SearchWizard is a potentially unwanted program (PUP) belonging to the category of Adware that makes unwanted chnages to browser settings. The SearchWizard authors do so in order to make revenue via Google, Yahoo or Bing search engine. Thus, in order to force you to use SearchWizard search services as often as possible this PUP can change your browsers homepage, newtab page URL and search provider by default.
SearchWizard is a browser hijacker
When you are performing searches using the browser that has been affected with SearchWizard, the search results will be returned from Bing, Yahoo or Google Custom Search. The devs behind SearchWizard are most likely doing this to generate advertisement money from the advertisements displayed in the search results.
Unwanted SearchWizard ads
As well as unwanted web-browser redirects to feed.search-wizard.com, the SearchWizard hijacker can collect your World Wide Web surfing activity by recording URLs visited, IP addresses, web browser version and type, cookie information, Internet Service Provider (ISP) and web-pages visited. Such kind of behavior can lead to serious security problems or user information theft. This is another reason why SearchWizard is categorized as PUP and should be removed sooner.
Threat Summary
| Name | SearchWizard |
| Related domains | feed.search-wizard.com |
| Type | redirect virus, homepage hijacker, browser hijacker, search engine hijacker, PUP |
| Affected Browser Settings | start page, new tab URL, search engine |
| Symptoms |
|
| Removal | SearchWizard removal guide |
How can the SearchWizard browser hijacker get on your PC
PUPs such as SearchWizard most likely to occur during the install of freeware due the fact that potentially unwanted programs are usually hidden in the installer. Thus, if you’ve installed some free applications using Quick(Standard) method, you may have let a browser hijacker get inside the computer. Keep in mind that the Quick mode is unreliable because it do not warn about optional applications. Thus, third-party software will be installed automatically unless you choose Advanced/Custom mode and disable its installation.
To find out how to remove browser hijacker, we recommend to read the tutorial added to this post below. The guidance was prepared by cyber security specialists who discovered a solution to remove the SearchWizard browser hijacker out of the PC.
How to remove SearchWizard from Chrome, Firefox, IE, Edge
There are a simple manual tutorial below which will help you to get rid of SearchWizard from your MS Windows machine. The most effective way to remove this browser hijacker infection is to follow the manual removal guide and then run Zemana, MalwareBytes or HitmanPro automatic tools (all are free). The manual solution will assist to weaken this browser hijacker and the free malware removal tools will completely remove SearchWizard and restore the Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Edge and Microsoft Internet Explorer settings to default.
To remove SearchWizard, use the steps below:
- How to manually get rid of SearchWizard
- Automatic Removal of SearchWizard browser hijacker infection
- How to block SearchWizard
- To sum up
How to manually get rid of SearchWizard
Read this section to know how to manually delete the SearchWizard hijacker. Even if the steps does not work for you, there are several free malicious software removers below which can easily handle such hijacker infections.
Delete dubious software using Windows Control Panel
First method for manual hijacker infection removal is to go into the Microsoft Windows “Control Panel”, then “Uninstall a program” console. Take a look at the list of software on your system and see if there are any questionable and unknown applications. If you see any, you need to delete them. Of course, before doing so, you can do an Internet search to find details on the application. If it is a potentially unwanted program, adware software or malware, you will likely find information that says so.
Make sure you have closed all web-browsers and other applications. Next, uninstall any unwanted and suspicious applications from your Control panel.
Windows 10, 8.1, 8
Now, press the Windows button, type “Control panel” in search and press Enter. Select “Programs and Features”, then “Uninstall a program”.
Look around the entire list of programs installed on your computer. Most likely, one of them is the SearchWizard hijacker. Choose the dubious program or the program that name is not familiar to you and remove it.
Windows Vista, 7
From the “Start” menu in Microsoft Windows, select “Control Panel”. Under the “Programs” icon, select “Uninstall a program”.
Choose the dubious or any unknown applications, then click “Uninstall/Change” button to delete this undesired program from your machine.
Windows XP
Click the “Start” button, select “Control Panel” option. Click on “Add/Remove Programs”.
Choose an undesired application, then press “Change/Remove” button. Follow the prompts.
