TvStreamSurfer (Removal Instructions) - 2021 update
TvStreamSurfer Removal Guide
What is TvStreamSurfer?
TvStreamSurfer is a potentially unwanted program that can change your browser settings
TvStreamSurfer is a useless browser add-on, which is compatible with Google Chrome only. It presents itself as a convenient tool to find movies and TV shows easily and even watch them online for free. Unfortunately, you should know that streaming such content for free is actually illegal; besides, this tool does nothing but redirects the user to Hulu.com or Amazon.com, and both of these sites do not provide free video streaming – you have to pay to watch movies and TV shows on these sites.
The promised free video streaming feature does not work, but the developers of TvStreamSurfer do not worry about it too much. That is because the real purpose of creating this program was entirely different.
The only objective of developers of TvStreamSurfer is to advertise affiliate web pages and boost web traffic to them. They spread this potentially unwanted program (PUP) disguised as a useful tool while in reality, it is a simple browser hijacker that changes the browser’s settings and sets Search.TvStreamSurfer.com web search engine as the homepage and default new tab page on Chrome browser.
This search engine is designed to initiate redirects once the user clicks on the search results it provides.
TvStreamSurfer redirects usually lead to various third-party websites – some of them are entirely safe, but others can appear to be malicious. Due to the unpredictability of this PUP, computer security experts do not recommend using this search engine.
TvStreamSurfer is a potentially unwanted program that can change your search engine to its own.
You can never know what website is it going to lead you to, so to avoid potential cyber dangers, we advise you to remove TvStreamSurfer extension from Chrome and use a more reliable search engine instead of it. This way you will avoid various threats and use the internet safely again.
You can find a comprehensive TvStreamSurfer removal guide at the end of this article. If you are looking for good security software that could remove this PUP from your system and also prevent malicious programs from entering your computer system, you should install SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes.
PUPs spreads with the help of a deceptive distribution method called bundling
If you have no idea when and how did this tool slithered into your PC, we assume that you have never heard about a software distribution technique called bundling. Bundling basically means packing several programs into one.
The worst part is that such bundled software looks like an individual program; unfortunately, many computer users fail to identify bundled software and as a result, they end up installing a few or more programs instead of installing only the preferred program. We would like to share some tips on how you can decompose software bundles and avoid installing junk programs:
- First of all, when you plan to download a new program to your PC, make sure the site that provides the download link is reliable. Avoid downloading software from dubious file-sharing networks or questionable download websites.
- When you run the installer of your preferred software, read all the information it provides. Do not ignore Terms of Use and Privacy Policy documents and read them attentively.
- Keep in mind that additional downloads are usually hidden under pre-selected Default or Standard installation mode, but you have to switch this selection to Advanced/Custom. Uncheck the checkboxes next to agreements to install browser toolbars, additional programs, and opt-out the suggestions to change your homepage and/or default search engine settings and so on.
Remove TvStreamSurfer browser hijacker by using our instructions
We are not surprised that you have decided to uninstall TvStreamSurfer – it does not function as the developers of its promises, plus, it performs some intentional changes of browser settings without your authorization. Take note that this tool cannot be uninstalled like the majority of computer programs because it does not provide an uninstaller.
Therefore, we recommend using the TvStreamSurfer removal instructions given below to solve all problems this dubious browser hijacker causes for you. If you have concerns about your computer security, and if you want to scan it for threats, we recommend using a reliable security program, because it will help to detect and remove malware. If you have any questions, do not hesitate and contact our support team for help.
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 TvStreamSurfer. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
Take these steps if you want to get rid of PUPs from your Windows computer:
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
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)
Clear Mozilla Firefox if you want to use it like before:
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
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 TvStreamSurfer 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.