Private Browsing Search - How to remove

Private Browsing Search is identified as a browser hijacker amending the default home page and search engine settings for all popular browsers. To be more specific, the above-mentioned parameters are changed to https://search.privatesearch.online/search/category=web&s=g2ds&q={search_Terms}. Users are not satisfied with such a dramatic difference. They no longer see their predefined startup page but instead, notice Private Browsing Search.

Opening new browser tabs similarly reveal Private Browsing Search instead of a blank tab. Finally, the default search engine will be also amended. Instead of Google, the page https://search.privatesearch.online/search/category=web&s=g2ds&q={search_Terms} will become the default search provider. When you submit specific search queries through it, the search results will be delivered by Yahoo Search from http://search.yahoo.com or some of its regional subdivisions. Note that Yahoo does not control the hijacking by Private Browsing Search. The modifications are implemented in order to generate the revenue for the third-party company standing behind the hijacker, whereas Yahoo Search results are brutally stolen.

Private Browsing Search injection method

Browser amendments by Private Browsing Search are the result of the Private Browsing by Safely extension enabled in Google Chrome and possibly other browsers based on the Chromium open-source project. As long as the extension is active, it will control all major browser settings without letting you change any of them. For example, when you try getting back to Google Search and attempt to manually modify your default search engine, the warning will come that Private Browsing Search controls this parameter. You simply can’t make your own decisions in terms of the way you want your browser to function. Private Browsing Search makes the decisions instead of you.

The intrusion of Private Browsing Search is often done through bundling with other free programs. Certain freeware installers do not fully disclose that they are actually suggesting many other extra offers in the bundle. Many people fail to read the important documentation during the setup process. They may click on “Next” or “I agree” buttons without paying attention to the important details. This is the way Private Browsing Search and other third-party software is injected.

Is Private Browsing Search valuable

Even though Private Browsing Search claims to give you more privacy when you browse the web, it acts in a totally different way. The extension in charge of the hijacker actually performs the spying functions. It keeps records of all the information you submit on the web. It tracks your geographic locations, it analyzes your previous browsing history and researches your browsing preferences. This is done to display more relevant ads, however, the extension does not really provide you with any decent service as initially advertised.

These are some other symptoms to expect of Private Browsing Search:

• unexpected pop-ups in your browser leading to third-party websites;
• unauthorized installation of third-party software;
• intrusive advertisement banners and sponsored links displayed randomly on the screen;
• negative impact on the browser performance.

How to remove Private Browsing Search

Considering the great number of unauthorized amendments by Private Browsing Search, removing the hijacker is the only right decision. To make it possible, you first need to delete its Private Browsing by Safely extension. Follow these steps:

• in Google Chrome menu, click on “More Tools”;
• select “Extensions”;
• locate Private Browsing by Safely, disable and delete it;
• restart your browser.

Scanning your computer with reputable anti-malware is another important step. Do not neglect it! We mentioned that the hijacker could inject your system as a result of bundling with other free software. There is a probability that some other unwanted programs could be injected into your computer this way. Very often they are not duly mentioned in the list of available programs, nevertheless, they are active and produce a negative impact on your system. Investigate the issue and clean your computer with either Spyhunter.

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Get Rid of Private Browsing Search Malware

How to remove Private Browsing Search using Windows Control Panel

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

Delete Private Browsing Search from your applications.

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

Remove malicious extensions

• Click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Preferences.
  
• Select Extensions and uninstall Private Browsing Search 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 Private Browsing Search, 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.