Search.hnotepadpro.co Redirect

What is search.hnotepadpro.co?

Notepad Pro is a rogue app that claims to be an advanced version of the Windows Notepad application. Judging on appearance alone, Notepad Pro may seem legitimate, however, this app is categorized as a potentially unwanted program (PUP) and a browser hijacker.

The main reasons for these negative associations are installation without users' consent, promotion of a fake search engine, and tracking of web browsing activity.

This browser hijacker promotes the search.hnotepadpro.co fake search engine. Notepad Pro infiltrates Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox, assigning search.hnotepadpro.co as the new tab URL, default search engine, and homepage options. These changes may seem significant, and yet users are unable to revert them.

Notepad Pro continues to reassign browser options when attempts are made to change them. Therefore, as long as Notepad Pro is present, returning browsers to their previous states is impossible and users are encouraged to visit search.hnotepadpro.co when they open a new browser tab or search via the URL bar.

This significantly diminishes the browsing experience. Another important issue is information tracking. Research shows that Notepad Pro and search.hnotepadpro.co gather information relating to web browsing activity.

Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, website URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries, and other collected data usually includes personal details that developers share with third parties. These people (potentially, cyber criminals) misuse private data to generate revenue. Therefore, information tracking can lead to serious privacy issues or even identity theft.

Threat Summary:

Name	Notepad Pro 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.

There are dozens of browser-hijacking applications identical to Notepad Pro and all are developed by the same company. The list of examples includes (but is not limited to) Watch Sports Live, Your PDFs Converter Now, The Reading Hub, and Coupon Simplified. 

Note that all offer different functionality, but their behavior is identical - all gather data and cause redirects. Claims to enable 'useful features' are merely attempts to give the impression of legitimacy. These PUPs are designed only to generate revenue for the developers and deliver no real value for regular users.

Fake search engines often generate misleading results and intrusive advertisements, both leading to dubious websites. Therefore, using any fake search engine can result in various computer infections.

How did Notepad Pro install on my computer?

Research shows that, although Notepad Pro has an official download website, it often infiltrates systems without permission, since developers promote this PUP using a deceptive marketing method called "bundling" and intrusive advertisements. "Bundling" is essentially stealth installation of additional applications with the chosen software.

Developers hide "bundled" PUPs within various sections (e.g., "Custom/Advanced" settings) of the download/installation processes, whilst intrusive ads redirect to rogue sites or run scripts designed to download/install PUPs (or even malware).

Skipping download/installation steps and clicking various ads often leads to inadvertent installation of rogue apps such as Notepad Pro.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

Lack of knowledge and careless behavior are the main reasons for computer infections. The key to safety is caution. Therefore, to prevent this situation, be very cautious when browsing the Internet and, especially when downloading/installing software. Intrusive ads typically seem legitimate, but redirect to gambling, adult dating, pornography, and other dubious websites.

Most are delivered by adware-type PUPs. If you experience suspicious redirects, immediately eliminate all dubious applications and browser plug-ins. Select "Custom/Advanced" settings and carefully analyze each step of the download/installation processes. Opt-out of all additionally-included programs and decline offers to download/install them.

You are advised to avoid using third party download/installation tools, since developers monetize them by promoting ("bundling") PUPs. Software should be downloaded from official sources only, using direct download links.

Website promoting Notepad Pro browser hijacker:

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Quick menu:

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

Notepad Pro 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, "Notepad Pro"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

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

Notepad Pro 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.hnotepadpro.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 "Notepad Pro...".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the notepad pro 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 "Notepad Pro" 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, look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.search.hnotepadpro.co) 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.hnotepadpro.co", 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 notepad pro 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 "Notepad Pro" (or simply "Notepad"), 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, disable "Notepad Pro" (or simply "Notepad"), remove hxxp://search.hnotepadpro.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: "moz-extension"
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with notepad pro 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 notepad pro 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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