What is TheSearch?
TheSearch is a browser extension that supposedly can improve user’s searching experience. In fact, it’s created to collect information about users’ browsing habits and provide them advertising content based on the data. Developers gain revenue for each click on the ad link so they don’t care about your security and privacy. For example, many of these links lead to dubious sites that can contain viruses. To avoid this threat, we urge you to remove TheSearch extension from your browser as soon as possible. To that end, we prepared this step-by-step guide.
How TheSearch got installed on your computer?
TheSearch injects in browser through the bundles with free programs. A virus presented as a useful extension or app. Developers do not show information about hijacker – they hide this it within “Custom” settings or other sections of the installation processes. So, you shouldn’t give access to installation TheSearch on your device. It is the best way to avoid implementation of hijackers. But if your system already infected by virus, you can follow instructions below to remove TheSearch from browsers.
- First and the most striking proof of having a browser hijacker is the change of the main page. Usually, it is a search engine page that is designed so that user would believe in its legitimacy.
- Generally, hijackers cause redirections when user makes a search query on its page or tries to reach a blocked site (usually another search engine or anti-malware sites)
- Another indicator of hijacker infection is appearance of new programs, toolbars and browser extensions that you don’t remember installing and processes in start-up queue.
- Also, you may notice the significant slowdown in the system operating, since running of the applications required for malware activity may consume a lot of CPU.
- Besides, hijacker infection may as well negatively affect the speed of Internet connection.
- Click the Start button and open Control Panel
- Go to Add or Remove Programs
- Find the application related to TheSearch and click Uninstall
- Click the Start button and open Control Panel
- Go to Uninstall Program
- Find the application related to TheSearch and click Uninstall
- Right-click the menu icon in left bottom corner
- Choose Control Panel
- Select the Uninstall Program line
- Uninstall the application related to TheSearch
- Press Win+X to open Windows Power menu
- Click Control Panel
- Choose Uninstall a Program
- Select the application related to TheSearch and remove it
- Start Command Prompt as Administrator
- To do this in Windows 10/8 or Windows 7 click Start and in the search box type cmd. Right-click on the found result and choose Run as Administrator.
- While in command prompt type:
rd /S /Q "%WinDir%\System32\GroupPolicyUsers" - Press Enter button.
- Then type:
rd /S /Q "%WinDir%\System32\GroupPolicy" - Press Enter button.
- Finally, type:
gpupdate /force - Press Enter button.
- Start Google Chrome
- Click on More tools, then go to the Extensions
- Delete TheSearch or other extensions that look suspicious and you don’t remember installing them
- Launch Internet Explorer
- Click on the Tools/Gear icon, then select Manage Add-ons
- Delete TheSearch or other extensions that look suspicious and you don’t remember installing them
- Start Mozilla Firefox
- Click on the right-upper corner button
- Click Add-ons, then go to Extensions
- Delete TheSearch or other extensions that look suspicious and you don’t remember installing them
- Start Microsoft Edge
- Click the three-dot button in the upper right corner
- Choose Extensions
- Click the gear icon near TheSearch or other extensions that look suspicious and you don’t remember installing them
- Choose Remove
- Click on the icon in the right-upper corner
- Choose Settings
- Click Advanced settings
- Click the Reset button
- In “reset” window click the Reset button
- Click the icon in the upper right corner
- Choose Help
- Select Troubleshooting Information
- Click the Refresh Firefox… button
- Click on the Tools button
- Go to Internet options
- Go to the Advanced tab
- Click Reset
- Start Microsoft Edge
- Click the three-dot button in the upper right corner
- Choose Settings
- Under the Clear browsing data category select Choose what to clear
- Select everything and click Clear
Symptoms of TheSearch infection
How to remove TheSearch?
To make sure that the hijacker won’t appear again, you need to delete TheSearch completely. For this, you need to remove the application from the Control Panel and then check the drives for such leftovers as TheSearch files and registry entries.
We should warn you that performing some of the steps may require above-average skills, so if you don’t feel experienced enough, you may apply to the automatic removal tool.
Performing an antimalware scan with Norton would automatically search out and delete all elements related to TheSearch. It is not only the easiest way to eliminate TheSearch, but also the safest and most assuring one.
Steps of TheSearch manual removal
Uninstall TheSearch from Control Panel
As it was stated before, more likely that the hijacker appeared on your system brought by other software. So, to get rid of TheSearch you need to call to memory what you have installed recently.
How to remove TheSearch from Windows XP
How to remove TheSearch from Windows 7/Vista
How to remove TheSearch from Windows 8/8.1
How to remove TheSearch from Windows 10
If you experience problems with removing TheSearch from Control Panel: there is no such title on the list, or you receive an error preventing you from deleting the application, see the article dedicated to this issue.
Read what to do if program won’t uninstall from Control Panel
Remove TheSearch from browsers
How to unlock Windows Group Policies
Before you will started to remove TheSearch from browser you should perform following instructions in Command Prompt
This step is necessary to delete Windows Group Policies created by TheSearch
Since some of hijacker threats use a disguise of a browser add-on, you will need to check the list of extensions/add-ons in your browser.
How to remove TheSearch from Google Chrome
How to remove TheSearch from Internet Explorer
How to remove TheSearch from Mozilla Firefox
How to remove TheSearch from Microsoft Edge
Reset your browsers
How to reset settings in Google Chrome
How to reset settings in Mozilla Firefox
How to reset settings in Internet Explorer
How to reset settings in Microsoft Edge
If the above-mentioned methods didn’t help in eliminating the threat, then it’s better to rely on an automatic way of deleting TheSearch.
We also recommend to download and use Norton to scan the system after TheSearch removal to make sure that it is completely gone. The antimalware application will detect any vicious components left among system files and registry entries that can recover TheSearch.
