Dogpile Redirect

What is Dogpile.com?

The Dogpile.com (or private.dogpile.com) search engine is used to discover information via the Internet.

Whilst this is a legitimate website, and not related to malware or virus infections, many Internet users have recently reported that it was set as their Internet browser's (Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, or Mozilla Firefox) default homepage and search engine without their consent.

Such browser settings modification is caused by potentially unwanted applications distributed through free software downloads. At time of research, the Dogpile.com website is promoted deceptively via the application, Contactier, and the toolbar, SearchTape.

These programs are installed together with free software, and after installation, modify Internet browser settings by assigning dogpile.com as the user's homepage and default search engine.

Note that there are potentially other free programs or 'download clients' promoting this website, thus when using the removal guide provided, uninstall all other potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) from your Control Panel and look for other suspicious browser extensions.

Whilst dogpile is a legitimate website, the Internet search engine is crowded with sponsored search results, which often lead to dubious websites.

Using this website for daily Internet searches may lead to installation of adware or even malware. If you did not set this website as your browser homepage, and are redirected to it unwillingly, eliminate any adware responsible for modifying your Internet browser settings.

Internet users should be aware that, today, browser hijackers are popular and commonly distributed through free software downloads. To avoid installation of such adware, users should express caution when downloading freeware. When downloading, look for any offers to install additional browser plugins and click on the 'decline' button.

Also, when installing the downloaded program, choose the 'Advanced' or 'Custom' installation options, rather than 'Quick' or 'Typical' - this will reveal any hidden installation options. The behavior of the Dogpile browser hijacker is similar to delta-search, babylon, dosearches, and many others.

To eliminate dogpile.com from your Internet browser homepage and default search engine settings, use the removal instructions provided.

Screenshot of a website promoting private.dogpile.com browser hijacker:

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Quick menu:

• What is Dogpile?
• STEP 1. Uninstall Contactier and Searchtape toolbar applications using Control Panel.
• STEP 2. Remove Dogpile.com redirect from Internet Explorer.
• STEP 3. Remove Dogpile.com browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
• STEP 4. Remove Dogpile.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
• STEP 5. Remove Dogpile.com redirect from Safari.
• STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.

Dogpile redirect 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 "Contactier" and  "Searchtape toolbar", select each and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

Note that every case can be different, so uninstall any other PUPs.

After uninstalling PUPs (which cause browser redirects to the dogpile.com website), scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software. Remove all entries that this program detects to ensure your PC is clean from any possible spyware and malware infections.

Dogpile.com homepage and default search engine removal from 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 "Contactier toolbar" and "contactier.com helper object", select these entries and click "Remove".

Change homepage:

To change your homepage from dogpile.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 dogpile.com and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you launch Internet Explorer.

Change default search engine:

Click on 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 "Dogpile".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the dogpile 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 extensions from Google Chrome:

Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome) select "Tools" and click on "Extensions". Locate "Contacts Chrome Toolbar", select it and click the trash can icon.

Change homepage:

Change the Google Chrome homepage from dogpile.com to your preferred domain - click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome) select "Settings". In "On startup" section click "set pages", hover your mouse over Dogpile Web Search and click the x symbol. Now you can add your preferred website as your homepage.

Change 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 "Search" section click "Manage Search Engines...", remove "Dogpile" and add or select your preferred domain.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the dogpile virus, 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 on the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window) select "Add-ons". Click on "Extensions" and remove "contactier.com" and "searchtape.com".

Change homepage:

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 dogpile.com and enter your preferred domain.

Change 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: "dogpile"
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with dogpile 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 dogpile 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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