GoPlay Search is a malicious Chrome extension from the browser hijacker family. This type of harmful programs does not delete files or infect them, but like a virus may change some system settings such as the newtab page, homepage and search engine by default. GoPlay Search is designed to redirect users on various advertisements and often malicious and misleading pages. All the time, while this unwanted extension will be installed, its authors will be able to gather user data, everything related to what are you doing on the Internet.
When your PC is infected by GoPlay Search hijacker, every time you launch your web-browser you will see an unwanted site. Of course you can setup your home page again, but next time you start a web-browser you will see that GoPlay Search return. As mentioned above, the browser hijacker can change the default search provider on an annoying web page too, so all your search queries will be redirected to GoPlay Search. Thus the authors of the hijacker may gather the search terms of your queries, and redirect you to undesired sites.
The GoPlay Search browser hijacker infection is not a virus, but the virus behaves similarly. As a rootkit hides in the system, may make some unwanted changes to browsers settings, and blocks them from changing. Also this browser hijacker can install additional web-browser add-ons and modules that will open advertisements and pop-ups. And finally, the GoPlay Search hijacker infection may collect user info like what sites you are opening, what you’re looking for the Internet and so on. This information, in the future, can be transferred to third parties.
Table of contents
- What is GoPlay Search
- How to remove GoPlay Search from PC
- Block GoPlay Search browser hijacker infection and other annoying web-pages
- Why has my startpage and search provider changed by GoPlay Search?
- Finish words
A malware which can impose changes to some settings of installed internet browsers mostly affects only Google Chrome, Firefox, IE and Edge. However, possible situations, when any other web browsers will be affected too. A browser hijacker may alter the Target property of browser’s shortcuts, so every time you open the web browser, instead of your home page, you will see a completely different web page.
Thus, it is clear that the presence of browser hijacker on your machine is not desirable, and you need to clean up your PC as quickly as possible. Follow the guide below in order to remove GoPlay Search from Google Chrome and other browsers.
How to remove GoPlay Search from PC
We can help you remove GoPlay Search, without the need to take your machine to a professional. Simply follow the removal tutorial below if you currently have the annoying browser hijacker infection on your computer and want to remove it. If you have any difficulty while trying to delete the browser hijacker, feel free to ask for our help in the comment section below. Certain of the steps will require you to reboot your system or close the page. So, read this tutorial carefully, then bookmark or print it for later reference.
How to get rid of GoPlay Search browser hijacker without any software
The following instructions is a step-by-step guide, which will help you manually remove GoPlay Search hijacker from Google Chrome and other browsers.
Delete GoPlay Search associated software by using Windows Control Panel
First, go to Windows Control Panel and uninstall suspicious applications, all programs you do not remember installing. It is important to pay the most attention to software you installed just before GoPlay Search hijacker appeared on your browser. If you do not know what a program does, look for the answer on the Internet.
- If you are using Windows 8, 8.1 or 10 then press Windows button, next click Search. Type “Control panel”and press Enter.
- If you are using Windows XP, Vista, 7, then press “Start” button and click “Control Panel”.
- It will show the Windows Control Panel.
- Further, press “Uninstall a program” under Programs category.
- It will open a list of all programs installed on the PC.
- Scroll through the all list, and uninstall suspicious and unknown software. To quickly find the latest installed software, we recommend sort programs by date.
See more details in the video instructions below.
Fix web browser shortcuts
Important to know, most antimalware applications that are able to delete browser hijacker, but unable to scan for and recover altered shortcuts. So, you need to fix the desktop shortcuts for your Google Chrome, IE, FF and MS Edge internet browsers manually.
Open the properties of the internet browser shortcut. Right click on the shortcut of infected web-browser and choose the “Properties” option and it will display the properties of the shortcut. Next, choose the “Shortcut” tab and have a look at the Target field like below.
Normally, if the last word in the Target field is chrome.exe, iexplore.exe, firefox.exe. Be sure to pay attention to the extension, should be “exe”! All shortcuts that have been modified by hijacker like GoPlay Search usually point to .bat, .cmd or .url files instead of .exe like below
Another variant, an address has been added at the end of the line. In this case the Target field looks like …Application\chrome.exe” http://site.address like below.
