Xlsearch.net virus - Free Instructions
Xlsearch.net virus Removal Guide
What is Xlsearch.net virus?
Xlsearch.net – a redirect virus that causes many problems
Please don't use this questionable search engine if you value your privacy and security.
There is no surprise why computer users hate Xlsearch.net virus – it is a questionable program that hijacks[1] browser’s settings and attempts to force users to use a search engine of its choice. If it emerged in your browser all of a sudden, you should not waste your time and remove it.
In this article, we'll discuss the drawbacks and risks associated with the indicated browser hijacker. Please note that if you haven't installed this browser hijacker, please don't. If you have, we'll tell you how to remove it and get your default browser settings back safely.
name | Xlsearch.net virus |
---|---|
Type | Browser hijacker, PUP |
Symptoms | Altered browser settings (homepage, new tab, search engine); redirects to untrustworthy websites; reduced browsing speed and device performance |
Risks | Exposure to dangerous websites, privacy issues |
Distribution | Software bundles, deceptive ads, fake Flash Player updates |
Elimination | You can use reliable anti-malware software to remove any cyber threat from your device safely |
System health | Ensure that your device runs smoothly by using the FortectIntego tool to take care of all system irregularities |
First of all, Xlsearch.net redirect virus is classified as a browser hijacker not without reason. It has all features of a traditional browser hijacker – it changes the browser’s default search settings, the new tab, and finally, the homepage address.
The suspicious program targets all browsers ranging from IE to Chrome. Besides changing the settings mentioned above, the hijacker inserts tracking cookies into the browser. These cookies are capable of collecting various information, including user’s search queries, browsing history, names of downloads, clicks on ads and URLs, and other similar data.
Having such data allows the developers of this potentially unwanted application to analyze the market and organize the placement of targeted advertisements. Some of these Xlsearch ads might appear on your screen in the form of pop-ups, although the majority of them are going to emerge in the pages of search results.
Clicking on them will cause an URL redirection that points to a predetermined third-party site. Some of these sites might be trustworthy. However, others can pose a threat to your security and privacy, and we bet that you would like to avoid that.
Besides, you shouldn’t keep shady programs on your PC, especially when they are trying to generate revenue by serving vague links to you. We suggest performing a thorough Xlsearch.net removal without any hesitations – this program can only cause problems to you.
For that, we suggest using robust anti-spyware programs like SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes because they can scan your PC thoroughly and delete all suspicious and possibly dangerous files[2] from it. After the removal, you should repair system-related issues by using the FortectIntego PC repair tool.
The virus changes the browser's default search engine and sets the same URL as the homepage and new tab page address without clearly notifying the computer user.
Knowledge about the distribution of browser hijackers can help you to keep them at bay
If you want to keep browser hijackers and other shady programs at bay, you should learn how they are distributed. The majority of them are distributed via software bundling, a technique that allows installing a couple of additional programs alongside one, usually popular free program.
These extra programs are added during the installation of the primary program. If the user wants to prevent that, he needs to deselect the permissions to install them in the installation wizard before clicking the “Install” button. These permissions can be readjusted via Custom or Advanced installation options. Please do not rely on Standard/Default settings because they will place all “recommended” programs on your system without even disclosing it.
Remove Xlsearch.net virus and reset the browser settings
We have provided an easy-to-follow tutorial at the bottom of this article that will help you to remove Xlsearch.net virus manually. However, you can never know what programs may have been added to your computer system during the installation of the hijacker.
Therefore, we suggest running a system scan with a reliable anti-malware program to ensure that all suspicious or malicious files/entries/programs are appropriately eliminated. After the removal, it's highly recommended to perform system diagnostics with compatible software to delete all tracking cookies and repair system damage.
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 Xlsearch.net virus. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
Remove all shady programs from your Windows computer. The guide on how to eliminate these programs is given below.
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
Check if there are any shady apps in the Applications folder.
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)
Clean Firefox with the help of this tutorial we provide.
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 Xlsearch.net 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
Protect your privacy – employ a VPN
There are several ways how to make your online time more private – you can access an incognito tab. However, there is no secret that even in this mode, you are tracked for advertising purposes. There is a way to add an extra layer of protection and create a completely anonymous web browsing practice with the help of Private Internet Access VPN. This software reroutes traffic through different servers, thus leaving your IP address and geolocation in disguise. Besides, it is based on a strict no-log policy, meaning that no data will be recorded, leaked, and available for both first and third parties. The combination of a secure web browser and Private Internet Access VPN will let you browse the Internet without a feeling of being spied or targeted by criminals.
No backups? No problem. Use a data recovery tool
If you wonder how data loss can occur, you should not look any further for answers – human errors, malware attacks, hardware failures, power cuts, natural disasters, or even simple negligence. In some cases, lost files are extremely important, and many straight out panic when such an unfortunate course of events happen. Due to this, you should always ensure that you prepare proper data backups on a regular basis.
If you were caught by surprise and did not have any backups to restore your files from, not everything is lost. Data Recovery Pro is one of the leading file recovery solutions you can find on the market – it is likely to restore even lost emails or data located on an external device.
- ^ What is Browser Hijacking?. McAfee Blogs. Securing Tomorrow. Today.
- ^ Files. NoVirus. Information about Dangerous Computer Programs, Files and their Removal Guides.