Pirvatesearch virus - How to remove

Pirvatesearch, also known as privatesearch extension, is malicious application listed as browser hijacker. Even though it might look like legitimate search engine, it is not true and you should not use it. If you have noticed this infection on your computer, wait no more and deal with this problem right now.

There are two most common methods to eliminate infection like this – it can be done either manually or automatically, so it’s up to you which removal method to choose. Since it’s much easier to do it automatically, we suggest to go for this removal method. All you have to do is to download reliable anti-malware application, such as Spyhunter, install it on your computer and then run a full scan of all files stored on your hard drive. Either one of them should detect and remove the virus in no time. In case your computer is infected with other similar malware, it should clean it as well.

If for some reasons you do not fell like downloading any additional anti-malware software, you can eliminate it manually by your own. This process might be complicated so we have developed a step-by-step Pirvatesearch manual removal guide – it can be found below this article. Try to complete all steps correctly and you should be able to eliminate the virus manually by your own.

To learn more about specific features of Pirvatesearch please continue reading the article. If you have some questions regarding this topic, feel free to ask them in the comments section below and we will do our best to answer them all.

About Pirvatesearch virus

As most of other malware of this type, Pirvatesearch is operating as browser extension. It is completely compatible with all most common web browsers, including Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge or even Safari, so Apple users can get infected too.

Once inside of your computer, this malicious infection will change settings on all of those web browsers. Both your homepage and default search engine will be set to Pirvatesearch.com and from now on, this website will be the first thing you see on your web browser.

As we have mentioned before, this infections tries to create an image of reliable and trustworthy search engine, but it is not. First of all, if you try to search for something using it, a lot of sponsored content will appear. Usually it is not even relevant to your search queries, thus you will waste your time this way. In addition to that, it might be dangerous to click on those results so you should not do that.

If it happens so that you click on the sponsored result displayed by Pirvatesearch virus you will be immediately redirected to other websites that might be owned by various cyber criminals, such as hackers or scammers. This way your computer can get infected with other viruses or if you attempt to purchase something there you can even get scammed and lose your hard earned money.

Pirvatesearch virus might be described as advertising network for cyber criminals. Since they are banned from all legitimate search engines like Google Adwords or Facebook ads, they use malware like this to promote their websites and drive some traffic to them. This being said if you keep Pirvatesearch virus installed on your computer, various hackers and scammers will be able to reach you right on your web browsers on a daily basis and that’s very dangerous.

Automatic Malware removal tools

Manual removal of Pirvatesearch virus

How to remove Pirvatesearch extension using Windows Control Panel

Many hijackers and adware like Pirvatesearch virus install some of their components as regular Windows programs as well as additional software. This part of malware can be uninstalled from the Control Panel. To access it, do the following.

• Start→Control Panel (older Windows) or press Windows Key→Search and enter Control Panel and then press Enter (Windows 8, Windows 10).
• Choose Uninstall Program (if you don't see it, click in the upper right next to "View by" and select Category).
• Go through the list of programs and select entries related to Pirvatesearch extension . You can click on "Name" or "Installed On" to reorder your programs and make Pirvatesearch virus easier to find.
• Click the Uninstall button. If you're asked if you really want to remove the program, click Yes.
• In many cases anti-malware programs are better at detecting related parasites, thus I recommend installing Spyhunter to identify other programs that might be a part of this infection.

How to remove Pirvatesearch extension from macOS

Delete Pirvatesearch virus from your applications.

1. Open Finder.
2. In the menu bar, click Go.
3. Select Applications from the dropdown.
4. Find the Pirvatesearch extension app.
5. Select it and right-click it (or hold the Ctrl and click the left mouse button).
6. In the dropdown, click Move to Bin/Trash. You might be asked to provide your login password.

TopHow To remove Pirvatesearch virus from Google Chrome:

• Click on the 3 horizontal lines icon on a browser toolbar and Select More Tools→Extensions
  
• Select all malicious extensions and delete them.
  
• Click on the 3 horizontal lines icon on a browser toolbar and Select Settings
  
• Select Manage Search engines
  
• Remove unnecessary search engines from the list
  
• Go back to settings. On Startup choose Open blank page (you can remove undesired pages from the set pages link too).
• If your homepage was changed, click on Chrome menu on the top right corner, select Settings. Select Open a specific page or set of pages and click on Set pages.
  
• Delete malicious search websites at a new Startup pages window by clicking “X” next to them.
  

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings

If you are still experiencing any issues related to Pirvatesearch virus, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on a Chrome’s menu button (three horizontal lines) and select Settings.
• Scroll to the end of the page and click on theReset browser settings button.
  
• Click on the Reset button on the confirmation box.
  

If you cannot reset your browser settings and the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program.

How To remove Pirvatesearch virus from Firefox:Top

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Mozilla window and select the “Add-ons” icon (Or press Ctrl+Shift+A on your keyboard).
  
• Go through Extensions and Addons list, remove everything Pirvatesearch virus related and items you do not recognise. If you do not know the extension and it is not made by Mozilla, Google, Microsoft, Oracle or Adobe then you probably do not need it.
  
• If your homepage was changed, click on the Firefox menu in the top right corner, select Options → General. Enter a preferable URL to the homepage field and click Restore to Default.
  

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings If you are still experiencing any issues related to Pirvatesearch extension, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Mozilla Firefox window. Click on the Help button.
  
• ChooseTroubleshooting Information on the Help menu.
  
• Click on theReset Firefox button.
  
• Click on the Reset Firefox button on the confirmation box. Mozilla Firefox will close and change the settings to default.
  

If the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program to identify malicious entries.

How to remove Pirvatesearch virus from Microsoft Edge:Top

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Microsoft Edge window. Select “Extensions”.

• Select all malicious extensions and delete them.

• Click on the three-dot menu on the browser toolbar and Select Settings

• Select Privacy and Services and scroll down. Press on Address bar.

• Choose Manage search engines.

• Remove unnecessary search engines from the list: open the three-dot menu and choose Remove.

• Go back to Settings. Open On start-up.
• Delete malicious search websites at Open specific page or pages by opening the three-dot menu and clicking Delete.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings If you are still experiencing any issues related to Pirvatesearch virus, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings

• Click on Edge's menu button and select Settings. Click on the Reset Settings button on the left.
• Press the Restore settings to their default values option.

• Click on the Reset button on the confirmation box.

If you cannot reset your browser settings and the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program.

How to remove Pirvatesearch virus from Safari:Top

Remove malicious extensions

• Click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Preferences.
  
• Select Extensions and uninstall Pirvatesearch extension and other suspicious extensions.
  
• If your homepage was changed, click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Preferences and choose General tab. Enter preferable URL to the homepage field.
  

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings(older versions) If you are still experiencing any issues related to Pirvatesearch virus, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Reset Safari…
  
• Select which options you want to reset (usually all of them come preselected) and click on the Reset button.
  

If you cannot reset your browser settings and the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program.

Manual removal