Search Highlighter Ads

What is Search Highlighter?

The Search Highlighter browser add-on was created by Injekt LLC and claims to make Internet browsing more productive by displaying queries relating to highlighted text from popular websites such as Yelp, Wikipedia, and Quora.

Whilst such added functionality may seem legitimate, Internet users should be aware that this plugin is categorized as adware or a potentially unwanted application since it installs on browsers (Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox) without users' consent via a deceptive software marketing method called 'bundling'.

After successful infiltration, Search Highlighter generates intrusive banner, in-text, and interstitial advertisements.

Moreover, this add-on tracks users' Internet browsing activity by recording IP addresses, unique identifier numbers, operating systems, browsers, installed software information, web page URLs visited, and search queries entered.

Clicking ads generated by this plugin can lead to malware infections, and since Search Highlighter tracks users' Internet activity, this can also lead to privacy issues or identity theft. You are therefore advised to eliminate this adware from your Internet browser/s.

Search Highlighter is similar to other adware created by Injekt LLC including, for example, Tube Dimmer, Websteroids, and Search Donkey. These potentially unwanted applications add no significant value and can lead to serious malware and virus infections.

To avoid installation of this adware, be attentive when downloading freeware - inspect each download step and opt-out of installation of Search Highlighter or other advertised browser add-ons by clicking the 'decline' button.

When installing downloaded free programs, choose the 'Custom' or 'Advanced' installation options, rather than 'Typical' or 'