ConvertoWiz Search Redirect - How to remove

ConvertoWiz is a browser add-on that’s meant to help people convert files to the PDF format. However, it also changes your browser’s settings to open the Yahoo search engine when using search, which is something that not all the users of this extension are happy with.

When ConvertoWiz redirects a query to the Yahoo site, for a short moment, feed.convertowiz.com is visible in the URL bar. The text “Search ConvertoWiz or type a URL” is visible in the URL bar. If you used the default Chrome new tab page before installing ConvertoWiz, you’ll notice that the search bar is gone from the middle of the page. These changes look minor and the extension does not try to be very visible. And though it’s nearly impossible to miss the changed default search engine, it isn’t always obvious that ConvertoWiz is the add-on responsible for it. In fact, it’s possible to install it without meaning to.

ConvertoWiz is like a less obvious version of Yahoo! Powered and similar to TheCookingClub and ImSearch.

The dangers of using ConvertoWiz

Although the stated function by the extension is to help users convert files to the PDF type, and the extension does do that, it does not seem to be the real motivation behind this add-on. ConvertoWiz is a PUP — potentially unwanted program. This means that, though not a virus, it is considered to be risky. These types of programs are usually created not with the hopes of developing a good-quality online tool, in this case, a PDF converter, but a way to promote a search engine and deliver ads. All extensions are a privacy risk and an inherent security risk, but hijackers especially because their developers demonstrate some unethical behavior.

ConvertoWiz can read your browsing history and every single one of your search queries. This information is used to deliver you relevant ads in the search results. Ads in the search results are numerous, poorly labeled, and can take up more space than genuine results. This means that ConvertoWiz makes it difficult to search for information for those who don’t enjoy having their ads outnumber genuine results.

The PDF converter functionality is dubious, too. The vast majority of computers, phones, and tablets have some software that can open the most popular types of files and turn them into PDFs. This can be done manually, too, without any new websites of software. Uploading a file through ConvertoWiz or another online tool means that a third party will have access to it and while they claim to delete the files as soon as possible, using an online tool is still a completely unnecessary security risk.

How ConvertoWiz is distributed

One of the biggest problems with ConvertoWiz is how this PUP is distributed. It uses a lot of the same channels that other, malicious products use.

• Deceptive ads
• Adware pop-ups
• Installation by bundlers

Ads and redirects online promote ConvertoWiz and many other hijackers. No malware needs to be installed on your computer or your browser, just visiting some shady websites is enough to encounter the deceptive or even unavoidable ads. This can mostly be avoided by just finding a better, safer website to use. More reputable sites have fewer malicious ads and less of a chance to advertise ConvertoWiz and other hijackers, though no site is guaranteed to be entirely safe — malicious ads sometimes slip through the review process of even the most careful ad-networks.

ConvertoWiz is also spread by adware viruses. These promote browser hijackers all the time. They partner with the most aggressive and least ethical ad-networks, but mostly work the same way that malicious ads do. Adware is most often spread by bundlers which install the virus in the background while installing a wanted program in the front.

Bundlers might also install ConvertoWiz directly. Bundlers are programs that combine the installation of a wanted program with the installations of a few other, unwanted, not-asked-for, and often even harmful applications, and you can easily miss the additional programs that are included in the package. To avoid them, be careful about where you download your programs.

How to remove ConvertoWiz redirects

The way to completely uninstall ConvertoWiz depends on how it was installed. If the extension was added on its own, individually, then removing it from your browser should work like for any other extension.

On the chance that ConvertoWiz was installed by a bundler, after removing it from the browser, it might be reinstalled automatically, or pop-up alerts might start harassing you to reinstall it. This means that an application on your computer is responsible for ConvertoWiz ad needs to be removed so that it stops interfering with ConvertoWiz’s removal. Spyhunter (Windows), or Combo-Cleaner (Mac) can be used to scan for and catch malicious and suspicious programs. If you know specifically which program is responsible for the problems, you can remove it manually and then supplement that with a scan just to make sure that no malware is left on the device.

Afterward, you can remove ConvertoWiz (and other unwanted extensions) like normal.

Automatic Malware removal tools

How to remove ConvertoWiz Redirect using Windows Control Panel

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

Delete ConvertoWiz Search Redirect from your applications.

1. Open Finder.
2. In the menu bar, click Go.
3. Select Applications from the dropdown.
4. Find the ConvertoWiz Redirect 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.

TopRemove malicious extensions from Internet Explorer

• Press on the Gear icon→Manage Add-ons.
  
• Go through Toolbars and extensions. Remove everything related to ConvertoWiz Search Redirect and items you do not know that are made not by Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, Oracle or Adobe.
  
• Close the Options.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings

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

• Press on the Gear icon->Internet Options.
  
• Choose the Advanced tab and click on the Reset button.
  
• Select a “Delete personal settings” checkbox and click on the Reset button.
  
• Click on the Close button on the confirmation box, then close your browser.
  

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

TopRemoving ConvertoWiz Search Redirect from Chrome

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Google Chrome window. Select “Settings”.
  
• Click “Extensions” on the left menu bar.
• Go through the extensions list and remove programs you do not need, especially similar to ConvertoWiz Redirect. Click on the trash bin icon next to ConvertoWiz Search Redirect or other add-ons you want to remove.
  
• Press on the “Remove” button on the Confirmation window.
  
• If unsure, you can disable them temporarily.
  
• Restart Chrome.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings

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

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

TopRemoving ConvertoWiz Search Redirect from Firefox

• 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 ConvertoWiz Redirect 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.
  

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings If you are still experiencing any issues related to ConvertoWiz Search Redirect, 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.
  
• Choose Troubleshooting Information on the Help menu.
  
• Click on the Reset Firefox button.
  
• Click on the Reset Firefox button on the confirmation box. Mozilla Firefox will close and change the settings to default.
  

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

How to remove ConvertoWiz Search Redirect from Microsoft Edge:Top

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

• Go through the extensions list and remove programs you do not need, especially similar to ConvertoWiz Redirect. Click on the "Remove" icon next to ConvertoWiz Search Redirect or other add-ons you want to remove.

• Press on the “Remove” button on the Confirmation window.

• If unsure, you can disable them temporarily.

• Restart Microsoft Edge.

TopRemoving ConvertoWiz Redirect from Safari (Mac OS X)

• Click on the Safari menu.
• Choose Preferences.
  
• Click on the Extensions Tab.
• Click on the Uninstall button near the ConvertoWiz Search Redirect. Remove all other unknown or suspicious entries too. If you are not sure whether you need the extension or not, you can simply uncheck the Enable check-box to disable the extension temporarily.
  
• Restart Safari.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings

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

• Click on the 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.