In order to fix a shortcut, you need to insert right path to the Target field or remove an address (if it has been added at the end). You can use the following information to fix your shortcuts that have been modified by hijacker infection.
| Google Chrome | C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe |
| C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe | |
| Firefox | C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe |
| Microsoft Internet Explorer | C:\Program Files (x86)\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe |
| C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe | |
| Opera | C:\Program Files (x86)\Opera\launcher.exe |
| C:\Program Files\Opera\launcher.exe |
Once is finished, click OK to save changes. Repeat the step for all browsers that are redirected to an unwanted page.
Remove GoPlay Search hijacker from Chrome
Run the Reset web-browser utility of the Chrome to reset all its settings like homepage, new tab page and default search engine to original defaults. This is a very useful utility to use, in the case of web-browser hijacks like GoPlay Search.
- First launch the Chrome and press Menu button (small button in the form of three horizontal stripes).
- It will show the Chrome main menu. Select “Settings” option.
- You will see the Chrome’s settings page. Scroll down and click “Show advanced settings” link.
- Scroll down again and press the “Reset settings” button.
- The Chrome will open the reset profile settings page as on the image above.
- Next click the “Reset” button.
- Once this process is finished, your web browser’s homepage, new tab page and search provider by default will be restored to their original defaults.
- To learn more, read the blog post How to reset Chrome settings to default.
GoPlay Search browser hijacker infection automatic removal
Use malicious software removal tools to remove GoPlay Search automatically. The freeware utilities specially made for hijacker infection, ad-supported software and other potentially unwanted applications removal. These tools may remove most of browser hijacker from Chrome, FF, IE and MS Edge. Moreover, it may remove all components of GoPlay Search from Windows registry and system drives.
Scan and free your PC system of GoPlay Search with Zemana Anti-malware
We suggest you to use the Zemana Anti-malware that are completely clean your machine. Moreover, the tool will allow you to delete PUPs, malicious software, toolbars and ‘ad supported’ software that your machine can be infected too.
- Please download Zemana AntiMalware to your desktop by clicking on the following link.
Zemana AntiMalware
164032 downloads
Author: Zemana Ltd
Category: Security tools
Update: July 16, 2019
- At the download page, click on the Download button. Your web browser will open the “Save as” prompt. Please save it onto your Windows desktop.
- After downloading is complete, please close all software and open windows on your computer. Next, run a file called Zemana.AntiMalware.Setup.
- This will start the “Setup wizard” of Zemana Anti Malware onto your PC system. Follow the prompts and don’t make any changes to default settings.
- When the Setup wizard has finished installing, the AntiMalware will launch and open the main window.
- Further, click the “Scan” button to begin checking your system for the GoPlay Search browser hijacker that cause an annoying site to appear. While the tool is scanning, you can see number of objects it has identified as being infected by malicious software.
- After the scan is complete, you may check all threats found on your PC system.
- All detected threats will be marked. You can remove them all by simply click the “Next” button. The tool will delete GoPlay Search hijacker and other web browser’s harmful add-ons and add threats to the Quarantine. When the process is complete, you may be prompted to restart the computer.
- Close the Zemana Anti-Malware and continue with the next step.
How to remove GoPlay Search with Malwarebytes
You can get rid of GoPlay Search browser hijacker automatically with a help of Malwarebytes Free. We recommend this free malicious software removal tool because it may easily delete hijackers, ad supported software, PUPs and toolbars with all their components such as files, folders and registry entries.
- Please download Malwarebytes to your desktop from the following link.
Malwarebytes Anti-malware
326384 downloads
Author: Malwarebytes
Category: Security tools
Update: April 15, 2020
- At the download page, click on the Download button. Your browser will display the “Save as” prompt. Please save it onto your Windows desktop.
- Once the downloading process is complete, please close all programs and open windows on your PC. Double-click on the icon that’s called mb3-setup.
