Search.ratplee.com virus - How to remove

Search.ratplee.com virus is a browser hijacker that affects Mac systems. It can take over your Safari, Google Chrome or another browser that you use and replace your homepage and default search provider in there. Search.ratplee.com looks like a search page but it doesn’t provide reliable search results. It focuses on promoting sponsored websites and causes tons of redirections.

It is not that easy to change your homepage and search provider to another website once your browser was hijacked. To remove Search.ratplee.com virus, run a full system scan with a reputable anti-malware program, for example, Spyhunter or StopZilla. Manual removal guide is provided below this article.

About Search.ratplee.com virus

As mentioned, Search.ratplee.com only looks like a reputable search engine. Unfortunately, the program displays a bunch of sponsored websites in your search results, so you cannot trust it. It is also unclear whether Search.ratplee.com virus advertises safe websites. It can easily display links to malicious websites and if you click on them, you may get your system infected.

Another thing to keep in mind is that it can be installed together with an adware that tracks what websites you visit and other information that you enter while browsing on the Internet, basically, your browsing history. This data can be later sent to the remote server and used for marketing related purposes. As a result, your system may start receiving numerous commercial ads and so on.

You must remove Search.ratplee.com virus from your browsers as soon as you notice it there and choose a reliable search provider instead. It may not be easy to do, so we have developed a guide how to do it. You can find it at the end of this article.

Distribution Methods of Search.ratplee.com virus

Search.ratplee.com virus is distributed with various free programs that you can download from the Internet, for example, music or video players, PDF creators, download managers and so on. To avoid this annoying change in your browser settings, never skip installation steps of your new downloads and read what every step says. Never allow replacing your homepage to unfamiliar websites or adding programs that you are not aware of.

In case any of your browsers have already been hijacked, remove Search.ratplee.com virus without any hesitations. Find a tutorial below to learn how to do it step-by-step or use an anti-malware program and eliminate the application automatically.

Automatic Malware removal tools

Manual removal of Search.ratplee.com virus

How to remove ratplee virus using Windows Control Panel

Many hijackers and adware like Search.ratplee.com 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 ratplee virus . You can click on "Name" or "Installed On" to reorder your programs and make Search.ratplee.com 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 ratplee virus from macOS

Delete Search.ratplee.com virus from your applications.

1. Open Finder.
2. In the menu bar, click Go.
3. Select Applications from the dropdown.
4. Find the ratplee virus 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 Search.ratplee.com 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 Search.ratplee.com 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 Search.ratplee.com 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 Search.ratplee.com 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 ratplee virus, 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 Search.ratplee.com 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 Search.ratplee.com 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 Search.ratplee.com 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 ratplee virus 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 Search.ratplee.com 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