If the TheCookingClub have become the Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, MS Edge and Microsoft Internet Explorer browser’s new home page or search engine without your consent, then you’ve a browser hijacker on your computer. The hijacker is mostly a PUP (potentially unwanted program) or a internet browser add-on. It’s can to rewrite search provider, startpage and some other settings of a browser for the sole purpose of boosting traffic and monetizing traffic.
In addition, the TheCookingClub browser hijacker will change the search provider selected in the web-browser. When you try to search on the infected web-browser, you will be presented with search results, consisting of advertisements and Google (or Yahoo, or Bing) search results for your query. Among these search results can occur links that lead to unwanted and ad web pages.
It is not a good idea to have an unwanted program like TheCookingClub browser hijacker on your PC. The reason for this is simple, it doing things you don’t know about. The hijacker can be used to collect a wide variety of your confidential info 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 TheCookingClub web-page.
Threat Summary
Name | TheCookingClub |
Type | browser hijacker, search engine hijacker, startpage hijacker, toolbar, unwanted new tab, redirect virus |
Symptoms |
|
Removal | TheCookingClub removal guide |
Take a deep breath. Learn everything you should know about TheCookingClub redirect removal, how to delete browser hijacker infection from your browser and system. Find the best free malware removal utilities here!
How to Remove TheCookingClub from Windows 10 (8, 7, XP)
In order to remove TheCookingClub from the Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Internet Explorer and MS Edge and set your preferred homepage and search provider, you need to reset the browser settings. Additionally, you should look up for other suspicious entries, such as files, programs, web browser extensions and shortcut files. However, if you want to remove TheCookingClub easily, you should run reputable antimalware tool and let it do the job for you.
To remove TheCookingClub, follow the steps below:
- Get rid of TheCookingClub redirect without any tools
- How to automatically remove TheCookingClub
- How to block TheCookingClub
- Where the TheCookingClub hijacker comes from
- To sum up
Get rid of TheCookingClub redirect without any tools
To get rid of TheCookingClub hijacker infection, adware and other unwanted programs you can try to do so manually. Unfortunately some of the browser hijacker infections won’t show up in your program list, but some browser hijackers may. In this case, you may be able to delete it via the uninstall function of your PC. You can do this by completing the steps below.
Uninstalling the TheCookingClub, check the list of installed apps first
Check out the Microsoft Windows Control Panel (Programs and Features section) to see all installed applications. We recommend to click on the “Date Installed” in order to sort the list of apps by the date you installed them. If you see any unknown and questionable programs, they are the ones you need to remove.
Press Windows button , then click Search . Type “Control panel”and press Enter. If you using Windows XP or Windows 7, then press “Start” and select “Control Panel”. It will show the Windows Control Panel such as the one below.
Further, click “Uninstall a program”
It will open a list of all apps installed on your computer. Scroll through the all list, and remove any questionable and unknown apps.
Remove TheCookingClub from Google Chrome
This step will show you how to reset Google Chrome homepage, new tab and default search engine to original state. This can remove TheCookingClub and fix some surfing issues, especially after hijacker infection. It will save your personal information like saved passwords, bookmarks, auto-fill data and open tabs.
Open the Google Chrome menu by clicking on the button in the form of three horizontal dotes (). It will open the drop-down menu. Choose More Tools, then click Extensions.
Carefully browse through the list of installed extensions. If the list has the extension labeled with “Installed by enterprise policy” or “Installed by your administrator”, then complete the following tutorial: Remove Google Chrome extensions installed by enterprise policy otherwise, just go to the step below.
Open the Google Chrome main menu again, click to “Settings” option.
Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the “Advanced” link. Now scroll down until the Reset settings section is visible, as shown on the image below and click the “Reset settings to their original defaults” button.
Confirm your action, click the “Reset” button.
Delete TheCookingClub from Mozilla Firefox by resetting web browser settings
Resetting your Firefox is basic troubleshooting step for any issues with your web browser program, including the redirect to TheCookingClub website. Your saved bookmarks, form auto-fill information and passwords won’t be cleared or changed.
Run the 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 display 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 below.
Click the “Refresh Firefox” button at the top right of the Troubleshooting Information page. Select “Refresh Firefox” in the confirmation prompt. The Mozilla Firefox will start a process to fix your problems that caused by the TheCookingClub browser hijacker infection. When, it’s complete, click the “Finish” button.
Delete TheCookingClub from Microsoft Internet Explorer
By resetting Internet Explorer web browser you return your web browser settings to its default state. This is first when troubleshooting problems that might have been caused by browser hijacker like TheCookingClub.
First, start the IE. Next, click the button in the form of gear (). It will show the Tools drop-down menu, press the “Internet Options” as displayed on the image below.
In the “Internet Options” window click on the Advanced tab, then press the Reset button. The Microsoft Internet Explorer will show the “Reset Internet Explorer settings” window as displayed on the screen below. Select the “Delete personal settings” check box, then press “Reset” button.
You will now need to reboot your PC for the changes to take effect.
How to automatically remove TheCookingClub
Anti-Malware applications differ from each other by many features like performance, scheduled scans, automatic updates, virus signature database, technical support, compatibility with other antivirus apps and so on. We recommend you use the following free apps: Zemana Free, MalwareBytes AntiMalware and HitmanPro. Each of these programs has all of needed features, but most importantly, they can scan for the hijacker and remove TheCookingClub from the Edge, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Chrome.
