Remove GameSearchNow Redirect — How to Fix Guide

Written by Wilbur Woodham
The GameSearchNow search hijacker is an example of a standard unwanted program; such applications are promoted enormously these days. On this page you will see the precise information of “GameSearchNow” hijacker removal in various methods: utilizing anti-malware programs and hand-operated removal method.
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GameSearchNow – What is it?

“GameSearchNow” search hijacker is a potentially unwanted application (PUA)1, that is spread as a plugin for your internet browser. It is usually spread as an add-on for Chrome or Firefox, that aids to browse some certain details, for example, about sport events, make your web browser much more safe, allow downloading of any video, et cetera. Also, this app adds the “Managed by your organization” feature (on Chrome browsers).

Nonetheless, the “GameSearchNow” plugin is pretty pointless due to the fact that all such functions are already embedded to your web browser and/or Windows. Such marketing mottos are targeted at low-skilled computer users, like pensioners or schoolchildren. But in some cases even skilled users are getting caught on such an attraction. In specific situations, this hijacker is spread together with free apps.

GameSearchNow hijacker - Gamesearchnow.com

GameSearchNow Search Hijacker

Here is a short summary for the GameSearchNow hijacker
NAME GameSearchNow
Site Gamesearchnow.com
Hosting AS13335 Cloudflare, Inc.
United States, San Francisco
Infection Type Browser Hijacker, Unwanted Application
IP Address 172.67.137.85
Symptoms Changed search engine; search queries redirection
Similar behavior Easy, Safefinderchoose, Getstreamsearch
Fix Tool
To remove possible virus infections, try to scan your PC

How harmful is GameSearchNow hijacker?

Besides its uselessness, GameSearchNow hijacker is also really unsafe for browser use. It alters your search engine to its specific – Gamesearchnow.com, and also alters your background, putting its watermark on your background image (or, sometimes, changing it to default with the mentioned sign).

In addition to seeable modifications done by GameSearchNow hijacker, you might see that a number of your search inquiries are redirecting to the suspicious sites, full of web links and advertisements – so-called doorway websites. Such websites can consist of web links for malware downloads. The chance of redirecting surges if you attempt to start Google search page by force.

But all these actions are a lot more frustrating than really harmful. The major risk, particularly for people who have a huge amount of confidential information in their web browsers, is embedded in information gathering capabilities. Cookie files, chats, often-visited sites, and other activities are easily collected by GameSearchNow hijacker.

How to remove GameSearchNow 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 typically fairly easy to deal with. In many cases, they have an independent app that can be found in the list of installed applications. Due to the particular marketing manner of GameSearchNow hijacker, it can be easily tracked and erased by hand. Nonetheless, if you got GameSearchNow in the bundle with a free applications, your system can be contaminated with a lot more dangerous malwaretrojans, spyware or perhaps ransomware. That’s why I’d advise you make use of anti-malware programs to remove the GameSearchNow PUA and all other malware.

You can utilize Microsoft Defender2 – it is capable of recognizing and removing different malware, including mentioned hijacker. However, significant malware, that may be present on your computer in the discussed situation, can disable the Windows antivirus tool by editing the Group Policies. To minimize the chanse of such scenarios, it is better to use GridinSoft Anti-Malware.

To detect and delete all unwanted programs on your PC with GridinSoft Anti-Malware, it’s better to utilize Standard or Full scan. Quick Scan is not able to find all the viruses, because it checks only the most popular registry entries and folders.

Main screen in GridinSoft Anti-Malware

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

GridinSoft Anti-Malware during the scan

To set the action for each spotted malicious or unwanted program, click the arrow in front of the name of the detected malicious app. By default, all the viruses will be moved to quarantine.

List of the detected malware after the scan

Reset browser settings to original ones

To revert your browser settings, you need to use the Reset Browser Settings option. This action cannot be counteracted by any virus, hence, you will surely see the result. This action can be located in the Tools tab.

Tools tab in GridinSoft Anti-Malware

After choosing the Reset Browser Settings option, the menu will be displayed, where you can choose, which settings will be reverted to the original.

Reset Browser Settings options

Deleteing GameSearchNow 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 GameSearchNow?

Name: GameSearchNow

Description: GameSearchNow - 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 GameSearchNow?”. In this article we will show you how to deal with GameSearchNow (Gamesearchnow.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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