Remove SearchWizard from Google Chrome
Reset Chrome settings will help you to completely reset your internet browser. The result of activating this function will bring Chrome settings back to its default values. This can remove SearchWizard and disable harmful extensions. It’ll save your personal information like saved passwords, bookmarks, auto-fill data and open tabs.
First run the Google Chrome. Next, click the button in the form of three horizontal dots (
).
It will show the Google Chrome menu. Choose More Tools, then click Extensions. Carefully browse through the list of installed plugins. If the list has the plugin signed with “Installed by enterprise policy” or “Installed by your administrator”, then complete the following steps: Remove Chrome extensions installed by enterprise policy.
Open the Google Chrome menu once again. Further, press the option named “Settings”.
The browser will show the settings screen. Another method to open the Chrome’s settings – type chrome://settings in the web browser adress bar and press Enter
Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the “Advanced” link. Now scroll down until the “Reset” section is visible, as displayed on the screen below and press the “Reset settings to their original defaults” button.
The Google Chrome will open the confirmation prompt as displayed on the image below.
You need to confirm your action, click the “Reset” button. The browser will start the task of cleaning. When it is done, the web browser’s settings including start page, newtab and default search provider back to the values which have been when the Chrome was first installed on your computer.
Remove SearchWizard from Mozilla Firefox by resetting internet browser settings
This step will help you get rid of SearchWizard, third-party toolbars, disable harmful extensions and restore your default startpage, newtab and search engine settings.
First, open the Firefox. Next, click the button in the form of three horizontal stripes (
). It will display 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 click on “Refresh Firefox” button like below.
Confirm your action, press the “Refresh Firefox”.
Remove SearchWizard browser hijacker from Internet Explorer
First, run the Internet Explorer, then click ‘gear’ icon 
. It will open the Tools drop-down menu on the right part of the internet browser, then press the “Internet Options” like below.
In the “Internet Options” screen, select the “Advanced” tab, then click the “Reset” button. The IE will show the “Reset Internet Explorer settings” dialog box. Further, click the “Delete personal settings” check box to select it. Next, click the “Reset” button as displayed in the figure below.
Once the procedure is done, click “Close” button. Close the Microsoft Internet Explorer and reboot your computer for the changes to take effect. This step will help you to restore your internet browser’s new tab, search engine by default and startpage to default state.
Automatic Removal of SearchWizard browser hijacker infection
Manual removal guide may not be for an unskilled computer user. Each SearchWizard removal step above, such as removing dubious programs, restoring affected shortcut files, removing the browser hijacker from system settings, must be performed very carefully. If you are in doubt during any of the steps listed in the manual removal above, then we suggest that you use the automatic SearchWizard removal guide listed below.
How to remove SearchWizard with Zemana AntiMalware (ZAM)
Thinking about delete SearchWizard browser hijacker from your internet browser? Then pay attention to Zemana. This is a well-known tool, originally created just to detect and remove malware, adware and PUPs. But by now it has seriously changed and can not only rid you of malware, but also protect your PC from malware and adware software, as well as find and remove common viruses and trojans.
- Zemana Free can be downloaded from the following link. Save it on your MS Windows desktop.
Zemana AntiMalware
164107 downloads
Author: Zemana Ltd
Category: Security tools
Update: July 16, 2019
- Once you have downloaded the install file, make sure to double click on the Zemana.AntiMalware.Setup. This would start the Zemana Free setup on your PC.
- Select installation language and click ‘OK’ button.
- On the next screen ‘Setup Wizard’ simply click the ‘Next’ button and follow the prompts.
- Finally, once the install is finished, Zemana AntiMalware (ZAM) will start automatically. Else, if doesn’t then double-click on the Zemana Free icon on your desktop.
- Now that you have successfully install Zemana Anti Malware (ZAM), let’s see How to use Zemana Free to get rid of SearchWizard browser hijacker from your computer.
- After you have started the Zemana AntiMalware, you’ll see a window as displayed in the figure below, just press ‘Scan’ button to locate hijacker.
- Now pay attention to the screen while Zemana scans your system.
- Once the scan get finished, Zemana will produce a list of unwanted programs and browser hijacker infection. Next, you need to click ‘Next’ button.
