You ran your web-browser like Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer and MS Edge, but somehow, for some reason, you did not get your favorite startpage you wanted after running it. This is sign of browser hijacker, potentially unwanted program designed to reroute your web-browser to Lucky Searches page. The hijacker modifying the browsers settings like startpage, newtab and search engine by default with its own data.
A malicious software which makes various changes to some settings of all your typical web-browsers on Lucky Searches usually affects only Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge. However, possible situations, when any other browsers will be affected too. The Lucky Searches hijacker virus may alter the Target property of internet browser’s shortcuts, so every time you open the web browser, instead of your startpage, you will see a completely different site.
The browser hijacker can also set up the Lucky Searches page as the Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer and Edge default search provider that cause search redirects via the web page. In this way, creators of the hijacker infection have an opportunity to display various ads together with the search results for your query. These unwanted advertisements will be combined in the redirected site. This can bring lots of money for creators of the hijacker infection.
The Lucky Searches browser hijacker is not a virus, but the virus behaves similarly. As a rootkit hides in the system, can make changes to web-browsers settings, and blocks them from changing. Also this hijacker can install additional internet browser addons, extensions and modules that will display advertisements and pop ups. And finally, the Lucky Searches browser hijacker virus may collect personal data such as what web pages you’re opening, what you’re looking for the Web and so on. This information, in the future, may be used for marketing purposes.
Thus, it is clear that the presence of hijacker on your computer is not desirable, and you need to clean up your machine as soon as possible. Follow the guide below in order to remove Lucky Searches virus.
Remove Lucky Searches virus
The following steps will help you to remove Lucky Searches home page from the Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer and MS Edge. Moreover, the guidance below will allow you to remove malicious software such as PUPs, adware and toolbars that your computer may be infected. Please do the instructions step by step. If you need assist or have any questions, then ask for our assistance or type a comment below. Some of the steps below will require you to close the site. So, please read the few simple steps carefully, after that bookmark or print it for later reference.
How to manually remove Lucky Searches
If you perform exactly the steps below you should be able to remove the Lucky Searches start page.
Delete suspicious and potentially unwanted applications using Windows Control Panel
The process of hijacker removal is generally the same across all versions of Microsoft Windows OS from 10 to XP. To start with, it is necessary to check the list of installed applications on your PC system and remove all unused, unknown and suspicious software.
- If you are using Windows 8, 8.1 or 10 then press Windows button, next click Search. Type “Control panel”and press Enter.
- If you are using Windows XP, Vista, 7, then click “Start” button and click “Control Panel”.
- It will show the Windows Control Panel.
- Further, press “Uninstall a program” under Programs category.
- It will open a list of all software installed on the PC.
- Scroll through the all list, and delete suspicious and unknown programs. To quickly find the latest installed software, we recommend sort programs by date.
See more details in the video guide below.
Fix infected internet browsers shortcuts to remove Lucky Searches
Once installed, this hijacker may add an argument like “http://site.address” into the Target property of the desktop shortcut for the Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge and IE. Due to this, every time you launch the web-browser, it will open the annoying homepage.
Right click on the shortcut of infected internet browser as on the image below.
Select the “Properties” option and it’ll open a shortcut’s properties. Next, click the “Shortcut” tab and then delete the “http://site.address” string from Target field as shown in the figure below.
Then click OK to save changes. Repeat the step for all internet browsers which are re-directed to the Lucky Searches annoying web-site.
Delete Lucky Searches from Firefox
The Firefox reset will keep your personal information like bookmarks, passwords, web form auto-fill data and remove unwanted search engine and start page like Lucky Searches, modified preferences, extensions and security settings.
Click the Menu button (looks like three horizontal lines), and press the blue Help icon located at the bottom of the drop down menu as shown below.
A small menu will appear, click the “Troubleshooting Information”. On this page, click “Refresh Firefox” button as shown below.
Follow the onscreen procedure to revert back your Firefox browser settings to its original state.
