How to remove Chrome Search Club [Virus removal guide]

Computer security professionals have confirmed that the Chrome Search Club is a browser hijacker. When downloaded and opened onto a machine, this hijacker quickly changes the Internet Explorer, Firefox, Microsoft Edge and Chrome web-browser’s settings such as home page, default search provider and newtab to its own web site without any permission. For this reason, every time you start the affected web-browser, it being re-directed to the Chrome Search Club web site. Even though you have removed its address from your browser’s settings, after restart your browser, the undesired page still appears.

If your system is affected with Chrome Search Club hijacker you’ll be forced to use its own search provider (http://www.chromesearch.club/search/?q= …). It could seem not to be dangerous, but you still should be very careful, since it may display unwanted and malicious ads made to mislead you into buying certain questionable software or products, provide search results that may redirect your browser to certain deceptive, misleading or harmful web pages. We recommend that you use only the reliable search engine like Google, Yahoo or Bing.

While the Chrome Search Club browser hijacker is active, you won’t be able to restore the IE, Edge, Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox’ settings like newtab page, search engine by default and home page. If you try to set your home page to be Google, Bing or Yahoo, those settings will be automatically modified to Chrome Search Club with the next PC system reboot. But this does not mean that you should just ignore it or get along with this fact. Because this is not the best option, due to the Chrome Search Club you can have problems with the FF, Microsoft Edge, Microsoft Internet Explorer and Chrome, intrusive advertisements and even confidential data theft.

Most often, the Chrome Search Club browser hijacker infection affects most common web browsers such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome and Microsoft Edge. But such hijacker infections as well can infect other web-browsers by modifying its shortcuts (adding ‘http://site.address’ into Target field of browser’s shortcut). So every time you run the browser, it’ll display Chrome Search Club web-page. Even if you setup your homepage again, the undesired Chrome Search Club web site will be the first thing which you see when you open the web browser.

We strongly advise that you perform the tutorial below which will help you to get rid of Chrome Search Club home page using the standard features of Windows and some proven freeware.

Remove Chrome Search Club virus (removal guide)

We can assist you get rid of Chrome Search Club, without the need to take your computer to a professional. Simply follow the removal instructions below if you currently have the annoying browser hijacker on your personal computer and want to remove it. If you’ve any difficulty while trying to remove the hijacker, feel free to ask for our assist in the comment section below. Read this manual carefully, bookmark or print it, because you may need to exit your browser or reboot your personal computer.

To remove Chrome Search Club, use the following steps:

1. Get rid of Chrome Search Club search without any tools
   • Uninstalling the Chrome Search Club, check the list of installed apps first
   • Remove Chrome Search Club from IE
   • Remove Chrome Search Club startpage from Chrome
   • Remove Chrome Search Club from FF by resetting browser settings
   • Clean up the web-browsers shortcuts that have been affected by Chrome Search Club
2. Run free malware removal tools to completely remove Chrome Search Club
   • Run Zemana to remove browser hijacker
   • Use Hitman Pro to remove Chrome Search Club redirect
   • How to delete Chrome Search Club with Malwarebytes
3. How to stop Chrome Search Club redirect
4. How to Chrome Search Club hijacker get installed onto PC system
5. Finish words

Get rid of Chrome Search Club search without any tools

The following instructions is a step-by-step guide, which will help you manually get rid of Chrome Search Club start page from the Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Microsoft Internet Explorer and FF.

Uninstalling the Chrome Search Club, check the list of installed apps first

Some of PUPs, adware and hijacker can be removed using the Add/Remove programs utility which can be found in the Microsoft Windows Control Panel. So, if you’re using any version of MS Windows and you have noticed an unwanted application, then first try to remove it through Add/Remove programs.

Carefully browse through the list of installed software and delete all dubious and unknown programs. We suggest to press ‘Installed programs’ and even sorts all installed applications by date. Once you’ve found anything dubious that may be the hijacker responsible for changing your internet browser settings to Chrome Search Club or other PUP (potentially unwanted program), then choose this program and click ‘Uninstall’ in the upper part of the window. If the dubious program blocked from removal, then use Revo Uninstaller Freeware to fully delete it from your system.

Remove Chrome Search Club from IE

In order to recover all web-browser home page, newtab and default search provider you need to reset the IE to the state, which was when the Microsoft Windows was installed on your personal computer.

First, open the Internet Explorer, click ) button. Next, click “Internet Options” as displayed below.

In the “Internet Options” screen select the Advanced tab. Next, press Reset button. The Internet Explorer will open the Reset Internet Explorer settings dialog box. Select the “Delete personal settings” check box and click Reset button.

