How to uninstall the FreeIncognitoSearch browser hijacker?

What is FreeIncognitoSearch browser hijacker?

FreeIncognitoSearch is a browser hijacker because that changes certain settings to promote a fake search engine (the freeincognitosearch.com address). It is uncommon for browser hijackers to be downloaded and installed intentionally. For this reason, FreeIncognitoSearch and other apps of this kind are called potentially unwanted applications (PUAs).

FreeIncognitoSearch in detail

FreeIncognitoSearch promotes the freeincognitosearch.com address by making it a default search engine, homepage, and new tab in the settings of a hijacked browser. The primary purpose of this app is to push users to use a fake search engine.

It is known that freeincognitosearch.com can show results generated by searchlee.com (a questionable search engine), search.yahoo.com (a legitimate search engine), or some other legitimate or untrustworthy search engine - it depends on the user's geolocation. It is important to mention that search engines like freeincognitosearch.com (and searchlee.com) may include links to questionable pages in their results.

It is common for browser hijackers to be designed to prevent users from undoing their changes/removing the address of a fake search engine from settings. In other words, users cannot remove addresses like freeincognitosearch.com from settings unless apps like FreeIncognitoSearch are no longer installed.

An additional reason not to have apps like FreeIncognitoSearch installed is that they can be designed to collect geolocations, entered search queries, visited websites, Internet Protocol addresses, or other browsing data. Moreover, some browser hijackers may be designed to collect sensitive information that could be misused to steal online accounts, identities, and other malicious purposes.

Threat Summary:

Name	FreeIncognitoSearch
Threat Type	Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab
Browser Extension(s)	FreeIncognitoSearch
Supposed Functionality	Improved browsing experience
Promoted URL	freeincognitosearch.com
Serving IP Address (freeincognitosearch.com)	104.21.53.70
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 about browser hijackers

A typical browser hijacker changes a browser's settings so that users would use a fake search engine to browse the web. There is a great number of browser hijackers on the internet. Some examples are GoPDFConverterSearch, Start Movie DS, and Movie Quick Tab.

It is worth mentioning that most browser hijackers are advertised as useful applications that are supposed to improve the browsing experience (e.g., to provide accurate search results, include some useful features). However, most of them are useless and can be the reason behind issues related to online privacy, browsing safety.

How did FreeIncognitoSearch install on my computer?

Typically, users download and install browser hijackers unknowingly: by clicking deceptive advertisements designed to run certain scripts or together with other programs that have browser hijackers included in their downloaders or installers as additional offers.

Users can decline unwanted offers using "Custom", "Advanced", "Manual", or other settings or by unticking ticked checkboxes. Users download or install both wanted and potentially unwanted apps when they leave the aforementioned settings unchanged.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

It is highly advisable not to use third-party downloaders, installers, unofficial, questionable websites, Peer-to-Peer networks (e.g., torrent clients, eMule), or other channels, tools to download or install programs. It is safest to download files and programs from official websites and via direct links.

Also, it recommended not to finish downloads and installations without checking downloaders, installers for "Custom", "Advanced" and other settings, or ticked checkboxes. Quite often, those settings can be used to decline unwanted offers/opt out bundled applications.

Additionally, it is advisable not to click ads displayed on questionable websites (for example, on pages relating to gambling, pornography, adult dating). It is common that those ads are designed to open potentially malicious websites or cause unwanted downloads, installations.

Any unwanted extensions, plug-ins, or add-ons installed on a browser or programs of this kind installed on the operating system should be uninstalled as soon as possible. If your computer is already infected with FreeIncognitoSearch, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.

Freeincognitosearch.com redirects to search.yahoo.com (GIF):

Freeincognitosearch.com redirects to searchlee.com (GIF):

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

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

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

FreeIncognitoSearch 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 "FreeIncognitoSearch" 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 "FreeIncognitoSearch", look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.freeincognitosearch.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 "freeincognitosearch.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 freeincognitosearch.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 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 "FreeIncognitoSearch", 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 "FreeIncognitoSearch", remove hxxp://freeincognitosearch.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 freeincognitosearch.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 freeincognitosearch.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://freeincognitosearch.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 "FreeIncognitoSearch".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the freeincognitosearch.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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