How to remove ClickPDFSearch Browser Hijacker

Easy methods to delete ClickPDFSearch Browser Hijacker in Windows 10/8/7 computer

ClickPDFSearch is another rough application considered as browser hijacker. As browser hijacker, this nasty application operates by modifying your browser’s settings without your knowledge in order to promote addresses of some fake search engines like ClickPDFSearch.com. It is capable of hijacking your main browser including Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, Opera, and other browsers. It changes the default homepage, new tab URLs and search engine of your browser with ClickPDFSearch.com fake search engine.

ClickPDFSearch.com or portal.ClickPDFSearch.com bogus search engine delivers sponsored results or loads misleading contents. It redirects you to Yahoo Search engine and fake nearbyme.io search engine. It doesn’t show unique results means it delivers results generated by others or shows bogus results that’s why it is called as fake search engine. It is not safe to search the web with this bogus search engine. The purpose of attackers behind ClickPDFSearch.com fake search engine is to redirect you to other shady/scam websites and/or tricks you into download/installing rough applications, third-party software or malware in your computer.

ClickPDFSearch application redirects you to shady/scam websites that are designed to run malicious advertisements in the form of banners, coupons, notifications, fake security alert, fake software update alert, and other types of advertisements. It is very complex task for you to close these advertisements one-by-one in computer. These advertisements can cause unwanted browser redirection to malicious sites or can cause unwanted software downloads/installation. It is not safe to click any hyperlinks/buttons or advertisements displayed by this rough application.

ClickPDFSearch browser hijacker is also designed to trace your online habits and collect your browsing-related data or other sensitive data. They can collect your some information such as IP address, URLs search, login ID & password of your various accounts, banking information and more details. They can share these collected data to other attackers or third-party to generate some revenue from them. These collected data can be misused for malicious purposes like to make fraudulent purchases or transactions. In other words, this rough application is unsafe at all. So, it is important to find and remove ClickPDFSearch related files in computer.

How did you get ClickPDFSearch Adware in Windows 10/8/7 computer?

Software Bundling Method is the mostly used mechanism by cybercriminals to spread PUAs, adware or malware in your computer. It means these rough applications or malware can be included in other software package as additional offers. If you choose ‘Recommended/Express/Quick’ settings instead of choosing ‘Custom/Advanced/Manual’ settings in software installation setup, then you install all additional programs included in software package into computer and this way, all malicious additions can also be installed. PUAs or malware can also be downloaded/installed from malicious advertisements that are designed to execute certain codes/scripts.

How to protect system against PUAs, adware or malware?

You should be alert while browsing internet and avoid downloading/installing any applications from unofficial/unsafe websites, fake software downloaders, installers or updaters, or other third-party sources. You should always try to download any applications from official and verified sources, or via direct links, and choose always ‘Custom/Advanced/Manual’ installation if you want to avoid all malicious additions included in software package setup. Also, you should have some powerful antivirus software installed in your computer with latest updates that could help you to find and remove all threats including latest malware in computer.

Antimalware Details And User Guide

Click Here For Windows Click Here For Mac

Important Note: This malware asks you to enable the web browser notifications. So, before you go the manual removal process, execute these steps.

Google Chrome (PC)

• Go to right upper corner of the screen and click on three dots to open the Menu button
• Select “Settings”. Scroll the mouse downward to choose “Advanced” option
• Go to “Privacy and Security” section by scrolling downward and then select “Content settings” and then “Notification” option
• Find each suspicious URLs and click on three dots on the right side and choose “Block” or “Remove” option

Google Chrome (Android)

• Go to right upper corner of the screen and click on three dots to open the menu button and then click on “Settings”
• Scroll down further to click on “site settings” and then press on “notifications” option
• In the newly opened window, choose each suspicious URLs one by one
• In the permission section, select “notification” and “Off” the toggle button

Mozilla Firefox

• On the right corner of the screen, you will notice three dots which is the “Menu” button
• Select “Options” and choose “Privacy and Security” in the toolbar present in the left side of the screen
• Slowly scroll down and go to “Permission” section then choose “Settings” option next to “Notifications”
• In the newly opened window, select all the suspicious URLs. Click on the drop-down menu and select “Block”

Internet Explorer

• In the Internet Explorer window, select the Gear button present on the right corner
• Choose “Internet Options”
• Select “Privacy” tab and then “Settings” under the “Pop-up Blocker” section
• Select all the suspicious URLs one by one and click on the “Remove” option

Microsoft Edge

• Open the Microsoft Edge and click on the three dots on the right corner of the screen to open the menu
• Scroll down and select “Settings”
• Scroll down further to choose “view advanced settings”
• In the “Website Permission” option, click on “Manage” option
• Click on switch under every suspicious URL

