If the Google Chrome, Edge, IE and Firefox constantly displays App4Search website, then your personal computer has been hijacked with a browser hijacker. As a result, your search provider by default, home page and new tab are replaced to App4Search and all your search results are redirected to this harmful web page or other domains. It can also create a lot of pop-up advertisements on your PC and increase your vulnerability. With the steps below, you can delete App4Search completely.
After the hijack, common symptoms include:
- Replacing the Microsoft Edge, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Chrome and Mozilla Firefox built-in search box and search engine to App4Search;
- Modifying internet browser’s start page to App4Search;
- Replacing the ‘new tab’ URL to launch an unwanted web site.
The App4Search hijacker is not a virus, but the virus behaves similarly. As a rootkit hides in the system, can impose changes to settings of installed web browsers, and blocks them from modifying. Also this hijacker infection can install additional internet browser plugins and modules that will show ads and pop-ups. And finally, the App4Search browser hijacker infection has the ability to collect lots of your privacy info like what sites you’re opening, what you are looking for the Internet and so on. This information, in the future, can be transferred third party companies.
A malicious software which may make certain unwanted changes to web-browsers settings on App4Search usually affects only Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, MS Edge and Internet Explorer. However, possible situations, when any other internet browsers will be affected too. The App4Search browser hijacker can change the Target property of browser’s shortcuts, so every time you open the web browser, instead of your home page, you’ll see a completely different web page.
We strongly recommend you to complete the steps which follow below. We’ll show you how to remove hijacker infection and thereby get rid of App4Search from your MS Edge, Firefox, Google Chrome and Microsoft Internet Explorer forever.
How to remove App4Search from Google Chrome, Firefox, IE, Edge
We suggest opting for automatic App4Search removal in order to delete all browser hijacker infection related entries easily. This solution requires scanning the machine with reputable anti-malware, e.g. Zemana, MalwareBytes Free or Hitman Pro. However, if you prefer manual removal steps, you can use the guidance below in this blog post. Certain of the steps below will require you to close this page. So, please read the steps carefully, after that bookmark or print it for later reference.
To remove App4Search, complete the steps below:
- How to remove App4Search redirect without any software
- Remove App4Search associated software by using Windows Control Panel
- Remove App4Search from Mozilla Firefox by resetting web browser settings
- Get rid of App4Search homepage from Chrome
- Remove App4Search search from Internet Explorer
- Clean up the browsers shortcuts that have been hijacked by App4Search
- How to automatically delete App4Search hijacker infection
- Block App4Search redirect and other undesired pages
- Method of App4Search browser hijacker intrusion into your PC
- Finish words
How to remove App4Search redirect without any software
Most common browser hijacker infections may be deleted without any antivirus programs. The manual hijacker removal is steps that will teach you how to get rid of the App4Search startpage.
Remove App4Search associated software by using Windows Control Panel
Some PUPs, browser hijacking applications and adware can be removed by uninstalling the free applications they came with. If this way does not succeed, then looking them up in the list of installed programs in Microsoft Windows Control Panel. Use the “Uninstall” command in order to get rid of them.
Windows 8, 8.1, 10
First, press Windows button
, then click Search 
. Type ‘Control panel’and press Enter as shown on the image below.
After the ‘Control Panel’ opens, press the ‘Uninstall a program’ link under Programs category as displayed below.
You will see the ‘Uninstall a program’ panel as displayed on the screen below.
Very carefully look around the entire list of programs installed on your personal computer. Most probably, one of them is the browser hijacker responsible for redirects to App4Search. If you have many applications installed, you can help simplify the search of malicious software by sort the list by date of installation. Once you have found a dubious, unwanted or unused program, right click to it, after that click ‘Uninstall’.
Windows XP, Vista, 7
First, click ‘Start’ button and select ‘Control Panel’ at right panel as displayed in the figure below.
After the Windows ‘Control Panel’ opens, you need to click ‘Uninstall a program’ under ‘Programs’ as displayed in the following example.
You will see a list of apps installed on your PC system. We recommend to sort the list by date of installation to quickly find the programs that were installed last. Most probably, it is the browser hijacker that changes web-browser settings to replace your newtab page, search provider by default and start page with App4Search web page. If you’re in doubt, you can always check the program by doing a search for her name in Google, Yahoo or Bing. Once the program which you need to delete is found, simply click on its name, and then click ‘Uninstall’ as on the image below.
