SearchConvertor (Removal Instructions) - Chrome, Firefox, IE, Edge
SearchConvertor Removal Guide
What is SearchConvertor?
SearchConvertor – a potentially unwanted application that hijacks web browsers without asking
SearchConvertor is a browser-hijacking application that changes homepage and new tab URL without permission
SearchConvertor is a browser hijacker that can be downloaded from various sources, although most users find it on their systems unexpectedly. This happens since the app is mostly distributed via software bundles, where several programs are compiled into a single package.
As soon as SearchConvertor gains access to Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, MS Edge, or another web browser, it begins to change their settings instantaneously. For example, the homepage and the new tab address are changed to feed.searchconvertor.com, and a customized search engine is applied. As soon as users attempt to search the web, their browser begins a redirect to search.yahoo.com, and the top results are always ads, otherwise known as sponsored links.
Besides changing the way users browse the web, the so-called SearchConvertor virus also tracks their online behavior to deliver more suited advertisements for more profits.
Name | SearchConvertor |
Type | Browser hijacker |
Distribution | While many browser hijackers can be downloaded on official sources such as Google Web Store, most users find these unwanted programs installed without permission. This happens due to deceptive distribution tactics such as software bundling or fake updates |
Symptoms |
|
Risks | Installation of other potentially unwanted programs or malware, monetary losses, personal data disclosure to unknown parities or cybercriminals |
Removal | You can uninstall browser extension by right-clicking on it; in case you have a PUP installed on your computer, either follow manual guide below or employ powerful anti-malware for automatic elimination |
Optional steps | In case you still see ads and redirects, you should also reset your web browsers. In case malware was found on your machine by the security software, you should also restore normal Windows functions with a PC repair software such as FortectIntego |
Just as its visual clones SearchZone, SearchConverterHD, or SearchGamez, SearchConvertor is yet another browser-hijacking application that claims that it is a useful search tool. In fact, many would be attracted to tools such as PDF converter or calculator that is presented as optional components within the main page. However, these useful features are not the only things that the hijacker is capable of.
A browser hijacker is a simple way to monetize – the costs of release are minimal, while the profit it can bring is potentially huge. However, let's keep in mind that the main goal of SearchConvertor developers is to promote advertisements and monetize users' clicks.
To do that effectively, the app collects a variety of information about users who have it installed. It uses browser cookies, web beacons,[1] pixels, scripts, or other tracking technologies to collect anonymous and personal data (mostly IP address and other device identifiers) about SearchConvertor users:
The Non-Personal Information which is being collected may include technical information automatically transmitted by the user's device (for example, type of browser, the type of the user's device and technical information pertaining to the user's device, language preferences, time stamps, clicks and visited pages, search logs, the operating system, utilized internet service provider and other similar information.
However, if you will try to prevent tracking or attempting to search via the address bar, you will be rerouted to Yahoo via the feed.searchconvertor.com portal. This way, the developers ensure that sponsored links are placed all the time, so more users visit affiliated sites. The only way to stop this activity is to remove SearchConvertor from your machine.
SearchConvertor is a potentially unwanted program that redirects all search results to Yahoo and shows sponsored links at the top
SearchConvertor is most commonly distributed as an extension that is compatible with several popular web browsers. However, it can also be installed as a standalone application on a Mac or Windows machine. The deletion of the extension should not be a problem to most, although SearchConvertor removal might be a bit more difficult when dealing with the installed app.
However, if you struggle to uninstall SearchConvertor, you can rely on the instructions we provide below or perform a full system scan with a powerful anti-malware. Also, security researchers from novirus.uk[2] advise using a PC repair tool such as FortectIntego after any type of infection is eliminated from a system.
Prevent infiltration of potentially unwanted programs
Potentially unwanted programs, including browser hijackers, are often distributed via deceptive methods, which result in an unintentional installation by users. One prime example is software bundling – developers of PUPs or freeware distributors often compile several apps into a single installer, and then deliberately hide their presence in order to mislead users.
While it might seem that seemingly reputable websites would not distribute potentially unwanted programs, it is far from the truth. There are plenty of browser hijackers and adware apps that are present on official sources such as Chrome Web Store as well (Google is pulling out apps due to malicious behavior on a regular basis).[3]
Thus, be very careful when you are downloading new applications – always choose official sources if possible, although never let your guard down. Read the installation instructions carefully, decline all the offers (don't be mislead by misplaced buttons), remove all ticks from pre-ticked boxes, and always opt for Advanced or Custom settings when prompted, as it will let you stay in control of the process from start to finish.
SearchConvertor includes seemingly useful features, although it also tracks users in the background and redirects search results to sponsored sites
Uninstall SearchConvertor from your computer in a few different ways
If you are dealing with a browser extension that is attached to your browser, all you have to do is access the add-on section via browser settings, and then select “Remove SearchConvertor.” However, this might not go as well for all users – the app might set the “Managed by your organization” status or might actually be installed on the system instead of the browser. In the case of the former, you should reset the installed web browser – this will also eliminate cookies and other tracking technologies setup by the hijacker.
