Remove Nowtosearch.com From System

Proper Guide To Eliminate Hijacking Application

Nowtosearch.com is an infamous browser hijacker infection that can cause a lot of unkind issues inside the compromised device. This unsafe URL is promoted as a legitimate search engine. Nonetheless, it’s indeed a browser-based parasite that manipulates users’ online surfing to create illegal profits. It’s a potentially unwanted application that may have sneaked into your work-station without your awareness or consent. It may not look like harmful at first but having infiltrated your computer, may lead to a lot of troubles. It firstly, compromises the main browser, be it Chrome, Firefox or any other and changes its default settings.

Quick Glance

Name: Nowtosearch.com

Category: Browser Hijacker

Features: Makes alterations to default browser’s settings, displays annoying advertising contents, redirects people to unfamiliar sites

Danger level: Medium

Signs: Browser changes, constant ads flow, page-redirects, etc.

Distribution: Usually gets spread via software bundling, torrent sites, misleading ads, etc.

Nowtosearch.com: Depth Analysis

Nowtosearch.com applies itself as the main search engine, homepage and new tab page URL without seeking for any approval. After that, whenever you open your internet app to browse the web, this perilous web address will appear as the default page or open a new tab. It claims to be legitimate application and promises to improve users’ online experience which is totally a lie. This fake search tool will display affiliated search results which without a doubt compromises the possibility of you obtaining the desired search results. It will show tons of annoying ads on your browser and on each site that you access.

Nowtosearch.com ads will firstly downgrade the webpages and also affect overall online experience. They can forcibly reroute your internet app to questionable web locations and ask you to allow push notifications, participate in fake surveys, or download and install hateful software. It may not dangerous virus or malware but can definitely cause lots of problems. It will flood your screen with numerous intrusive commercial contents and if you click on those ads, you may get forwarded to quite insecure sites that host malevolent scripts. You may end up infecting your PC by dreadful threats like Trojan or Ransomware thanks to the unsafe redirects caused by the hijacker. Hence, remove Nowtosearch.com from the machine to avoid these issues.

How Does The Hijacker Intrude Systems?

Threats like this make use of several illusive tactics to sneak into your computer. Their developers employ the software bundling method to spread them. When users download any bundled freeware on their device, then hidden infections like hijacker or adware can easily get installed alongside on their system without their knowledge. If you tend to download pirated software and content from torrent sites, or visit unsafe sites, you are liable to such infections as well. So, refrain from doing these unsafe activities for your system security. Rely on official or verified channels only to download programs or files and choose Advanced or Custom installation mode to opt-out the needless apps from the machine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Nowtosearch.com compromise my privacy?

This hijacking app can obtain complete access to your web browser without your approval. It can track your web activities and gather information like your online history, saved passwords, cookie details, etc. Having collected all such details, it can sell this info to hackers, hence leading to serious privacy issues.

Why are the ads shown by the program so enticing?

That’s because they’re made up of your online preferences. Data gathered by this pest is employed by the advertisers to customize the ads according to your interests so that you are more likely to click on them. Every click earns pay-per-click income for the app developers, but you should stay away from them as they could be misleading.

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 Nowtosearch.com:

Remove the related items of Nowtosearch.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 Nowtosearch.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 (Nowtosearch.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 Nowtosearch.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 Nowtosearch.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 Nowtosearch.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 Nowtosearch.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 Nowtosearch.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.