Searchpowerapp.com: what it is and how to remove it
Searchpowerapp.com is a URL that users might find their address bars after they install a potentially unwanted application from Search Dimension developer based in the United Arab Emirates. However, the infiltration of a third-party app usually remains unnoticed because it is bundled in a single software package as an optional component, and is often concealed within the installation settings or pre-ticked boxes.
Facts checked October 6, 2026. Removal steps tested on Windows 11 (26H2) and checked against Microsoft's and the browser makers' current documentation. Sections marked as our earlier report are the original text: they describe the threat as it was then and have not been reviewed since. The 2026 status, the removal steps and the questions are current.
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Searchpowerapp.com: summary
| Name | Searchpowerapp.com |
|---|---|
| Type | Browser hijacker – these type of applications are usually installed without direct permission from a computer owner |
| Developer | Search Dimension |
| Homepage set to | hxxp://searchpowerapp.com |
| Symptoms | Browser hijackers usually completely take over the installed web browsers, altering the new tab functionality, the search engine, and the homepage. They also infuse search results with sponsored links, and may redirect to affiliated websites while users are browsing the web |
| Associated risks | Users should be aware that the minor computer infection can turn into something more sinister if the advertised content is clicked and unknown programs downloaded (might even result in malware infections) |
| Removal | Scan the PC with security software to find and remove the malware and anything installed with it. Fortect scans Windows for malware and repairs the system files and settings it damaged. Remove it nowTo use the full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Fortect. The scan is free. |
Show 9 more facts
| Termination | To get rid of the PUP, you should scan your device anti-malware software or check our manual removal guide below |
|---|---|
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Evidence | 6 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Search page | searchpowerapp.com |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge and Firefox |
| First seen | 7 July 2020 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
What Searchpowerapp.com changes in your browser
When we provide you with an email inbox as part of an Search Dimension Product, we may monitor and collect the contents of such emails in the course of normal maintenance of the relevant Search Dimension Product and its systems.
Is Searchpowerapp.com dangerous? What it collects
From our report of Jul 2020 · not reviewed since
Searchpowerapp.com is a browser hijacker that uses legitimate search tools like Yahoo or Bing but also infuses searchers with affiliated links
Searchpowerapp.com is a URL that users might find their address bars after they install a potentially unwanted application from Search Dimension developer based in the United Arab Emirates.
However, the infiltration of a third-party app usually remains unnoticed because it is bundled in a single software package as an optional component, and is often concealed within the installation settings or pre-ticked boxes. The change of the homepage to Searchpowerapp.com usually means that the system got infected with the Power App virus.
Once installed, the Searchpowerapp.com hijack affects all browsers, including Google Chrome, Safari, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, and others. The PUP will set the default search engine, homepage, and new tab address to hxxp://searchpowerapp.com, which cannot be changed unless the Power App application is terminated.
In most of the cases, however, users will get warned that their browser settings changed (most of the modern search tools do that), so there is an option not to accept the modification in the first place.
After the changes made to the browsers, Searchpowerapp.com will start showing sponsored search results at the top, although it uses reputable providers such as Yahoo, Google, and Bing for that purpose. Despite that, the top results shown will not be organic, but rather those that third-parties paid for. In such a way, the websites that users visit drastically changes, and it also artificially inflates the rankings of those sites.
You should immediately think of Searchpowerapp.com removal if you found it on your browser and do not remember installing it in the first place.
Searchpowerapp.com developers claim that applications they provide will effectively increase the speed of browsing, provide enhanced search results, and benefit users in many other ways. However, this is a typical marketing trick used by developers, as they are only interested in ad revenue.
By providing alternative search results and links to sponsored sites, Power App developers earn money for each click made by users. The behavioral advertisement helps the authors to accomplish the goal, as users are more interested in buying products that offered to them. For that, a variety of information is collected about their browsing habits, including:
However, Searchpowerapp.com does not stop there when it comes to the collection of data. It may also collect personal information, including name, address, email, phone number, etc. if you agree to provide this information. In some cases, data from social platforms like Facebook can be collected as well. Additionally, we advise not registering any email accounts, as the contents of the messages can be spied on:
Essentially, there is no point in using the service, as searchers are powered by Bing, Google, and Yahoo, although ads are inserted as well - you might as well use these providers directly. While browser hijackers are nor a major security threat, experts advise you to remove Searchpowerapp.com and all the other potentially unwanted programs from your device as soon as possible.
