SearchPDFConverter Ads - How to remove

SearchPDFConverter is a browser hijacker. It gets installed without permission and changes your browser’s settings in an unhelpful way. It hijacks your internet search results, displays ads, and opens sponsored pages, some of which try to push their own scams or malware.

Though SearchPDFConverter is not very serious malware, it is bad for privacy and possibly for your cyber security. It should be removed and you might want to check your browser settings to get rid of any traces of the hijacking.

SearchPDFConverter in short:

Classification	Browser hijacker, adware.
How SearchPDFConverter gets installed	Pushed by misleading, deceptive ads, installed by malicious programs.
How it changes the browser	It makes unknown pages open unexpectedly, it tracks user data, it changes your search settings.
How to remove SearchPDFConverter	Uninstall it and other unwanted extensions, check for malicious programs with antivirus tools (Combo Cleaner for Mac, Spyhunter for PC, etc.), block notification spam in your browser settings.

How SearchPDFConverter works

Infection symptoms

You are unlikely to install this browser extension intentionally. After all, it has no useful features. Literally none. All it does is replace your default search settings so that whenever you type a search query into your address bar, it’s sent to Feed.searchpdfconverter.com. As a result, you might see Yahoo.com or another unexpected website delivering your search results.

Other SearchPDFConverter’s effects are less visible. It tracks your data, such as what sites you open, what you search for online, and which ads you click on.

It might also open new windows or tabs in your browser. It might also redirect you to some unexpected sites. Some browser add-ons do that by scanning what website you’re on and then replacing it with another address.

Finally, the Searchpdfconverter.com page might show you little notifications with links to advertised websites. These notifications are sent by the website and not the extension, so they could appear even if you don’t have SearchPDFConverter installed.

Unwanted installation

There’s no way for SearchPDFConverter to be installed on its own merits, as it doesn’t have any useful features. This is why it has to trick people to install it.

Here’s  how it is promoted online:

• It appears in pop-up ads on file download sites. Ads for it look like mostly blank pages with a Download button. Fake download links, basically.
• It might be bundled with other browser extensions or advertised with them. Some browser hijackers frame their installations in a deceptive way (fake loading bars, etc.) and people end up installing multiple extensions without realizing it.
• It might be installed by trojans, such as those spread by the Your file is ready for download… ads.

Problems and dangers

As you can read in SearchPDFConverter’s privacy policy, it logs search queries, browsing histories, and other data. I’m not sure what it does with the data that it collects on its users, but some extensions sell or share it with big data firms. Then, this data can be used by other companies for marketing, research, and other purposes.

This is not good for privacy. Your browsing history could contain some personal stuff. Ordinarily, this is not an issue because one needs access to your computer in order to see your history. But SearchPDFConverter does get installed on your computer. To be fair, this is a problem with other browser extensions, too (Big Star Labs spyware campaign affects over 11,000,000 people).

A bigger problem is what kinds of ads SearchPDFConverter might show. Sites like it (ProSearchConverter, File-upload.com, etc.) tend to show some potentially dangerous advertisements – ads that lead to scam sites, fake articles, and potentially unwanted programs. Be careful and skeptical of unexpected pages that might be opened by this hijacker.

How to remove SearchPDFConverter

Delete unwanted and malicious apps

You can manually remove SearchPDFConverter and other browser extensions as described in the instructions below. Besides that, it’s advisable to scan your device with an antivirus program, like Combo Cleaner for macOS, Spyhunter for Windows, and others.

Removing the SearchPDFConverter add-on from your computer doesn’t do anything to curb Searchpdfconverter.com or any other websites that might try to take over your internet browsing activities and monetize them. Luckily, there are ways to avoid malicious sites, at least some of them:

• Block ads with ad blockers.
• Don’t ignore browser warnings about dangerous and suspicious sites.
• Use an antivirus program that has a web filter.
• Don’t click on suspicious “Download” buttons and don’t install unfamiliar browser add-ons.

Patience is important when dealing with malicious ads. Be careful and close suspicious websites, even if they try to scare you or to excite you in some way. Malicious actors use emotional manipulation to trick people – don’t fall for it.

Block pop-up ads

Is SearchPDFConverter still showing you pop-up ads, even after you have removed it and all traces of other malware?

Here’s how to block unwanted notification ads:

• 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 Searchpdfconverter.com and other sites that are on your “Allowed” list. Switch their status to “Blocked”. This does not block the sites, but it does stop them from sending any more notifications to your browser.

Automatic Malware removal tools

Restore browser settings

TopHow To remove SearchPDFConverter Ads 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 SearchPDFConverter Ads, 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 SearchPDFConverter Ads 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 SearchPDFConverter Ads, 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 SearchPDFConverter Ads 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 SearchPDFConverter Ads 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 SearchPDFConverter Ads, 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.