Search.searchfw.com Removal Guide

Do you know what Search.searchfw.com is?

Even if you are not exactly sure what Search.searchfw.com really is, you probably can already tell that this search engine brings nothing but bad news. It is a browser hijacker, and as such, it aims at modifying your browser settings without your permission. The program enters your computer for monetary purposes, and although it does not try to steal your money, it still can be the starting point of malicious infiltrations. So it would be in your best interest to remove Search.searchfw.com from your browser and your system as soon as possible. For that, we have compiled the manual removal instructions you can find below this description.

This browser hijacker belongs to a big family of similar intruders. It is possible to say that the program is a direct clone of Search.youremailnow.com, Search.yourclassifiedscenter.com, Search.yourinterestscenter.com, and many others. There is an entire list of similar browser hijackers that look the same and even behave the same. It means that all of them come from the same source, and all of them employ the same distribution method to affect as many target computers as possible. There is no one direct distribution source, so we cannot tell exactly which websites you should avoid, but there are specific patterns you should be aware of.

The point is that users download and install such infections willingly. Of course, they are not aware of that because they are focused on something else, but Search.searchfw.com would not be there on your computer if it were not for your freeware installation habits. Think about it: have you recently downloaded some applications from a file-sharing site? Did you speed through the installation without reading all the steps? If so, then the chances are this program you installed was bundled with the browser hijacker, as third-party installers often contain several programs in their package. In other words, it would be possible to avoid this infection if you were to read all the important steps in the installation wizard. Also, staying away from third-party file-sharing sites would also reduce the risk of getting infected with adware, browser hijackers, and other similar threats.Search.searchfw.com Removal GuideSearch.searchfw.com screenshot
Scroll down for full removal instructions

However, now that Search.searchfw.com is already on your system, what are you supposed to do about it? Perhaps you think that this search engine is a genuine search provider and you can simply keep it. Well, it might seem like that, but we can assure you it is not as benevolent as you want it to be.

The browser hijacker will not provide you with reliable search results. Every single search query redirected through Search.searchfw.com will come back with modified search results. The results will be modified according to your web browsing records. It also means that this program employs tracking cookies and other means to monitor your online activity. This usually happens for commercial purposes, but sometimes these techniques could be used by cyber criminals, too. Thus, even though Search.searchfw.com does not try to infect you with malware, it could be exploited by cyber criminals, and this entire affair could result in a severe malware infection.

It is up to you to remove Search.searchfw.com from your system. You can do it manually or automatically. Automatic software removal with a reliable security tool is recommended for those users who are not used to dealing with system files and other sensitive registry entries. What’s more, automatic software removal is always faster and more efficient if you need to terminate several unwanted programs at the same time. We can assure that this is probably what you will have to do in this case.

Remember the distribution method applied by this browser hijacker? It comes bundled with freeware, so it is clearly not the only potential threat installed on your PC. To determine all the unwanted programs, you should scan your PC with a licensed antispyware tool. When you have the list of unwanted apps, uninstall them all at once and then protect your system from similar intruders in the future.

If you need any tips on how you can avoid various threats and cyber attacks, please feel free to leave us a comment. Our team is always ready to assist you, and we definitely need your feedback.

How to Remove Search.searchfw.com

Internet Explorer

  1. Press Win+R and type regedit. Click OK.
  2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main.
  3. On the right, right-click the Start page value. Select Modify.
  4. Change the startup page address and click OK.
  5. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchScopes\{0633EE93-D776-472f-A0FF-E1416B8B2E3A}.
  6. Modify the following values on the right:
    FaviconURL
    FaviconURLFallback
    TopResultURL
    URL
  7. Exit Registry Editor.

Firefox

  1. Press Win+R and type %AppData%. Click OK.
  2. Go to Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\[Unique Mozilla User ID].
  3. Open the prefs.js file.
  4. Remove the following string from the file: user_pref("browser.startup.homepage", "http://search.searchwf.com");
  5. Delete the string and save changes.

Chrome

  1. Press Win+R and type %LocalAppData%. Click OK.
  2. Go to Google\Chrome\User Data\Default.
  3. Delete the Preferences, Secure Preferences, and Web Data files.

In non-techie terms:

Search.searchfw.com will appear on your browser out of nowhere, and this annoying infection will track your web browsing history. In the worst case scenario, the browser hijacker can expose you to dangerous websites that will lead to malicious infection. Then you might lose your data and your money. So you have to avoid that by removing Search.searchfw.com today. It is not hard to delete this program on your own, but if you do not want to do that, make sure you terminate it with a reliable security tool.