FileChecker Hijacker - How to remove

FileChecker is a free tool that promises to protect your computer and web browser from downloading files that might be malicious. In fact, this tool itself is malicious and should not be used. It is categorized as a browser hijacker and you can experience a lot of difficulties trying to get rid of it.

Even though it is publicly promoted on their website, most of the time this browser extension gets installed secretly, without even warning the user about that. If FileChecker is operating on your computer, you will soon notice that it is actually not useful at all.

In addition to that, it will bring various unwanted features to your computer and web browsing. This tool itself is not that dangerous, however, keeping it installed can lead you to some more severe cyber security problems.

That is why we do not recommend to keep FileChecker installed. The problem is that removal of this tool might be tricky, so a lot of users can’t do that due to the lack of knowledge. By the end of this article, you will learn how to remove FileChecker browser hijacker effectively, so just continue reading.

Malicious Features of FileChecker Virus

The selling point of FileChecker is the ability to “fully scan a file with 63 different antivirus engines with just one click” and it is completely misleading. There is no unique file scanning product or technique created by this company – all they can do is direct users to other websites that actually can perform the file check.

That leads to the conclusion, that there is no point to install this extension since you can Visit those websites and check your files anyway. However, AvSoftware Ltd, developers of this extension, are trying to trick users into thinking otherwise for other reasons.

After the infection, they will hijack new tab page and will set it to their unique landing page. It features some of the functions related to file checking, yet the main one is the web search. That’s where the trick is – they are trying to force users into using their web search service an make money this way.

Since it will be set as your new tab page, you are likely to use this web search and with that comes a whole bunch of problems. First of all, your personal information might be leaked to other parties. You see, every search you submit to FileChecker will be collected. If it includes some of the private information, it might be leaked and you could face some severe consequences.

Next – results displayed by this service can’t be trusted. Even though FileChecker has no unique search engine and they simply redirect users to Bing, those results might be modified. They can insert results that are not even relevant to your search queries and leads to affiliated websites. In addition to that, those websites might be owned by other cyber criminals, so it’s dangerous too.

Lastly, FileChecker can infiltrate other viruses into your system, so even if you don’t use the infected web browser but keep FileChecker installed on a computer, it can cause various problems. Don’t be surprised if other viruses like Gstatic or Fortnite virus just appear on your computer one day. That is the reason why this malicious application should go as soon as possible.

How FileChecker Infected Your Computer

There are several possible ways for potentially unwanted program like this to enter your computer. It can be advertised through excessive web advertisements and you can click on one of them and install it yourself. Also, it can come as a bundle to other free software from the Internet.

When you download freeware, there is a chance that you will get more than expected. Cyber criminals pay for the distributors of freeware or developers of free software to attach installers of malware to legitimate software, so it would get installed alongside.

That is why you should be extremely careful while installing new programs on your computer. Only use sources that are reliable and well-known. Also, don’t rush to complete the installation and read all the information that is provided to you. It might be boring and time-consuming, but this way you could actually protect your computer and avoid malware being installed.

Removal of FileChecker Virus

We have already told you that FileChecker is operating as a browser extension, so it means it is installed directly on the web browser and you need to get it off from there. We have crafted an easy to follow step-by-step removal guide for FileChecker – check it out below this article.

After the successful removal from the web browser, you will have to remove all files of FileChecker from your computer too. That’s more complicated since you need to locate where they are stored and other similar things. Luckily, a decent anti-malware will do this for you. Scan your computer with Spyhunter and it will take care of FileChecker automatically.

Automatic Malware removal tools

Fast Removal of FileChecker

How to remove FileChecker Hijacker using Windows Control Panel

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

Delete FileChecker Hijacker from your applications.

1. Open Finder.
2. In the menu bar, click Go.
3. Select Applications from the dropdown.
4. Find the FileChecker Hijacker 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 FileChecker Hijacker 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 FileChecker Hijacker, 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 FileChecker Hijacker 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 FileChecker Hijacker 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 FileChecker Hijacker, 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 FileChecker Hijacker 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 FileChecker Hijacker, 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 FileChecker Hijacker from Safari:Top

Remove malicious extensions

• Click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Preferences.
  
• Select Extensions and uninstall FileChecker Hijacker 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 FileChecker Hijacker, 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.