- Websites visited;
- IP address;
- Keywords;
- Search queries;
- Links clicked;
- Search history;
- Cookie data;
- Installed programs, etc.
From our report of Jul 2020 · not reviewed since
Direct Search and Search Power extensions promoting this hijacker
The redirect virus or a browser hijacker can be related to many other browser-based programs like adware-type programs, browser extensions, tools, toolbars, add-ons.
Direct Search is a search hijacker that manipulates the browser and changes settings to interfere with the traffic significantly.
Another tool that promotes and pushes Searchpowerapp.com is Search Power. These browser extensions trigger changes to the default search engine and set the startup page, new tab setting son each web browsing tool to the needed engine. In most cases, you notice the add-on installed behind your back when it starts triggering issues with searches and delivers unwanted content directly on the screen all the time.
Some warnings that show up during the installation of the application or after the download should be red flags. But when Direct Search PUP states about changes triggered in browsers and tracking issues, you might overlook those pop-ups and allow all the content, unwanted changes, and leave the machine infected.
Direct Search is the hijacker that uses different distribution methods, so you may even found the program promoted and provided on the online shop, Google store, for example. Alternate sites, web stores, spruces associated with questionable companies, and third-parties should be considered malicious.
From our report of Jul 2020 · not reviewed since
All third-party sites bundle software, be careful not to install apps you did not intend
Ad-monetization is a lucrative business for many many companies, including such industry giants like Google and Facebook.
However, in recent years, users became much warier about what data is collected about them and how it is used due to various data breaches, whistleblowers, and new regulations like GDPR. All the concerns are reasonable, as a lot of information can be collected behind users' backs, without them knowing about it in the first place.
Unfortunately, many potentially unwanted programs still hide the information about data gathering in pages-long policies that nobody reads. Therefore, it is up to users to ensure that applications they install on their computers do not collect more data than they are willing to provide. For that, it is best to avoid third-party apps in the first place and use official sources for app downloads.
If however, you cannot find what you are looking for and opt to choose third-parties, you should be aware that installers often include optional components, and some of them might even be dangerous. Thus, never rush the installation process, decline all the deals/offers, check if Privacy Policy is provided and always select Advanced/Custom installation settings.
From our report of Jul 2020 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Searchpowerapp.com
- We highly recommend installing to keep your computer in best shape
Check your browser and PC
- Address:
searchpowerapp.com
How to remove Searchpowerapp.com
How to remove Searchpowerapp.com and get your search engine back
Remove the extension first.
The search settings only stay fixed once nothing on the PC can change them again.
Step 1: Remove extensions you did not add
Searchpowerapp.com often works through an extension, so go through the extension list of each browser:
chrome://extensionsedge://extensions- Extensions and themes in Firefox
Switch suspicious extensions off one at a time and reload the page where the problem shows, then remove the one that stops it, and any other you did not add.
Remember the other browsers and profiles on the PC. If Remove is missing or greyed out, a policy forces the extension, which the policy step deals with. Windows 11 and Windows 10 show the same pages.
Chrome on Windows 11: More > Extensions > Manage extensions. Full procedure with screenshots: Remove a browser extension
Step 2: Put the search engine back and delete searchpowerapp.com
Searches that pass through
searchpowerapp.commean the browser's default search engine was replaced. Chrome: Settings > Search engine > Manage search engines and site search, then Make default on Google, Bing or another engine you chose, and Delete on searchpowerapp.com.Edge has the same list under Manage search engines (search the Settings page for it), and Firefox under Settings > Search.
Look at On startup and the homepage settings too and remove the hijacker's address there. Nothing in this step differs between Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Chrome on Windows 11: check Search engine and On startup. Full procedure with screenshots: Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine
Step 3: Uninstall programs you did not mean to install
Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps in Windows 11, or Settings > Apps > Apps & features in Windows 10, and sort the list by install date. Look at what appeared around the day the problem started and uninstall every program you do not recognise or did not choose.