You will now need to restart your machine for the changes to take effect. It will get rid of browser hijacker that causes web-browsers to show intrusive Chrome Search Club site, disable malicious and ad-supported web-browser’s extensions and restore the Internet Explorer’s settings such as homepage, default search engine and newtab to default state.

Remove Chrome Search Club startpage from Chrome

Like other modern web-browsers, the Chrome has the ability to reset the settings to their default values and thereby restore the browser newtab, search provider by default and home page that have been modified by the Chrome Search Club hijacker.

1. First launch the Google Chrome and click Menu button (small button in the form of three dots).
2. It will show the Google Chrome main menu. Choose More Tools, then click Extensions.
3. You will see the list of installed addons. If the list has the plugin labeled with “Installed by enterprise policy” or “Installed by your administrator”, then complete the following guide: Remove Chrome extensions installed by enterprise policy.
4. Now open the Chrome menu once again, click the “Settings” menu.
5. You will see the Chrome’s settings page. Scroll down and click “Advanced” link.
6. Scroll down again and click the “Reset” button.
7. The Google Chrome will display the reset profile settings page as shown on the image above.
8. Next click the “Reset” button.
9. Once this process is complete, your browser’s start page, default search engine and newtab will be restored to their original defaults.
10. To learn more, read the post How to reset Google Chrome settings to default.

Remove Chrome Search Club from FF by resetting browser settings

Resetting your Firefox is first troubleshooting step for any issues with your browser application, including the reroute to Chrome Search Club web-site.

First, open the Mozilla Firefox. Next, click the button in the form of three horizontal stripes (). It will open the drop-down menu. Next, click the Help button ().

In the Help menu click the “Troubleshooting Information”. In the upper-right corner of the “Troubleshooting Information” page press on “Refresh Firefox” button as shown on the screen below.

Confirm your action, press the “Refresh Firefox”.

Clean up the web-browsers shortcuts that have been affected by Chrome Search Club

Once installed, the browser hijacker infection responsible for redirecting your web browser to Chrome Search Club web-page, may add an argument similar to “http://site.address” into the Target property of the desktop shortcut for the Firefox, Edge, Chrome and Microsoft Internet Explorer. Due to this, every time you open the web-browser, it will display an undesired web-page.

Open the properties of the web browser shortcut. Right click on the shortcut file of infected web-browser and select the “Properties” option and it’ll display the properties of the shortcut file. Next, select 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 shortcut files that have been modified by hijacker responsible for redirecting your browser to Chrome Search Club page, 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 such as …Application\chrome.exe” http://site.address as displayed below.

In order to fix the infected 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 changed by hijacker that cause a redirect to Chrome Search Club web site.

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
IE	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 internet browsers which are redirected to the Chrome Search Club unwanted web-site.

Run free malware removal tools to completely remove Chrome Search Club

The browser hijacker infection can hide its components which are difficult for you to find out and delete completely. This can lead to the fact that after some time, the browser hijacker once again infect your PC and alter settings of all your typical internet browsers to Chrome Search Club. Moreover, I want to note that it’s not always safe to get rid of hijacker manually, if you do not have much experience in setting up and configuring the Microsoft Windows operating system. The best solution to find and delete browser hijacker infections is to run free malware removal programs.

Run Zemana to remove browser hijacker

We advise using the Zemana Anti Malware (ZAM). You can download and install Zemana Anti-Malware to scan for and remove Chrome Search Club start page from your personal computer. When installed and updated, the malicious software remover will automatically scan and detect all threats exist on the system.

Installing the Zemana Anti-Malware (ZAM) is simple. First you’ll need to download Zemana AntiMalware by clicking on the link below. Save it directly to your Windows Desktop.

After downloading is finished, close all windows on your computer. Further, start the install file named Zemana.AntiMalware.Setup. If the “User Account Control” prompt pops up as shown below, press the “Yes” button.

It will show the “Setup wizard” that will allow you install Zemana Free on the machine. Follow the prompts and do not make any changes to default settings.

Once install is complete successfully, Zemana Free will automatically start and you can see its main window as displayed on the screen below.

Next, click the “Scan” button . Zemana Anti Malware tool will begin scanning the whole computer to find out hijacker infection that developed to reroute your browser to the Chrome Search Club site. This procedure can take some time, so please be patient. When a threat is found, the number of the security threats will change accordingly.

When that process is complete, you may check all threats detected on your machine. Review the scan results and then press “Next” button.

The Zemana Free will start to get rid of hijacker that developed to reroute your web-browser to the Chrome Search Club web-site. Once the clean up is done, you can be prompted to reboot your personal computer.

Use Hitman Pro to remove Chrome Search Club redirect

HitmanPro is a portable utility that searches for and removes undesired programs such as browser hijackers, ad supported software, toolbars, other browser extensions and other malicious software. It scans your computer for hijacker that causes internet browsers to show intrusive Chrome Search Club page and creates a list of items marked for removal. Hitman Pro will only erase those unwanted applications that you wish to be removed.

