What is Search.locatorunit.com?
The computer security specialists have determined that Search.locatorunit.com is a fake search engine. It is promoted by PUPs (potentially unwanted programs) from the group of Browser hijackers. The aim of a browser hijacker is to {generate} advertising profit. For example, a browser hijacker redirects the user’s homepage to the browser hijacker’s page that contains ads or sponsored links; a browser hijacker redirects the user web searches to a link the browser hijacker wants the user to see, rather than to legitimate search engine results. When the user clicks on ads in the search results, the developers behind browser hijackers gets paid. The browser hijackers authors can gather privacy data such as user browsing habits as well as browsing history and sell this information to third parties for marketing purposes.
The browser hijacker will modify your browser’s search provider so that all searches are sent through Search.locatorunit.com that redirects to Bing, Yahoo or Google Custom Search engine that shows the search results for your query. The devs behind this browser hijacker are utilizing legitimate search provider as they may earn revenue from the ads that are displayed in the search results.
And finally, the Search.locatorunit.com browser hijacker can gather lots of marketing-type data about you such as what web-sites you are opening, what you’re looking for the Internet and so on. This information, in the future, can be sold to third party companies.
As evident, PUPs and browser hijackers are quite dangerous. So, we suggest you delete it from your MAC ASAP. Follow the tutorial presented below to remove Search.locatorunit.com from your browser.
How can Search.locatorunit.com get on your MAC OS
Many browser hijackers like Search.locatorunit.com come from internet browser toolbars, web browser extensions, BHOs (browser helper objects) and bundled software. In many cases, these items claim itself as apps which improve your experience on the World Wide Web by providing a fast and interactive homepage or a search engine that does not track you. Remember, how to avoid the unwanted apps. Be cautious, run only reputable software which download from reputable sources. NEVER install an unknown and suspicious application.
Threat Summary
| Name | Search.locatorunit.com |
| Type | browser hijacker, startpage hijacker, search provider hijacker, redirect virus, PUP |
| Affected Browser Settings | search engine, new tab page URL, startpage |
| Symptoms |
|
| Removal | Search.locatorunit.com removal guide |
How to remove Search.locatorunit.com from Chrome, Firefox, Safari
There are a few methods which can be used to delete the browser hijacker. But, not all PUPs like this browser hijacker can be completely deleted utilizing only manual methods. In most cases you’re not able to remove any browser hijacker utilizing standard Mac options. In order to remove Search.locatorunit.com you need complete a few manual steps and run reliable removal tools. Most IT security professionals states that MalwareBytes tool is a right choice. The free program is able to locate and remove Search.locatorunit.com from your MAC OS and return your internet browser settings to defaults.
To remove Search.locatorunit.com, complete the steps below:
- How to manually delete Search.locatorunit.com
- Automatic Removal of Search.locatorunit.com
- Stop Search.locatorunit.com and other undesired webpages
- Finish words
How to manually delete Search.locatorunit.com
The useful removal instructions for the Search.locatorunit.com hijacker. The detailed procedure can be followed by anyone as it really does take you step-by-step. If you follow this process to delete Search.locatorunit.com redirect let us know how you managed by sending us your comments please.
Delete potentially unwanted software using the Finder
First, go to the Finder and delete dubious apps, all applications you don’t remember installing. It’s important to pay the most attention to apps you installed just before Search.locatorunit.com appeared on your web browser. If you don’t know what a program does, look for the answer on the Web.
Open Finder and click “Applications”.
Very carefully look around the entire list of programs installed on your Apple Mac. Most probably, one of them is the browser hijacker which cause Search.locatorunit.com webpage to appear. Once you’ve found a dubious, unwanted or unused application, right click to it and select “Move to Trash”. Another solution is drag the program from the Applications folder to the Trash.
Don’t forget, select Finder -> “Empty Trash”.
Remove Search.locatorunit.com from Chrome
Like other modern internet browsers, the Chrome has the ability to reset the settings to their default values and thereby recover the web browser search provider by default, home page and newtab that have been replaced by the Search.locatorunit.com browser hijacker.
Open the Chrome menu by clicking on the button in the form of three horizontal dotes (
). It will open the drop-down menu. Choose More Tools, then press Extensions.
