How to remove Search-Streamly from your browser?
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is Search-Streamly?
Search-Streamly promotes search-streamly.com, a fake search engine. Like most apps of this type, it achieves this by changing certain browser settings. Additionally, it might be designed to gather information relating to users' browsing activities and other details.
Frequently, users download and install browser hijackers inadvertently and, therefore, Search-Streamly and other apps of this type are classified as potentially unwanted applications (PUAs).
Generally, browser hijackers change browser settings such the address of a new tab, homepage, and default search engine - search-Streamly changes them to search-streamly.com. Therefore, when users open a browser, new tab or enter search queries, they are forced to visit search-streamly.com.
This is a fake search engine because it provides results generated by Yahoo - search-streamly.com simply redirects users to search.yahoo.com and does not generate unique results. In most cases, users can only undo the changes made by browser hijackers when they are not longer installed.
As mentioned, Search-Streamly might collect data. Browser hijackers often target browsing data (e.g., geolocations, IP addresses, entered search queries, addresses of visited websites), however, some browser hijackers can read sensitive, personal information as well.
Furthermore, the developers often sell gathered details to third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) or misuse them to generate revenue in other ways. In such cases, users could become victims of identity theft, have problems relating to online privacy, browsing safety or encounter other issues.
Name | Search-Streamly |
Threat Type | Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab. |
Browser Extension(s) | Search-Streamly |
Supposed Functionality | Improved browsing experience. |
Promoted URL | search-streamly.com |
Serving IP Address (search-streamly.com) | 104.27.183.166 |
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. |
Browser hijackers are PUAs that promote fake search engines and record data. They are useless to regular users and are designed only to help the developer to generate revenue. Some examples of other browser hijackers are Bolobi web, Spacerin and MixedFin.
How did Search-Streamly install on my computer?
Unwanted downloads and installations often occur when developers distribute PUAs by integrating them into the download/installation setups of other programs as "extra offers". This distribution method is known as "bundling". The offers can be declined in "Custom", "Advanced" and other similar settings of the setups (or by unticking certain checkboxes).
Many users fail to check and change these settings (or untick the checkboxes), thereby allowing PUAs to infiltrate together with the desired software. PUAs are also downloaded and installed by clicking deceptive advertisements (usually on untrusted sites) that execute certain scripts.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications
You are advised to download files and programs from official websites and via direct download links. Other tools and sources such as third party downloaders and installers, unofficial pages, and Peer-to-Peer networks (e.g., eMule, torrent clients) should not be used to download or install software.
Check all "Custom", "Advanced" and other similar settings (or available checkboxes) for offers to download and/or install unwanted apps. Do not click ads on dubious websites, since they can be designed to open bogus web pages 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 from the operating system. If your computer is already infected with Search-Streamly, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.
Screenshot of Search-Streamly browser hijacker asking for various permissions:
Appearance of search-streamly.com redirecting to the search.yahoo.com search engine (GIF):
Screenshots of websites promoting the Search-Streamly browser hijacker;
IMPORTANT NOTE! Some of these deceptive sites ask to enable web browser notifications:
Therefore, before commencing, perform these steps:
Google Chrome (PC):
- Click the Menu button (three dots) on the right upper corner of the screen and select "Settings"
- Scroll down to the "Privacy and security" section, select "Site settings" and then "Notifications"
- Click three dots on the right hand side of each suspicious URL and select "Block" or "Remove" (if you click "Remove" and visit the malicious site once more, it will ask to enable notifications again)
Google Chrome (Android):
- Click on the Menu button (three dots) on the right upper corner of the screen and tap "Settings"
- Scroll down, tap on "Site settings" and then "Notifications"
- In the opened window, locate all suspicious URLs and tap on them one-by-one
- Once the pop-up shows up, select either "Block" or "Remove" (if you tap "Remove" and visit the malicious site once more, it will ask to enable notifications again)
Mozilla Firefox:
- Click the Menu button (three bars) on the right upper corner of the screen
- Select "Settings" and click on "Privacy & Security" in the toolbar on the left hand side of the screen
- Scroll down to the "Permissions" section and click the "Settings" button next to "Notifications"
- In the opened window, locate all suspicious URLs and block them using the drop-down menu or either remove them by clicking "Remove Website" at the bottom of the window (if you click "Remove Website" and visit the malicious site once more, it will ask to enable notifications again)
Microsoft Edge:
- Click the menu button (three dots) on the right upper corner of the Edge window and select "Settings"
- Click on "Cookies and site permissions" in the toolbar on the left hand side of the screen and select "Notifications"
- Click three dots on the right hand side of each suspicious URL under "Allow" section and click "Block" or "Remove" (if you click "Remove" and visit the malicious site once more, it will ask to enable notifications again)
Safari (Mac):
- Click "Safari" button on the left upper corner of the screen and select "Preferences..."
- Select the "Websites" tab and then select "Notifications" section on the left pane
- Check for suspicious URLs and apply the "Deny" option using the drop-down menu or either remove them by clicking "Remove" at the bottom of the window (if you click "Remove" and visit the malicious site once more, it will ask to enable notifications again)
Instant automatic malware removal:
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Quick menu:
- What is Search-Streamly?
- STEP 1. Uninstall Search-Streamly application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove Search-Streamly browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 3. Remove search-streamly.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 4. Remove search-streamly.com redirect from Safari.
- STEP 5. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
- STEP 6. Remove search-streamly.com redirect from Internet Explorer.
Search-Streamly 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, "Search-Streamly"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications that cause browser redirects to the search-streamly.com website, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
Search-Streamly browser hijacker removal from Internet browsers:
Video showing how to remove browser redirects:
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 "Search-Streamly" 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 "Search-Streamly", look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.search-streamly.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 "search-streamly.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-streamly.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 "Search-Streamly", 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 "Search-Streamly", remove hxxp://search-streamly.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-streamly.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-streamly.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.
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-streamly.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 "Search-Streamly".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the search-streamly.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.
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 search-streamly.com website?
The visit count to the search-streamly.com website directly influences browser hijacker developers' revenue.
Is visiting search-streamly.com a threat to my privacy?
Most likely, yes. Sites like search-streamly.com typically gather information about their visitors.
How did a browser hijacker infiltrate my computer?
Browser hijackers are spread via software bundling, misleading promotional and free file-hosting websites, Peer-to-Peer (P2P) sharing networks, online scams (e.g., fake system warnings, outdated software alerts, etc.), deceptive browser notifications/ intrusive ads, and so on.
Will Combo Cleaner help me remove Search-Streamly browser hijacker?
Yes, Combo Cleaner is capable of scanning devices and eliminating installed browser-hijacking apps. It is noteworthy that manual removal might not be a perfect solution. In some cases, browser hijackers infiltrate systems in bundles, and after one is removed - the others may re-install it. Additionally, this software can prevent access to removal-related settings. Therefore, browser hijackers must be eliminated all at once.
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