How to remove the Full Img browser hijacker?
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is Full Img?
Full Img is then name of a potentially unwanted application (PUA), a browser hijacker designed to promote the fxsmash.xyz address (fake search engine). Like most apps of this type, Full Img changes browser settings to promote the fxsmash.xyz address.
Another problem with browser hijackers is that they often are designed to collect information. It is worthwhile to mention that the main reason why apps like Full Img are called potentially unwanted is because most users download and install them unintentionally.
Usually, browser hijackers change the address of a default search engine, homepage, and new tab. The purpose of these changes is to make users visit a certain address every time a search query is entered or a browser (or new tab) is opened.
As mentioned in the introduction paragraph, Full Img promotes the fxsmash.xyz address. Depending on the user's geolocation, fxsmash.xyz redirects to websearches.club or search.yahoo.com, or some another address - it shows search results generated by legitimate search engines like Yahoo or questionable search engines.
Fake search engines like fxsmash.xyz cannot be trusted. They may generate misleading results (promote untrustworthy websites) or show results generated by other search engines of this kind. It is noteworthy that Full Img does not always change browser settings.
It can promote fxsmash.xyz without changing any settings by detecting when users enter search queries into the URL bar and then opening that address. In one way or another, a browser hijacked by Full Img can be stopped from opening the fxsmash.xyz address only by uninstalling this app from a browser.
It is because apps of this type tend to be designed to prevent users from undoing their changes as long as they are installed. One more reason not to have an app like Full Img installed is because it may be designed to gather browsing-related information.
It is common that browser hijackers (and other types of PUAs) collect IP addresses, entered search queries, URLs of visited websites, geolocations, and other information related to browsing habits of their users. Sometimes, apps of this type may be designed to gather personal data as well (e.g., names, surnames, credit card details, passwords).
Moreover, collected information may be used for marketing purposes, sold to cybercriminals, or monetized in other ways. If Full Img is installed on a browser then it should be removed as soon as possible.
| Name | Full Img |
| Threat Type | Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab |
| Browser Extension(s) | Full Img |
| Supposed Functionality | Improved browsing experience |
| Promoted URL | fxsmash.xyz |
| Serving IP Address (fxsmash.xyz) | 104.21.80.122 |
| Detection Names (fxsmash.xyz) | Forcepoint ThreatSeeker (Suspicious), Fortinet (Malware), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal) |
| 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. |
A couple more examples of apps like Full Img are Job Search, Focus Line, and Newz Finder, Typically, the main purpose of such apps is to modify browser settings - to promote fake search engines. Moreover, it is common that they are designed to collect certain data as well.
It is important to remember that most browser hijackers are useless and can be the reason behind problems related to online privacy, browsing safety, and other problems. Therefore, it is recommended not to trust (download and install) browser hijackers or any other apps of this kind.
How did Full Img install on my computer?
In most cases, users download and install PUAs unknowingly - by clicking deceptive advertisements designed to run certain scripts, or while downloading or installing programs that are bundled with PUAs. It is common that developers include PUAs in downloaders or installers for other programs as additional offers.
Users can find and decline unwanted offers through "Custom", "Advanced", "Manual", or other settings or by unticking ticked checkboxes. Although, not all users check and change those settings when they download or install programs that are bundled with PUAs.
In such cases, they agree to download and install those unwanted apps as well. It is worthwhile to mention that most PUAs are bundled with free programs.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
It is not recommended to download (or install) any programs, files through third-party downloaders (or installers), untrustworthy websites, Peer-to-Peer networks (e.g., torrent clients, eMule), and other similar sources of this kind. Downloads should come from official websites and via direct links.
Another important thing is not to finish downloads and installations without checking "Custom", "Advanced" and other settings. It is common that downloaders, installers have those settings include offers to download or install potentially unwanted applications.
Additionally, it is advisable not to trust (click) ads that various questionable websites (for example, on pages related to gambling, pornography, adult dating) have on them. Those ads can be designed to advertise potentially malicious web pages or even cause unwanted downloads, installations.
If any unwanted extensions, plug-ins, and add-ons are installed on a browser, then they should be uninstalled as soon as possible. The same should be done with programs of this kind installed on the operating system.
If your computer is already infected with Full Img, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.
Fxsmash.xyz redirects to websearches.club (GIF):
Fxsmash.xyz redirects to search.yahoo.com (GIF):
Website promoting Full Img browser hijacker:
Instant automatic malware removal:
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Quick menu:
- What is Full Img?
- STEP 1. Uninstall Full Img application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove Full Img 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.
Full Img 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, "Full Img"), 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.
Full Img 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 "Full Img" 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 "Full Img", 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 full img 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 "Full Img". 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 "Full Img", 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 full img 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 full img 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 "Full Img".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the full img 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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