If you find that your certain settings of installed browsers have been changed to Search.searchws2.com without your permission then you need to know that your browser has been affected with the obnoxious unwanted software from the browser hijacker family. Once started, it takes control of your system including all your typical Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome and IE and introduces changes to its settings like start page, new tab page and search provider by default, without your knowledge.
In order to force you to use Search.searchws2.com as often as possible this hijacker can alter your web-browsers’ search provider. You may even find that your computer’s web browser shortcuts and Microsoft Windows HOSTS file are hijacked without your knowledge and conscious permission. The developers of this browser hijacker do so in order to earn money via Google AdSense or another third-party ad network. Thus every your click on ads that placed on the Search.searchws2.com generates money for them.
Also, adware (also known as ‘ad-supported’ software) can be installed on the personal computer together with Search.searchws2.com browser hijacker. It will insert a large amount of ads directly to the web sites that you view, creating a sense that advertisements has been added by the authors of the web-page. Moreover, legal advertisements can be replaced on fake ads which will offer to download and install various unnecessary and malicious apps. Moreover, the Search.searchws2.com browser hijacker can be used to collect lots of personal data about you that can be later used for marketing purposes.
Therefore, the Search.searchws2.com does not really have beneficial features. So, we recommend you delete Search.searchws2.com redirect from the Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, IE and Firefox internet browsers immediately. This will also prevent the browser hijacker from tracking your online activities. A full Search.searchws2.com removal can be easily carried out using manual or automatic way listed below.
How to remove Search.searchws2.com
The following step-by-step tutorial will help you to delete Search.searchws2.com search from the Firefox, Chrome, Microsoft Edge and IE. Moreover, the steps below will allow you to remove malicious software like PUPs, ad supported software and toolbars that your personal computer may be infected. Please do the guidance step by step. If you need assist or have any questions, then ask for our assistance or type a comment below. Read this manual carefully, bookmark or print it, because you may need to shut down your internet browser or reboot your PC.
To remove Search.searchws2.com, execute the steps below:
- How to remove Search.searchws2.com search without any software
- Scan your machine and remove Search.searchws2.com with free utilities
- Stop Search.searchws2.com redirect and other intrusive websites
- How did you get infected with Search.searchws2.com browser hijacker
- Finish words
How to remove Search.searchws2.com search without any software
Read this section to know how to manually remove the Search.searchws2.com browser hijacker. Even if the steps does not work for you, there are several free malicious software removers below that can easily handle such browser hijacker infections.
Delete potentially unwanted applications using MS Windows Control Panel
First, go to Windows Control Panel and delete questionable apps, all programs you do not remember installing. It’s important to pay the most attention to apps you installed just before Search.searchws2.com browser hijacker appeared on your internet browser. If you don’t know what a program does, look for the answer on the Net.
Windows 10, 8.1, 8
Click the MS Windows logo, and then click Search . Type ‘Control panel’and press Enter as shown below.
When the ‘Control Panel’ opens, click the ‘Uninstall a program’ link under Programs category like below.
Windows 7, Vista, XP
Open Start menu and choose the ‘Control Panel’ at right as shown in the following example.
Then go to ‘Add/Remove Programs’ or ‘Uninstall a program’ (Windows 7 or Vista) as displayed below.
Carefully browse through the list of installed software and remove all dubious and unknown apps. We suggest to press ‘Installed programs’ and even sorts all installed apps by date. Once you have found anything questionable that may be the hijacker responsible for redirects to Search.searchws2.com or other potentially unwanted application (PUA), then select this application and press ‘Uninstall’ in the upper part of the window. If the suspicious program blocked from removal, then run Revo Uninstaller Freeware to completely remove it from your system.
Delete Search.searchws2.com home page from Chrome
Run the Reset internet browser utility of the Chrome to reset all its settings like search engine, home page and new tab page to original defaults. This is a very useful tool to use, in the case of internet browser hijacks like Search.searchws2.com.
- First start the Chrome and click Menu button (small button in the form of three dots).
- It will open the Chrome main menu. Choose More Tools, then click Extensions.