Remove App4Search from Mozilla Firefox by resetting web browser settings
If Mozilla Firefox start page or search engine are hijacked by the App4Search, your browser displays annoying pop up advertisements, then ‘Reset Firefox’ could solve these problems. It’ll keep your personal information like browsing history, bookmarks, passwords and web form auto-fill data.
First, start the Mozilla Firefox. Next, click the button in the form of three horizontal stripes (
). It will show the drop-down menu. Next, click the Help button (
).
In the Help menu click the “Troubleshooting Information”. In the upper-right corner of the “Troubleshooting Information” page press on “Refresh Firefox” button as on the image below.
Confirm your action, click the “Refresh Firefox”.
Get rid of App4Search homepage from Chrome
Reset Google Chrome settings is a simple way to delete the browser hijacker, harmful and ‘ad-supported’ extensions, as well as to recover the web browser’s newtab, default search provider and start page that have been changed by App4Search hijacker.
Open the Chrome menu by clicking on the button in the form of three horizontal dotes (
). It will display the drop-down menu. Select More Tools, then click Extensions.
Carefully browse through the list of installed extensions. If the list has the add-on labeled with “Installed by enterprise policy” or “Installed by your administrator”, then complete the following steps: Remove Chrome extensions installed by enterprise policy otherwise, just go to the step below.
Open the Chrome main menu again, click to “Settings” option.
Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the “Advanced” link. Now scroll down until the Reset settings section is visible, as on the image below and click the “Reset settings to their original defaults” button.
Confirm your action, click the “Reset” button.
Remove App4Search search from Internet Explorer
First, launch the Internet Explorer. Next, click the button in the form of gear (
). It will show the Tools drop-down menu, click the “Internet Options” as displayed on the image below.
In the “Internet Options” window click on the Advanced tab, then click the Reset button. The IE will show the “Reset Internet Explorer settings” window as shown below. Select the “Delete personal settings” check box, then click “Reset” button.
You will now need to restart your PC system for the changes to take effect.
Clean up the browsers shortcuts that have been hijacked by App4Search
Now you need to clean up the web-browser shortcut files. Check that the shortcut file referring to the right exe-file of the browser, and not on any unknown file.
Right click on the internet browser’s shortcut, click Properties option. On the Shortcut tab, locate the Target field. Click inside, you will see a vertical line – arrow pointer, move it (using -> arrow key on your keyboard) to the right as possible. You will see a text “http://site.address” that has been added here. Remove everything after .exe. An example, for Google Chrome you should remove everything after chrome.exe.
To save changes, click OK . You need to clean all internet browser’s shortcuts. So, repeat this step for the Microsoft Internet Explorer, Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Edge.
How to automatically delete App4Search hijacker infection
It’s not enough to remove App4Search from your web browser by completing the manual steps above to solve all problems. Some App4Search hijacker infection related files may remain on your PC system and they will recover the browser hijacker infection even after you remove it. For that reason we suggest to run free anti malware tool such as Zemana, MalwareBytes AntiMalware and HitmanPro. Either of those applications should has the ability to search for and remove hijacker responsible for modifying your internet browser settings to App4Search.
Scan and clean your PC system of App4Search with Zemana Anti-Malware
You can delete App4Search start page automatically with a help of Zemana Anti Malware. We advise this malware removal tool because it can easily remove browser hijackers, potentially unwanted applications, ‘ad supported’ software and toolbars with all their components such as folders, files and registry entries.
Installing the Zemana AntiMalware (ZAM) is simple. First you will need to download Zemana Anti-Malware (ZAM) on your Microsoft Windows Desktop by clicking on the following link.
164113 downloads
Author: Zemana Ltd
Category: Security tools
Update: July 16, 2019
After downloading is finished, start it and follow the prompts. Once installed, the Zemana Free will try to update itself and when this procedure is done, click the “Scan” button to perform a system scan for the browser hijacker infection responsible for redirects to App4Search.
A system scan may take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes, depending on your computer. While the tool is scanning, you can see number of objects and files has already scanned. All detected threats will be marked. You can delete them all by simply click “Next” button.
The Zemana Free will remove browser hijacker that cause App4Search website to appear and add threats to the Quarantine.
Run Hitman Pro to get rid of App4Search from the computer
Hitman Pro is a free removal tool which can check your machine for a wide range of security threats like adware, malicious software, potentially unwanted apps as well as browser hijacker that redirects your internet browser to unwanted App4Search web page. It will perform a deep scan of your system including hard drives and Microsoft Windows registry. When a malware is found, it will allow you to get rid of all found threats from your machine by a simple click.