If you have an app installed on your computer and you are not sure how to perform SearchConvertor removal manually, we provide the instructions for the process below. If you do not want to meddle with this process yourself, you can let an anti-malware program to take care of everything automatically (just ensure that the security app has PUP detection feature enabled).
You may remove virus damage with a help of FortectIntego. 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.
Getting rid of SearchConvertor. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
To uninstall SearchConvertor from Windows computer, you should perform the following steps:
Instructions for Windows 10/8 machines:
- Enter Control Panel into Windows search box and hit Enter or click on the search result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
- From the list, find the entry of the suspicious program.
- Right-click on the application and select Uninstall.
- If User Account Control shows up, click Yes.
- Wait till uninstallation process is complete and click OK.
If you are Windows 7/XP user, proceed with the following instructions:
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel located on the right pane (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
- In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.
- Pick the unwanted application by clicking on it once.
- At the top, click Uninstall/Change.
- In the confirmation prompt, pick Yes.
- Click OK once the removal process is finished.
Delete from macOS
If you are a macOS user, you can also easily get infected with a potentially unwanted program such as browser hijacker. Thus, follow these guidelines to eliminate the PUP:
Remove items from Applications folder:
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for all related entries.
- Click on the app and drag it to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash)
To fully remove an unwanted app, you need to access Application Support, LaunchAgents, and LaunchDaemons folders and delete relevant files:
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and click Go or press Enter.
- In the Application Support folder, look for any dubious entries and then delete them.
- Now enter /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders the same way and terminate all the related .plist files.
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 on Uninstall at the bottom.
Clear cookies and other browser data:
- Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Privacy & security.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Select everything (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 Disable if you found any suspicious domain.
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.
If this solution failed to help you, you need to use an advanced Edge reset method. Note that you need to backup your data before proceeding.
- Find the following folder on your computer: C:\\Users\\%username%\\AppData\\Local\\Packages\\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe.
- Press Ctrl + A on your keyboard to select all folders.
- Right-click on them and pick Delete
- Now right-click on the Start button and pick Windows PowerShell (Admin).
- When the new window opens, copy and paste the following command, and then press Enter:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\\AppXManifest.xml” -Verbose
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.
Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
If you cannot eliminate extensions from your browser or if you want to get rid of the annoying notifications/popups, reset Mozilla Firefox as explained below:
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 unwanted plugin and click Remove.
Reset the homepage:
- Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
- Choose Options.
- Under Home options, enter your preferred site that will open every time you newly open the Mozilla Firefox.
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, as well as Cached Web Content and press 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
In case you still see ads, you should reset Google Chrome as soon as unwanted programs are eliminated:
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 the suspicious plugins that might be 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 unwanted extensions from Safari:
- Click Safari > Preferences…
- In the new window, pick Extensions.
- Select the unwanted extension and select Uninstall.
Clear cookies and other website data from Safari:
- Click Safari > Clear History…
- From the drop-down menu under Clear, pick all history.
- Confirm with Clear History.
Reset Safari if the above-mentioned steps did not help you:
- Click Safari > Preferences…
- Go to Advanced tab.
- Tick the Show Develop menu in menu bar.
- From the menu bar, click Develop, and then select Empty Caches.
After uninstalling this potentially unwanted program (PUP) and fixing each of your web browsers, we recommend you to scan your PC system with a reputable anti-spyware. This will help you to get rid of SearchConvertor registry traces and will also identify related parasites or possible malware infections on your computer. For that you can use our top-rated malware remover: FortectIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes.
How to prevent from getting browser hijacker
Stream videos without limitations, no matter where you are
There are multiple parties that could find out almost anything about you by checking your online activity. While this is highly unlikely, advertisers and tech companies are constantly tracking you online. The first step to privacy should be a secure browser that focuses on tracker reduction to a minimum.
Even if you employ a secure browser, you will not be able to access websites that are restricted due to local government laws or other reasons. In other words, you may not be able to stream Disney+ or US-based Netflix in some countries. To bypass these restrictions, you can employ a powerful Private Internet Access VPN, which provides dedicated servers for torrenting and streaming, not slowing you down in the process.
Data backups are important – recover your lost files
Ransomware is one of the biggest threats to personal data. Once it is executed on a machine, it launches a sophisticated encryption algorithm that locks all your files, although it does not destroy them. The most common misconception is that anti-malware software can return files to their previous states. This is not true, however, and data remains locked after the malicious payload is deleted.
While regular data backups are the only secure method to recover your files after a ransomware attack, tools such as Data Recovery Pro can also be effective and restore at least some of your lost data.
- ^ Web beacon. Wikipedia. The free encyclopedia.
- ^ Novirus. Novirus. Cybersecurity advice and malware news.
- ^ Google removes 29 malicious Android apps with adware from Play Store; check full list and uninstall them now. Financial Express. Business News.