MyMapsExpress.com Hijacker - How to remove

MyMapsExpress.com is advertised as a browser add-on that provides quick access to directions, maps, and traffic, as well as convenient web search. It also has links to a few map and traveling-themed websites. It seems like it could be useful, so why do so many experts advise against using it?

MyMapsExpress.com doesn’t just add features to the browser’s new tab, it also tracks your activities and takes away your ability to use your default search engine. And being forced to use an unfamiliar new search site can be frustrating, even bad for your productivity — especially if you didn’t even install MyMapsExpress.com voluntarily. Some users are dissatisfied with it and wish to take back control of their browser instead of allowing MyMapsExpress.com to keep it hijacked.

Is MyMapsExpress.com safe?

MyMapsExpress.com is not a virus. It’s an annoyance that unnecessarily modifies your browser settings and directs you to an inferior search engine. It monitors your browsing activity to deliver more relevant ads. And you will be forced to see more ads than before, even if you don’t notice them since the ads in the results page of MyWay are so poorly labeled.

So, while some people have used it with no problems for a long time and might even like it, there are good reasons for why so many antivirus programs find this little browser add-on to be malicious.

MyMapsExpress.com needs too many intrusive permissions:

• Access your data for all websites
• Exchange messages with programs other than Firefox
• Monitor extension usage and manage themes
• Access browser tabs
• Access browser activity during navigation

Mozilla recommends we ask these questions before deciding if an extension is safe to install, and I will attempt to answer them about MyMapsExpress.com:

• Is the extension made by a reputable developer?
  No, MyWay/Mindspark is known for developing many hijackers (Free.everydaylookup.com, Myfashiontab.com, EverydayMemo are just a few examples) and spreading them via bundles and adware.
• Are the user ratings high?
  No (1 or 2 stars), though the reviews are very few. The MyMapsExpress.com extensions are either unlisted or installed in such a way that users don’t get an opportunity to review the extension, and without relevant reviews, we can’t make an informed judgment.
• Are the permission requests consistent with the features of the extension?
  Not entirely. Though the “Access your data for all websites” permission can be severely abused, it can also be justified by nearly any extension. Replacing the search engine and reading the browsing history, though, is completely unnecessary and is blatant hijacking behavior.

MyMapsExpress.com distribution

MyMapsExpress, Maps & Directions by MyMapsExpress and probably some other extensions use MyMapsExpress.com. They’re advertised by adware viruses and installed by bundlers.

If it was adware, you probably found MyMapsExpress.com on a page in your browser and just decided to install it. Malicious ads show it the same way, so it’s not necessary to have an infected computer to find MyMapsExpress.com, but it’s undoubtedly true that adware like Ngscreetpla.pro and MessengerLite often promote it and other MyWay extensions.

At least adware presents you with the installation window. When MyMapsExpress.com is installed by bundlers, you don’t even get a choice. If you downloaded some free program around the same time that your browser started redirecting you to the MyWay and Ask engine, it’s possible that that program’s installer bundled MyMapsExpress.com with it. The pay-per-install model is used to spread all kinds of PUPs (potentially unwanted software) and malware.

When being installed on the Chrome browser, MyMapsExpress.com becomes a bundler, too — it bundles the Ask toolbar by tricking people into thinking that their installation isn’t complete until Ask is added.

How to remove MyMapsExpress.com

The extension can be removed normally, just remember that to remove all the browser hijackers, you need to uninstall both MyMapsExpress (or Maps & Directions by MyMapsExpress) and the Ask toolbar. Take the opportunity to review the extensions that you have installed and remove the ones that aren’t important to you. Too many extensions do pose a security risk when viruses are developed to exploit their weaknesses, or worse, when it steals your passwords and your processing power.

In case you don’t remember ever installing these add-ons, try scanning your device with a strong antivirus program, like Spyhunter, to see if any virus is hiding in your device. If it is and you remove it, you’ll probably avoid more annoying problems in the future.

Automatic Malware removal tools

Remove MyMapsExpress.com

How to remove MyMapsExpress.com Redirects using Windows Control Panel

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

Delete MyMapsExpress.com Hijacker from your applications.

1. Open Finder.
2. In the menu bar, click Go.
3. Select Applications from the dropdown.
4. Find the MyMapsExpress.com Redirects 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 MyMapsExpress.com 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 MyMapsExpress.com 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 MyMapsExpress.com 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 MyMapsExpress.com 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 MyMapsExpress.com 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.
  
• 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 MyMapsExpress.com 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 MyMapsExpress.com 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 MyMapsExpress.com 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 MyMapsExpress.com Redirects 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 MyMapsExpress.com 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.