Home.clearwebsearch.net Redirect
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is home.clearwebsearch.net?
ClearWebSearch is a dubious browser plug-in that claims to enhance the web browsing experience by allowing access to weather forecasts, calendars, and other similar widgets directly from its website. This functionality might seem legitimate and useful, however, be aware that ClearWebSearch often infiltrates systems without users’ permission.
Furthermore, it is designed to modify Internet browser settings, display intrusive online advertisements, and monitor browsing activity. For these reasons, ClearWebSearch is categorized as a browser hijacker and a potentially unwanted program (PUP).
Following successful infiltration, ClearWebSearch hijacks Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and modifies the settings of these browsers. It assigns the new tab URL/homepage options to home.clearwebsearch.net and default search engine to search.clearwebsearch.net.
Users are unable to revert these changes, since ClearWebSearch automatically reassigns them when user-attempts are made to change them. Therefore, users are forced to continually visit ClearWebSearch's websites against their will.
Furthermore, ClearWebSearch displays pop-up, banner, interstitial, transitional, full-page, search, coupon, price comparison, and other similar advertisements. To achieve this, SuperWeb LLC (developers of ClearWebSearch) employ a 'virtual layer' - a tool that enables placement of third party graphical content on any site.
None of the displayed ads originate from the visited websites, thus concealing underlying content. By causing unwanted browser redirects and displaying unwanted advertisements, ClearWebSearch significantly diminishes the Internet browsing experience. These ads can redirect to malicious websites - even accidental clicks can lead to further computer infections.
ClearWebSearch records Internet Protocol (IP) addresses (to determine geo-location), visited websites, search queries, pages viewed, unique identifier numbers, and other similar information. This information might contain personal details that SuperWeb LLC shares with third parties who misuse it to generate revenue.
Thus, having an information-tracking app installed on your system can lead to serious privacy issues. We strongly recommend that you uninstall ClearWebSearch immediately.
SuperWeb LLC has released hundreds of PUPs falsely claiming to enhance the Internet browsing experience including, for example, Browser Toolbox, Search Adventure, and Search Voyage. All offer 'valuable functions', and yet, none provide any real value. SuperWeb LLC's products are designed only to generate revenue for the developers.
Rather than providing the functionality promised, ClearWebSearch, and other similar apps, deliver intrusive online advertisements, collect personally identifiable information, and continually cause unwanted browser redirects.
How did home.clearwebsearch.net install on my computer?
Research shows that, although ClearWebSearch has an official download website, most users install this PUP inadvertently. This is due to a deceptive software marketing method called 'bundling', which developers use to promote this application.
They hide ClearWebSearch within the 'Custom/Advanced' settings of the download/installation processes. Unaware of this, users often skip this section, thereby exposing their systems to risk of various infections and threatening their privacy.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
There are two main steps you should take to prevent infiltration by potentially unwanted programs. Firstly, never rush when downloading and installing software. Select the 'Custom/Advanced' settings and carefully observe these processes. Secondly, cancel all additionally-included programs and never accept offers to download or install them.
Website promoting ClearWebSearch browser hijacker:
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Quick menu:
- What is home.clearwebsearch.net?
- STEP 1. Uninstall ClearWebSearch application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove home.clearwebsearch.net redirect from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove ClearWebSearch browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove home.clearwebsearch.net homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 5. Remove home.clearwebsearch.net redirect from Safari.
- STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
ClearWebSearch browser hijacker removal:
Windows 11 users:
Right-click on the Start icon, select Apps and Features. In the opened window search for the application you want to uninstall, after locating it, click on the three vertical dots and select Uninstall.
Windows 10 users:
Right-click in the lower left corner of the screen, in the Quick Access Menu select Control Panel. In the opened window choose Programs and Features.
Windows 7 users:
Click Start (Windows Logo at the bottom left corner of your desktop), choose Control Panel. Locate Programs and click Uninstall a program.
macOS (OSX) users:
Click Finder, in the opened screen select Applications. Drag the app from the Applications folder to the Trash (located in your Dock), then right click the Trash icon and select Empty Trash.
In the uninstall programs window: look for any recently-installed suspicious applications, select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted programs that cause browser redirects to the home.clearwebsearch.net website, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
ClearWebSearch browser hijacker removal from Internet browsers:
Video showing how to remove browser redirects:
Remove malicious add-ons from Internet Explorer:
Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Manage Add-ons". Look for any recently-installed suspicious extensions, select these entries and click "Remove".
