If Searchsmart.website web site has appeared within your web browser, then it’s a sign that you’re a victim of PUP (potentially unwanted program) from the browser hijacker family. So, it’s time to remember what free application have you recently installed to your computer, because the browser hijacker most often infiltrates computer in a bundle with free or even paid software as an additional component. Once started, this browser hijacker takes control of installed browsers and changes certain browser settings such as search engine by default, startpage and new tab with its own.
When the Searchsmart.website hijacker infection is installed on a web browser, it might:
- set Searchsmart.website as default search engine, newtab page, and homepage;
- prevent users from replacing search engine or start page address;
- reroute your queries to sponsored websites;
- provide altered search results;
- record your search queries;
- occasionally redirects to questionable web-pages;
- display unwanted advertisements;
- gather Internet browsing habits and sell it to third parties.
It is probably that you might be bothered with the browser hijacker that cause a redirect to Searchsmart.website web-page. You should not disregard this undesired software. The browser hijacker might not only modify your homepage or search engine, but redirect your web-browser to malicious webpages. What is more, the hijacker infection can analyze your browsing, and gain access to your personal information and, afterwards, can use it for marketing purposes. Thus, there are more than enough reasons to remove Searchsmart.website from your web-browser.
Therefore it’s very important to free your PC system of hijacker infection as soon as possible. Follow the step-by-step guidance below to get rid of Searchsmart.website , as well as other malicious software and adware, which may be installed onto your computer along with it.
How to remove Searchsmart.website redirect
There are a simple manual guide below which will help you to remove Searchsmart.website from your Microsoft Windows computer. The most effective solution to get rid of this hijacker infection is to complete the manual removal tutorial and then run Zemana, MalwareBytes or Hitman Pro automatic tools (all are free). The manual solution will assist to weaken this hijacker and these malware removal tools will completely get rid of Searchsmart.website and revert back the Firefox, Internet Explorer, Edge and Google Chrome settings to default.
To remove Searchsmart.website, perform the steps below:
- How to manually get rid of Searchsmart.website
- Use free malware removal utilities to completely remove Searchsmart.website startpage
- Use AdBlocker to block Searchsmart.website and stay safe online
- Prevent Searchsmart.website browser hijacker from installing
- Finish words
How to manually get rid of Searchsmart.website
Steps to get rid of Searchsmart.website browser hijacker infection without any apps are presented below. Be sure to carry out the step-by-step steps completely to fully get rid of this annoying Searchsmart.website startpage.
Uninstall questionable programs using MS Windows Control Panel
First of all, check the list of installed programs on your PC and remove all unknown and recently installed apps. If you see an unknown application with incorrect spelling or varying capital letters, it have most likely been installed by malicious software and you should clean it off first with malicious software removal utility such as Zemana Anti-malware.
- If you are using Windows 8, 8.1 or 10 then click 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 open the Windows Control Panel.
- Further, click “Uninstall a program” under Programs category.
- It will display a list of all applications installed on the PC system.
- Scroll through the all list, and remove questionable and unknown programs. To quickly find the latest installed applications, we recommend sort software by date.
See more details in the video guidance below.
Get rid of Searchsmart.website redirect from Google Chrome
Reset Chrome settings is a simple way to get rid of the hijacker, malicious and ‘ad-supported’ extensions, as well as to restore the web-browser’s startpage, search engine by default and new tab page that have been changed by Searchsmart.website browser hijacker.
- First, launch the Chrome and click the Menu icon (icon in the form of three dots).
- It will display the Chrome main menu. Choose More Tools, then click Extensions.
- You’ll see the list of installed extensions. If the list has the plugin labeled with “Installed by enterprise policy” or “Installed by your administrator”, then complete the following steps: Remove Chrome extensions installed by enterprise policy.
- Now open the Google Chrome menu once again, click the “Settings” menu.
- Next, click “Advanced” link, which located at the bottom of the Settings page.
- On the bottom of the “Advanced settings” page, click the “Reset settings to their original defaults” button.
- The Chrome will display the reset settings prompt as shown on the screen above.
- Confirm the web browser’s reset by clicking on the “Reset” button.
- To learn more, read the blog post How to reset Google Chrome settings to default.
Remove Searchsmart.website start page from Internet Explorer
In order to recover all web-browser newtab page, home page and search engine you need to reset the IE to the state, which was when the Microsoft Windows was installed on your computer.
First, run the Internet Explorer. Next, click the button in the form of gear (
). It will display the Tools drop-down menu, click the “Internet Options” like below.
In the “Internet Options” window click on the Advanced tab, then click the Reset button. The IE will display the “Reset Internet Explorer settings” window as shown in the figure below. Select the “Delete personal settings” check box, then click “Reset” button.
You will now need to reboot your machine for the changes to take effect.
Remove Searchsmart.website search from Firefox
The Mozilla Firefox reset will get rid of unwanted search engine and homepage like Searchsmart.website, modified preferences, extensions and security settings. It’ll save your personal information such as saved passwords, bookmarks, auto-fill data and open tabs.
Run the Mozilla Firefox and click the menu button (it looks like three stacked lines) at the top right of the browser screen. Next, click the question-mark icon at the bottom of the drop-down menu. It will show the slide-out menu.
Select the “Troubleshooting information”. If you’re unable to access the Help menu, then type “about:support” in your address bar and press Enter. It bring up the “Troubleshooting Information” page as shown below.
