If your homepage, newtab page and search engine by default has been replaced to Good World Search startpage or you get lots of ads popping up on your computer then it could mean that your web browser has become the victim of browser hijacker. Browser hijacking is a form of unwanted software which imposes changes to some settings of web-browsers without a user permission, to redirect on malicious, annoying and misleading web pages. Also, if you are seeing that the existing home page, error page, or search page has been modified to Good World Search web-site, then you don’t need to wait . Complete the steps below and remove Good World Search hijacker infection as soon as possible.
As mentioned above, the Good World Search hijacker infection also alters the web browser’s search provider. So, your web browser, when searching something, will open a hodgepodge of ads, links to unwanted and ad pages and search results from the big search engines like Google or Bing. As a result, actual use of a web browser’s search becomes uncomfortable. Moreover, it can also lead to slowing or even freeze your browser.
Table of contents
- What is Good World Search
- Good World Search removal guidance
- Get rid of Good World Search without any utilities
- Remove Good World Search associated software by using Microsoft Windows Control Panel
- Fix internet browser shortcuts, modified by Good World Search hijacker infection
- Get rid of Good World Search from Internet Explorer
- Remove Good World Search from Firefox by resetting web browser settings
- Delete Good World Search homepage from Google Chrome
- How to remove Good World Search homepage with free programs
- Get rid of Good World Search without any utilities
- Run AdBlocker to stop Good World Search and stay safe online
- How was Good World Search browser hijacker installed on PC
- Finish words
It’s not a good idea to have an unwanted application like Good World Search browser hijacker on your computer. The reason for this is simple, it doing things you don’t know about. The hijacker can also be used to gather a wide variety of personal data which can be later used for marketing purposes. You do not know if your home address, account names and passwords are safe. And of course you completely do not know what will happen when you click on any advertisements on the Good World Search page.
The Good World Search hijacker can modify settings of all your typical web-browsers, but often that the unwanted software may also infect all types of browsers by modifying their desktop shortcuts. Thus forcing the user to see Good World Search annoying web-site every time start the browser.
Thus, it’s clear that the presence of browser hijacker infection on your machine is not desirable, and you need to clean up your computer ASAP. Follow the guide below in order to remove Good World Search from Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge.
Good World Search removal guidance
There are a simple manual steps below which will assist you to get rid of Good World Search from your MS Windows machine. The most effective method to delete this hijacker is to perform the manual removal guide and then run Zemana Anti-malware, Malwarebytes or AdwCleaner automatic tools (all are free). The manual way will help to weaken this browser hijacker infection and these malware removal tools will completely delete Good World Search and restore the Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge and Microsoft Internet Explorer settings to default.
Get rid of Good World Search without any utilities
Read this section to know how to manually remove the Good World Search hijacker infection. Even if the step-by-step tutorial does not work for you, there are several free malicious software removers below that can easily handle such browser hijacker infections.
Remove Good World Search associated software by using Microsoft Windows Control Panel
First of all, check the list of installed software on your computer and remove all unknown and recently installed applications. If you see an unknown program with incorrect spelling or varying capital letters, it have most likely been installed by malware and you should clean it off first with malware removal utility like Zemana Anti-malware.
Windows 10, 8.1, 8
Click the Windows logo, and then click Search . Type ‘Control panel’and press Enter as on the image below.
When the ‘Control Panel’ opens, click the ‘Uninstall a program’ link under Programs category as shown below.
Windows 7, Vista, XP
Open Start menu and choose the ‘Control Panel’ at right as shown below.
Then go to ‘Add/Remove Programs’ or ‘Uninstall a program’ (Windows 7 or Vista) as on the image below.
Carefully browse through the list of installed applications and remove all software which has the name similar to the web page that has been set as your Google Chrome, IE, Firefox and Microsoft Edge startpage, new tab page and search provider by default. We recommend to press ‘Installed programs’ and even sorts all installed programs by date. After you have found anything suspicious that may be the browser hijacker infection, ‘ad supported’ software or potentially unwanted applications, then select this application and click ‘Uninstall’ in the upper part of the window. If the suspicious program blocked from removal, then run Revo Uninstaller Freeware to fully remove it from your system.