Hitman Pro can be downloaded from the following link. Save it on your Microsoft Windows desktop.
After the downloading process is finished, open the folder in which you saved it. You will see an icon like below.
Double click the Hitman Pro desktop icon. Once the tool is launched, you will see a screen as shown on the image below.
Further, click “Next” button to perform a system scan with this utility for the App4Search hijacker and other internet browser’s malicious extensions. Depending on your PC, the scan can take anywhere from a few minutes to close to an hour. When HitmanPro has completed scanning, Hitman Pro will show a scan report as displayed on the screen below.
Make sure all threats have ‘checkmark’ and click “Next” button. It will display a dialog box, click the “Activate free license” button.
How to remove App4Search with Malwarebytes
Manual App4Search search removal requires some computer skills. Some files and registry entries that created by the hijacker infection can be not completely removed. We recommend that use the Malwarebytes Free that are completely clean your computer of browser hijacker infection. Moreover, the free program will help you to remove malware, potentially unwanted programs, ‘ad supported’ software and toolbars that your PC system can be infected too.
- Click the following link to download the latest version of MalwareBytes Anti Malware for Microsoft Windows. Save it on your Windows desktop or in any other place.
Malwarebytes Anti-malware
326462 downloads
Author: Malwarebytes
Category: Security tools
Update: April 15, 2020
- At the download page, click on the Download button. Your web-browser will display the “Save as” dialog box. Please save it onto your Windows desktop.
- After downloading is done, please close all programs and open windows on your computer. Double-click on the icon that’s named mb3-setup.
- This will run the “Setup wizard” of MalwareBytes Anti-Malware (MBAM) onto your PC. Follow the prompts and do not make any changes to default settings.
- When the Setup wizard has finished installing, the MalwareBytes Anti Malware (MBAM) will run and open the main window.
- Further, click the “Scan Now” button . MalwareBytes program will scan through the whole computer for the browser hijacker infection responsible for redirects to App4Search. A system scan can take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes, depending on your computer. During the scan MalwareBytes will search for threats exist on your personal computer.
- Once finished, a list of all threats detected is produced.
- Review the results once the tool has finished the system scan. If you think an entry should not be quarantined, then uncheck it. Otherwise, simply click the “Quarantine Selected” button. After the cleaning process is finished, you may be prompted to restart the PC.
- Close the AntiMalware and continue with the next step.
Video instruction, which reveals in detail the steps above.
Block App4Search redirect and other undesired pages
Running an ad-blocker program such as AdGuard is an effective way to alleviate the risks. Additionally, ad blocker apps will also protect you from harmful ads and websites, and, of course, stop redirection chain to App4Search and similar webpages.
Installing the AdGuard is simple. First you will need to download AdGuard on your Windows Desktop from the following link.
26659 downloads
Version: 6.4
Author: © Adguard
Category: Security tools
Update: November 15, 2018
After downloading it, double-click the downloaded file to launch it. The “Setup Wizard” window will show up on the computer screen as on the image below.
Follow the prompts. AdGuard will then be installed and an icon will be placed on your desktop. A window will show up asking you to confirm that you want to see a quick guidance like below.
Click “Skip” button to close the window and use the default settings, or click “Get Started” to see an quick guide which will help you get to know AdGuard better.
Each time, when you launch your computer, AdGuard will start automatically and block popup ads, App4Search redirect, as well as other malicious or misleading pages. For an overview of all the features of the application, or to change its settings you can simply double-click on the AdGuard icon, that is located on your desktop.
Method of App4Search browser hijacker intrusion into your PC
Many software used to hijack a computer’s web-browser. So, when you installing free software, carefully read the disclaimers, choose the Custom or Advanced setup method to watch for optional software that are being installed, because some of the apps are ad supported software and PUPs.
Finish words
Now your computer should be free of the browser hijacker infection which changes browser settings to replace your homepage, newtab and default search provider with App4Search webpage. We suggest that you keep AdGuard (to help you stop unwanted pop up ads and unwanted harmful web-sites) and Zemana Free (to periodically scan your system for new malware, browser hijacker infections and adware). Make sure that you have all the Critical Updates recommended for MS Windows operating system. Without regular updates you WILL NOT be protected when new hijackers, malicious apps and ad supported software are released.
If you are still having problems while trying to get rid of App4Search startpage from your web browser, then ask for help in our Spyware/Malware removal forum.
