How to remove PDFSearchTip browser plugin?

Written by Wilbur Woodham
The PDFSearchTip search hijacker is an illustration of a typical unwanted program; such programs are promoted massively these days. In this article you will see the comprehensive guidance of “PDFSearchTip” hijacker removal in different tactics: making use of anti-malware software and also manual elimination procedure.
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PDFSearchTip – What is it?

“PDFSearchTip” search hijacker is a potentially unwanted application (PUA)1, that is promoted as a plugin for your web browser. It is usually advertised as an add-on for Chrome or Firefox, that aids to search some special details, for instance, about sporting activity events, make your web browser a lot more safe, allow downloading of any video, and so on. Also, this app adds the “Managed by your organization” feature (on Chrome browsers).

Nonetheless, the “PDFSearchTip” plugin is rather ineffective since all such functions are already integrated to your browser and/or Windows. Such marketing mottos are targeted at low-skilled computer users, like pensioners or schoolchildren. However occasionally even experienced users are getting caught on such a lure. In certain cases, this hijacker is dispersed along with free tools.

PDFSearchTip hijacker - Pdfsearchtip.com

PDFSearchTip Search Hijacker

Here is a details for the PDFSearchTip hijacker
NAME PDFSearchTip
Site Pdfsearchtip.com
Hosting AS13335 Cloudflare, Inc.
United States, San Francisco
Infection Type Browser Hijacker, Unwanted Application
IP Address 172.67.203.158
Symptoms Changed search engine; search queries redirection
Similar behavior Quicki, Searchhdconverter/, Incognitosearcher/
Fix Tool
To remove possible virus infections, try to scan your PC

How harmful is PDFSearchTip hijacker?

Besides its impracticality, PDFSearchTip hijacker is also pretty unsafe for browser utilization. It transforms your search engine to its specific – Pdfsearchtip.com, and also modifies your background, adding its watermark on your background image (or, in some cases, altering it to default with the mentioned sign).

Besides visual modifications done by PDFSearchTip hijacker, you may observe that a couple of your search inquiries are redirecting to the unfamiliar web pages, full of web links and advertisements – so-called doorway websites. Such websites can have links for malware downloads. The chance of redirecting increases if you attempt to open Google search page by force.

However all these actions are much more irritating than truly destructive. The greatest hazard, particularly for people who have a great deal of secret information in their browsers, is embedded in information collecting capabilities. Cookie files, conversations, often-visited web pages, and various other activities are simply gathered by PDFSearchTip hijacker.

How to remove PDFSearchTip 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 usually very easy to remove. Usually, they have an independent app that can be located in the list of installed applications. Due to the specific marketing way of PDFSearchTip hijacker, it can be conveniently tracked and removed by hand. Nevertheless, if you got PDFSearchTip in the package with a free program, your PC may be contaminated with much more serious malwaretrojans, spyware or perhaps ransomware. That’s why I’d recommend you utilize anti-malware tools to deal with the PDFSearchTip PUA and all other malware.

You can utilize Microsoft Defender2 – it is capable of detecting and removing a wide range of malware, including mentioned hijacker. Nevertheless, significant malware, that can be present on your PC in the mentioned case, can disable the Windows antimalware program by modifying the Group Policies. To keep away from such scenarios, it is far better to make use of GridinSoft Anti-Malware.

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

Main screen in GridinSoft Anti-Malware

You can see the detected viruses sorted by their possible harm during the scan process. But to choose any actions against malicious programs, 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 every detected virus or unwanted program, click the arrow in front of the name of the detected malware. By default, all malware will be moved to quarantine.

List of the detected malware after the scan

Reverting browser settings to original ones

To revert your browser settings, you are required to use the Reset Browser Settings option. This action is not able to be intercepted by any malicious program, hence, you will surely see the result. This action can be located in the Tools tab.

Tools tab in GridinSoft Anti-Malware

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

Reset Browser Settings options

Deleteing PDFSearchTip 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 PDFSearchTip?

Name: PDFSearchTip

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