Fix internet browser shortcuts, modified by Good World Search hijacker infection
When the browser hijacker infection is started, it can also alter the web browser’s shortcuts, adding an argument like “http://site.address” into the Target field. Due to this, every time you open the browser, it will open an annoying site.
To clear the internet browser shortcut, right-click to it and select Properties. On the Shortcut tab, locate the Target field. Click inside, you will see a vertical line – arrow pointer, move it (using -> arrow key on your keyboard) to the right as possible. You will see a text like “http://site.address” which has been added here. You need to delete it.
When the text is removed, click the OK button. You need to clean all shortcuts of all your web-browsers, as they may be infected too.
Get rid of Good World Search from Internet Explorer
By resetting Internet Explorer internet browser you restore your web-browser settings to its default state. This is basic when troubleshooting problems that might have been caused by hijacker infection such as Good World Search.
First, launch the Internet Explorer. Next, click the button in the form of gear (). It will display the Tools drop-down menu, press the “Internet Options” as shown below.
In the “Internet Options” window click on the Advanced tab, then click the Reset button. The Microsoft Internet Explorer will open the “Reset Internet Explorer settings” window as shown on the image below. Select the “Delete personal settings” check box, then click “Reset” button.
You will now need to restart your machine for the changes to take effect.
Remove Good World Search from Firefox by resetting web browser settings
If the FF settings such as home page, newtab page and default search provider have been changed by the hijacker, then resetting it to the default state can help.
Run the Firefox and click the menu button (it looks like three stacked lines) at the top right of the web browser screen. Next, click the question-mark icon at the bottom of the drop-down menu. It will show the slide-out menu.
Select the “Troubleshooting information”. If you are unable to access the Help menu, then type “about:support” in your address bar and press Enter. It bring up the “Troubleshooting Information” page as shown in the figure below.
Click the “Refresh Firefox” button at the top right of the Troubleshooting Information page. Select “Refresh Firefox” in the confirmation prompt. The Firefox will start a process to fix your problems that caused by the Good World Search hijacker. After, it’s done, press the “Finish” button.
Delete Good World Search homepage from Google Chrome
If your Google Chrome internet browser is rerouted to annoying Good World Search web page, it may be necessary to completely reset your browser program to its default settings.
First open the Google Chrome. Next, click the button in the form of three horizontal stripes (). It will display the main menu. Further, press the option named “Settings”. Another way to show the Google Chrome’s settings – type chrome://settings in the internet browser adress bar and press Enter.
The internet browser will display the settings screen. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the “Show advanced settings” link. Now scroll down until the “Reset settings” section is visible, like below and press the “Reset settings” button.
The Google Chrome will display the confirmation dialog box. You need to confirm your action, click the “Reset” button. The internet browser will start the procedure of cleaning. After it is finished, the web-browser’s settings including newtab, startpage and search engine by default back to the values that have been when the Google Chrome was first installed on your personal computer.
How to remove Good World Search homepage with free programs
There are not many good free anti malware programs with high detection ratio. The effectiveness of malicious software removal tools depends on various factors, mostly on how often their virus/malware signatures DB are updated in order to effectively detect modern malware, adware, browser hijacker infections and other PUPs. We recommend to run several applications, not just one. These programs which listed below will allow you delete all components of the browser hijacker from your disk and Windows registry and thereby remove Good World Search.
How to automatically delete Good World Search with Zemana Anti-malware
We suggest you to run the Zemana Anti-malware which are completely clean your computer. Moreover, the utility will help you to delete PUPs, malicious software, toolbars and adware that your system can be infected too.
- Download Zemana anti malware (ZAM) from the link below.
Zemana AntiMalware
164037 downloads
Author: Zemana Ltd
Category: Security tools
Update: July 16, 2019
- Once the download is finished, close all applications and windows on your computer. Open a directory in which you saved it. Double-click on the icon that’s named Zemana.AntiMalware.Setup.
- Further, click Next button and follow the prompts.
- Once setup is done, click the “Scan” button . This will start scanning the whole machine to find out browser hijacker infection that modifies internet browser settings to replace your homepage, new tab and default search provider with Good World Search web site. A scan can take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the number of files on your personal computer and the speed of your PC system. During the scan it will detect all threats exist on your computer.
- When that process is finished, a list of all threats detected is produced. Review the scan results and then press “Next”. After finished, you can be prompted to reboot your computer.
