How to Remove SafeSearch.net Homepage (Removal Help)

Techexpert

9 years ago

Question

My IE 11 is hijacked by SafeSearch.net homepage and I want to remove it immediately from my computer. Please help me how to remove SafeSearch.net from Internet Explorer 11?

How to remove SafeSearch.net from Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox.

Explanation & Solution

Safesearch.net is a browser hijacker and part of a larger addon known as Safesearch. It is not malware, a Trojan, or a virus. Instead, the browser extension is a very annoying example of what is known as a browser hijacker, which tries to force you to visit a particular web page. Luckily, it can be fixed if you know how to remove Safesearch.net homepage.

The main visible symptoms will be seen in your browser. It can affect all common browsers, including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Internet Explorer. Your homepage will have been changed to the Safesearch.net site, and the Safesearch.net Web Search engine will have replaced your usual search engine. You will also see many sponsored links and unwanted ads in your search results. Safesearch.net will also monitor your Internet behavior.

Safesearch.net is hidden in wrappers – layers which wrap around programs you actually want. When you install the program you have downloaded, most people use the Default or Automatic installation options. These will be set up so that the Safesearch.net adware is installed automatically on your computer, without your knowledge. The first you will know of the infection is when you see the problems described in the previous section.

The best way to stop Safesearch.net becoming a problem is to exercise care when you use download sites. Make sure the site you use is genuine, and never download a program if you feel suspicious. When you install any software, remember to select the Custom install mode, which will allow you to monitor exactly what is being installed. If there is a check box giving permission to install Safesearch.net, you should always uncheck it.

It is possible to delete this browser hijacker manually. However, this is a difficult operation, as making any mistakes can leave your computer still partially infected. As for how to get rid of Safesearch.net entirely, it is much better to use a proper tool which has been written specially for the purpose. Knowing how to uninstall the extension with this type of tool will save you a lot of time and effort.

Simply follow the following instructions to remove Safesearch.net.

Removal Instructions

Automatic Fixit

Download Adware Remover Tool v3.8 to remove SafeSearch.net Automatically, It’s a Freeware utility specially designed for Adware Removal. This tool can remove most of the Adwares from Internet Explorer, Firefox, Mozilla Firefox and from their registry traces as well..

Adware-Removal-Tool-v3.8.exe

Manual Steps

Step 1 : To Uninstall SafeSearch.net from computer

Click on Start button and then click on Control Panel.
Now click on Programs –> Uninstall a program or Program and Features (Windows-7, 8, Vista).

For Windows XP users click on Add/Remove Programs.

You will get a window which have listed all the installed programs.
Uninstall SafeSearch.net from there.
Also do uninstall all the programs which are listed in Suspicious Programs list below, if you find any installed into your computer. Because all these programs are unwanted. You should uninstall all them immediately if you found any.

Suspicious Programs list

SafeSearch.net
Browser defender
Browser protect
Browser protected by conduit
Delta search, Babylon
LessTabs
WebCake 3.0
Yealt
LyricsContainer
VideoSaver
AddLyrics
privacy safe gaurd
unfriend checker
Price peep today
Coupon amazine
TidyNetwork.com
DownloadTerms 1.0
Yontoo
Uninstall all the unwanted programs, which are not listed here.

Step 2 : To Remove SafeSearch.net from Internet Explorer.

Step 2.1 : Remove SafeSearch.net from homepage

Open Internet Explorer then go to Tools menu (Press “F10” key once to active the menu bar) and then click on Internet Option a configuration page will be opened, then click on General tab. Now look into under HOME PAGE Edit Box you got www.SafeSearch.net, replace it to www.google.com, then click on apply and close.

Step 2.2 : Remove SafeSearch.net add-ons from Internet Explorer.

Open Internet Explorer then go to Tools menu (press “F10” key once to active menu bar) and then click on Internet Option a configuration page will be opened
click on Programs tab then click on Manage Addons, now you’ll get a window which have listed all the installed addons.
Now disable the SafeSearch.net add-on, also disable all the unknown / unwanted addons from this list. (As per below screenshot).

Step 2.3 : Reset Internet Explorer

Open Internet Explorer. Click on Tools menu (Press “F10” key once to active the menu bar), click on Internet Option. A internet option window will open.
For IE9, IE10 users may click on Gear icon . Then click on tools.

Click on Advanced tab,then click on RESET button.
Now you will get a new popup for confirmation, tick mark on Delete personal setting then click on RESET button on that. (As shown on below screenshot)
Now your Internet Explorer has been Restored to default settings.

Now you will appear a popup stated “complete all the tasks”. After completion click on close button.

Step 3 : To Remove SafeSearch.net from Mozilla Firefox

Step 3.1 : Remove SafeSearch.net from Mozilla Hompeage

Open Mozilla Firefox, Click on Tools menu (If tools menu doesn’t appear then press “F10” key once to active the menu bar) then go to Options, after that a configuration page will be opened, then click on General tab and then look on the very first section named as Startup. Under startup you will see a HOME PAGE Edit Box, under this edit box you will see www.SafeSearch.net, please replace it to www.google.com, then click on apply and close.
Restart Firefox Browser

Step 3.2 : Remove SafeSearch.net from add-ons

Open Firefox and then go the Tools menu (Press “F10” key once to active Menu bar) click on Add-ons, you’ll get a page click on extensions from the left side pane. now look on right side pane you’ll get all the installed add-ons listed on there. Disable or Remove SafeSearch.net add-on, also disable all the unknown / unwanted add-ons from there. (As per below screen shot)

Step 3.3 : Reset Mozilla Firefox

Open Firefox and then go the Helpmenu (Press “F10” key once to active Menu bar)
Go to Help menu then click on “Troubleshooting information”
Note: you can also open this page in this ways, open Firefox then type this command in the address bar “about:support” (without quote) and then hit enter or OK.
You will get a page “Troubleshooting information” page, here you will get “Reset Firefox” option in the right side of the page.
Click on Reset Firefox option. and follow their instruction to reset.
Now your Mozilla Firefox has been Restored to default settings.