Carefully browse through the list of installed extensions. If the list has the extension labeled with “Installed by enterprise policy” or “Installed by your administrator”, then complete the following guidance: Remove Google 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 shown on the image below and press the “Reset settings to their original defaults” button.
Confirm your action, click the “Reset” button.
Remove Search.locatorunit.com from Firefox by resetting web-browser settings
This step will help you delete Search.locatorunit.com, third-party toolbars, disable harmful extensions and revert back your default homepage, newtab and search provider settings.
First, open the Firefox and click 
button. It will open the drop-down menu on the right-part of the web browser. Further, press the Help button (
) similar to the one below.
In the Help menu, select the “Troubleshooting Information” option. Another way to open the “Troubleshooting Information” screen – type “about:support” in the internet browser adress bar and press Enter. It will show the “Troubleshooting Information” page as shown below. In the upper-right corner of this screen, click the “Refresh Firefox” button.
It will show the confirmation dialog box. Further, click the “Refresh Firefox” button. The Firefox will start a process to fix your problems that caused by the Search.locatorunit.com browser hijacker. Once, it’s complete, click the “Finish” button.
Delete Search.locatorunit.com redirect from Safari
The Safari reset is great if your browser is hijacked or you’ve unwanted plugins or toolbars on your browser, that installed by a malware.
Click Safari menu and select “Preferences”.
It will open the Safari Preferences window. Next, click the “Extensions” tab. Look for unknown and suspicious extensions on left panel, select it, then click the “Uninstall” button. Most important to remove all unknown plugins from Safari.
Once complete, click “General” tab. Change the “Default Search Engine” to Google.
Find the “Homepage” and type into textfield “https://www.google.com”.
Automatic Removal of Search.locatorunit.com
If you are not expert at machine technology, then we suggest to run free removal utilities listed below to delete Search.locatorunit.com for good. The automatic solution is highly recommended. It has less steps and easier to implement than the manual method. Moreover, it lower risk of system damage. So, the automatic Search.locatorunit.com removal is a better option.
How to delete Search.locatorunit.com with MalwareBytes Anti Malware
You can remove Search.locatorunit.com automatically through the use of MalwareBytes Anti Malware. We recommend this free malicious software removal tool because it can easily delete browser hijacker, adware, potentially unwanted apps and toolbars with all their components such as files, folders and registry entries.
Please go to the following link to download MalwareBytes Free.
21001 downloads
Author: Malwarebytes
Category: Security tools
Update: September 10, 2020
Once the download is complete, close all windows on your MAC. Further, launch the saved file. Follow the prompts.
The MalwareBytes Anti-Malware (MBAM) will automatically run and you can see its main window as displayed in the following example.
Next, press the “Scan Now” button to perform a system scan for the hijacker that causes web-browsers to open the Search.locatorunit.com web site. A system scan can take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes, depending on your MAC system. When a malware, adware software or PUPs are detected, the number of the security threats will change accordingly.
After finished, the results are displayed in the scan report. Next, you need to press the “Quarantine” button.
The MalwareBytes AntiMalware (MBAM) will remove hijacker that responsible for browser redirect to the Search.locatorunit.com webpage.
Stop Search.locatorunit.com and other undesired webpages
By installing an adblocker application such as AdGuard, you’re able to block Search.locatorunit.com, stop autoplaying video ads and remove a lot of distracting and annoying ads on webpages.
Please go to the link below to download AdGuard.
3776 downloads
Author: © Adguard
Category: Security tools
Update: January 17, 2018
When the download is complete, run the downloaded file. The “Setup Wizard” window will show up on the computer screen.
Follow the prompts. AdGuard will then be installed. A window will show up asking you to confirm that you want to see a quick guide. Click “Skip” button to close the window and use the default settings, or press “Get Started” to see an quick tutorial which will help you get to know AdGuard better.
Each time, when you start your Apple Mac, AdGuard will start automatically and stop undesired popup advertisements, block Search.locatorunit.com redirect, as well as other harmful or misleading web sites.
Finish words
Once you’ve finished the guidance above, your MAC system should be clean from browser hijacker responsible for redirecting user searches to Search.locatorunit.com and other malware. The Mozilla Firefox, Safari and Google Chrome will no longer show the Search.locatorunit.com website. Unfortunately, if the step-by-step instructions does not help you, then you have caught a new browser hijacker, and then the best way – ask for help here.