- You will see the list of installed extensions. If the list has the addon labeled with “Installed by enterprise policy” or “Installed by your administrator”, then complete the following guidance: Remove Chrome extensions installed by enterprise policy.
- Now open the Chrome menu once again, press the “Settings” menu.
- You will see the Chrome’s settings page. Scroll down and press “Advanced” link.
- Scroll down again and click the “Reset” button.
- The Chrome will show the reset profile settings page as on the image above.
- Next click the “Reset” button.
- Once this process is finished, your internet browser’s newtab page, start page and default search provider will be restored to their original defaults.
- To learn more, read the blog post How to reset Chrome settings to default.
Remove Search.searchws2.com home page from Firefox
If Mozilla Firefox home page or search provider are hijacked by the Search.searchws2.com, your web browser displays undesired popup ads, then ‘Reset Firefox’ could solve these problems. Essential information such as bookmarks, browsing history, passwords, cookies, auto-fill data and personal dictionaries will not be removed.
Launch the Mozilla Firefox and click the menu button (it looks like three stacked lines) at the top right of the web-browser screen. Next, press the question-mark icon at the bottom of the drop-down menu. It will open 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 displayed 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 begin a process to fix your problems that caused by the browser hijacker infection that modifies web-browser settings to replace your default search provider, new tab page and home page with Search.searchws2.com web-page. When, it is finished, press the “Finish” button.
Remove Search.searchws2.com home page from Internet Explorer
First, start the IE. Next, click the button in the form of gear (). It will display the Tools drop-down menu, click the “Internet Options” as displayed below.
In the “Internet Options” window click on the Advanced tab, then click the Reset button. The IE will open the “Reset Internet Explorer settings” window as shown below. Select the “Delete personal settings” check box, then click “Reset” button.
You will now need to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
Scan your machine and remove Search.searchws2.com with free utilities
If you’re not expert at computers, then we suggest to use free removal utilities listed below to delete Search.searchws2.com start page for good. The automatic method is highly recommended. It has less steps and easier to implement than the manual solution. Moreover, it lower risk of system damage. So, the automatic Search.searchws2.com removal is a better option.
How to automatically delete Search.searchws2.com with Zemana Anti Malware (ZAM)
Zemana Anti-Malware (ZAM) is a free application for MS Windows OS to detect and delete PUPs, adware, harmful internet browser plugins, browser toolbars, and other unwanted software like browser hijacker that responsible for web browser redirect to the unwanted Search.searchws2.com web-site, installed on your computer.
Now you can install and use Zemana Anti-Malware (ZAM) to remove Search.searchws2.com search from your web-browser by following the steps below:
Visit the following page to download Zemana Anti Malware setup file called Zemana.AntiMalware.Setup on your computer. Save it to your Desktop so that you can access the file easily.
164033 downloads
Author: Zemana Ltd
Category: Security tools
Update: July 16, 2019
Run the installation package after it has been downloaded successfully and then follow the prompts to setup this utility on your system.
During install you can change certain settings, but we suggest you do not make any changes to default settings.
When installation is complete, this malware removal tool will automatically start and update itself. You will see its main window as displayed below.
Now press the “Scan” button . Zemana Free program will scan through the whole PC for the hijacker infection related to Search.searchws2.com redirect. This procedure can take quite a while, so please be patient. While the tool is checking, you may see count of objects and files has already scanned.
As the scanning ends, Zemana Anti Malware (ZAM) will open a list of detected threats. Next, you need to press “Next” button.
The Zemana Anti Malware (ZAM) will remove hijacker related to Search.searchws2.com search and move threats to the program’s quarantine. Once the task is done, you can be prompted to restart your PC to make the change take effect.
Use HitmanPro to get rid of Search.searchws2.com search
HitmanPro is a free portable program that scans your PC for ad supported software, PUPs and browser hijackers such as Search.searchws2.com and helps delete them easily. Moreover, it will also help you remove any malicious web browser extensions and add-ons.
Installing the Hitman Pro is simple. First you will need to download Hitman Pro on your Microsoft Windows Desktop from the link below.
