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 FortectIntego |
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 FortectIntego for best results.

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.
Uninstall from Windows
Uninstall from Windows 10/8:
- Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.

Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel (Windows XP users should click on Add/Remove Programs).
- In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.

Remove the unwanted program:
- In the Programs and Features window, look for any recently installed suspicious entries, select them, and click Uninstall.
- If User Account Control appears, click Yes to confirm, then complete the removal.

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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