Zwinky Toolbar

What is Zwinky?

Zwinky is an online service enabling users to create individual cartoon avatars. Whilst some find this service useful, its developers have chosen a deceptive monetization strategy by asking their users to download the Zwinky toolbar in order to use their free services. When installed, this toolbar modifies the user's homepage and default search engine browser settings.

Moreover, each newly-opened tab is redirected to the home.mywebsearch.com website. Note that using this website for your daily Internet searches adds no real value - this redirect is applied for monetization purposes, since each time a computer user clicks on sponsored search results, the developers of Zwinky Toolbar gain revenue.

Furthermore, PC users complain that it is difficult to eliminate the Zwinky toolbar and associated redirect issues from their computers. Whilst this browser add-on is not directly related to malware or virus infections, it adds no real value and should be eliminated from your system to avoid Internet browser performance issues and possible malware infections.

If you feel that you have not willingly installed the Zwinky toolbar on your system, its presence is likely to be a consequence of free software installation. Free software developers commonly bundle their free programs with browser add-ons for monetization purposes.

To avoid unwilling installation of the Zwinky toolbar or similar unwanted applications, computer users should closely inspect each installation step of any free software they download from the Internet. When installing freeware, disallow any suggested changes to your Internet browser settings.

In summary, the Zwinky toolbar is not technically a virus or malware, however, it is classed as an unwanted application that is complicated to eliminate.

If you have willingly downloaded the Zwinky toolbar, and are happy with the services provided, then you need take no further action. If, however, you are annoyed by redirects to home.mywebsearch.com and feel this browser extension was installed on your computer without your consent, use the removal guide provided to eliminate it from your system.

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Quick menu:

• What is Zwinky?
• STEP 1. Uninstall Zwinky toolbar application using Control Panel.
• STEP 2. Remove Zwinky redirect from Internet Explorer.
• STEP 3. Remove Zwinky homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
• STEP 4. Remove redirect from Safari.
• STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.

Zwinky toolbar 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 "Zwinky toolbar", select this entry and click " Uninstall" or "Remove"

After uninstalling Zwinky Toolbar, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components or possible malware infections. Recommended malware removal software.

Zwinky Toolbar removal from Internet browsers:

Video showing how to remove potentially unwanted browser add-ons:

Remove malicious add-ons from Internet Explorer:

Click on the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer) select "Manage Add-ons". Look for Mindspark Interactive Network related entries (5qbar.dll, Zwinky, Toolbar BHO, Search Assistant BHO) and disable them.

To change your homepage from home.mywebsearch.com to your preferred domain, click on the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer) select "Internet Options", in the opened window remove home.mywebsearch.com  and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you launch Internet Explorer.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the zwinky virus, 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.

Remove malicious plugins from Mozilla Firefox:

Click on the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window) select "Add-ons". Click on "Extensions" and disable add-ons and remove "Zwinky".

To reset your homepage click on the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window) then select "Options", in the opened window remove home.mywebsearch.com and enter your preferred domain.

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with zwinky virus 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 zwinky virus, 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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