Change your homepage:
Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Internet Options", in the opened window, remove hxxp://home.clearwebsearch.net and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you launch Internet Explorer. You can also enter about: blank to open a blank page when you start Internet Explorer.
Change your default search engine:
Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Manage Add-ons". In the opened window, select "Search Providers", set "Google", "Bing", or any other preferred search engine as your default and then remove "clearwebsearch".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the clearwebsearch adware, reset your Internet Explorer settings to default.
Windows XP users: Click Start, click Run, in the opened window type inetcpl.cpl In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.
Windows Vista and Windows 7 users: Click the Windows logo, in the start search box type inetcpl.cpl and click enter. In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.
Windows 8 users: Open Internet Explorer and click the gear icon. Select Internet Options.
In the opened window, select the Advanced tab.
Click the Reset button.
Confirm that you wish to reset Internet Explorer settings to default by clicking the Reset button.
Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Tools" and click "Extensions". Locate all recently-installed suspicious add-ons (for example, "ClearWebSearch"), select these entries and click the trash can icon.
Change your homepage:
Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section, click "set pages", hover your mouse over ClearWebSearch and click the x symbol. Now, you can add your preferred website as your homepage.
Change your default search engine:
To change your default search engine in Google Chrome: Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings", in the "Search" section, click "Manage Search Engines...", remove "ClearWebSearch" and add or select your preferred domain.
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the clearwebsearch adware, reset your Google Chrome browser settings. Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome) and select Settings. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen. Click the Advanced… link.
After scrolling to the bottom of the screen, click the Reset (Restore settings to their original defaults) button.
In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Google Chrome settings to default by clicking the Reset button.
Remove malicious plug-ins from Mozilla Firefox:
Click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons". Click "Extensions" and remove all recently-installed browser plug-ins.
Change your homepage:
To reset your homepage, click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), then select "Options", in the opened window, remove hxxp://home.clearwebsearch.net and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you start Mozilla Firefox.
Change your default search engine:
In the URL address bar, type about:config and press Enter.
Click "I'll be careful, I promise!".
In the search filter at the top, type: "clearwebsearch"
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.
Optional method:
Computer users who have problems with clearwebsearch adware removal can reset their Mozilla Firefox settings.
Open Mozilla Firefox, at the top right corner of the main window, click the Firefox menu, in the opened menu, click Help.
Select Troubleshooting Information.
In the opened window, click the Refresh Firefox button.
In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Mozilla Firefox settings to default by clicking the Refresh Firefox button.
Remove malicious extensions from Safari:
Make sure your Safari browser is active and click Safari menu, then select Preferences...
In the preferences window select the Extensions tab. Look for any recently installed suspicious extensions and uninstall them.
In the preferences window select General tab and make sure that your homepage is set to a preferred URL, if its altered by a browser hijacker - change it.
In the preferences window select Search tab and make sure that your preferred Internet search engine is selected.
Optional method:
Make sure your Safari browser is active and click on Safari menu. From the drop down menu select Clear History and Website Data...
In the opened window select all history and click the Clear History button.
Remove malicious extensions from Microsoft Edge:
Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Extensions". Locate any recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons, and remove them.
Change your homepage and new tab settings:
Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section look for the name of the browser hijacker and click "Disable".
Change your default Internet search engine:
To change your default search engine in Microsoft Edge: Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Privacy and services", scroll to bottom of the page and select "Address bar". In the "Search engines used in address bar" section look for the name of the unwanted Internet search engine, when located click the "Disable" button near it. Alternatively you can click on "Manage search engines", in the opened menu look for unwanted Internet search engine. Click on the puzzle icon near it and select "Disable".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the clearwebsearch adware, reset your Microsoft Edge browser settings. Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge) and select Settings.
In the opened settings menu select Reset settings.
Select Restore settings to their default values. In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Microsoft Edge settings to default by clicking the Reset button.
- If this did not help, follow these alternative instructions explaining how to reset the Microsoft Edge browser.
Summary:
A browser hijacker is a type of adware infection that modifies Internet browser settings by assigning the homepage and default Internet search engine settings to some other (unwanted) website URL. Commonly, this type of adware infiltrates operating systems through free software downloads. If your download is managed by a download client, ensure that you decline offers to install advertised toolbars or applications that seek to change your homepage and default Internet search engine settings.
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