1. Visit the following page to download the latest version of Hitman Pro for Windows. Save it to your Desktop.
   
   

   HitmanPro
   12066 downloads
   Author: Sophos
   Category: Security tools
   Update: June 28, 2018
   
2. When the download is finished, start the HitmanPro, double-click the HitmanPro.exe file.
3. If the “User Account Control” prompts, click Yes to continue.
4. In the Hitman Pro window, click the “Next” . Hitman Pro utility will start scanning the whole PC system to find out browser hijacker infection that made to redirect your internet browser to the Chrome Search Club page. This procedure can take some time, so please be patient. When a malicious software, adware or PUPs are found, the number of the security threats will change accordingly. Wait until the the scanning is finished.
5. After finished, Hitman Pro will display a scan report. When you are ready, click “Next”. Now, click the “Activate free license” button to start the free 30 days trial to remove all malware found.

How to delete Chrome Search Club with Malwarebytes

Remove Chrome Search Club browser hijacker manually is difficult and often the hijacker is not completely removed. Therefore, we recommend you to use the Malwarebytes Free which are completely clean your machine. Moreover, the free program will help you to remove malicious software, potentially unwanted software, toolbars and ‘ad supported’ software that your system can be infected too.

Visit the page linked below to download MalwareBytes. Save it to your Desktop.

Once the download is finished, close all applications and windows on your PC system. Double-click the install file called mb3-setup. If the “User Account Control” dialog box pops up as shown on the image below, click the “Yes” button.

It will open the “Setup wizard” that will help you setup MalwareBytes on your machine. Follow the prompts and do not make any changes to default settings.

Once installation is finished successfully, press Finish button. MalwareBytes Free will automatically start and you can see its main screen as shown in the following example.

Now click the “Scan Now” button to find out browser hijacker which made to redirect your internet browser to the Chrome Search Club web-site. This process can take quite a while, so please be patient. While the MalwareBytes program is checking, you can see how many objects it has identified as threat.

After the scan is finished, MalwareBytes will open a screen that contains a list of malware that has been detected. Next, you need to press “Quarantine Selected” button. The MalwareBytes AntiMalware (MBAM) will remove hijacker infection responsible for changing your browser settings to Chrome Search Club and add threats to the Quarantine. After disinfection is done, you may be prompted to restart the machine.

We recommend you look at the following video, which completely explains the process of using the MalwareBytes Anti-Malware (MBAM) to get rid of adware, hijacker infection and other malware.

How to stop Chrome Search Club redirect

If you browse the World Wide Web, you cannot avoid malicious advertising. But you can protect your internet browser against it. Download and use an adblocker program. AdGuard is an ad blocker which can filter out tons of of the malicious advertising, stoping dynamic scripts from loading malicious content.

Installing the AdGuard is simple. First you will need to download AdGuard by clicking on the following link. Save it to your Desktop so that you can access the file easily.

After the download is finished, start the downloaded file. You will see the “Setup Wizard” screen as on the image below.

Follow the prompts. When the installation is complete, you will see a window as shown on the screen below.

You can click “Skip” to close the install program and use the default settings, or click “Get Started” button to see an quick tutorial that will allow 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 start your PC system, AdGuard will run automatically and stop popup advertisements, web-pages like Chrome Search Club, as well as other malicious 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 is located on your desktop.

How to Chrome Search Club hijacker get installed onto PC system

Most commonly Chrome Search Club browser hijacker gets onto computer by being attached to free software. So, think back, have you ever download and run any free software? Because most users, in the Setup Wizard, simply click the Next button and don’t read any information like ‘Terms of use’ and ‘Software license’. This leads to the fact that the computer is infected, the internet browser’s settings are modified and your’s default search provider, startpage and new tab set to the Chrome Search Club. Even removing the freeware that contains this hijacker, your browser’s settings will not be restored. Therefore, you must follow the step by step tutorial above to restore the Internet Explorer, MS Edge, Mozilla Firefox and Chrome’s default search engine, home page and new tab page.

Finish words

After completing the step by step guidance outlined above, your system should be clean from this browser hijacker infection and other malware. The Firefox, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge will no longer display intrusive Chrome Search Club web page on startup. Unfortunately, if the steps does not help you, then you have caught a new hijacker, and then the best way – ask for help.

Please start a new thread by using the “New Topic” button in the Spyware Removal forum. When posting your HJT log, try to give us some details about your problems, so we can try to help you more accurately. Wait for one of our trained “Security Team” or Site Administrator to provide you with knowledgeable assistance tailored to your problem with the intrusive Chrome Search Club search.