How to remove Start-pagesearch.com

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What is Start-pagesearch.com?

Start-pagesearch.com is a rogue search engine that is commonly installed without user’s knowledge. It tweaks browser settings forcibly assigning homepage and default search engine to start-pagesearch.com. Despite claims of developers, they created their product only for advertising and link promotion. The program is not a malicious, however, ads, produced by it, can pose computer security threat. Moreover, it can also compromise you privacy as it has a tracking function. All data related to Internet browser activity is gathered and recorded which subsequently might fall into the wrong hands. Removing this kind of adware and returning your default search engine is quite difficult task for computer users that have not dealt with these kinds of things before. This article aims to help you remove start-pagesearch.com and all its traces from browser.

start-pagesearch.com hijacker

How Start-pagesearch.com infects your PC?

The distribution way of start-pagesearch.com is pretty deceptive due to using stealth installation. Unfortunately, majority of charge-free software don’t properly notify that installation package includes additional programs. To prevent your computer from infection we advise you to be careful and never rush when you install free software. Always opt for the “Custom/Advanced” settings and never agree to install additional unnecessary programs. Remember, the key to computer safety is caution. Think about what you agree to install. You can also be exposed to the risk of infection by downloading illegitimate software from torrents or some cracks for games or programs.

Start-pagesearch.com is installed as a browser extension. It also might be installed as Windows application, helper object, or add-on.

There are three most common ways of getting start-pagesearch.com on your computer:

  1. Bundling method: this method is the most common in malware distribution. Cyber criminals put in the malware to some free software applications. The user downloads this program and install it, but the malicious program also getting into your computer.
  2. Don’t be careless, malware applications can be attached to spam emails.
  3. Try to avoid visiting suspicious websites, they can infect your PC with start-pagesearch.com.

How to remove Start-pagesearch.com from your computer?

The best and easiest way to remove start-pagesearch.com from your computer is to use special anti-malware program that has this threat in its database. The program is fully automated, all you need to do is to download and install it. Once you’ve installed anti-malware application, it will scan your system and remove all the threats.

It scans your computer and detects various threats like start-pagesearch.com, then removes it with all of the related malicious files, folders and registry keys. After deep scanning of your system, it will easily find and delete start-pagesearch.com. Use this removal tool to get rid of start-pagesearch.com for FREE.

Download Norton windows compatible

Norton 360 Antimalware – this program will help you to get rid of start-pagesearch.com. It can find malicious program that is corrupting your system and clean up junk files after removal.

Download MalwareBytes

How to remove Start-pagesearch.com manually

Step 1: Remove Start-pagesearch.com from Control Panel

In order to get rid of start-pagesearch.com, first thing you need to do is to uninstall malicious program from your computer. When removing start-pagesearch.com, try to find suspicious recently installed programs and delete them too, as it’s pretty common that any malware comes with some other unwanted programs.

Windows XP:

  1. Select Start.
  2. Control Panel.
  3. Then choose Add or Remove Programs.
  4. Search for start-pagesearch.com.
  5. Click Uninstall.

Windows 7/Windows Vista:

  1. Select Start.
  2. Then Control Panel.
  3. Choose Uninstall a Program.
  4. Find start-pagesearch.com and choose Uninstall.

Windows 8/Windows 8.1:

  1. Open the Menu.
  2. Select Search.
  3. After that choose Apps.
  4. Next Control Panel.
  5. Then as in Windows 7, click Uninstall a Program under Programs.
  6. Find start-pagesearch.com, select it and choose Uninstall.

Windows 10:

  1. Click on the Start button (or press the Windows key) to open the Start menu, then select Settings at the top.
  2. Choose App & features on the left menu.
  3. On the right side, find start-pagesearch.com and select it, then click on the Uninstall button.
  4. Click on Uninstall to confirm.

Note: If you can’t find required program, sort programs by date in Control panel and search for suspicious recently installed programs.

Step 2: Remove Start-pagesearch.com from browsers

Once you’ve uninstalled the application, remove start-pagesearch.com from your web browser. You need to search for recently-installed suspicious add-ons and extensions.

Google Chrome:

  1. Open Google Chrome
  2. Push Alt + F.
  3. Choose Tools.
  4. Select Extensions.
  5. Search for start-pagesearch.com.
  6. Select the trash can icon to remove it.

Mozilla Firefox:

  1. Open Firefox.
  2. Push Shift + Ctrl + A.
  3. Select start-pagesearch.com.
  4. Choose Disable or Remove option.

Internet Explorer:

  1. Open IE.
  2. Push Alt + T.
  3. Choose Manage Add-ons option.
  4. Click Toolbars and Extensions.
  5. Next select Disable start-pagesearch.com.
  6. Choose More information link in the left-bottom corner.
  7. Click Remove button.
  8. If this button is grayed out – perform alternative steps.

Step 3: Removing malicious link from your browser shortcuts

Sometimes even removing of malicious program from your computer and web browser can’t help. If you are still facing unknown webpage when you open your web browser, then you might have your browser shortcut changed. It’s pretty common trick that perform most of browser hijackers. They change your browser shortcut so that every time you open it you’ll see not your homepage, but some advertisement webpage. But this issue is quite simple to fix. The instruction stated below matches most of the browsers.

    1. Right-click on your browser shortcut, choose Properties.
    2. If you see a link to some website after .exe in the Target field, read on.
    3. Usually you are not able to delete a link from Target field, that’s why you need to click on the Open File Location button in this window.
    4. Once you’ve opened file location, select chrome.exe/firefox.exe/iexplore.exe.
    5. Right-click on this file and choose Sent to option, then Desktop (create shortcut).
    6. New shortcut will have no additional redirection links.
    7. Delete old infected shortcut. If you got one in your taskbar, delete it from there too.
    8. Now you have new and clear shortcut without redirection to unknown websites.

Step 4: Resetting your browser search and homepage settings

To be sure that there is nothing left behind, we recommend you to reset your browser. It will restore your browser settings to default.

Reset browser settings in Google Chrome:

  1. Click the Chrome menu (3 bar button) in the top right corner.
  2. Choose Settings.
  3. Click Show advanced settings.
  4. Go to Reset browser settings section.
  5. Click Reset browser settings.
  6. In the dialog that appears, click Reset.

Reset browser settings in Mozilla Firefox:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox.
  2. Go to Help.
  3. Go to Troubleshooting information.
  4. Click Reset Firefox… button.

Reset browser settings in Internet Explorer:

  1. Open Internet Explorer.
  2. Click on the cogwheel in the right upper corner.
  3. Click Internet options.
  4. Got to Advanced tab.
  5. Click Reset button.
  6. Put a tick near Delete personal settings checkbox.
  7. Click Reset button.
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