Wisersearch.com virus is a browser hijacker that displays annoying ads and redirects users to suspicious websites
Wisersearch.com virus is a potentially unwanted program that can infect all the popular browsers such as Google, Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Internet Explorer. The security experts unanimously assign it to the branch of browser hijacker viruses and relate it to the family of search.socialdownloadr.com hijackers.
Immediately after being installed, this virus changes the default browser page without your permission. With this questionable software installed on your computer, each browsing session may become a true burden. Thus, if your computer got infected, you need to remove Wisersearch.com virus as soon as possible.
Hundreds of Wisersearch.com hijack cases are being reported each day. The user complaints about the changed homepage and default search engine or that every attempt to connect to the Internet using usual legitimate browsers ends with the http://wisersearch.com/ website loading on their computer screens.
Even if the settings are restored, the Wisersearch.com virus may change the settings back again.
What is more, browser hijacker redirects users to unknown, potentially dangerous websites, which may contain spyware or other malware. Therefore, the Wisersearch.com redirect issue is not only annoying and diminishing the browsing experience, but it also poses a threat to the computer’s security.

Besides redirecting the user to potentially unsafe websites, this software also floods the browser with unwanted ads and downloads unknown toolbars without your knowledge or permission. What is more, the Wisersearch.com ads need to be turned off one by one, this way causing inconvenience for the user.
Additionally, Wisersearch.com also can be used to gather the NPII (non-personally identifiable information) such as search queries, most visited websites, IP addresses, hardware and software data on the computer. Later on, this data may be shared or sold to unreliable third parties or used for some other illegal activities.
You notice unusual occurrences while operating on any of your browsers. For example:
- the unusual default page,
- the unknown toolbar,
- highlighted hyperlinks instead of text or numbers,
- constant advertisements, or any similar issues.
These are the red flags suggesting that you need to scan your system and take care of the Wisersearch.com removal immediately. You can do that by following our expert prepared instructions provided below this article or remove it automatically using reputable anti-malware tools, such as SpyHunterCombo Cleaner or MalwarebytesMalwarebytes.
Browser hijackers spread through deceptive methods
Usually, this particular browser hijacker is installed via deceptive software bundles together with some other free software. Often such software packages can be downloaded from unsafe file sharing websites. It is not uncommon for the freeware to be distributed paired together with potentially unwanted programs and other suspicious software.
To avoid browser hijacker infiltrating your computer, you should always cautiously install new software on your computer. We strongly advise you to choose “Custom” or “Advanced” installation settings, because PUP’s (potentially unwanted programs) can be easily hidden within these, usually ignored, options.
If you notice any suspicious optional software, you should never install it on your computer. Instead, you should cancel the installation of the suggested suspicious software and other potentially concealed options before continuing with the installation of the chosen software.
Wisersearch.com virus removal suggestions
A browser hijacker can be a real headache when it infects your computer. Therefore, it is recommended to get rid of it unhesitatingly. You can remove Wisersearch.com manually or automatically, using the anti-malware software.
However, manual Wisersearch.com removal can be difficult, and there is a risk that some of the related files will remain on your computer. Thus, to avoid such errors, it is recommended to use professional anti-malware software specifically designed for this purpose. Anti-malware software will not only remove the browser hijacker together with all the related files but will also protect your computer from other browser hijackers and other cyber threats.
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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