How to automatically delete Good World Search with Malwarebytes
You can remove Good World Search automatically with a help of Malwarebytes Free. We recommend this free malware removal utility because it can easily remove browser hijacker infections, ad supported software, potentially unwanted applications 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
326391 downloads
Author: Malwarebytes
Category: Security tools
Update: April 15, 2020
- At the download page, click on the Download button. Your web browser will show the “Save as” prompt. Please save it onto your Windows desktop.
- Once downloading is done, please close all programs and open windows on your personal computer. Double-click on the icon that’s named mb3-setup.
- This will start the “Setup wizard” of Malwarebytes onto your PC. Follow the prompts and don’t make any changes to default settings.
- When the Setup wizard has finished installing, the Malwarebytes will start and display the main window.
- Further, press the “Scan Now” button . This will begin scanning the whole computer to find out hijacker that modifies internet browser settings to replace your new tab, homepage and search engine by default with Good World Search web site.
- When finished, a list of all threats found is produced.
- All detected items will be marked. You can get rid of them all by simply press the “Quarantine Selected” button. Once that process is finished, you may be prompted to reboot the PC.
- Close the AntiMalware and continue with the next step.
Video instruction, which reveals in detail the steps above.
Scan and clean your computer of browser hijacker with AdwCleaner
If MalwareBytes antimalware or Zemana anti malware cannot remove this hijacker, then we recommends to use the AdwCleaner. AdwCleaner is a free removal tool for browser hijackers, ad-supported software, PUPs and toolbars.
Download AdwCleaner from the link below.
225264 downloads
Version: 8.4.1
Author: Xplode, MalwareBytes
Category: Security tools
Update: October 5, 2024
When downloading is finished, open the folder in which you saved it. You will see an icon like below.
Double click the AdwCleaner desktop icon. After the utility is started, you will see a screen like below.
Further, press “Scan” button to begin scanning your personal computer for the Good World Search hijacker infection and other web browser’s harmful extensions. This process may take quite a while, so please be patient. When the scan is done, it’ll display a list of found items as shown on the image below.
Review the scan results and then press “Clean” button. It will display a prompt as shown on the screen below.
You need to click “OK”. After that process is finished, the AdwCleaner may ask you to reboot your machine. When your machine is started, you will see an AdwCleaner log.
These steps are shown in detail in the following video guide.
Run AdBlocker to stop Good World Search and stay safe online
Run ad-blocker application like AdGuard in order to block advertisements, malvertisements, pop-ups and online trackers, avoid having to install harmful and adware browser plug-ins and add-ons that affect your system performance and impact your system security. Browse the Internet anonymously and stay safe online!
Download AdGuard program by clicking on the following link.
26629 downloads
Version: 6.4
Author: © Adguard
Category: Security tools
Update: November 15, 2018
After downloading is finished, launch the downloaded file. You will see the “Setup Wizard” screen as shown on the image below.
Follow the prompts. Once the setup is done, you will see a window like below.
You can press “Skip” to close the install program and use the default settings, or click “Get Started” button to see an quick tutorial that will assist you get to know AdGuard better.
In most cases, the default settings are enough and you do not need to change anything. Each time, when you launch your machine, AdGuard will launch automatically and block popups, web-sites such Good World Search, as well as other harmful or misleading pages. For an overview of all the features of the application, or to change its settings you can simply double-click on the AdGuard icon, that can be found on your desktop.
How was Good World Search browser hijacker installed on PC
The Good World Search hijacker infection spreads bundled with various free programs. This means that you need to be very careful when installing programs downloaded from the World Wide Web, even from a large proven hosting. Be sure to read the Terms of Use and the Software license, select only the Manual, Advanced or Custom setup mode, switch off all additional modules and applications are offered to install.
Finish words
Now your system should be clean of the Good World Search home page. Uninstall AdwCleaner. We suggest that you keep AdGuard (to help you stop unwanted popups and intrusive malicious web-pages) and Malwarebytes (to periodically scan your computer for new malware, browser hijackers and ‘ad supported’ software). Make sure that you have all the Critical Updates recommended for Windows OS. Without regular updates you WILL NOT be protected when new hijackers, harmful software and adware are released.
If you are still having problems while trying to remove Good World Search from your internet browser, then ask for help in our Spyware/Malware removal forum.