How to remove the Trends Finder browser hijacker
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is Trends Finder?
Trends Finder is a browser hijacker which promotes htrendsfinder.net (the address of a fake search engine). Like most apps of this type, it achieves this by modifying certain browser settings.
Apps of this type often collect browsing and/or other data. Many people download and install browser hijackers unintentionally, and therefore they are categorized as potentially unwanted applications (PUAs). Trends Finder is distributed with another PUA called Hide My History.
Trends Finder browser hijacker overview
Trends Finder promotes htrendsfinder.net by assigning it as the address of the default search engine, homepage, and new tab. In this way, it ensures that users are forced to visit htrendsfinder.net when they open a hijacked browser, new tab, or enter search queries into the URL bar.
When used as a search engine, htrendsfinder.net displays search results generated by Yahoo (it simply redirects users to search.yahoo.com). Since htrendsfinder.net does not generate any unique results, it is useless (fake).
To remove this address from browser settings, users must first uninstall Trends Finder (most browser hijackers prevent users from undoing the changes made, as long as they are installed). Furthermore, apps such as Trends Finder often gather information relating to users' browsing habits.
For example, IP addresses, entered search queries, addresses of visited pages, geolocation. In some cases they record personal, sensitive information as well. The data is misused to generate revenue by selling it to third parties (potentially, cyber criminals), or in other ways.
These actions can lead to problems relating to browsing safety, privacy and other issues. It is possible that gathered data might be used to steal users' identities. For these reasons, do not download/install any browser hijackers, including Trends Finder or similar apps such as Hide My History.
| Name | Trends Finder |
| Threat Type | Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab. |
| Detection Names | Forcepoint ThreatSeeker (Suspicious), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal). |
| Browser Extension(s) | Trends Finder |
| Supposed Functionality | This app supposedly improves the browsing experience. |
| Promoted URL | htrendsfinder.net |
| Serving IP Address (htrendsfinder.net) | 54.85.235.65 |
| 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 | Trends Finder is distributed with another browser hijacker called Hide My History. |
| 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 hijacker examples
Print My Recipes, Template Finders and Converter Suite are some of examples of other apps that promote a fake search engine and/or gather certain data.
Typically, browser hijackers are advertised as apps that are supposedly useful, however, most are useless and designed only to generate revenue for the developers. Therefore, remove all browser hijackers from the browser and operating system immediately.
How did Trends Finder install on my computer?
Usually this happens when users click deceptive ads or download and/or install their software without declining offers to download/install additionally-included apps. Unwanted downloads or installation via deceptive ads can occur when the ads run scripts.
PUAs are more commonly downloaded and installed through the set-ups of other programs (when they are distributed using a deceptive marketing method called "bundling").
Typically, information about additionally-included apps can be found in (and declined through) settings such as "Custom", "Advanced", etc., however, many users leave these settings unchanged, thereby allowing PUAs to infiltrate.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications
You are advised to download all programs and files from official websites and via direct download links. It is not safe to use third party downloaders/installers, unofficial pages, Peer-to-Peer networks (e.g., eMule, torrent clients), or other channels of this type, since they can be employed to distribute unwanted, potentially malicious software.
Check all "Custom", "Advanced" and other similar settings, and decline offers to download or install unwanted apps. Do not click dubious ads that appear on dubious web pages, since these can open potentially malicious websites or cause unwanted downloads and installations.
Remove any unwanted, suspicious extensions, plug-ins and add-ons installed on the browser, and software of this kind installed on the computer. Also remove any programs of this kind installed on the browser or operating system.
If your computer is already infected with Trends Finder, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.
Notification stating that Trends Finder can read and change certain data:
Website promoting Trends Finder browser hijacker:
Instant automatic malware removal:
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Quick menu:
- What is Trends Finder?
- STEP 1. Uninstall Trends Finder application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove htrendsfinder.net redirect from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove Trends Finder browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove htrendsfinder.net homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 5. Remove htrendsfinder.net redirect from Safari.
- STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
Trends Finder 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, "Trends Finder"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications that cause browser redirects to the htrendsfinder.net website, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
Trends Finder 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://htrendsfinder.net 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 "Trends Finder".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the htrendsfinder.net 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 "Trends Finder" and other recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons (e.g., "Hide My History"), 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 "Trends Finder" or "Hide My History", look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://htrendsfinder.net or hxxps://hidemyhistory.co) 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://htrendsfinder.net" and "hxxp://hidemyhistory.co", 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 htrendsfinder.net 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 "Trends Finder", as well as all other recently installed browser plug-ins (e.g., "Hide My History").
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 "Trends Finder" or "Hide My History", remove hxxp://htrendsfinder.net or hxxp://hidemyhistory.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: "extensionControlled"
Set both results to "false" by either double-clicking each entry or clicking the 
button.
Optional method:
Computer users who have problems with htrendsfinder.net 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 htrendsfinder.net 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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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the purpose of forcing users to visit htrendsfinder.net website?
Software that produces rogue redirects is developed for profit. In other words, the developers generate revenue by redirecting users to sites like htrendsfinder.net.
Is visiting htrendsfinder.net a threat to my privacy?
Most likely, yes. Websites categorized as fake search engines (e.g., htrendsfinder.net, etc.) tend to gather and sell information about their visitors.
How did a browser hijacker infiltrate my computer?
The most widespread distribution techniques include: deceptive promotional webpages, bundled installers, online scams, freeware and free file-hosting sites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks, spam browser notifications, and intrusive ads.
Will Combo Cleaner help me remove Trends Finder browser hijacker?
Yes, Combo Cleaner can scan systems and eliminate installed browser-hijacking apps. Note that manual removal (unaided security tools) might not be an ideal solution, particularly when multiple browser hijackers have infiltrated the system. After one is removed – the others may reinstall it. What is more, removal-related settings might be unmodifiable with browser-hijacking software installed. Hence, browser hijackers must be eliminated thoroughly and all at once.
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