Epicsearches.com Redirect

What is epicsearches.com?

Epicsearches.com or Epic Searches is one of many search engines that seems very similar to popular search engines such as Google, Yahoo, Bing etc. It is offered by epic-company.com as an alternative for fast and accurate searches. Epic Searches claims to be a top-rated search engine as recommended by privacy experts worldwide.

Epic Searches can be installed on your browser as an extension, or you can use it through their epicsearches.com website. If it is added as an extension, it changes the default search engine to Epic Searches (epicsearches.com).

The homepage is also set to epicsearches.com and if you open a new tab, you are redirected to epicsearches.com The site may appear legitimate, since it does not contain extra buttons, icons, and other features that link to other known or unknown websites.

It has a minimalist design with only a search bar, EPIC logo, and "Web Search" button. You can find Epic Searches extension in Chrome Web Store. It is not officially available anywhere else and can be added as an extension to Google Chrome only.

Once added, it can (and most probably will) read and change all data on the websites that you visit, replace the page that you see when opening a new tab, and change your search settings to epicsearches.com According to Epic Searches, they will not build any profile based on your searches or collect personal data such as geographical location, social security number, and so on.

The only data are collected is your IP address and search terms. They state that collected information is used only to serve relevant and improved results, and that it is safe - encrypted and stored on secure networks.

They also notify you, however, that collected data may be accessible to third parties such as the Epic Searches website hosting partners or other parties who assist them in operating their website.

In their privacy statement they also mentioned that they may share, rent, or sell collected information (and other non-personally identifiable information) to third parties so they can develop and deliver search results and advertising. They also mention that you may be offered various third-party products and services on epicsearches.com

Threat Summary:

Name	Epic Searches 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 hundreds search engines similar to Epic Searches offering to add/install an extension or an add-on to browsers, or to simply use their search engine by visiting a particular website. This supposedly enables users to search faster, get more accurate results, and so on.

They may appear similar or identical, but the impact on your web browser might be different. As mentioned earlier, these search engines might be collecting data to generate revenue, especially if you are being redirected to various websites filled with suspicious ads, buttons, and links, or if the search results are misleading and you end up visiting websites that are not related to your search enquiry.

How did Epic Searches install on my computer?

As a rule, most browser hijackers are installed through various add-supporting programs, shareware, freeware, and so on. These unwanted programs are often bundled with software you are downloading from the Internet.

There are also cases whereby browser hijackers are installed through clicked pop-up ads, "Download" buttons, emails, torrents, or software download managers. If, however, Epic Searches appears not to be a browser hijacker, it was probably obtained from the epicsearches.com website or Chrome Web Store.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

Do not click suspicious links, buttons, etc., especially if you are not sure whether you are on a trustworthy website. Do not open emails from unknown/suspicious senders and certainly do not download files attached to those emails or click links in them. Do not jump through software installation steps, especially if the software is free.

Check the "Custom" or "Advanced" installation settings before proceeding and ensure that there are no checkboxes ticked when it states that extra software will be downloaded.

Keep your browser software up-to-date and apply this to the entire operating system. Have your antivirus real-time protection enabled at all times and ensure that it is updated. If your computer is already infected with Epic Searches, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.

Website promoting Epic Searches browser hijacker:

Instant automatic malware removal: Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. 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.

Quick menu:

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

Epic Searches 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, "Epic Searches"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

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

Epic Searches 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://epicsearches.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 "epicsearches".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the epic searches 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 "Epic Searches" (or simply "EPIC") 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 "Epic Searches" (or simply "EPIC"), look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.epicsearches.com) below the “Open a specific or set of pages” option. If present, click on 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 "epicsearches.com", 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 epic searches 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 on "Extensions" and remove "Epic Searches", 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://epicsearches.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: "epicsearches.com"
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with epic searches 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 epic searches 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.

Post a comment:
If you have additional information on epic searches browser hijacker or it's removal please share your knowledge in the comments section below.

▼ Show Discussion