Remove Lucky Searches virus from Chrome
Reset Google Chrome settings is a easy way to get rid of the browser hijacker, malicious and ‘ad-supported’ extensions, as well as to restore the browser’s start page, new tab and search provider by default that have been replaced by Lucky Searches hijacker virus.
- First start the Google Chrome and click Menu button (small button in the form of three horizontal stripes).
- It will show the Google Chrome main menu. Select “Settings” option.
- You will see the Google Chrome’s settings page. Scroll down and press “Show advanced settings” link.
- Scroll down again and click the “Reset settings” button.
- The Google Chrome will open the reset profile settings page as on the image above.
- Next press the “Reset” button.
- Once this procedure is complete, your browser’s homepage, new tab and default search provider will be restored to their original defaults.
- To learn more, read the article How to reset Google Chrome settings to default.
Delete Lucky Searches redirect from Internet Explorer
To restore the new tab, homepage and search engine by default you need to reset the IE to the state, which was when the Microsoft Windows was installed on your personal computer.
First, launch the Internet Explorer. Next, click the button in the form of gear (
). It will open the Tools drop-down menu, click the “Internet Options” like below.
In the “Internet Options” window click on the Advanced tab, then press the Reset button. The Microsoft Internet Explorer will show the “Reset Internet Explorer settings” window as shown on the image below. Select the “Delete personal settings” check box, then press “Reset” button.
You will now need to reboot your PC for the changes to take effect.
How to remove Lucky Searches virus with freeware
The hijacker may hide its components which are difficult for you to find out and get rid of completely. This can lead to the fact that after some time, the hijacker again infect your machine and modify browsers settings to Lucky Searches. Moreover, I want to note that it is not always safe to remove browser hijacker manually, if you don’t have much experience in setting up and configuring the Microsoft Windows operating system. The best method to detect and remove browser hijacker infections is to use free malware removal applications.
Remove Lucky Searches startpage with Zemana Anti-malware
You can remove Lucky Searches virus automatically with a help of Zemana Anti-malware. We recommend this malicious software removal utility because it can easily remove browser hijacker infections, potentially unwanted applications, ‘ad supported’ software and toolbars with all their components such as folders, files and registry entries.
- Download Zemana antimalware (ZAM) by clicking on the link below.
Zemana AntiMalware
159469 downloads
Author: Zemana Ltd
Category: Security tools
Update: July 16, 2019
- After downloading is finished, close all programs and windows on your personal computer. Open a file location. Double-click on the icon that’s named Zemana.AntiMalware.Setup.
- Further, click Next button and follow the prompts.
- Once installation is done, click the “Scan” button to begin checking your machine for the browser hijacker infection and other malware and ‘ad supported’ software. A scan may take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the number of files on your computer and the speed of your PC system. While the tool is checking, you can see how many objects and files has already scanned.
- When the system scan is done, the results are displayed in the scan report. Next, you need to click “Next”. Once disinfection is finished, you can be prompted to restart your PC system.
Remove Lucky Searches virus with Malwarebytes
We recommend using the Malwarebytes Free which are completely clean your PC of the browser hijacker. The free tool is an advanced malicious software removal application made by (c) Malwarebytes lab. This program uses the world’s most popular anti-malware technology. It’s able to help you get rid of hijacker infections, potentially unwanted software, malicious software, adware, toolbars, ransomware and other security threats from your PC system for free.
Download Malwarebytes Free on your PC system from the link below. Save it on your desktop.
317516 downloads
Author: Malwarebytes
Category: Security tools
Update: April 15, 2020
After downloading is finished, close all windows on your PC system. Further, start the file named mb3-setup. If the “User Account Control” dialog box pops up as shown in the figure below, press the “Yes” button.
It will show the “Setup wizard” which will help you install Malwarebytes on the system. Follow the prompts and do not make any changes to default settings.
Once install is finished successfully, click Finish button. Then Malwarebytes will automatically run and you may see its main window as on the image below.
