IncognitoSearchWeb Ads and Redirects - How to remove

IncognitoSearchWeb is a hijacker that causes search redirects in web browsers. Besides changing how your web search results look, it also collects the user’s browsing and search history, plus some other information. Despite all that, IncognitoSearchWeb doesn’t improve the browser; if anything, it makes it worse by hijacking browser settings. It might be best to remove it.

In short about IncognitoSearchWeb:

Threat type	Browser hijacker, adware.
How to remove IncognitoSearchWeb	Uninstall and remove unwanted apps and extensions manually or with antivirus programs (Combo Cleaner for Mac, Spyhunter for PC, others), disable unwanted ads.
How IncognitoSearchWeb changes the browser	It changes the default search engine, it logs the user’s browsing information, it may display ads in the browser.
How it is installed	Advertised deceptively online.

How to remove IncognitoSearchWeb

Remove malware

IncognitoSearchWeb can be uninstalled from the browser like any other extension:

• In the extension area in the upper right corner of your web browser.
• In browser settings, Extensions.

Find IncognitoSearchWeb, remove it (if there’s no Remove button on the extension card, check out our article on removing extensions when your browser is managed by an organization) and remove other extensions that you don’t want to be installed.

Use anti-malware apps, such as Combo Cleaner for macOS, Spyhunter for macOS, and others to remove malicious and suspicious apps, programs, and browser extensions.

Block unwanted ads

If, after removing IncognitoSearchWeb, it (the Incognitosearchweb.com site) still sending you pop-up ads, you can block them in settings. Open your browser and find notification settings:

• Chrome – open Settings, scroll down to Site settings (under Privacy and security), click on Notifications.
• Edge (Chromium) – open Settings, click Site Permissions, Notifications.
• Firefox – open Settings, Privacy & Security, scroll down to Permissions, and click on Settings next to Notifications.
• Safari – in the Safari menu, choose Preferences, Websites, Notifications.

Find Incognitosearchweb.com among the sites that are allowed to show notifications on your screen. Select the Block/Deny option to stop the ads from coming.

This does not block the IncognitoSearchWeb site. For that, you’d need a specific browser add-on, anti-malware program, or another solution. Anti-malware apps can help you stay safe online by blocking malicious websites. However, Incognitosearchweb.com is not yet popular enough to be recognized by major antivirus solutions.

How IncognitoSearchWeb affects web browsers

It changes how web browsing works

Once installed, IncognitoSearchWeb is very quiet. All it does that is visible is change the default search engine in your browser. So, for example, if Google.com was delivering your search results before, it gets replaced with Yahoo or even some obscure site.

Users might not even realize that IncognitoSearchWeb is installed on their browsers – only that their searches are being redirected.

Here’s what IncognitoSearchWeb does to a browser:

• It collects information about its users. Search logs, browsing history, etc.
• It redirects searches to whatever site it wants, regardless of browser settings. It changes search settings.
• It can open new browser tabs and redirect links.
• It may show pop-up ads via notifications.

Overall, it seems suited for advertising. It can show ads to users and force them to visit affiliated pages. And it is bad for privacy.

It gets installed unexpectedly

Fake Flash Player update warnings, fake download links, and fake installation buttons are used to get people to install IncognitoSearchWeb, as well as other hijackers, like NuSmash, GlobalMovieSearch, GetVideoSearch, and others.

These ads tend to appear on movie streaming websites and other pirating sites. Such websites often show ads that are a bit aggressive and often unsafe (they spread scams, malware, unwanted software).

They are easy to mistake for real warnings, as they don’t look like how advertisements usually look.

For you to stay safe and to avoid such ads, it might help to use an ad blocker. Unfortunately, some pirating sites don’t allow users with ad blockers. In those cases, an anti-malware app that has a web filter would be better than nothing.

Automatic Malware removal tools

Remove unwanted extensions

TopRemoving IncognitoSearchWeb Ads and Redirects 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 IncognitoSearchWeb Ads and Redirects. Click on the trash bin icon next to IncognitoSearchWeb Ads and Redirects 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 IncognitoSearchWeb Ads and Redirects, 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.

How to remove IncognitoSearchWeb Ads and Redirects 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 IncognitoSearchWeb Ads and Redirects. Click on the "Remove" icon next to IncognitoSearchWeb Ads and Redirects 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 IncognitoSearchWeb Ads and Redirects 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 IncognitoSearchWeb Ads and Redirects 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 IncognitoSearchWeb Ads and Redirects, 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.