Safari (Mac):

• On the upper right side corner, click on “Safari” and then select “Preferences”
• Go to “website” tab and then choose “Notification” section on the left pane
• Search for the suspicious URLs and choose “Deny” option for each one of them

Manual Steps to Remove ClickPDFSearch:

Remove the related items of ClickPDFSearch using Control-Panel

Windows 7 Users

Click “Start” (the windows logo at the bottom left corner of the desktop screen), select “Control Panel”. Locate the “Programs” and then followed by clicking on “Uninstall Program”

Windows XP Users

Click “Start” and then choose “Settings” and then click “Control Panel”. Search and click on “Add or Remove Program’ option

Windows 10 and 8 Users:

Go to the lower left corner of the screen and right-click. In the “Quick Access” menu, choose “Control Panel”. In the newly opened window, choose “Program and Features”

Mac OSX Users

Click on “Finder” option. Choose “Application” in the newly opened screen. In the “Application” folder, drag the app to “Trash”. Right click on the Trash icon and then click on “Empty Trash”.

In the uninstall programs window, search for the PUAs. Choose all the unwanted and suspicious entries and click on “Uninstall” or “Remove”.

After you uninstall all the potentially unwanted program causing ClickPDFSearch issues, scan your computer with an anti-malware tool for any remaining PUPs and PUAs or possible malware infection. To scan the PC, use the recommended the anti-malware tool.

How to Remove Adware (ClickPDFSearch) from Internet Browsers

Delete malicious add-ons and extensions from IE

Click on the gear icon at the top right corner of Internet Explorer. Select “Manage Add-ons”. Search for any recently installed plug-ins or add-ons and click on “Remove”.

Additional Option

If you still face issues related to ClickPDFSearch removal, you can reset the Internet Explorer to its default setting.

Windows XP users: Press on “Start” and click “Run”. In the newly opened window, type “inetcpl.cpl” and click on the “Advanced” tab and then press on “Reset”.

Windows Vista and Windows 7 Users: Press the Windows logo, type inetcpl.cpl in the start search box and press enter.  In the newly opened window, click on the “Advanced Tab” followed by “Reset” button.

For Windows 8 Users: Open IE and click on the “gear” icon. Choose “Internet Options”

Select the “Advanced” tab in the newly opened window

Press on “Reset” option

You have to press on the “Reset” button again to confirm that you really want to reset the IE

Remove Doubtful and Harmful Extension from Google Chrome

Go to menu of Google Chrome by pressing on three vertical dots and select on “More tools” and then “Extensions”. You can search for all the recently installed add-ons and remove all of them.

Optional Method

If the problems related to ClickPDFSearch still persists or you face any issue in removing, then it is advised that your reset the Google Chrome browse settings. Go to three dotted points at the top right corner and choose “Settings”. Scroll down bottom and click on “Advanced”.

At the bottom, notice the “Reset” option and click on it.

In the next opened window, confirm that you want to reset the Google Chrome settings by click on the “Reset” button.

Remove ClickPDFSearch plugins (including all other doubtful plug-ins) from Firefox Mozilla

Open the Firefox menu and select “Add-ons”. Click “Extensions”.  Select all the recently installed browser plug-ins.

Optional Method

If you face problems in ClickPDFSearch removal then you have the option to rese the settings of Mozilla Firefox.

Open the browser (Mozilla Firefox) and click on the “menu” and then click on “Help”.

Choose “Troubleshooting Information”

In the newly opened pop-up window, click “Refresh Firefox” button

The next step is to confirm that really want to reset the Mozilla Firefox settings to its default by clicking on “Refresh Firefox” button.

Remove Malicious Extension from Safari

Open the Safari and go to its “Menu” and select “Preferences”.

Click on the “Extension” and select all the recently installed “Extensions” and then click on “Uninstall”.

Optional Method

Open the “Safari” and go menu. In the drop-down menu, choose “Clear History and Website Data”.

In the newly opened window, select “All History” and then press on “Clear History” option.

Delete ClickPDFSearch (malicious add-ons) from Microsoft Edge

Open Microsoft Edge and go to three horizontal dot icons at the top right corner of the browser. Select all the recently installed extensions and right click on the mouse to “uninstall”

Optional Method

Open the browser (Microsoft Edge) and select “Settings”

Next steps is to click on “Choose what to clear” button

Click on “show more” and then select everything and then press on “Clear” button.

Conclusion

In most cases, the PUPs and adware gets inside the marked PC through unsafe freeware downloads. It is advised that you should only choose developers website only while downloading any kind of free applications.  Choose custom or advanced installation process so that you can trace the additional PUPs listed for installation along with the main program.