- This will run the “Setup wizard” of Malwarebytes onto your machine. Follow the prompts and don’t make any changes to default settings.
- When the Setup wizard has finished installing, the Malwarebytes will run and open the main window.
- Further, click the “Scan Now” button . This will begin scanning the whole system to find out GoPlay Search browser hijacker and other malware and ad-supported software. This procedure can take quite a while, so please be patient. While the tool is scanning, you can see number of objects it has identified either as being malware.
- When the scanning is complete, you can check all threats found on your computer.
- Review the results once the utility has complete the system scan. If you think an entry should not be quarantined, then uncheck it. Otherwise, simply click the “Quarantine Selected” button. Once that process is finished, you may be prompted to reboot the personal computer.
- Close the Anti-Malware and continue with the next step.
Video instruction, which reveals in detail the steps above.
Scan and clean your PC system of hijacker with AdwCleaner
The AdwCleaner tool is free and easy to use. It may scan and remove browser hijacker such as GoPlay Search, malicious software, PUPs and adware in Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer and MS Edge web-browsers and thereby restore their default settings (home page, new tab page and default search provider). AdwCleaner is powerful enough to find and delete malicious registry entries and files that are hidden on the system.
- Download AdwCleaner by clicking on the following link.
AdwCleaner download
225261 downloads
Version: 8.4.1
Author: Xplode, MalwareBytes
Category: Security tools
Update: October 5, 2024
- Select the file location as Desktop, and then click Save.
- When the downloading process is done, launch the AdwCleaner, double-click the adwcleaner_xxx.exe file.
- If the “User Account Control” prompts, click Yes to continue.
- Read the “Terms of use”, and click Accept.
- In the AdwCleaner window, click the “Scan” to begin checking your system for the GoPlay Search browser hijacker which cause a reroute to an undesired web site. A system scan can take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes, depending on your machine. While the tool is scanning, you may see count of objects it has identified either as being malware.
- When that process is finished, you will be displayed the list of all found items on your system. When you are ready, click “Clean”. If the AdwCleaner will ask you to restart your computer, click “OK”.
The steps shown in detail in the following video.
Block annoying web-pages
Use ad-blocking program such as AdGuard in order to block ads, malvertisements, pop-ups and online trackers, avoid having to install malicious and adware browser plug-ins and add-ons which affect your machine performance and impact your system security. Surf the Net anonymously and stay safe online!
Download AdGuard application from the following link.
26627 downloads
Version: 6.4
Author: © Adguard
Category: Security tools
Update: November 15, 2018
After downloading is complete, start the downloaded file. You will see the “Setup Wizard” screen as shown on the image below.
Follow the prompts. When the install is complete, you will see a window as shown on the image below.
You can click “Skip” to close the installation program and use the default settings, or click “Get Started” button to see an quick tutorial which will help you get to know AdGuard better.
In most cases, the default settings are enough and you don’t need to change anything. Each time, when you start your computer, AdGuard will start automatically and block ads, as well as other harmful or misleading web sites. For an overview of all the features of the program, or to change its settings you can simply double-click on the AdGuard icon, that can be found on your desktop.
Why has my startpage and search provider changed by GoPlay Search?
Most often GoPlay Search hijacker infection come along with freeware. So, think back, have you ever download and run any freeware? Because most users, in the Setup Wizard, simply click the Next button and do not read any information like ‘Terms of use’ and ‘Software license’. This leads to the fact that the personal computer is infected, the web-browser’s settings are changed and your’s homepage, new tab page and default search provider set to an unwanted site. Even removing the free software that contains this browser hijacker, your web browser’s settings will not be restored. Therefore, you must follow the step-by-step tutorial above to return the Chrome, FF, Internet Explorer and MS Edge’s homepage, newtab and default search engine.
Finish words
Once you’ve done the steps outlined above, your system should be free from GoPlay Search hijacker infection, adware and malware. The Firefox, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge will no longer open unwanted startpage on startup. Unfortunately, if the step by step guidance does not help you, then you have caught a new hijacker, and then the best way – ask for help in our Spyware/Malware removal forum.