Next, click the “Scan Now” button to perform a system scan for the hijacker which reroutes your web browser to the Lucky Searches intrusive web page. A scan can take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the number of files on your computer and the speed of your machine. During the scan it’ll detect all threats exist on your computer.
When it has finished scanning your PC, the results are displayed in the scan report. When you’re ready, click “Quarantine Selected” button.
The Malwarebytes will begin removing Lucky Searches hijacker virus and other security threats. Once disinfection is finished, you may be prompted to restart your machine. We recommend you look at the following video, which completely explains the process of using the Malwarebytes to delete browser hijacker, ‘ad supported’ software and other malware.
Remove Lucky Searches browser hijacker and malicious extensions with AdwCleaner
AdwCleaner is a free portable program that scans your machine for ad supported software, PUPs and browser hijacker infections like Lucky Searches and helps delete them easily. Moreover, it’ll also allow you delete any malicious web-browser extensions and add-ons.
Download AdwCleaner utility from the link below. Save it to your Desktop so that you can access the file easily.
220707 downloads
Version: 8.3.2
Author: Xplode, MalwareBytes
Category: Security tools
Update: April 28, 2022
Once downloading is complete, open the file location and double-click the AdwCleaner icon. It will run the AdwCleaner utility and you will see a screen as shown on the image below. If the User Account Control dialog box will ask you want to open the application, click Yes button to continue.
Next, click “Scan” to perform a system scan for the Lucky Searches virus. This task can take some time, so please be patient.
Once the scan is done is finished, the results are displayed in the scan report like below.
Make sure all entries have ‘checkmark’ and click “Clean” button. It will open a dialog box. Click “OK” to begin the cleaning process. Once the clean-up is finished, the AdwCleaner may ask you to reboot your computer. After reboot, the AdwCleaner will open the log file.
All the above steps are shown in detail in the following video instructions.
Block Lucky Searches and other unwanted web pages
Use an ad blocker tool like AdGuard will protect you from harmful advertisements and content. Moreover, you can find that the AdGuard have an option to protect your privacy and stop phishing and spam web pages. Additionally, ad blocking applications will help you to avoid undesired pop up advertisements and unverified links that also a good way to stay safe online.
Download AdGuard program by clicking on the following link.
25646 downloads
Version: 6.4
Author: © Adguard
Category: Security tools
Update: November 15, 2018
After the download is finished, run the downloaded file. You will see the “Setup Wizard” screen like below.
Follow the prompts. Once the installation is finished, you will see a window as shown below.
You can press “Skip” to close the setup program and use the default settings, or press “Get Started” button to see an quick tutorial which will assist you get to know AdGuard better.
In most cases, the default settings are enough and you don’t need to change anything. Each time, when you start your computer, AdGuard will start automatically and block advertisements, unwanted web pages like Lucky Searches, as well as other dangerous or misleading web-sites. For an overview of all the features of the program, or to change its settings you can simply double-click on the AdGuard icon, which can be found on your desktop.
Where the Lucky Searches hijacker comes from
Most commonly, the Lucky Searches hijacker virus is bundled within the install packages from a free hosting and file sharing web sites. So, install a free applications is a a good chance that you will find a bundled browser hijacker. If you don’t know how to avoid it, then use a simple trick. During the install, choose the Custom or Advanced setup option. Next, press ‘Decline’ button and clear all checkboxes on offers that ask you to install third-party programs. Moreover, please carefully read Term of use and User agreement before installing any software or otherwise you can end up with another unwanted program on your machine like this hijacker.
To sum up
Now your system should be free of the Lucky Searches virus. Remove AdwCleaner. We suggest that you keep AdGuard (to help you stop unwanted popup ads and unwanted dangerous pages) and Malwarebytes (to periodically scan your machine for new malware, browser hijackers and adware). Make sure that you have all the Critical Updates recommended for Windows OS. Without regular updates you WILL NOT be protected when new browser hijacker, malicious programs and ad supported software are released.
If you are still having problems while trying to remove Lucky Searches redirect from your internet browser, then ask for help in our Spyware/Malware removal forum.