Free converters, PDF and video tools, "system optimizers" and unknown browsers are the usual carriers of Searchpowerapp.com. If a name is unclear, search for it before you remove it, so you do not uninstall a driver or a Windows component.
Full procedure with screenshots: Uninstall a program or app in Windows On uGetFix
Step 4: Reset the browser
Finish the browser part with a reset, which puts the search engine, start page, new tab page and site permissions back to their defaults and switches extensions off. Chrome: Settings > Reset settings > Restore settings to their original defaults.
Edge: Settings > Reset settings. Firefox: Help > More troubleshooting information > Refresh Firefox, which also removes its extensions. Your bookmarks and saved passwords are kept, and the menus are the same on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Chrome on Windows 11: Settings > Reset settings. Full procedure with screenshots: Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine
Step 5: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan
Open Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, run a Full scan and remove everything it finds. Then select Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) and click Scan now: the PC restarts and scans before Windows loads, which finds files that hide while Windows runs.
Save your work first, because the offline scan takes about 15 minutes. Both scans are built into Windows 11 and Windows 10, and a second scanner from another vendor is a useful extra opinion.
Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options. Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan
Instructions for each browser and system
The detailed steps for every browser and system this guide covers. Open the one you use.
Uninstall from Windows
To get rid of Power App and other unwanted programs from Windows operating systems, please follow these steps:
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.
Remove from Google Chrome
Make sure you reset Google Chrome after the infection, as traces like cookies might still be left:
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.
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.
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.
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.
Delete from macOS
macOS or Mac OS X users should perform the following actions in order to eliminate the PUP:
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.
Choose a proper web browser and improve your safety with a VPN tool
Online spying has got momentum in recent years and people are getting more and more interested in how to protect their privacy online.
One of the basic means to add a layer of security - choose the most private and secure web browser. Although web browsers can't grant full privacy protection and security, some of them are much better at sandboxing, HTTPS upgrading, active content blocking, tracking blocking, phishing protection, and similar privacy-oriented features.
However, if you want true anonymity, we suggest you employ a powerful VPN - it can encrypt all the traffic that comes and goes out of your computer, preventing tracking completely.
Lost your files? Use data recovery software
While some files located on any computer are replaceable or useless, others can be extremely valuable.
Family photos, work documents, school projects - these are types of files that we don't want to lose. Unfortunately, there are many ways how unexpected data loss can occur:
- power cuts
- Blue Screen of Death errors
- hardware failures
- crypto-malware attack
- even accidental deletion
To ensure that all the files remain intact, you should prepare regular data backups. You can choose cloud-based or physical copies you could restore from later in case of a disaster. If your backups were lost as well or you never bothered to prepare any, can be your only hope to retrieve your invaluable files.
From our report of Jul 2020 · not reviewed since
Get rid of Searchpowerapp.com hijack in two different ways
Searchpowerapp.com removal should not be that complicated for most of the users.
However, the process can differ depending on the application that is tied to the changes that were initiated on your browser. For example, a browser extension can be eliminated via the browser itself, while an installed app needs to be removed via the Control Panel (Windows) or Applications (Mac) folder.
You can also remove Searchpowerapp.com with the help of anti-virus software which specializes in potentially unwanted programs. Be aware that not all security applications will be able to detect the PUP, as it is not considered ma major security threat and is usually installed by the user.
Once you get rid of the so-called Searchpowerapp.com virus, you should also reset each of the installed browsers to make sure the hijacker does not return.
Questions about Searchpowerapp.com
Why does my search engine keep changing to searchpowerapp.com?
Because something keeps setting it. An extension can change the search engine every time the browser starts, and an ad-supported program in Windows can do it for every browser and re-add the extension after you remove it. Some hijackers also add a policy that locks the setting.
Changing the search engine back only works once the source is gone. Remove extensions you do not recognise, uninstall programs installed around the time searchpowerapp.com first appeared, and then set the search engine again. If it still returns, check the browser for the Managed by your organization message and follow the policy steps in this guide.
Did searchpowerapp.com come with a program I installed?
Most likely, yes. Search hijackers such as searchpowerapp.com usually arrive with free software, where an extra offer is pre-ticked in the installer, or as an extension that promises something useful, such as file conversion, maps, recipes or streaming.
