How to remove "Default-Search.Net" browser hijacker

"Default-search.net” (http://www.default-search.net) is a browser hijacker bundled inside other free software installation programs and upon installed on your computer, it modifies your Internet homepage and search provider  to “www.default-search.net” in order to perform browsing redirects and displays advertisements from unknown vendors. 

"Default-search.net” was probably installed on your computer without your permission as a bundled software inside other free software programs that you downloaded and installed from the Internet. For that reason, you must always pay attention at the installation options of any program that you want to install on your computer and never install the bundled software that the program wants to install with it.

To remove “Default-search.net” homepage & restore your browser search settings, follow the steps below:

How to get rid of “default search.net” hijacker

Step 1. Uninstall unwanted applications from your Control panel.

1. To do this, go to:

• Windows 8/7/Vista: Start > Control Panel.
• Windows XP: Start > Settings > Control Panel

2. Double click to open

•  Add or Remove Programs if you have Windows XP
• Programs and Features if you have Windows 8, 7 or Vista.

3. When the program list is displayed on your screen, sort the programs displayed by Installation date (Installed on) and then find and Remove (Uninstall) any unknown application that was lately installed on your system. Also remove any of these adware applications listed below:

• Linkey
• Settings Manager
• * Also uninstall any other unknown or unwanted application.

Step 2: Delete "Default-Search.net" Adware with AdwCleaner.

1. Download and save “AdwCleaner” utility to your desktop.

2. Close all open programs and Double Click to open ”AdwCleaner” from your desktop.

3. Press “Scan”.

4. When the scan is completed, press “Clean” to remove all the unwanted malicious entries.

4. Press “OK” at “AdwCleaner – Information” and press “OK” again to restart your computer.

5. When your computer restarts, close "AdwCleaner" information (readme) window and continue to the next step

Step 3. Ensure that “default-search.net” homepage & search settings are removed from your internet browser.

Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox

Internet Explorer

How to remove “Default-search.net” homepage & search settings from Internet Explorer.

1.  From Internet Explorer main menu, click: "Tools "    and choose "Internet Options".

2. At “General” tab, delete the unwanted homepage (http://www.default-search.net) from “Home page” box & type your preferred Home Page (e.g. www.google.com)

3. At “Search” section, press “Settings”. *

Notice*: If you want to modify search settings in Internet explorer while in main Internet Explorer window, just press the “Gear” icon (on the top right corner) and choose “Manage Add-ons” .

4. On "Search Providers" options, choose and "Set as default" a search provider other than the unwanted search provider “Default-Search.net” .

5. Then choose the unwanted search provider “Default-search.net” & click Remove.

6. Close all Internet Explorer windows and restart Internet Explorer.

7. Proceed to Step 4.

Google Chrome

How to remove “Default-search.net” homepage & search settings from Google Chrome.

1. Open Google Chrome and go to chrome menu and choose "Settings".

2. On “Startup” section, choose “Set Pages“.

3. Delete the unwanted webpage "http://www.default-search.net/" from startup pages by pressing the "X" symbol on the right.

4. Set your preferred startup page (e.g. http://www.google.com) and press "OK".

5. Under “Appearance” section, check to enable the “Show Home button” option and choose “Change”.

6. Delete the unwanted webpage “http://www.default-search.net/” entry from “Open this page” box.

7. Type (if you like) your preferred webpage to open when you press your “Home page” button (e.g. www.google.com) or leave this field blank and press “OK”.

8. Go to "Search" section and choose "Manage search engines".

9. Choose your preferred default search engine (e.g. Google search) and press "Make default".

10 Then choose the unwanted “Default-search.net” search engine and remove it by pressing the "X" symbol at the right.

Choose "Done" to close "Search engines" window.

11. Choose "Extensions" on the left.

12. Remove the unwanted “Default-Search.net”  (or “Settings Manager”) extension from here by pressing the “recycle icon” to the right.

13. Close all open windows and restart Google Chrome.

14. Proceed to Step 4.

Mozilla Firefox

How to remove “Default-search.net” homepage & search settings from Mozilla Firefox.

1. Click on “Firefox” menu button on the top left of Firefox window and go to “Options”.

2. In “General” tab, delete the unwanted homepage: “http://www.default-search.net/” page from “Home Page” box & type your preferred homepage (e.g. http://www.google.com).

Press “OK” when finished.

3. From Firefox menu, go to “Tools” > “Manage Add-ons”.

4. Choose “Extensions” on the left and then remove the unwanted “Default-search.net” (or “Settings Manager”) extension, by pressing the "Remove" button.

6. Close all Firefox windows and restart Firefox.

7. On Firefox URL box, type the following command: about:config & press Enter.

8. Click at “I’ll be careful, I promise” button.

9. In the search box, type: “default-search” & press Enter.

10. Now right-click on every “default-search” value found & select “Reset”.

11. Close all Firefox windows and restart Firefox.

12. Proceed to the next Step.

Step 4. Remove Default-Search.net with MalwareBytes Anti-Malware FREE

Download and install one of the most reliable FREE anti malware programs today to clean your computer from remaining malicious threats. If you want to stay constantly protected from malware threats, existing and future ones, we recommend that you install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware PRO:

Malwarebytes™ Protection
Removes Spyware, Adware & Malware.
Start Your Free Download Now!

1. Run "Malwarebytes Anti-Malware" and allow the program to update to its latest version and malicious database if needed.

2. When the "Malwarebytes Anti-Malware" main window appears on your screen, choose the "Perform quick scan" option and then press "Scan" button and let the program scan your system for threats.

3. When the scanning is completed, press “OK” to close the information message and then press the "Show results" button to view and remove the malicious threats found.

4. At the "Show Results" window check – using your mouse's left button- all the infected objects and then choose the "Remove Selected" option and let the program remove the selected threats.

5. When the removal of infected objects process is complete, "Restart your system to remove all active threats properly"

6. Continue to the next step.

Advice: To ensure your computer is clean and safe, perform a Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware full scan in windows “Safe mode“.*

*To get into Windows Safe mode, press the “F8” key as your computer is booting up, before the appearance of the Windows logo. When the “Windows Advanced Options Menu” appears on your screen, use your keyboard arrows keys to move to the Safe Mode option and then press “ENTER“.

Step 5. Clean unwanted files and entries.

Use “CCleaner” program and proceed to clean your system from temporary internet files and invalid registry entries.*

*If you don’t know how to install and use “CCleaner”, read these instructions.

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Konstantinos Tsoukalas

Konstantinos is the founder and administrator of Wintips.org. Since 1995 he works and provides IT support as a computer and network expert to individuals and large companies. He is specialized in solving problems related to Windows or other Microsoft products (Windows Server, Office, Microsoft 365, etc.).

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