How to remove the Quick Recipes unwanted app from browsers
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is Quick Recipes?
Quick Recipes and similar apps should never be downloaded or installed. They are classified as browser hijackers because they alter browser settings to promote fake search engines and also collect browsing data/sensitive information. Quick Recipes promotes quickrecipessearch-serp.com in this way.
Most users download and install browser hijackers and apps such as Quick Recipes inadvertently. Therefore, they are classified as potentially unwanted applications (PUAs).
Typically, browser hijackers promote fake search engine addresses, however, they might also promote other bogus websites.
Their main purpose is to force users to visit certain pages. Generally, apps of this type modify browser settings such as the address of the default search engine, homepage, and new tab. Therefore, a hijacked browser opens a specific address when users open a new window, tab, or enter search queries into the URL bar. Quick Recipes changes the aforementioned settings to quickrecipessearch-serp.com. This address redirects visitors/users to search.yahoo.com, or quickrecipessearch-serp.com generates its own search results.
Fake search engines such as quickrecipessearch-serp.com often generate results that contain links to potentially malicious sites, and they also show dubious ads. Rogue addresses such as quickrecipessearch-serp.com can be removed from the settings of a hijacked browser only when the app responsible (in this case, Quick Recipes) is no longer installed on the browser.
Quick Recipes and other installed browser hijackers can also gather addresses of visited pages, IP addresses, geolocations, entered search queries, other browsing data, and even sensitive information. Developers use the data for marketing purposes, sometimes selling it to third parties (potentially cyber criminals), or they monetize it in other ways.
Therefore, Quick Recipes nor any other apps of this type should be installed on browsers or operating systems.
Name | Quick Recipes |
Threat Type | Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab |
Browser Extension(s) | Quick Recipes |
Supposed Functionality | Improved web browsing experience |
Promoted URL | quickrecipessearch-serp.com |
Serving IP Address (quickrecipessearch-serp.com) | 99.84.248.65 |
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. |
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. |
Other examples of apps that promote specific fake search engines (or other addresses) are HDSportsSearch, DirectSportSearch, and PDFConverterSearchApp.
Note that most browser hijackers are advertised as useful, legitimate apps, which supposedly include various features, provide quick access to certain pages, generate accurate results, etc. In fact, most are useless to regular users and their main purpose is to generate revenue for the developers.
How did Quick Recipes install on my computer?
PUAs are distributed via download/installation set-ups of other products. This deceptive marketing tactic of packing regular software with unwanted or malicious additions is called "bundling".
Rushing download/installation processes (e.g. ignoring terms, skipping steps and settings, etc.) increases the risk of inadvertently allowing bundled content into the system.
Some PUAs have "official" download sites. Intrusive advertisements proliferate these applications as well. Once clicked, they can execute scripts to download/install PUAs without users' consent.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications
You are advised not to use Peer-to-Peer networks (such as eMule, torrent clients, etc.), unofficial websites, third party downloaders, installers, etc. to download or install software or files. Use official pages and direct links.
Check download/installation set-ups for settings such as "Advanced", "Manual, or "Custom" (or include certain checkboxes) and decline offers to download or install unwanted apps before completing the process.
Additionally, do not trust or click advertisements that are displayed on dubious web pages - they can open other rogue sites or cause unwanted downloads and installations.
Remove any suspicious or unknown extensions, add-ons and plug-ins installed on the browser. The same applies to software of this kind that is installed on the operating system.
If your computer is already infected with Quick Recipes, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.
quickrecipessearch-serp.com generates its results (GIF):
quickrecipessearch-serp.com redirects to search.yahoo.com (GIF):
Website promoting Quick Recipes browser hijacker:
Notifcation stating that Quick Recipes can read and change certain data:
Instant automatic malware removal:
Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
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Quick menu:
- What is Quick Recipes?
- STEP 1. Uninstall Quick Recipes application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove Quick Recipes browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 3. Remove quickrecipessearch-serp.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 4. Remove quickrecipessearch-serp.com redirect from Safari.
- STEP 5. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
- STEP 6. Remove quickrecipessearch-serp.com redirect from Internet Explorer.
Quick Recipes 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, "Quick Recipes"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications that cause browser redirects to the quickrecipessearch-serp.com website, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
Quick Recipes 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 "Quick Recipes" 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 "Quick Recipes", look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.quickrecipessearch-serp.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 "quickrecipessearch-serp.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 quickrecipessearch-serp.com, 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 "Quick Recipes", 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 "Quick Recipes", remove hxxp://quickrecipessearch-serp.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 quickrecipessearch-serp.com 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 quickrecipessearch-serp.com, 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://quickrecipessearch-serp.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 "Quick Recipes".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the quickrecipessearch-serp.com, 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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