FreeSearchVideos browser hijacker removal instructions

Written by Wilbur Woodham
The FreeSearchVideos search hijacker is an example of an average unwanted program; such programs are promoted massively these days. In this article you will see the complete directions of “FreeSearchVideos” hijacker elimination in different ways: using anti-malware tools and also hand-operated elimination method.
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Removing FreeSearchVideos manually may take hours and may damage your PC in the process. I recommend you to download GridinSoft Anti-Malware for threats removal. Allows to complete scan and cure your PC during the trial period.
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FreeSearchVideos – What is it?

“FreeSearchVideos” search hijacker is a potentially unwanted application (PUA)1, that is spread as a plugin for your web browser. It is usually shared as an add-on for Chrome or Firefox, that helps to search some specific details, as an example, about sport events, make your browser much more secure, enable downloading of any kind of video clip, et cetera. Also, this app adds the “Managed by your organization” feature (on Chrome browsers).

Nevertheless, the “FreeSearchVideos” plugin is rather ineffective due to the fact that all such functions are already embedded to your web browser and/or system. Such marketing slogans are targeted at low-skilled computer users, for example, pensioners or schoolchildren. However sometimes even professional users are getting caught on such a lure. In specific scenarios, this hijacker is distributed along with free programs.

FreeSearchVideos hijacker - Freesearchvideos.com

FreeSearchVideos Search Hijacker

Here is a details for the FreeSearchVideos hijacker
NAMEFreeSearchVideos
SiteFreesearchvideos.com
HostingAS13335 Cloudflare, Inc.
United States, San Francisco
Infection TypeBrowser Hijacker, Unwanted Application
IP Address104.21.51.242
SymptomsChanged search engine; search queries redirection
Similar behaviorBestpdfconvertersearch, Tigervideosearches, My
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To remove possible virus infections, try to scan your PC

How harmful is FreeSearchVideos hijacker?

Besides its uselessness, FreeSearchVideos hijacker is also rather harmful for web browser use. It changes your search engine to its particular – Freesearchvideos.com, and likewise modifies your background, adding its watermark on your wallpaper (or, in some cases, altering it to default with the mentioned symbol).

In addition to viewable modifications done by FreeSearchVideos hijacker, you can discover that a couple of your search questions are redirecting to the dubious sites, full of web links and ads – so-called doorway sites. Such sites can contain links for malware downloads. The chance of redirecting surges if you attempt to open Google search page forcibly.

But all these actions are a lot more annoying than really hazardous. The main threat, especially for people who have a considerable amount of secret information in their internet browsers, is embedded in data gathering functionalities. Cookie files, conversations, often-visited sites, and other activities are simply gathered by FreeSearchVideos hijacker.

How to remove FreeSearchVideos search hijacker?

  • Download and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware.
  • Open GridinSoft Anti-Malware and perform a “Standard scan“.
  • “Move to quarantine” all items.
  • Open “Tools” tab – Press “Reset Browser Settings“.
  • Select proper browser and options – Click “Reset”.
  • Restart your computer.

Browser hijackers are generally quite easy to remove. In most cases, they have an independent app that can be located in the list of installed software. Due to the certain marketing way of FreeSearchVideos hijacker, it can be conveniently tracked and removed by hand. However, if you got FreeSearchVideos in the bundle with a free applications, your computer can be infected with much more severe malwaretrojans, spyware or even ransomware. That’s why I’d suggest you use anti-malware tools to deal with the FreeSearchVideos PUA and all other malware.

You can use Microsoft Defender2 – it is capable of recognizing and clearing away different malware, including named hijacker. Nevertheless, major malware, that can exist on your personal computer in the mentioned case, can disable the Windows antivirus program by modifying the Group Policies. To minimize the chanse of such situations, it is better to use GridinSoft Anti-Malware.

To detect and eliminate all malicious programs on your computer with GridinSoft Anti-Malware, it’s better to utilize Standard or Full scan. Quick Scan is not able to find all the malware, because it scans only the most popular registry entries and directories.

Main screen in GridinSoft Anti-Malware

You can see the detected malware sorted by their possible hazard till the scan process. But to perform any actions against the viruses, you need to hold on until the scan is over, or to stop the scan.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware during the scan

To choose the action for each detected malicious or unwanted program, click the arrow in front of the name of the detected malware. By default, all the viruses will be removed to quarantine.

List of the detected malware after the scan

Reset browser settings to original ones

To reset your browser settings, you are required to use the Reset Browser Settings option. This action cannot be intercepted by any malware, hence, you will surely see the result. This option can be located in the Tools tab.

Tools tab in GridinSoft Anti-Malware

After pressing the Reset Browser Settings button, the menu will be shown, where you can choose, which settings will be reverted to the original.

Reset Browser Settings options

Deleteing FreeSearchVideos hijacker manually

Besides using anti-malware software for browser restoration, you may choose the “Reset browser settings” function, which is usually embedded in all popular browsers.

To reset Edge, do the following steps :
  1. Open “Settings and more” tab in upper right corner, then find here “Settings” button. In the appeared menu, choose “Reset settings” option :
  2. Reseting the Edge browser

  3. After picking the Reset Settings option, you will see the following menu, stating about the settings which will be reverted to original :
For Mozilla Firefox, do the next actions :
  1. Open Menu tab (three strips in upper right corner) and click the “Help” button. In the appeared menu choose “troubleshooting information” :
  2. The first step to revert Mozilla Firefox

  3. In the next screen, find the “Refresh Firefox” option :
  4. The second step of Firefox restoration
    After choosing this option, you will see the next message :
    The last step for Firefox

If you use Google Chrome
  1. Open Settings tab, find the “Advanced” button. In the extended tab choose the “Reset and clean up” button :
  2. In the appeared list, click on the “Restore settings to their original defaults” :
  3. Finally, you will see the window, where you can see all the settings which will be reset to default :
Opera can be reset in the next way
  1. Open Settings menu by pressing the gear icon in the toolbar (left side of the browser window), then click “Advanced” option, and choose “Browser” button in the drop-down list. Scroll down, to the bottom of the settings menu. Find there “Restore settings to their original defaults” option :
  2. After clicking the “Restore settings…” button, you will see the window, where all settings, which will be reset, are shown :

As an afterword, I want to say that time plays against you and your PC. The activity of browser hijacker must be stopped as soon as possible, because of the possibility of other malware injection. This malware can be downloaded autonomously, or offered for you to download in one of the windows with advertisements, which are shown to you by the hijacker. You need to act as fast as you can.

I need your help to share this guide.

Browser hijackers are among the largest and also disruptive kinds of malware. I published this article to help you, so I wish you will help me to make the computer world completely clean of malware. Please, share this article in the social networks you use – Twitter, Reddit, Facebook – wherever.
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Wilbur Woodham
How to Remove FreeSearchVideos?

Name: FreeSearchVideos

Description: FreeSearchVideos - a lot of users became a victim of browser hijacker. I have a lot of friends who literally bombed me with the questions like “how to remove FreeSearchVideos?”. In this article we will show you how to deal with FreeSearchVideos (Freesearchvideos.com), which may corrupt your browser’s correct performance, and create a lot of troubles while you are working.

Operating System: Windows

Application Category: Browser Hijacker

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References

  1. More information about PUAs
  2. Detailed review of Microsoft Defender

About the author

Wilbur Woodham

I was a technical writer from early in my career, and consider IT Security one of my foundational skills. I’m sharing my experience here, and I hope you find it useful.

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