- Zemana AntiMalware may require a reboot machine in order to complete the SearchWizard browser hijacker removal process.
- If you want to completely remove hijacker from your computer, then click ‘Quarantine’ icon, select all malicious software, adware software, PUPs and other threats and press Delete.
- Reboot your PC to complete the hijacker removal procedure.
Run Hitman Pro to delete SearchWizard from the machine
HitmanPro is a free removal tool which can check your personal computer for a wide range of security threats such as adware, malicious software, potentially unwanted programs as well as SearchWizard browser hijacker. It will perform a deep scan of your computer including hard drives and MS Windows registry. When a malware is detected, it will help you to remove all detected threats from your machine by a simple click.
Download Hitman Pro on your MS Windows Desktop from the link below.
When the downloading process is complete, open the directory in which you saved it and double-click the Hitman Pro icon. It will launch the HitmanPro utility. If the User Account Control dialog box will ask you want to run the program, click Yes button to continue.
Next, press “Next” to perform a system scan with this utility for the SearchWizard browser hijacker. A system scan can take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes, depending on your computer. While the utility is scanning, you can see how many objects and files has already scanned.
When the scan get completed, you’ll be shown the list of all found threats on your machine as shown on the screen below.
When you are ready, click “Next” button. It will display a prompt, click the “Activate free license” button. The HitmanPro will begin to remove SearchWizard hijacker. Once that process is done, the utility may ask you to reboot your PC.
Remove SearchWizard hijacker infection with MalwareBytes
Get rid of SearchWizard hijacker infection manually is difficult and often the browser hijacker is not fully removed. Therefore, we suggest you to use the MalwareBytes that are fully clean your computer. Moreover, this free program will help you to get rid of malware, potentially unwanted apps, toolbars and adware that your machine can be infected too.
First, please go to the following link, then press the ‘Download’ button in order to download the latest version of MalwareBytes Anti Malware (MBAM).
326460 downloads
Author: Malwarebytes
Category: Security tools
Update: April 15, 2020
When the download is done, run it and follow the prompts. Once installed, the MalwareBytes Anti-Malware (MBAM) will try to update itself and when this task is finished, click the “Scan Now” button . MalwareBytes program will scan through the whole system for the SearchWizard browser hijacker infection. A scan can take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the number of files on your PC and the speed of your PC system. Once you have selected what you want to delete from your machine click “Quarantine Selected” button.
The MalwareBytes is a free application that you can use to get rid of all detected folders, files, services, registry entries and so on. To learn more about this malware removal utility, we suggest you to read and follow the steps or the video guide below.
How to block SearchWizard
The AdGuard is a very good ad-blocking program for the MS Edge, Google Chrome, IE and Firefox, with active user support. It does a great job by removing certain types of annoying advertisements, popunders, pop-ups, intrusive new tabs, and even full page advertisements and web page overlay layers. Of course, the AdGuard can stop the SearchWizard automatically or by using a custom filter rule.
Download AdGuard from the following link. Save it on your Desktop.
26656 downloads
Version: 6.4
Author: © Adguard
Category: Security tools
Update: November 15, 2018
Once the downloading process is complete, start the downloaded file. You will see the “Setup Wizard” screen such as the one below.
Follow the prompts. After the setup is finished, you will see a window as shown on the screen below.
You can press “Skip” to close the install program and use the default settings, or press “Get Started” button to see an quick tutorial that will allow you get to know AdGuard better.
In most cases, the default settings are enough and you do not need to change anything. Each time, when you start your computer, AdGuard will start automatically and stop undesired ads, block SearchWizard, as well as other harmful 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, that can be found on your desktop.
To sum up
Now your personal computer should be clean of the SearchWizard hijacker. We suggest that you keep AdGuard (to help you block unwanted popup advertisements and intrusive harmful web pages) and Zemana Free (to periodically scan your system for new hijackers and other malware). Probably you are running an older version of Java or Adobe Flash Player. This can be a security risk, so download and install the latest version right now.
If you are still having problems while trying to remove SearchWizard from the Firefox, MS Edge, Internet Explorer and Chrome, then ask for help here here.
