How to remove SearchHDConverter browser plugin?

Written by Wilbur Woodham
The SearchHDConverter search hijacker is an illustration of a typical unwanted program; such applications are distributed massively these days. In this article you will see the complete directions of “SearchHDConverter” hijacker removal in several tactics: using anti-malware programs and hand-operated removal technique.
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SearchHDConverter – What is it?

“SearchHDConverter” 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 sporting activity events, make your web browser much more secure, enable downloading of any video, and so on. Also, this app adds the “Managed by your organization” feature (on Chrome browsers).

However, the “SearchHDConverter” plugin is fairly ineffective because all such features are already built-in to your browser and/or system. Such advertising and marketing slogans are targeted at low-skilled computer users, like pensioners or schoolchildren. But frequently even experienced users are getting caught on such an attraction. In specific scenarios, this hijacker is distributed together with free tools.

SearchHDConverter hijacker - Searchhdconverter.com

SearchHDConverter Search Hijacker

Here is a info for the SearchHDConverter hijacker
NAME SearchHDConverter
Site Searchhdconverter.com
Hosting AS13335 Cloudflare, Inc.
United States, San Francisco
Infection Type Browser Hijacker, Unwanted Application
IP Address 172.67.136.176
Symptoms Changed search engine; search queries redirection
Similar behavior Incognitosearcher/, Quick, Searchgoose
Fix Tool
To remove possible virus infections, try to scan your PC

How harmful is SearchHDConverter hijacker?

Besides its uselessness, SearchHDConverter hijacker is additionally quite unsafe for web browser utilization. It alters your search engine to its particular – Searchhdconverter.com, and also alters your background, putting its watermark on your background image (or, occasionally, changing it to default with the specified symbol).

In addition to seeable changes done by SearchHDConverter hijacker, you can discover that many of your search inquiries are redirecting to the suspicious websites, full of web links and ads – so-called doorway websites. Such sites can include web links for malware downloads. The chance of redirecting boosts if you attempt to start Google search page by force.

However all these activities are more frustrating than really destructive. The largest threat, particularly for people who have a huge amount of secret information in their browsers, is installed in data gathering capabilities. Cookie files, conversations, often-visited web pages, as well as other activities are simply collected by SearchHDConverter hijacker.

How to remove SearchHDConverter 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 pretty simple to remove. In most cases, they have an independent app that can be seen in the list of installed apps. Due to the certain distribution way of SearchHDConverter hijacker, it can be simply tracked and removed manually. However, if you got SearchHDConverter in the bundle with a free applications, your computer might be contaminated with much more severe malwaretrojans, spyware or even ransomware. That’s why I’d advise you make use of anti-malware programs to remove the SearchHDConverter PUA and all other malware.

You can use Microsoft Defender2 – it is capable of discovering and removing a wide range of malware, including named hijacker. Nevertheless, serious malware, that might exist on your PC in the discussed instance, can disable the Windows antimalware program by editing the Group Policies. To avoid such scenarios, it is better to use GridinSoft Anti-Malware.

To detect and eliminate all malicious applications on your personal computer 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 directories.

Main screen in GridinSoft Anti-Malware

You can see the detected viruses sorted by their possible hazard during the scan process. But to choose any actions against malicious apps, you need to wait until the scan is over, or to stop the scan.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware during the scan

To set the action for every spotted virus or unwanted program, click the arrow in front of the name of the detected malicious program. 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 reset your browser settings, you need to use the Reset Browser Settings option. This action is not able to be intercepted by any virus, hence, you will surely see the result. This option 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 specify, which settings will be reverted to the original.

Reset Browser Settings options

Deleteing SearchHDConverter 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 SearchHDConverter?

Name: SearchHDConverter

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