Searchtuner.com Redirect

What is searchtuner.com?

According to the developers, Search Tuner is a legitimate application that provides music streaming functionality.

Judging on appearance alone, Search Tuner may seem legitimate and useful, however, it is classed as a potentially unwanted program (PUP) and a browser hijacker. There are three main reasons for these negative associations: 1) stealth installation without users' consent; 2) promotion of a fake Internet search engine, and; 3) tracking of sensitive information.

Search Tuner promotes searchtuner.com (also known as home.searchtuner.com and search.searchtuner.com), a fake Internet search engine. Following infiltration, Search Tuner hijacks Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox, assigning the new tab URL, default search engine, and homepage options to searchtuner.com (or its other variants).

Although these changes may seem insignificant, users are unable to revert them. Search Tuner reassigns browser settings when attempts are made to change them. Therefore, returning browsers to their previous states becomes impossible and users are forced to visit searchtuner.com when they search via the URL bar or simply open a new browser tab.

This significantly diminishes the web browsing experience. As mentioned above, Search Tuner (and searchtuner.com) continually records information (mostly relating to web browsing habits). Be aware that information recorded by browser hijackers typically includes personal details that developers sell to third parties.

These people misuse personal details to generate revenue. Therefore, data tracking can lead to serious privacy issues or even identity theft. If you encounter redirects to searchtuner.com, immediately eliminate the Search Tuner browser hijacker and scan the computer with legitimate anti-virus software. Never return to searchtuner.com

Threat Summary:

Name	Search Tuner browser hijacker
Threat Type	Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab
Symptoms	Manipulated Internet browser(s) settings (homepage, default Internet search engine, new tab settings). User's are forced to visit hijacker's website and search the Internet using their search engines.
Distribution methods	Deceptive pop-up ads, free software installers (bundling), fake flash player installers.
Damage	Internet browsing tracking (potential privacy issues), displaying of unwanted ads, redirects to shady websites.
Malware Removal (Windows)	To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. ▼ Download Combo Cleaner To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Search Tuner shares many similarities with Email Enhanced, Todays Breaking News, Active Coupons Explore, and dozens of other browser hijackers. Although these apps are developed by different cyber criminals and offer different functions, they all have identical behavior.

Applications such as Search Tuner are designed only to generate revenue for the developers and deliver no real value for regular users. Browser hijackers cause unwanted redirects (thereby promoting rogue sites, most of which are fake search engines) and continually record sensitive information.

Furthermore, fake search engines often feed users with intrusive advertisements (banners, coupons, and so on) and misleading search results. Both typically lead to malicious websites. Therefore, using fake search engines exposes systems to risk of various infections.

How did searchtuner.com install on my computer?

Search Tuner has an official download/promotion website, however, it typically infiltrates systems without permission, since developers proliferate this browser hijacker using intrusive advertisements and a deceptive marketing method called "bundling" (stealth installation of PUPs together with regular apps).

Developers are aware that many users rush download/installation processes and skip steps. Therefore, they hide "bundled" applications within various sections (usually "Advanced/Custom" settings) of these processes. Therefore, clicking various advertisements and skip download/installation steps often leads to inadvertent installation of rogue applications such as Search Tuner.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

The main reasons for computer infections are poor knowledge and careless behavior. The key to safety is caution. Therefore, pay close attention when browsing the Internet and, especially when downloading/installing software.

Criminals invest many resources into intrusive ad design to make them seem legitimate, however, the ads redirect to gambling, adult dating, pornography, and other dubious sites. Most intrusive ads are delivered by adware-type PUPs - if you encounter them, immediately remove all dubious software/browser plug-ins.

Furthermore, carefully observe each window of the download/installation dialogs and opt-out of all third party applications included. Having a legitimate anti-virus/anti-spyware suite installed is also essential.

Website promoting Search Tuner browser hijacker:

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Quick menu:

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

Search Tuner 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 (for example, "Search Tuner"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

After uninstalling the potentially unwanted programs that cause browser redirects to the searchtuner.com website, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.

Search Tuner 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://searchtuner.com 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 "search tuner".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the search tuner 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 "More tools" and click "Extensions". Locate "Search Tuner" and other recently-installed suspicious browser 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, disable "Search Tuner" look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.searchtuner.com) below the “Open a specific or set of pages” option. If present, click the three vertical dots icon and select “Remove”.

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 engine" section, click "Manage search engines...", in the opened list, look for "Search Tuner", and when located, click the three vertical dots near this URL and select "Remove from list".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the search tuner 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 "Search Tuner", as well as all other 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://searchtuner.com 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: "searchtuner.com"
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with search tuner 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 search tuner 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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