Remove TopSportsSearch browser hijacker

Easy steps to delete TopSportsSearch

TopSportsSearch is supposed to be a legitimate search provider however, this is a site promoted by various potentially unwanted programs that intrude inside PCs without users approval. Users download and install PUAs as an extra with other software download when they do not pick correct downloading and installation method. Such apps promoted the site and other sites of this type as fake search engine by changing the browser settings and so are categorized as browser hijacker. Despite this, most hijackers gather details related to users browsing activities.

Potentially unwanted programs are designed to set topsportssearch.com site to the search engine, homepage and address of a new tab. Such apps could be installed on any popular and well known browsers including Google chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Safari, Edge and others. Users who have browser hijackers on their browsers are forced to visit this dubious domain every time when they open their browsing tabs and windows. Due to this, users cannot reset any changes make by browser hijackers to their browsers.

Furthermore, most fake search engines and browser hijackers has data tracking abilities. The collected data includes IP addresses, pages viewed, geo-locations, URLs visited, search queries typed and other similar details. Such details could be shared with third parties (potentially cyber criminals) who misuse the data to generate revenue. Therefore, presence of data tracking abilities on PC leads in severe privacy issues, financial losses and even identity theft. So, you must need to uninstall PUPs and avoid using the fake search engine.

How did TopSportsSearch intrude on my PC?

PUAs like TopSportsSearch have official download pages through which they can be downloaded or installed. These applications can also be intrude along with other programs. This misleading marketing method of packing regular programs along with unwanted ones is called software bundling. Developers hide the information about such additional apps behind custom or advanced options as well as other settings of software setups. Intrusive adverts are designed to redirect users to untrustworthy sites or execute harmful scripts that can cause system infections. Now the main, users recklessly rush and skipping installation behaviors might cause the installation of unwanted programs inside their computer. So, you need to be very careful during installation moment and analyze each and every step carefully.

How to prevent potentially unwanted applications?

First and foremost thing is that users need to be very careful while downloading and installing any software as well as surfing internet. All downloads of software must be done from official and trustworthy pages. Other tools that seem untrustworthy should not be used as they offer deceptive or bundled content. Moreover, intrusive adverts might look appropriate but always redirect to dubious sites. If you continually encounter any such sites, immediately remove all suspicious apps. In order to remove TopSportsSearch, use some reputable antivirus tool such as Spyhunter that has the capability to eliminate this browser hijacker immediately from the computer.

Quick Glance

Name: TopSportsSearch

Type: Browser hijacker, PUA, Search hijacker

Symptoms: manipulated web browser settings, decreased internet browsing speed and shady redirects.

Affected browser settings: default search engine, homepage and new tab URL

Distribution methods: deceptive pop-up ads, suspicious links, harmful websites, porn or torrent sites, bundles of free software programs and many more.

Damage: Internet browsing tracking (potential privacy issues), displaying of unwanted ads, redirects to malicious websites.

Removal: To remove TopSportsSearch, use some reliable antivirus tool or follow step by step instructions that are provided under this article.

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 TopSportsSearch:

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