Yandex browser (Removal Guide) - Free Instructions
Yandex browser Removal Guide
What is Yandex browser?
Yandex browser – a browser based on Chromium open-source project which is directed to Russian-speaking users
Yandex is an internet service provider in Russia and is one of the best-known companies locally. It provides such services as email, web search, maps, and others, and it very similar to Google. The Yandex browser is based on Chromium open-source project and contains many security features, such as DNS spoofing protection, DNS encryption, file scanning, etc.[1] Despite that, users were complaining that they found the browser installed on their systems without their permission, meaning that Yandex browser is being spread with the help of software bundling[2] – a popular marketing technique mostly used to promote potentially unwanted programs. Additionally, during our test installation, the Yandex browser replaced Cortana with “Alisa,” which is quite intrusive behavior.
| Name | Yandex |
| Type | Web browser, PUP |
| Related | Chromium virus |
| Distribution | Software bundling, official website |
| Symptoms | Unexpected browser's appearance, yandex.ru homepage, alternations to Cortana |
| Features | Uses multiple protection features to protect from viruses and hackers |
| Elimination | Check out our instructions below |
| System recovery | Use FortectIntego to get rid of traces left by the hijacker |
Some users may refer to the program as “Yandex browser virus” as it infiltrates PC's without them noticing. However, we can assure you that the app itself is legitimate and even provides extra protection from malware, DNS hijackings, and similar malicious activity online.
However, the biggest concern is the installation of the program itself. Many users complained that they do not recall installing Yandex browser in the first place. What is more, the app sets itself as a default browser which uses a yandex.ru search engine, so search results might be quite a bit different you might expect them to show up on Chrome, MS Edge, Safari, Firefox, Opera, or another browser.
Yandex browser application is most likely safe to use, however, it might not be anonymous to use, just as Tor browser or DuckDuckGo search engine. Therefore, some tracking techniques like tracking cookies[3] or beacons might be used for marketing campaigns. On the other hand, most of the official browsers and search engines use tracking techniques.
Another alarming feature that we noticed is the secret installation of “Alisa.” The virtual assistant replaces Cortana's search bar entirely and changes its functionality. Considering Cortana is a built-in Windows tool, replacing it seems quite an intrusive action. Therefore, some users might want to remove Yandex browser from their machines.
To conclude, the application might be useful and most likely secure to use. However, due to certain system modifications and questionable distribution techniques, some users might opt for Yandex browser removal. Once completed, we recommend scanning the computer with FortectIntego to restore the system to its previous state.
Bundled software might installed aggressive PUPs that might expose you to security risks
Initially, software bundling should serve as an opportunity for you to try applications for free and see if you like them. Unfortunately, that is not how this technique works in practice, and many freeware developers include optional software that is ad-supported and might be quite aggressive. Additionally, developers use various tricks to make optional programs to be installed without users noticing, such as grayed out buttons, pre-ticked boxes and similar.
To avoid getting tricked by deceptive techniques, you should be attentive while installing new software. First of all, you should pick a reputable source for your downloads. Be aware that even “well-known” sites like Download.com are infested with potentially unwanted programs. Therefore, pay close attention to the installation procedure, and do not click “Next” several times without checking what you agree to.
Once prompted, select Advanced or Custom installation settings instead of Recommended ones. Then, deselect all the pre-ticked boxes which would otherwise install media players, add-ons, system optimizers, driver downloaders, and similar.
Uninstall Yandex browser by following these instructions
As previously mentioned, Yandex browser is not a malicious application and is most likely safe to use, as it employs multiple virus protection techniques, so it might even ensure the security of the device. However, it also modifies Windows settings and even installs the virtual assistant which replaces original Cortana. Therefore, if you decided to remove Yandex browser, you should check our step-by-step guide below.
After you complete Yandex browser removal, you might also want to reset each of the installed browsers to make sure no components were changed.
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 Yandex browser. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
If you want to uninstall Yandex browser from Windows, follow these steps:
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
To reset MS Edge, follow these instructions:
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)
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 Yandex browser 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 system tools
Do not let government spy on you
The government has many issues in regards to tracking users' data and spying on citizens, so you should take this into consideration and learn more about shady information gathering practices. Avoid any unwanted government tracking or spying by going totally anonymous on the internet.
You can choose a different location when you go online and access any material you want without particular content restrictions. You can easily enjoy internet connection without any risks of being hacked by using Private Internet Access VPN.
Control the information that can be accessed by government any other unwanted party and surf online without being spied on. Even if you are not involved in illegal activities or trust your selection of services, platforms, be suspicious for your own security and take precautionary measures by using the VPN service.
Backup files for the later use, in case of the malware attack
Computer users can suffer from data losses due to cyber infections or their own faulty doings. Ransomware can encrypt and hold files hostage, while unforeseen power cuts might cause a loss of important documents. If you have proper up-to-date backups, you can easily recover after such an incident and get back to work. It is also equally important to update backups on a regular basis so that the newest information remains intact – you can set this process to be performed automatically.
When you have the previous version of every important document or project you can avoid frustration and breakdowns. It comes in handy when malware strikes out of nowhere. Use Data Recovery Pro for the data restoration process.
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- ^ Yandex Browser. Wikipedia. The free encyclopedia.
- ^ Bundled software. Webopedia. Online Tech Dictionar.
- ^ Everything You Need to Know about Tracking Cookies (Computer cookies). SaverVPN. Official Blog.