Look at Settings, Apps, Installed apps sorted by install date: whatever was installed just before the search engine changed is the main suspect. Uninstall it, then remove any extension you do not recognise. In future, choose the custom or advanced option in installers and untick extra offers, and install extensions only from the official store pages of publishers you know.
Why do my searches go to searchpowerapp.com?
Because the browser's default search engine was changed to it. Searchpowerapp.com did that through an extension, a program or a browser policy, and as long as that source remains, the setting points to searchpowerapp.com.
The page then passes your query to a real search provider, so the results look almost normal, with extra sponsored links on top. Changing the search engine back on its own does not last, because the source resets it. Remove the extension or program first, then the policies if any, then set your own search engine.
Is it safe to keep searching with searchpowerapp.com?
We would not. Every query you type is logged by its operators and shared with their advertising partners, and the sponsored links at the top are chosen for payment, not relevance. Results that look like a download page or a support site may lead to scams.
The page will not damage Windows by itself, but there is no benefit in keeping it: the results come from another search engine anyway. Remove Searchpowerapp.com and use that search engine directly, by typing its address or choosing it in the browser settings.
Which browsers does Searchpowerapp.com affect?
We saw it in Chrome, Edge and Firefox. That does not mean the other browsers on your PC are safe: hijacker installers usually change every browser they find, and browser sync can carry an extension to other computers signed in to the same account.
Check the search engine, home page, new tab, extensions and policies in each browser you have, including ones you rarely open. Chrome and Edge profiles count separately, so switch to each profile and check it as well before you call the job done.
What does searchpowerapp.com know about me?
It knows what you searched for while it was your search engine, when, from which IP address and with which browser, and usually which results you opened. Tracking cookies let it connect those searches into a profile. It does not see your saved passwords or files.
After removing Searchpowerapp.com, delete the cookies and site data for searchpowerapp.com so the profile cannot be continued, and remove it from the browser's list of saved search engines. Signing out of important sites and back in also replaces session cookies.
The results look like Google or Bing. Is that real?
Partly. Many hijacker search pages pass your query to a real search engine and show its results, so the list looks familiar. What changes is the frame around it:
- extra sponsored links at the top
- the hijacker's own tracking
- sometimes a design that copies a known search engine
You can tell by the address bar. If it shows searchpowerapp.com or another unfamiliar domain instead of the search engine you know, the results come through a middleman. Remove Searchpowerapp.com and search directly.
I changed the search engine, but it switched back. Why?
The hijacker is still installed, and it rewrites the setting whenever the browser starts or the extension updates. Changing the setting is the last step, not the first. Find what controls it: the search settings page usually names the extension, and a greyed-out field means a policy.
Remove that source, restart the browser, then pick your search engine and delete the hijacker's entry from the list of saved search engines so it cannot be chosen by accident. Check again after a day, when extensions have had a chance to update.
Would an ad blocker stop Searchpowerapp.com?
Not really. An ad blocker can hide some of the sponsored results on searchpowerapp.com, but it does not change your search engine back or remove the extension that set it. Your searches would still pass through the hijacker's servers and be logged.
Some ad blockers include tracking filters that block parts of the redirect chain, which can break searches altogether. Remove Searchpowerapp.com with the plan above; an ad blocker is a reasonable extra afterwards, from the official store only and from a developer with a long track record.
Will Fortect remove Searchpowerapp.com?
Fortect scans Windows for malware and unwanted programs and repairs the system files and settings they change, and its free scan shows what it finds on your PC before you decide anything.
For Searchpowerapp.com, follow the plan above as well: the browser steps take back permissions and settings that no scanner treats as a threat, and uninstalling the program that brought it removes the source.
Run Microsoft Defender's full scan and, if anything was found, its offline scan as a second opinion. If the symptoms are gone after the plan and both scans are clean, there is nothing more to do.
Sources
- Tech Crunch: The case against behavioral advertising is stacking up (read October 6, 2026)
- Lesvirus: Lesvirus (read October 6, 2026)
- Wired: Out in the Open: Inside the Operating System Edward Snowden Used to Evade the NSA (read October 6, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 6, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 6, 2026)