Wallpaperscollection.pro Redirect
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is search.wallpaperscollection.pro?
Wallpapers Collection is a rogue app that supposedly allows users to add a wallpaper to their browser homepage. This functionality may appear legitimate and useful, however, this is a deceptive tactic.
Wallpapers Collection is categorized as a potentially unwanted program (PUP) and a browser hijacker. There are three main reasons for these negative associations: 1) installation without consent; 2) stealth modification of web browser settings, and; 3) tracking of users' Internet browsing activity.
This browser hijacker promotes the search.wallpaperscollection.pro fake web search engine. Immediately after infiltration, Wallpapers Collection hijacks Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox, assigning the new tab URL, default search engine, and homepage options to search.wallpaperscollection.pro.
Furthermore, Wallpapers Collection prevents users from reverting these changes by reassigning settings when attempts are made to change them.
Therefore, as long as Wallpapers Collection is present, returning browsers to their previous states is impossible and users are encouraged to visit search.wallpaperscollection.pro when they open a new browser tab or search via the URL bar. These redirects significantly diminish the browsing experience.
Furthermore, Wallpapers Collection and search.wallpaperscollection.pro gather information relating to web browsing habits. Collected information (IP addresses, websites visited, pages viewed, search queries, etc.) usually includes personal details that developers sell to third parties (potentially, cyber criminals).
These people generate revenue by misusing personal information. Therefore, data tracking can lead to serious privacy issues or even identity theft. You are advised to uninstall the Wallpapers Collection browser hijacker immediately and never return to search.wallpaperscollection.pro
Name | Wallpapers Collection 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. |
There are dozens of browser-hijacking apps identical to Wallpapers Collection. The list includes (but is not limited to) Your PDFs Converter Now, Mennythanks, FunMediaTab, and Convert My Files. By offering many 'useful features', these browser hijackers attempt to give the impression of legitimacy and often trick users to install.
Wallpapers Collection and other PUPs are designed only to generate revenue for the developers, and thus deliver no real value for regular users. Rather than enabling the functions promised, browser hijackers cause unwanted redirects and record various sensitive data.
Furthermore, some fake search engines generate misleading results and intrusive ads. These typically redirect to dubious sites. Therefore, using fake search engines risks various computer infections.
How did Wallpapers Collection install on my computer?
Wallpapers Collection has an official download/promotion website. Despite this, it often infiltrates systems without permission, since since developers proliferate this browser hijacker using intrusive advertising and "bundling" methods.
Intrusive advertisements redirect to malicious sites and run scripts that stealthily download and install malware/PUPs, whilst "bundling" is stealth installation of PUPs with regular software. Developers hide all "bundled" apps within various sections (usually "Custom/Advanced" options) of the download or installation processes - they do not disclose these installations properly.
Many users click various "tempting" (yet suspicious) links/ads, rush download/installation processes, and skip steps. This behavior often leads to inadvertent installation of PUPs, such as Wallpapers Collection.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
To prevent this situation, be very cautious when browsing the Internet and downloading/installing software. Developers invest many resources into designing intrusive ads, and thus most appear legitimate, however, they often lead to dubious sites (gambling, adult dating, pornography, etc.) Research shows that many intrusive ads are delivered by adware-type PUPs.
Therefore, if you encounter them, check the list of installed apps/browser plug-ins and eliminate any suspicious entries. Furthermore, choose "Custom/Advanced" settings, carefully analyze each window of the download/installation dialogs, and opt-out of all additionally-included programs.
We advise you to avoid using third party downloaders/installers, since developers monetize them using the "bundling" method (they promote PUPs). Software should be downloaded from official sources only, using direct download links.
Website promoting Wallpapers Collection browser hijacker:
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Quick menu:
- What is search.wallpaperscollection.pro?
- STEP 1. Uninstall Wallpapers Collection application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove search.wallpaperscollection.pro redirect from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove Wallpapers Collection browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove search.wallpaperscollection.pro homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 5. Remove search.wallpaperscollection.pro redirect from Safari.
- STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
Wallpapers Collection 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, "Wallpapers Collection"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted programs that cause browser redirects to the search.wallpaperscollection.pro website, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
Wallpapers Collection 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://search.wallpaperscollection.pro 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 "wallpaperscollection".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the wallpapers collection 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 "Wallpapers Collection" and other recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons, and remove them.
Change your homepage:
Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section, disable "Wallpapers Collection", look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.search.wallpaperscollection.pro) 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.wallpaperscollection.pro", 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 wallpapers collection 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 "Wallpapers Collection", 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), select "Options", in the opened window remove hxxp://search.wallpaperscollection.pro, 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: "moz-extension"
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.
Optional method:
Computer users who have problems with wallpapers collection 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 wallpapers collection 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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