How to uninstall Edit webpage browser hijacker?

What is Edit webpage?

Edit webpage is the name of a browser hijacker designed to promote the fxsmash.xyz address, a fake search engine. Like most apps of this type, Edit webpage promotes fxsmash.xyz by modifying browser settings.

It is known that Edit webpage can read browsing history. However, it is likely that it can read other details as well. It is noteworthy that most users download and install browser hijackers without knowing about it.

Extensions, plug-ins, add-ons, and programs of other types that users download, install accidentally, unintentionally are called potentially unwanted applications (PUAs).

Browser hijackers are designed to open a specific address each time their users open a browser, new tab, or enter search queries into the URL bar. Apps of this type promote their addresses by changing browser settings such as the address of a homepage, new tab, and default search engine.

Edit webpage changes the aforementioned settings (addresses) to fxsmash.xyz. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, fxsmash.xyz is a fake search engine.

Depending on the geolocation, websearches.club redirects its users to websearches.club, search.yahoo.com, or another address. In other words, fxsmash.xyzshows results generated by both shady and legitimate search engines.

It is important to know that shady search engines can be used to promote potentially malicious pages, download pages for PUAs, include unwanted advertisements in their results. It is advisable that fake, questionable search engines should never be used to browse the Internet.

Typically, users can undo the changes made by a browser hijacker only after uninstalling that app from a browser or the operating system. Therefore, it is likely that it is not possible to remove fxsmash.xyz from browser settings without having to uninstall Edit webpage first.

Moreover, browser hijackers often are designed to gather browsing-related information. For example, Internet Protocol addresses, addresses of visited websites, geolocations, entered search queries, and other browsing data.

As mentioned in the first paragraph, it is known that Edit webpage can read browsing history. Although, there is a possibility that this app can access more sensitive (personal) details as well.

Another important thing about browser hijackers is that individuals behind them could sell gathered data to third parties (potentially cybercriminals), use it for marketing purposes, or monetize it in other ways.

Therefore, users of apps like Edit webpage risk to become victims of identity theft, experience problems related to privacy, browsing safety, or other issues. Browser hijackers (including Edit webpage) should never be installed on browsers or computers.

Threat Summary:

Name	Edit webpage
Threat Type	Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab
Browser Extension(s)	Edit webpage
Supposed Functionality	Improved browsing experience
Promoted URL	fxsmash.xyz
Detection Names (fxsmash.xyz)	alphaMountain.ai (Suspicious), Forcepoint ThreatSeeker (Suspicious), Fortinet (Malware), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address (fxsmash.xyz)	172.67.181.12
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 IncognitoSearchBox, SearchConverterApp, and PDFSearchTip. It is common that apps of this kind are described by their developers as useful apps with features that are supposed to improve browsing experience.

Nevertheless, most browser hijackers are useless and can cause various problems. For this reason, browser hijackers (and other PUAs) should not be trusted/used.

How did Edit webpage install on my computer?

In most cases, users download and install PUAs unwillingly: via deceptive advertisements or when software developers distribute them by using a "bundling" method - a marketing method that developers use to trick users into downloading and installing PUAs together with other programs.

Developers include PUAs in downloaders and installers for other programs as extra offers. Typically, users can find and decline those offers via "Custom", "Advanced" and other settings or by unticking some checkboxes.

When users download and install various software without checking and changing any of those settings, they agree to download and install bundled PUAs as well. Unwanted downloads, installations through advertisements occur when users click on ads designed to run certain scripts.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

Third-party downloaders, installers, unofficial pages, Peer-to-Peer networks like torrent clients, eMule, etc., are unreliable sources for downloading files, programs (or installing programs). Quite often, they are used to trick users into downloading unwanted, sometimes malicious software.

Therefore, programs and files should be downloaded only from official websites and via direct download links. Downloaders and installers that have "Custom", "Advanced" (or some other) settings, or checkboxes often include offers to download, install PUAs.

It is recommended to check those downloaders, installers for unwanted offers and decline them. Advertisements on shady web pages should not be clicked - they often are used to promote other pages of this kind.

In some cases, those ads can run scripts designed to cause unwanted downloads, installations. Unwanted, suspicious extensions, plug-ins or add-ons installed on a browser should be removed.

The same applies to programs of this kind installed on a computer. If your computer is already infected with Edit webpage, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.

Fxsmash.xyz shows results by websearches.club (GIF):

Fxsmash.xyz shows results by search.yahoo.com (GIF):

Website promoting Edit webpage browser hijacker:

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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 Edit webpage?
• STEP 1. Uninstall Edit webpage application using Control Panel.
• STEP 2. Remove Edit webpage browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
• STEP 3. Remove fxsmash.xyz homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
• STEP 4. Remove fxsmash.xyz redirect from Safari.
• STEP 5. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
• STEP 6. Remove fxsmash.xyz redirect from Internet Explorer.

Edit webpage 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, "Edit webpage"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications (which cause browser redirects to the fxsmash.xyz website), scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.

Edit webpage 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 "Edit webpage" 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 "Edit webpage", look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.fxsmash.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 "fxsmash.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 edit webpage 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 plugins from Mozilla Firefox:

Click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons". Click on "Extensions" and remove "Edit webpage", 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 "Edit webpage", remove hxxp://fxsmash.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 edit webpage 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 edit webpage 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://fxsmash.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 "Edit webpage".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the edit webpage 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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