Click the “Refresh Firefox” button at the top right of the Troubleshooting Information page. Select “Refresh Firefox” in the confirmation dialog box. The Firefox will begin a procedure to fix your problems that caused by the hijacker infection that made to reroute your browser to the Searchsmart.website website. After, it’s finished, click the “Finish” button.
Use free malware removal utilities to completely remove Searchsmart.website startpage
In order to completely get rid of Searchsmart.website, you not only need to uninstall it from the web-browsers, but also remove all its components in your machine including Windows registry entries. We recommend to download and run free removal utilities to automatically free your computer of Searchsmart.website hijacker.
How to get rid of Searchsmart.website with Zemana Anti-Malware (ZAM)
You can get rid of Searchsmart.website home page automatically with a help of Zemana Free. We advise this malicious software removal tool because it can easily delete hijackers, potentially unwanted software, ‘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’ll need to download Zemana Free from the link below.
Zemana AntiMalware
164105 downloads
Author: Zemana Ltd
Category: Security tools
Update: July 16, 2019
- After the download is finished, close all software and windows on your machine. Open a folder in which you saved it. Double-click on the icon that’s named Zemana.AntiMalware.Setup.
- Further, click Next button and follow the prompts.
- Once install is complete, click the “Scan” button to start scanning your machine for the hijacker infection responsible for redirecting user searches to Searchsmart.website. A system scan can take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes, depending on your computer. When a threat is found, the number of the security threats will change accordingly.
- When Zemana Free has completed scanning your computer, you will be shown the list of all found items on your computer. Make sure all items have ‘checkmark’ and click “Next”. After finished, you may be prompted to reboot your PC.
Delete Searchsmart.website browser hijacker and malicious extensions with HitmanPro
All-in-all, Hitman Pro is a fantastic utility to free your machine from any undesired software like hijacker infection responsible for redirections to Searchsmart.website. The Hitman Pro is portable program that meaning, you don’t need to install it to use it. HitmanPro is compatible with all versions of Windows OS from Windows XP to Windows 10. Both 64-bit and 32-bit systems are supported.
Hitman Pro can be downloaded from the following link. Save it on your Windows desktop.
When downloading is done, open the folder in which you saved it. You will see an icon like below.
Double click the Hitman Pro desktop icon. After the utility is opened, you will see a screen as shown in the following example.
Further, press “Next” button . Hitman Pro utility will begin scanning the whole computer to find out hijacker infection responsible for Searchsmart.website . A system scan can take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes, depending on your computer. After finished, you can check all threats detected on your computer as on the image below.
Review the report and then click “Next” button. It will display a dialog box, press the “Activate free license” button.
How to automatically remove Searchsmart.website with Malwarebytes
We recommend using the Malwarebytes Free. You can download and install Malwarebytes to find and get rid of Searchsmart.website from your PC. When installed and updated, the free malware remover will automatically scan and detect all threats present on the PC system.
Installing the MalwareBytes Free is simple. First you will need to download MalwareBytes Anti Malware (MBAM) on your MS Windows Desktop from the link below.
326460 downloads
Author: Malwarebytes
Category: Security tools
Update: April 15, 2020
Once the download is finished, run it and follow the prompts. Once installed, the MalwareBytes AntiMalware will try to update itself and when this process is finished, press the “Scan Now” button to begin scanning your computer for the hijacker infection responsible for redirecting your internet browser to Searchsmart.website web page. This process may take quite a while, so please be patient. While the tool is checking, you may see how many objects and files has already scanned. You may remove items (move to Quarantine) by simply press “Quarantine Selected” button.
The MalwareBytes AntiMalware is a free program that you can use to remove all detected folders, files, services, registry entries and so on. To learn more about this malware removal tool, we advise you to read and follow the guide or the video guide below.
Use AdBlocker to block Searchsmart.website and stay safe online
Use ad blocker application such as AdGuard in order to block ads, malvertisements, pop-ups and online trackers, avoid having to install harmful and adware browser plug-ins and add-ons which affect your personal computer performance and impact your machine security. Surf the Internet anonymously and stay safe online!
Visit the page linked below to download AdGuard. Save it to your Desktop so that you can access the file easily.
26655 downloads
Version: 6.4
Author: © Adguard
Category: Security tools
Update: November 15, 2018
Once downloading is finished, double-click the downloaded file to start it. The “Setup Wizard” window will show up on the computer screen as shown 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 guide as displayed in the following example.
Press “Skip” button to close the window and use the default settings, or press “Get Started” to see an quick guide which will help you get to know AdGuard better.
Each time, when you run your computer, AdGuard will launch automatically and block advertisements, web sites such as Searchsmart.website, as well as other malicious 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 is located on your desktop.
Prevent Searchsmart.website browser hijacker from installing
The Searchsmart.website hijacker come bundled with various free programs. This means that you need to be very careful when installing programs downloaded from the Internet, even from a large proven hosting. Be sure to read the Terms of Use and the Software license, select only the Manual, Advanced or Custom installation type, switch off all additional modules and software are offered to install.
Finish words
Now your computer should be clean of the hijacker responsible for redirecting user searches to Searchsmart.website. We suggest that you keep Zemana (to periodically scan your PC system for new browser hijacker infections and other malware) and AdGuard (to help you block undesired advertisements and harmful web-sites). Moreover, to prevent any hijacker infection, please stay clear of unknown and third party software, make sure that your antivirus application, turn on the option to scan for potentially unwanted applications.
If you need more help with Searchsmart.website search related issues, go to here.
