How to remove the MovieSearchHome browser hijacker?

What is MovieSearchHome browser hijacker?

MovieSearchHome is a browser hijacker that changes some of the web browser's settings to moviesearchhome.com - the address of a fake search engine. Usually, apps of this type are distributed using questionable methods. Thus, they are classified as potentially unwanted applications (PUAs).

MovieSearchHome browser hijacker in detail

MovieSearchHome promotes its fake search engine by making the moviesearchhome.com address a default search engine, homepage, and new tab. Like most apps of this type, MovieSearchHome keeps its settings unchangeable unless users uninstall it from a browser and then manually remove moviesearchhome.com from settings.

Moviesearchhome.com is a fake search engine that can show results generated by searchlee.com (a questionable search engine) and search.yahoo.com (a legitimate search engine). This fake search engine might show results generated by other (both legitimate and untrustworthy) search engines as well.

The most important detail about fake search engines is that they can promote untrustworthy websites and display shady advertisements. Therefore, it is strongly recommended not to trust fake search engines (or browser hijackers) and use only legitimate search engines like Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc.

It is possible that MovieSearchHome collects geolocations, entered search queries, visited websites, Internet Protocol addresses, and other information related to user's browsing activities. Also, MovieSearchHome may be designed to collect sensitive information, for example, credit card details, usernames, passwords.

Information collected by browser hijackers could be misused to steal identities, hijack online accounts, make unauthorized purchases, transactions, and so on (it depends on the data collected by the installed browser hijacker). Also, that info might be sold to third parties, misused for marketing purposes.

Threat Summary:

Name	MovieSearchHome
Threat Type	Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab
Browser Extension(s)	MovieSearchHome
Supposed Functionality	Improved browsing experience
Promoted URL	moviesearchhome.com
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.

Browser hijackers in general

The majority of browser hijackers change settings to force users to browse the Internet using a fake search engine. Pretty often, apps of this type collect information about their users as well. Either way, browser hijackers should never be trusted. More examples of apps of this type are StreamsSearchClub, StreamSearchApp, and GreatSearchSport.

How did MovieSearchHome install on my computer?

Quite often, downloaders and installers for free programs are used to distribute browser hijackers and other potentially unwanted applications. Users download or install PUAs with other programs when they do not change certain settings that downloaders or installers for those programs have.

Typically, PUAs can be deselected in "Custom", "Advanced", "Manual" or other settings, or by unticking checkboxes. It can be done before finishing downloads, installations. Sometimes, users download or install PUAs by clicking on deceptive advertisements. It happens when users click on ads designed to execute certain scripts.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

Third-party downloaders and installers, Peer-to-Peer networks like torrent clients, eMule, questionable, unofficial, and other websites (and other sources) should not be used as sources, tools for downloading, or installing any programs, files. Apps (and files) should be downloaded from official websites and via direct download links.

Downloaders and installers with "Custom", "Advanced", "Manual", or other settings, or ticked checkboxes should be checked for optional downloads or installations. Unwanted applications should be deselected before finishing downloads, installations. It is worth mentioning that most PUAs are bundled with free programs.

Advertisements that untrustworthy pages display should not be clicked. Quite often, those ads advertise untrustworthy, potentially malicious pages and can cause unwanted downloads, installations. All suspicious, unwanted, or unknown extensions, plug-ins, and add-ons installed on a browser should be removed.

There should not be any unwanted programs installed on the operating system as well. If your computer is already infected with MovieSearchHome, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.

Moviesearchhome.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 MovieSearchHome?
• STEP 1. Uninstall MovieSearchHome application using Control Panel.
• STEP 2. Remove MovieSearchHome browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
• STEP 3. Remove moviesearchhome.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
• STEP 4. Remove moviesearchhome.com redirect from Safari.
• STEP 5. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.

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

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

MovieSearchHome 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 "MovieSearchHome" 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 "MovieSearchHome", look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.moviesearchhome.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 "moviesearchhome.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 moviesearchhome.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 "MovieSearchHome", 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 "MovieSearchHome", remove hxxp://moviesearchhome.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 moviesearchhome.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 moviesearchhome.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.

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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