Step 4 : To Remove SafeSearch.net from Google Chrome

Step 4.1 : Remove unwanted homepage & search engine from Google Chrome

Start Google Chrome, click on options icon (Located in very top right side of the browser), click on Settings. You will get a configuration page.
Under configuration page find a option named as “Open a specific page or set of pages” click on their Set Pages. A another window will come up. Here you will appear the bunch of URL’s under “Set pages”. Delete all them and then enter only one which you want to use as your home page.

In the same configuration page click on Manage search engines button. Delete all the search engines from there, just keep only www.goole.com as your default search Engine.

Step 4.2 : Remove unwanted extensions from Google Chrome

Start Google Chrome, click on options icon (Located in very top right side of the browser), then click on Tools then, click on Extensions. (As shown on below screenshot)

You will get a configuration page. which have listed all the installed extensions, Remove SafeSearch.net extension & also remove all the unknown / unwanted extensions from there. To remove them, click on remove (recycle bin) icon (as shown on screenshot)

Step 4.3 : Reset Google Chrome

Close all Google Chrome browser’s window.
Press “window key + R” (Flag sign key + R) on your keyboard , you’ll get Run box.
For windows xp: Copy and Paste this following command: “%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default" in Run box then click on OK button. You’ll get a Google chrome profile location in windows explorer.For windows 7,8,vista: Copy and Paste this following command: “%UserProfile%\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default“ in Run box then click on OK button. You’ll get a Google chrome profile location in windows explorer.
In the default folder location, Rename a file, named as “Preferences“ to “Preferences.old“.
(Note: to do that right-click on Preferences file and click on rename option you’ll get a edit box of Preferences file, now rename the text “Preferences” to “Preferences.old”)
In the same default folder location, Rename one more file, named as “Web Data“ to “Web Data.old“.
(Note: to do that right-click on Web Data file and click on rename option you’ll get a edit box of Web Data file, now rename the text “Web Data” to “Web Data.old”)
Now start your Google chrome, it should be restored to default settings.

Step 5 : To Remove SafeSearch.net from Registry

Press “window key + R” (Flag sign key + R) you will get Run box then type “REGEDIT” into the run box then click on OK. You’ll get a registry editor window.
In the registry editor, click on Edit menu and then click on find option, you’ll get edit box to search any string into registry editor
Type “SafeSearch.net” into the find box and then click on Find Next.
The search result will highlight the key or value which have contains the SafeSearch.net string.
Now delete the Registry Key/Value/Value-Data if any one contains “SafeSearch.net” string (must see the example screenshot below)
Note:- Do not delete the complete value data, just delete the SafeSearch.net path only (for example see screenshot3 below)
Use F3 key to find Next. and do the last step to all results.
We are giving you the example on “Conduit” Adware.

Screenshot 1

Screenshot 2

Screenshot 3

Step 6 : To Remove SafeSearch.net from Autorun Tasks

Click on Start button and then do Right-Click on the computer and then do left-click on Manage. A manage window will appear.
In the manage window click on Tasks Scheduler from right side pane, then click on “Task Scheduler Library“, Now look on left side pane and Remove all the Tasks which have contains SafeSearch.net string and also remove all the unknown / unwanted tasks from there (As per the screenshot below).

Step 7 : To Remove SafeSearch.net from Startup

Press “window key + R” (Flag sign key + R) you will get Run box then type “MSCONFIG into the run box then click on OK. You’ll get a msconfig window.
In the msconfig window click on Startup tab, here you’ll get all the startup entries, so look on the list and then do Un-check the entries which is contains SafeSearch.net. Also Un-check all the others entries which you found unwanted. then click on OK to apply all the changes.

Step 8 : To Remove SafeSearch.net from Services

Press “window key + R” (Flag sign key + R) you will get Run box then type “MSCONFIG” into the run box then click on OK. . You’ll get a msconfig window.
In the msconfig window click on Services tab, here you’ll get all the startup services list, click on “Hide Windows Services” all the windows related services will be hidden. now it’s only display the 3rd party installed services, now look on the list and then do Un-check the service which have contains SafeSearch.net. Also Un-check all the unknown / unwanted services. then click on OK to apply all the changes.

Step 9 : To remove SafeSearch.net registry entries with Adwcleaner.exe

Here is the proper step-by-step guide to remove any adware from registry, please follow the steps.

9.1 : Download AdwCleaner from the below link.

Click Here to Download: Adwcleaner.exe

9.2 : Run that downloaded file (Adwcleaner.exe).

9.3 : When you get it started, click on scan button to search the SafeSearch.net files and registry entries (As shown below screenshot).

9.5 : When scanning process will be finished, click on Clean button to delete all the SafeSearch.net files and registry entries (as shown on below screenshot)