FilmFanatic Browser Hijacker - How to remove

FilmFanatic is an extension that configures your browser’s settings in a way that allows you to be shown excessive ads. The extension advertises that it can help you watch newly released and classic films for free. In reality, the extension just replaces the new tab page and lists links to various film-related websites.

FilmFanatic injects ads into the search results of the new search engine that its users are forced to use. Now searching for information is more frustrating and time-consuming.

How FilmFanatic is distributed

“Watch FREE movies online! Watch your favorite films for FREE – with a single click!”

This sort of language probably helps FilmFanatic attract new people. The extension is found by people who were just searching for somewhere to watch a new film online. And even though FilmFanatic does not have the tools to let people watch movies, its description gives people the impression FilmFanatic might be some sort of a video streaming service, when FilmFanatic does nothing like that — it just links to a few unaffiliated streaming services!

FilmFanatic uses legitimate advertising networks to promote its extension. However, it’s also associated with sites like deloplen.com, ouo.io, vexacion.com. FilmFanatic being in the same company as aggressive online adware like deloplen.com casts a shadow on the intentions of the developers. Worse, advertising sites that open new tabs and show pop-ups without your interference can indicate some adware program lurking on your computer.

How FilmFanatic shows ads

If you look into Mindspark, the company that created FilmFanatic, you’ll find dozens, if not hundreds, of browser hijackers that work very similarly to FilmFanatic. Take a look at Myfashiontab.com, SimpleHolidayRecipes, Free.everydaylookup.com — these are just a few examples if the clone extensions. Most of Mindspark’s browser extensions also share their privacy policy which reveals that information collected about each user (search queries, device information, etc.) can be shared with third parties for advertising purposes.

Primarily, FilmFanatic wants to advertise to you. This is the explanation for why the search engine that you were using before installing FilmFanatic was replaced with MyWay. hp.myway.com is a part of many browser hijackers and it injects ads into search results. MyWay certainly has more ads than most search engines.

FilmFanatic is not a virus, and it might not even be malicious, but it is predatory. It advertises itself dishonestly. It preys on people who don’t know how to manage their extensions. It profits from people just dealing with it because it’s not very intrusive. And FilmFanatic does not offer a good-quality service. If you want some links pinned to your new tab page, you can easily do that yourself.

Should FilmFanatic be used?

I think this review by Mandi Cortese on the Chrome Web Store is on point:

“STUPID!!! Doesnt do anything but change the layout and adds some dumb new google search engine. Theres no movies linked or anything. waste of my time!!!!”

Ultimately, I think it’s fair to call FilmFanatic a browser hijacker. It doesn’t help the user when their search engine is replaced and then they’re blamed for not reading the fine print. FilmFanatic talking about “Watching your favorite films for FREE” in its description, only to put links to some paid streaming services in your new tab page is dishonest. FilmFanatic pushing the ad-filled MyWay search engine has nothing to do with films and has no reason other than monetization to be included in the extension.

Considering all the ways that ads can be dangerous (malicious ads can lead to phishing pages, malware-hosting sites, scams) and how flawed extensions can be exploited by cybercriminals, it’s worth seriously considering if FilmFanatic deserves access to your browser.

How to remove FilmFanatic

The extension can be removed by going to your browser’s settings. If you are receiving unwanted notifications, you can also block them in the settings.

If you suspect that adware recommended FilmFanatic to you, scan your computer with a professional antivirus program, like Spyhunter, or another tool that you trust.

Automatic Malware removal tools

Uninstall FilmFanatic

How to remove FilmFanatic using Windows Control Panel

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

Delete FilmFanatic Browser Hijacker from your applications.

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