up for any type of suspicious apps installed and terminate them. Unfortunately, some PUPs can hide behind misleading names so the removal process might be a little complicated. In such a case, rather use security software that specializes in potentially unwanted programs.
Once you delete Q1wws.icu completely, you should reset each of the installed browsers as explained below.
You may remove virus damage with a help of Reimage Reimage Cleaner Intego. 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.
To remove Q1wws.icu, follow these steps:
Uninstall Q1wws.icu from Windows systems
To remove Q1wws.icu from Windows OS, follow this detailed guide:
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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 Q1wws.icu and related programs
Here, look for Q1wws.icu or any other recently installed suspicious programs. -
Uninstall them and click OK to save these changes.
- Remove Q1wws.icu from Windows shortcuts
Right click on the shortcut of Mozilla Firefox and select Properties.
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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.
Remove Q1wws.icu from Mac OS X system
If your macOS is infected with a browser hijacker, take up these steps to terminate it:
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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 Q1wws.icu or any other suspicious programs on it. Now right click on every of such entries and select Move to Trash.
Eliminate Q1wws.icu from Internet Explorer (IE)
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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.
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You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for Q1wws.icu 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 Q1wws.icu removal.
Erase Q1wws.icu 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, Q1wws.icu should be removed from your Microsoft Edge browser.
Get rid of Q1wws.icu from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
Reset Mozilla Firefox as soon as you are sure the PUP is removed:
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Remove dangerous extensions
Open Mozilla Firefox, click on the menu icon (top right corner) and select Add-ons → Extensions.
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Here, select Q1wws.icu 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.
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Now you will see Reset Firefox to its default state message with Reset Firefox button. Click this button for several times and complete Q1wws.icu removal.
Delete Q1wws.icu from Google Chrome
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Delete malicious plugins
Open Google Chrome, click on the menu icon (top right corner) and select Tools → Extensions.
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Here, select Q1wws.icu 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 Q1wws.icu removal.
Uninstall Q1wws.icu from Safari
Do not forget to reset Safari, as browser hijackers often alter settings of a browser without permission:
- 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.
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Here, select Extensions and look for Q1wws.icu 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 Q1wws.icu, 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....
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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 Q1wws.icu removal process.
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. It is a hassle when your website is protected from suspicious connections and unauthorized IP addresses.
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 server or network manager that need to monitor connections and activities. This is how you bypass some of the authentications factors and can remotely use your banking accounts without triggering suspicious with each login.
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. It is better to clock the access to your website from different IP addresses. So you can keep the project safe and secure when you have the dedicated IP address VPN and protected access to the content management system.
Backup files for the later use, in case of the malware attack
Computer users can suffer various losses due to cyber infections or their own faulty doings. Software issues created by malware or direct data loss due to encryption can lead to problems with your device or permanent damage. When you have proper up-to-date backups, you can easily recover after such an incident and get back to work.
It is crucial to create updates to your backups after any changes on the device, so you can get back to the point you were working on when malware changes anything or issues with the device causes data or performance corruption. Rely on such behavior and make file backup your daily or weekly habit.
When you have the previous version of every important document or project you can avoid frustration and breakdowns. It comes in handy when malware occurs out of nowhere. Use Data Recovery Pro for the system restoring purpose.
About the author
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References
- ^ Chris Hoffman. PUPs Explained: What is a “Potentially Unwanted Program”?. How-to Geek. Site that explains technology.
- ^ Josh Fruhlinger. What is phishing? How this cyber attack works and how to prevent it. CSO. Security news, features and analysis about prevention.
- ^ Lesvirus. Lesvirus. Cybersecurity experts.
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