How To Remove TopIncognitoSearch Hijacker

TopIncognitoSearch: Simple Uninstall Guide

TopIncognitoSearch is a nasty computer infection that can be categorized as a browser hijacker. As soon as this perilous threat infiltrates the Windows systems, it makes changes to default browser’s settings to promote topincognitosearch.com- a fake search engine. This potentially unwanted program (PUP) sets this domain as default search tool, home page and new tab preferences to redirect users to affiliated websites and generate revenues from advertising. Moreover, this perilous hijacker may install additional extensions, browser-based programs, or system applications to control more of the web traffic and browsing operations or the device itself.

TopIncognitoSearch Tracks Users’ Online Actions:

TopIncognitoSearch inserts various spying cookies on the affected browser and constantly monitors your web activities such as pages they visit, search queries they type, links they click, their IP addresses, geolocations etc. It collects non-personally identifiable information and shares them with third-parties that is very helpful for producing customized advertisements. And thus, during the presence of this nasty hijacker in your computer, you are flooded with thousands of intrusive ads all over the day which interrupts your web sessions badly. These ads are in several formats such as coupons, banners, deals, offers, discounts etc. that can easily gain your attention.

Ads by TopIncognitoSearch include sponsored links and when clicked, redirect people to pre-defined websites where they had never intended to visit. However, you should thing that all these web pages are harmless and safe to visit. You might be also rerouted to scam or phishing sites where you might be deceived into installing rogue software. At some portals, visitors are asked to participate in fake surveys and provide their personal data like credit card and bank details. Their sensitive information could be misused by the scammers for fraudulent transactions or purchases that may result in huge financial loss for them.

TopIncognitoSearch can disable the working of all the running security measures and Windows Firewalls and open backdoors for more nasty parasites. It allows other online infections such as rootkits, worms, spyware, ransomware etc. to enter your PC as well and cause more damages inside. Due to this parasite, you may have to deal with many other hazardous issues such as frequent system crash, hard drive failure, data loss, boot errors, application malfunctioning and so on. And thus, an instant TopIncognitoSearch removal is strongly recommended.

Bundling Helps To Spread Unwanted programs:

Creators of potentially unwanted programs typically rely on the illusive software marketing method called bundling. It allows attaching malicious programs to the primary free software and hopes that careless system users will not notice them. Security specialists state that users do not know how to install apps correctly and often install PUPs without even realizing it. Web browser’s hijack generally takes place when people download a freeware from third-party site like soft32.com, softonic.com download.com, cnet.com etc. and then install it under Quick/Standard/Recommended setup.

The problem with these settings is that they do not openly reveal about third-party components, but still installs them. To avoid these unpleasant surprises, you have to be very careful while software download/installation process and use Advanced/Custom settings and cautiously and follow the steps in order not to ignore the pre-selected “optional downloads.” In case your PC is already infected with this hijacker, you must remove TopIncognitoSearch from the device without wasting any time.

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 TopIncognitoSearch:

Remove the related items of TopIncognitoSearch 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 TopIncognitoSearch 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 (TopIncognitoSearch) 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 TopIncognitoSearch 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 TopIncognitoSearch 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 TopIncognitoSearch 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 TopIncognitoSearch 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 TopIncognitoSearch (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.