How to remove the New File Converter browser hijacker
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is New File Converter?
New File Converter is a rogue application, endorsed as a tool for quick access to file conversion services. In fact, it operates as a browser hijacker (i.e., modifies browsers to promote search.newfileconvertertab.com, a fake search engine). Additionally, it monitors users' browsing habits.
Since many users install this application inadvertently, it is also classified as a PUA (Potentially Unwanted Application). Note that New File Converter is often distributed together with another PUA called Hide My Searches.
Browser hijackers primarily target popular browsers, such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer and others. After successful infiltration, these rogue apps assign the addresses of their fake search engines as the homepage, default search engine and new tab/window URL.
New File Converter promotes search.newfileconvertertab.com in this fashion. Therefore, each new tab/window opened and each search query typed into the URL bar redirects to search.newfileconvertertab.com. Rogue search engines are typically unable to provide unique results, and so they redirect to (or cause redirection chains ending with) a legitimate site.
In the case of search.newfileconvertertab.com, it redirects to search.yahoo.com. Furthermore, recovering the affected browser without removing the hijacker app is impossible, since any changes users attempt to make to their browsers are automatically reset (if indeed access to the settings is not restricted or denied outright).
As mentioned, New File Converter has data tracking capabilities. It records browsing activity (URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries, etc.) and gathers users' personal information (IP addresses, geolocations and other details). This vulnerable data is often shared with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) seeking to misuse it for profit.
The presence of data-tracking software on systems can thus lead to serious privacy issues, financial loss and even identity theft. To protect device and user safety, you are advised to remove all dubious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins without delay.
| Name | New File Converter |
| Threat Type | Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab. |
| Detection Names | Avast (Win32:Adware-gen [Adw]), Fortinet (Riskware/WinWrapper), ESET-NOD32 (A Variant Of Win32/WinWrapper.V Potentially U), GData (Win32.Application.Agent.04S4T2), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal) |
| Browser Extension(s) | New File Converter |
| Supposed Functionality | It supposedly provides easy access to file format conversion tools. |
| Promoted URL | search.newfileconvertertab.com |
| Serving IP Address (search.newfileconvertertab.com) | 3.228.109.222 |
| Affected Browser Settings | Homepage, new tab URL, default search engine. |
| Symptoms | Manipulated internet browser settings (homepage, default internet search engine, new tab settings). Users are forced to visit the hijacker's website and search the internet using their search engines. |
| Additional Information | New File Converter is distributed with another browser hijacker called Hide My Searches. |
| Distribution methods | Deceptive pop-up ads, free software installers (bundling), fake Flash Player installers. |
| Damage | Internet browser tracking (potential privacy issues), display of unwanted ads, redirects to dubious websites. |
| Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
Browser hijackers often seem legitimate and lure users into downloading/installing with offers of various "useful" functions. Forms Wizard, Ultra PDF Converter Plus, Weather Forecaster, and Online TV Streams are examples of such apps. The advertised features rarely work, and even if they do, it is not as promised.
In fact, this applies to all PUAs. The only purpose of all unwanted content is to generate revenue for the developers. PUAs hijack browsers, force-open untrusted and malicious websites, deliver intrusive ads (pop-ups, banners, surveys, etc.) and track sensitive data.
How did New File Converter install on my computer?
New File Converter has an "official" download page, and yet this is not the only way that PUAs can infiltrate devices. They can be downloaded/installed together with other programs. "Bundling" is the term used to define this deceptive marketing technique of pre-packing regular products with unwanted or malicious software.
Rushing download/installation processes (e.g. ignoring terms, using presets, skipping steps and sections, etc.) increases the risk of unintentionally allowing bundled content onto systems. Intrusive advertisements also proliferate these applications. Once clicked, they can execute scripts to download/install PUAs without users' consent.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications
All products should be researched carefully to verify their legitimacy, prior to download/installation. Use only official and verified download sources. P2P sharing networks (BitTorrent, eMule, Gnutella, etc.), free file-hosting sites and other third party downloaders are untrustworthy and should be avoided.
Treat download and installation processes with care. Read the terms, explore all available options, use the "Custom/Advanced" settings and opt-out of supplementary apps, tools, features and so on. Intrusive ads usually seem normal and harmless, however, they can redirect to dubious websites (e.g. gambling, adult-dating, pornography, etc.).
If you encounter these advertisements/redirects, check the system and immediately remove all suspect applications and/or browser extensions/plug-ins. If your computer is already infected with New File Converter, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.
New File Converter browser hijacker installer set-up:
New File Converter browser hijacker asking for various permissions:
Website promoting New File Converter browser hijacker:
Instant automatic malware removal:
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Quick menu:
- What is New File Converter?
- STEP 1. Uninstall New File Converter application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove search.newfileconvertertab.com redirect from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove New File Converter browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove search.newfileconvertertab.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 5. Remove search.newfileconvertertab.com redirect from Safari.
- STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
New File Converter 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, "New File Converter"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications that cause browser redirects to the search.newfileconvertertab.com website, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
New File Converter 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.newfileconvertertab.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 "New File Converter".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the search.newfileconvertertab.com redirect, 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 "New File Converter" and other recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons (e.g., "Hide My Searches"), 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 "New File Converter" or "Hide My Searches", look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://search.newfileconvertertab.com or hxxps://hidemysearches.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 "hxxp://search.newfileconvertertab.com" and "hxxp://hidemysearches.com", 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.newfileconvertertab.com redirect, 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 "New File Converter", as well as all other recently installed browser plug-ins (e.g., "Hide My Searches").
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 "New File Converter" or "Hide My Searches", remove hxxp://search.newfileconvertertab.com or hxxp://hidemysearches.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: "extensionControlled"
Set both results to "false" by either double-clicking each entry or clicking the 
button.
Optional method:
Computer users who have problems with search.newfileconvertertab.com redirect 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.newfileconvertertab.com redirect, 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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