How to remove Search.freedrivermapstab.com

Easy Search.freedrivermapstab.com removal guide

Search.freedrivermapstab.com is fake search engine that a browser hijacker named Free Driver Maps promotes to by modifying the installed web browsers’ settings and denying their access to them. Also, this app can track users’ browsing session and collect the data related to users’ browsing preferences. Thus, it is not recommended to take its services and perform its removal soon.

The Free Driver Maps typically intrudes in without users’ consent. After the install, it conducts malicious changes the settings of installed browsers such as Google Chrome, Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox and sets the Search.freedrivermapstab.com to the homepage, new tab page and default search engine option. Therefore, the users are forced to visit the said domain all the time when they open their browsing tab and enter any queries on the search URL bar. The changed settings are usually not easily being restored due to the infection. The browser hijacking app automatically resets any changes that users make on them. The users must have to remove Search.freedrivermapstab.com browser hijacker to perform the restoration of the settings and get rid of the various browsers’ misbehaviours.

Since Search.freedrivermapstab.com is a fake searching tool that usually shows its search results by redirecting the queries to some legit searching tools, there seems no reason to use it. Also, it has been seen that the fake searching tool (and the browser hijacker) can track the users’ browsing session and collect the data related to users’ browsing session and collect the data include IP addresses, Search queries, Viewed pages, URLs visited, ISP, and others similar. Such data could be shared to potent crooks who misuse them to generate illicit revenue. Thus, the data tracking can result into huge risk of privacy and can cause identity exposure. To prevent these things from happening, immediately remove Search.freedrivermapstab.com from the system.

PUPs are distributed using various deceptive methods

Search.freedrivermapstab.com is one of the many potentially unwanted apps which have their own promoting sites. However, its intrusion mostly occurs without the users’ consent. The main reason of this is that like many other apps it is distributed using various deceptive methods. The most common of them is software bundling. In this method, stealth installation of unwanted apps takes place with some other software. What the developers do is hide the bundled apps behind the Custom/Advanced option. Users rush the setups and skip most of the installation steps often lead the inadvertent installation of unwanted apps. In order to prevent this from happening, you should:

• Use official websites and direct links for any software download
• Check software review before the download
• Choose Custom/Advanced option during the install moment
• Opt out all additionally attached apps
• Employ some reputable antivirus tool for betterment

Remove Search.freedrivermapstab.com

Manual malware removal guide is provided below in step by step manner. Follow it so that you will not find any trouble during removal process. Use some reputable antivirus tool to automatically remove Search.freedrivermapstab.com from the system.

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 Search.freedrivermapstab.com:

Remove the related items of Search.freedrivermapstab.com 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 Search.freedrivermapstab.com 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 (Search.freedrivermapstab.com) 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 Search.freedrivermapstab.com 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 Search.freedrivermapstab.com 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 Search.freedrivermapstab.com 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 Search.freedrivermapstab.com 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 Search.freedrivermapstab.com (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.