How to remove the MySearch Search unwanted app

What is MySearch Search?

MySearch Search is a browser hijacker, which promotes a fake search engine by changing certain browser settings to mysearch-app.xyz. This app is advertised as being capable of improving the browsing experience. In fact, browser hijackers modify settings and collect data.

Generally, users download and install these rogue apps inadvertently and, for this reason, they are categorized as potentially unwanted applications (PUAs).

MySearch Search assigns mysearch-app.xyz as the address of the homepage, new tab, and default search engine. Therefore, users who have MySearch Search installed on browsers are forced to visit mysearch-app.xyz when they open a browser, new tab, or enter search queries into the URL bar.

If used to search, mysearch-app.xyz displays results generated by Bing and redirects users to bing.com. It is possible to modify the aforementioned settings (change mysearch-app.xyz to a preferred address) only when MySearch Search is no longer installed (since most apps of this type reassign settings after each attempt to modify them).

Additionally, PUAs often track information: they collect browsing data such as IP addresses, entered search queries, addresses of visited pages, geolocations, and other details. In some cases, browser hijackers can access sensitive details as well. The information might be sold to third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) or misused to generate revenue in other ways.

Installed bowser hijackers can therefore cause problems relating to browsing safety, online privacy and even identity theft. Do not trust PUAs and remove them immediately from your system.

Threat Summary:

Name	MySearch Search
Threat Type	Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab.
Browser Extension(s)	MySearch Search
Supposed Functionality	This browser hijacker supposedly improves the web browsing experience.
Promoted URL	mysearch-app.xyz
Serving IP Address (mysearch-app.xyz)	104.24.118.218
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.

More examples of browser hijackers are SearchConverterHD, MyShortcutTab and Mountains. These apps supposedly include various features that improve the browsing experience, however, most are useless, do not operate as advertised, and can cause serious issues.

How did MySearch Search install on my computer?

Typically, users download and install potentially unwanted apps inadvertently. Commonly, they are distributed through the download/installation set-ups of other programs by including them as 'additional offers'. These offers are listed (and can be declined) in "Custom" and "Advanced" settings.

Many users download and install their programs without checking and changing these settings - this allow included PUAs to infiltrate. This rogue software distribution method is known as "bundling". Sometimes unwanted downloads and installations are caused by clicking deceptive advertisements that execute certain scripts.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications

You are advised against using third party downloaders, installers, torrent clients, eMule (and other Peer-to-Peer networks), unofficial pages and other channels/sources to download/install files and programs. Use official pages and direct links. Check all "Advanced", "Custom" and other similar settings and decline offers of additional PUAs.

Do not click intrusive ads that appear on dubious websites, since they can open untrusted websites or even cause download/installation of unwanted software. Remove any suspicious, unwanted extensions, add-ons and plug-ins installed on the browser immediately.

Also remove programs of this kind that are installed on the operating system. If your computer is already infected with MySearch Search, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.

Website promoting MySearch Search:

Another variant of a website promoting MySearch Search:

Notification stating that MySearch Search 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 MySearch Search?
• STEP 1. Uninstall MySearch Search application using Control Panel.
• STEP 2. Remove mysearch-app.xyz redirect from Internet Explorer.
• STEP 3. Remove MySearch Search browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
• STEP 4. Remove mysearch-app.xyz homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
• STEP 5. Remove mysearch-app.xyz redirect from Safari.
• STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.

MySearch Search 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, "MySearch Search"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

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

MySearch Search 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://mysearch-app.xyz 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 "MySearch Search".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the mysearch-app.xyz 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 "MySearch Search" 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 "MySearch Search", look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.mysearch-app.xyz) 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 "mysearch-app.xyz", 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 mysearch-app.xyz 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 "MySearch Search", 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 "MySearch Search", remove hxxp://mysearch-app.xyz 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 mysearch-app.xyz 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 mysearch-app.xyz 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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