Universalsearch.co Redirect

What is universalsearch.co?

Developers present universalsearch.co as an Internet search engine that generates improved search results and, therefore, enhances the Internet browsing experience. Judging on appearance alone, universalsearch.co may seem similar to Google, Yahoo, Bing, and other legitimate search engines.

Therefore, many users believe that universalsearch.co is also legitimate. In fact, developers promote this site by employing deceptive download/installation set-ups that hijack web browsers and stealthily modify their settings. In addition, universalsearch.co tracks Internet browsing activity by gathering various user-system information.

Research shows that set-ups target Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox. Following infiltration, set-ups assign the homepage, new tab URL, and default search engine options to universalsearch.co.

In addition, they install a number of third party applications and/or browser plug-ins (so-called "helper objects") to reassign these options when attempts are made to change them. Therefore, returning browsers to their previous states becomes impossible and users are forced to visit universalsearch.co when they search via the URL bar or simply open a new browser tab.

This significantly diminishes the web browsing experience. Furthermore, universalsearch.co and helper objects continually monitor users' Internet browsing experience by recording Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries, and other similar data.

This information might contain personal details that developers share with cooperating third party companies who often misuse personal details to generate revenue. Therefore, information tracking can result in serious privacy issues or even identity theft. If you encounter unwanted redirects to universalsearch.co, uninstall all suspicious applications and browser plug-ins. Never return to this site.

This rogue site shares many similarities with teeion.com, searchjungle.com, better-search.net, and dozens of other fake search engines. 

As with universalsearch.co, these sites also claim to enhance the browsing experience by generating improved results, however, these claims are false - universalsearch.co and other fake search engines are designed only to generate revenue for the developers. These websites provide no significant value for regular users, cause unwanted redirects, and collect personal information.

How did universalsearch.co install on my computer?

Research shows that developers promote universalsearch.co by employing a deceptive marketing method called "bundling". They hide details of browser modifications within the "Custom" or "Advanced" settings of the download/installation processes. Rushing and skipping this section grants set-ups permission to modify browser options, expose systems to risk of various infections, and compromises users' privacy.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

Potentially unwanted programs are distributed using the "bundling" method. Therefore, never rush the download and installation processes. Select the "Custom/Advanced" settings, carefully analyze each step, and decline offers to download/install additional apps. In addition, never allow set-ups to modify options irrelevant to the download/installation. The key to computer safety is caution.

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Quick menu:

• What is universalsearch.co?
• STEP 1. Uninstall universalsearch.co application using Control Panel.
• STEP 2. Remove universalsearch.co redirect from Internet Explorer.
• STEP 3. Remove universalsearch.co browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
• STEP 4. Remove universalsearch.co homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
• STEP 5. Remove universalsearch.co redirect from Safari.
• STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.

universalsearch.co 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 universalsearch.co website, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.

universalsearch.co 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://universalsearch.co 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 "universalsearch".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the universalsearch.co browser hijacker, 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, 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 hxxp://universalsearch.co 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 "universalsearch" and add or select your preferred domain.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the universalsearch.co browser hijacker, 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://universalsearch.co 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: "universalsearch.co"
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with universalsearch.co browser hijacker 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 universalsearch.co browser hijacker, 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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