Once downloading is finished, open the directory in which you saved it. You will see an icon like below.
Double click the Hitman Pro desktop icon. After the utility is launched, you will see a screen as displayed on the image below.
Further, press “Next” button . HitmanPro utility will begin scanning the whole computer to find out hijacker responsible for changing your browser settings to Search.searchws2.com. After that process is finished, Hitman Pro will show a list of all threats detected by the scan as on the image below.
Review the report and then click “Next” button. It will display a prompt, press the “Activate free license” button.
How to automatically delete Search.searchws2.com with Malwarebytes
Delete Search.searchws2.com browser hijacker manually is difficult and often the hijacker is not completely removed. Therefore, we suggest you to run the Malwarebytes Free that are completely clean your PC system. Moreover, the free application will help you to delete malicious software, potentially unwanted apps, toolbars and adware that your computer can be infected too.
Installing the MalwareBytes Anti Malware is simple. First you’ll need to download MalwareBytes by clicking on the following link. Save it to your Desktop.
326387 downloads
Author: Malwarebytes
Category: Security tools
Update: April 15, 2020
Once downloading is finished, close all software and windows on your PC system. Double-click the set up file called mb3-setup. If the “User Account Control” dialog box pops up as displayed on the screen below, click the “Yes” button.
It will open the “Setup wizard” which will help you set up MalwareBytes on your PC. Follow the prompts and do not make any changes to default settings.
Once setup is finished successfully, press Finish button. MalwareBytes will automatically start and you can see its main screen as shown in the figure below.
Now click the “Scan Now” button to perform a system scan with this tool for the hijacker which developed to redirect your browser to the Search.searchws2.com webpage. While the utility is checking, you may see number of objects and files has already scanned.
Once MalwareBytes Free completes the scan, MalwareBytes Anti-Malware (MBAM) will open a screen which contains a list of malicious software that has been found. Make sure all threats have ‘checkmark’ and click “Quarantine Selected” button. The MalwareBytes Anti-Malware (MBAM) will get rid of browser hijacker which created to redirect your internet browser to the Search.searchws2.com site and move threats to the program’s quarantine. After disinfection is finished, you may be prompted to restart the PC.
We suggest you look at the following video, which completely explains the process of using the MalwareBytes Free to remove ad supported software, hijacker and other malicious software.
Stop Search.searchws2.com redirect and other intrusive websites
Run ad-blocker 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 personal computer performance and impact your system security. Surf the Internet anonymously and stay safe online!
- Download AdGuard on your machine by clicking on the link below.
Adguard download
26627 downloads
Version: 6.4
Author: © Adguard
Category: Security tools
Update: November 15, 2018
- After downloading it, launch the downloaded file. You will see the “Setup Wizard” program window. Follow the prompts.
- Once the setup is finished, press “Skip” to close the installation program and use the default settings, or click “Get Started” to see an quick tutorial that will allow 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 machine, AdGuard will run automatically and block pop-ups, Search.searchws2.com redirect, as well as other malicious or misleading web-pages. For an overview of all the features of the program, or to change its settings you can simply double-click on the icon called AdGuard, which can be found on your desktop.
How did you get infected with Search.searchws2.com browser hijacker
Most commonly, the Search.searchws2.com browser hijacker is bundled with the installers from a free hosting and file sharing web sites. So, install a free software is a a good chance that you will find a bundled browser hijacker. If you don’t know how to avoid it, then use a simple trick. During the installation, select the Custom or Advanced installation option. Next, press ‘Decline’ button and clear all checkboxes on offers that ask you to install third-party apps. Moreover, please carefully read Term of use and User agreement before installing any software or otherwise you can end up with another unwanted program on your machine like this browser hijacker infection.
Finish words
Once you have done the steps above, your PC system should be free from browser hijacker which cause a reroute to Search.searchws2.com website and other malicious software. The IE, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Mozilla Firefox will no longer open annoying Search.searchws2.com website on startup. Unfortunately, if the step-by-step instructions does not help you, then you have caught a new hijacker infection, and then the best way – ask for help in our Spyware/Malware removal forum.