How to automatically remove TheCookingClub with Zemana
Zemana Free is a lightweight tool which developed to run alongside your antivirus software, detecting and removing malware, adware and PUPs that other programs miss. Zemana is easy to use, fast, does not use many resources and have great detection and removal rates.
Installing the Zemana AntiMalware is simple. First you’ll need to download Zemana Anti Malware on your personal computer from the link below.
164032 downloads
Author: Zemana Ltd
Category: Security tools
Update: July 16, 2019
Once downloading is complete, close all windows on your PC. Further, open the install file called Zemana.AntiMalware.Setup. If the “User Account Control” prompt pops up as displayed below, click the “Yes” button.
It will display the “Setup wizard” which will help you install Zemana on the PC system. Follow the prompts and do not make any changes to default settings.
Once installation is finished successfully, Zemana will automatically run and you may see its main window as shown in the figure below.
Next, click the “Scan” button to start checking your machine for the browser hijacker infection responsible for redirecting user searches to TheCookingClub. A system scan can take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes, depending on your PC. When a threat is found, the count of the security threats will change accordingly. Wait until the the checking is complete.
As the scanning ends, Zemana will display a list of all items found by the scan. Make sure all threats have ‘checkmark’ and click “Next” button.
The Zemana Anti Malware (ZAM) will remove browser hijacker responsible for redirections to TheCookingClub. After the task is finished, you can be prompted to restart your machine.
Run HitmanPro to delete TheCookingClub from the computer
If Zemana Free cannot delete this browser hijacker, then we suggests to use the HitmanPro. The Hitman Pro is a free powerful, professional removal tool for malicious software, adware software, PUPs, toolbars as well as browser hijacker that cause TheCookingClub web-site to appear. It completely removes all traces and remnants of the infection.
Download Hitman Pro on your personal computer from the link below.
Download and use HitmanPro on your PC. Once started, click “Next” button to perform a system scan for the browser hijacker responsible for redirecting user searches to TheCookingClub. During the scan HitmanPro will scan for threats exist on your PC..
After the scan is finished, Hitman Pro will display a scan report.
When you’re ready, press Next button.
It will open a dialog box, click the “Activate free license” button to start the free 30 days trial to remove all malicious software found.
Automatically get rid of TheCookingClub redirect with MalwareBytes Free
You can get rid of TheCookingClub search automatically through the use of MalwareBytes Anti Malware (MBAM). We suggest this free malware removal tool because it can easily remove browser hijacker infection, adware, PUPs and toolbars with all their components such as files, folders and registry entries.
Visit the following page to download the latest version of MalwareBytes AntiMalware (MBAM) for Microsoft Windows. Save it on your MS Windows desktop or in any other place.
326385 downloads
Author: Malwarebytes
Category: Security tools
Update: April 15, 2020
After the downloading process is done, run it and follow the prompts. Once installed, the MalwareBytes Anti-Malware (MBAM) will try to update itself and when this process is complete, click the “Scan Now” button . MalwareBytes AntiMalware (MBAM) tool will begin scanning the whole PC to find out browser hijacker infection that developed to redirect your internet browser to the TheCookingClub web site. A scan may take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the number of files on your PC and the speed of your computer. While the MalwareBytes Anti Malware (MBAM) application is checking, you can see how many objects it has identified as threat. Once you have selected what you wish to delete from your machine click “Quarantine Selected” button.
The MalwareBytes Anti Malware is a free application that you can use to delete all detected folders, files, services, registry entries and so on. To learn more about this malware removal utility, we recommend you to read and follow the steps or the video guide below.
How to block TheCookingClub
If you want to remove undesired advertisements, web browser redirects and pop ups, then install an ad blocking program like AdGuard. It can block TheCookingClub, advertisements, popups and stop web-pages from tracking your online activities when using the MS Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer and Google Chrome. So, if you like browse the Net, but you do not like intrusive advertisements and want to protect your machine from malicious web-pages, then the AdGuard is your best choice.
Click the link below to download the latest version of AdGuard for Microsoft Windows. Save it on your Microsoft Windows desktop.
26627 downloads
Version: 6.4
Author: © Adguard
Category: Security tools
Update: November 15, 2018
After downloading it, double-click the downloaded file to start it. The “Setup Wizard” window will show up on the computer screen as displayed below.
Follow the prompts. AdGuard will then be installed and an icon will be placed on your desktop. A window will show up asking you to confirm that you want to see a quick guidance like below.
Click “Skip” button to close the window and use the default settings, or press “Get Started” to see an quick guidance which will allow you get to know AdGuard better.
Each time, when you launch your computer, AdGuard will start automatically and stop unwanted ads, block TheCookingClub, as well as other harmful 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 AdGuard icon, that can be found on your desktop.
Where the TheCookingClub hijacker comes from
The browser hijacker infection is usually is bundled with free software and install themselves, with or without your knowledge, on your computer. This happens especially when you are installing a freeware. The program setup file tricks you into accepting the installation of third party software, which you do not really want. Moreover, some paid software can also install additional apps which you don’t want! Therefore, always download free software and paid applications from reputable download web sites. Use ONLY custom or manual install option and never blindly click Next button.
To sum up
Once you have complete the steps shown above, your PC should be clean from this browser hijacker and other malware. The IE, Firefox, Google Chrome and MS Edge will no longer display annoying TheCookingClub website on startup. Unfortunately, if the instructions does not help you, then you have caught a new browser hijacker, and then the best way – ask for help.
Please create a new question by using the “Ask Question” button in the Questions and Answers. 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 annoying TheCookingClub search.