How to remove the Image Seeker browser hijacker

What is Image Seeker?

Image Seeker is a browser hijacker which assigns certain browser settings to image-seeker.com.

In this way, the app promotes the fake search engine web site. Most browser hijackers also track and record information. Typically, users download and install apps such as Image Seeker unintentionally and, for this reason, they are categorized as potentially unwanted applications (PUAs).

Like most browser hijackers, Image Seeker promotes a fake search engine by assigning the URL (image-seeker.com) as the default search engine, homepage, and new tab. Therefore, users are forced to visit this address when they open a browser/new window, new tab, or enter search queries into the URL bar.

Typically, these search engines do not generate unique search results, and simply display those generated by some other, legitimate (or dubious) search engines. Note that image-seeker.com redirects users to bing.com, and thus displays results generated by Bing.

Browser hijackers often prevent modification of settings, unless they are uninstalled. Therefore, to remove image-seeker.com from browser settings, Image Seeker must first be removed. In most cases, these apps collect browsing data and other information.

For example, IP addresses, geolocations, addresses of visited websites, entered search queries, etc. They are sometimes also capable of accessing sensitive details. The information could be sold to third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) or misused to generate revenue in other ways.

If you use a hijacked browser, you might experience problems relating to browsing safety, online privacy or even become a victim of identity theft. Do not trust Image Seeker or similar apps.

Threat Summary:

Name	Image Seeker
Threat Type	Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab.
Browser Extension(s)	Image Seeker
Supposed Functionality	This app supposedly improves the browsing experience.
Promoted URL	image-seeker.com
Serving IP Address (image-seeker.com)	5.196.130.173
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.
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. ▼ 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.

Examples of other browser hijackers include Perfect Startpage, Weather Discover and Track Package Tab. Typically, these apps are useless and do not function as advertised. Most browser hijackers are designed only to promote fake search engines and gather information. They can cause serious problems and, in most cases, people download and install these PUAs inadvertently.

How did Image Seeker install on my computer?

Typically, users download and install potentially unwanted applications together with other programs. I.e., when the apps are included into the download and/or installation set-ups of other software as 'additional offers'. Generally, offers to download and install them are listed in "Custom", "Advanced" and other similar settings.

Many users fail to check and change these settings, thereby allowing PUAs to be downloaded and installed with the required software. This distribution of unwanted apps is called "bundling". Additionally, in some cases, PUAs can be downloaded and installed through clicking deceptive ads that execute certain scripts.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications

You are advised to check all "Custom", "Advanced", "Manual" and other similar settings of the download/installation setup and decline offers to download or install unwanted apps.

Software should not be downloaded from untrusted, unofficial websites, through torrent clients, eMule (or other Peer-to-Peer networks), third party downloaders, etc. or installed with third party installers.

The safest way to download software and files is using official websites and direct download links. Intrusive ads (especially if displayed on dubious pages) should not be clicked - they can open dubious websites or cause unwanted downloads and installations.

Remove any suspicious apps (extensions, add-ons, plug-ins) already installed on the browser immediately. The same should be applied to programs of this kind that are installed on the operating system. If your computer is already infected with Image Seeker, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.

image-seeker.com redirects to bing.com (GIF):

Notification stating that Image Seeker can read and change certain data:

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▼ 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 Image Seeker?
• STEP 1. Uninstall Image Seeker application using Control Panel.
• STEP 2. Remove image-seeker.com redirect from Internet Explorer.
• STEP 3. Remove Image Seeker browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
• STEP 4. Remove image-seeker.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
• STEP 5. Remove image-seeker.com redirect from Safari.
• STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.

Image Seeker 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, "Image Seeker"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

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

Image Seeker 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://image-seeker.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 "Image Seeker".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the image-seeker.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 "Image Seeker" 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 "Image Seeker", look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.image-seeker.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 "image-seeker.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 image-seeker.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 "Image Seeker", 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 "Image Seeker",  remove hxxp://image-seeker.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 image-seeker.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 image-seeker.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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