Remove StudyHQ Toolbar (Removal Instructions) - Dec 2017 update
StudyHQ – yet another toolbar capable of adding myway to your web browser
StudyHQ is a browser hijacker which promises users to improve their studies by offering flashcards. Unfortunately, besides this seemingly-useful feature, the program can also hijack your browser[1] and leave myway.com instead of your favorite search engine.
Besides, these are the following reasons explaining why we recommend staying away from StudyHQ virus:
- It hijacks all web browsers that can be found on the system;
- The add-on promotes an untrustworthy search engine;
- The elimination of the toolbar is quite complicated;
- Toolbar tracks your searches each time you start using it.
The developer of StudyHQ is a well-known company called Mindspark Interactive, responsible for distributing thematic toolbars, such as HoroscopeBuddy Toolbar, ConvertersNow Toolbar, etc. Even though all of them offer different services, each of them works in the same manner – it infiltrates computers without user's authorization, installs a toolbar and changes browser's settings to launch myway every time user starts searching the Internet.
The extension[2] has been found spreading in a bundle with various freeware, including popular download managers, media players, PDF creators, and so on. Make sure you get rid of them right after you decide to remove StudyHQ from your computer. For that, use Reimage Reimage Cleaner or other program that has already been tested by security experts.
Questions about StudyHQ Toolbar
StudyHQ Toolbar is an unreliable add-on which might hijack your regular browser.
One of the main tasks that Study HQ is set to perform is to promote myway. Thus, once you install the toolbar, you may find myway.com as your default search provider and a start page. Although this search engine is not considered to be malicious, keep in mind that the most of its search results are sponsored.
In case your browser has already been attacked, make sure you initiate a quick StudyHQ removal from your system. Otherwise, you may receive modified search results that might be filled with third-party links, advertisements and other content that causes redirects to predetermined websites.
Such marketing technique is widely used these days because it has been very effective while trying to increase traffic to specific websites. However, you should be aware of the fact that there is no chance of knowing what kind of website you will be redirected to. By using its services, you put yourself at risk of getting infected with malicious programs.
To prevent this, we suggest you to initiate StudyHQ removal on your computer. For that, you can use the guide which is provided below.
Learn how browser hijacker reaches your system
Experts from NoVirus.uk[3] warn that potentially unwanted programs travel inside the installers of free applications. You might not always be fully informed about their installation since Recommended or Quick settings do not allow to de-select the marks of which permit to infiltrate the PUP on your PC.
Thus, if you want to prevent browser hijacker from sneaking onto your computer, you should always check freewares and what kind of attachments they are carrying because this dubious toolbar can be downloaded not only via the official website but also via other free downloads. Thus, always select Advanced or Custom installation mode and untick everything that seems suspicious for you.
Recently, the developer of this program contacted us asking us to remove this post from 2-spyware.com website. We believe that we shouldn't do that as long as programs that we offer for the removal of StudyHQ Toolbar can detect it and help users to remove it from the system. As it is mentioned under each of download buttons, we ARE affiliated with these anti-malware programs, and while some of them are free, others can remove a virus only after purchasing them. These mentions fully fulfill each of the requirements of FTC.
Nevertheless, we have recently decided to make a revision of this and other posts that are related to this developer. We claim that all of them are described properly.
StudyHQ Toolbar elimination methods
You have two different options for StudyHQ Toolbar removal from your computer — automatic and manual elimination. If you are among those who do not want to install additional software to get rid of the hijacker, try using manual removal guide and uninstall the program yourself. Note that this might be dangerous since inexperienced computer users can terminate processes which are essential for a normal OS functionality.
The easier way to fix your computer is to either perform automatic StudyHQ removal. You can be sure that programs recommended for this procedure are highly reliable and can easily fix your computer with only one click. We deeply believe that automatic elimination is the most convenient method because it will identify and remove all hijacker-related components.
You may remove virus damage with a help of Reimage Reimage Cleaner . 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 StudyHQ Toolbar, follow these steps:
Delete StudyHQ Toolbar from Windows systems
StudyHQ removal requires to uninstall all its elements. Likewise, the guide below will show you how to do it safely on Windows OS:
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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 StudyHQ Toolbar and related programs
Here, look for StudyHQ Toolbar or any other recently installed suspicious programs. -
Uninstall them and click OK to save these changes.
- Remove StudyHQ Toolbar 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.
Remove StudyHQ Toolbar from Mac OS X system
You can clean your Mac PC from browser hijacker by following these instructions:
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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 StudyHQ Toolbar or any other suspicious programs on it. Now right click on every of such entries and select Move to Trash.
Uninstall StudyHQ Toolbar 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. -
You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for StudyHQ Toolbar 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 StudyHQ Toolbar removal.
Get rid of StudyHQ Toolbar 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.
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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, StudyHQ Toolbar should be removed from your Microsoft Edge browser.
Eliminate StudyHQ Toolbar 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 StudyHQ Toolbar 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 StudyHQ Toolbar removal.
Erase StudyHQ Toolbar from Google Chrome
To fix Chrome you should delete StudyHQ extension and reset your browser.
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Delete malicious plugins
Open Google Chrome, click on the menu icon (top right corner) and select Tools → Extensions. -
Here, select StudyHQ Toolbar 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 StudyHQ Toolbar removal.
Delete StudyHQ Toolbar 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 StudyHQ Toolbar 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 StudyHQ Toolbar, 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 StudyHQ Toolbar removal process.
About the author
References
- ^ Add-on. Wikipedia. The Free Encyclopedia.
- ^ Extension. Tech Target. Computer Glossary, Computer Terms.
- ^ NoVirus. NoVirus. Security and Spyware News.
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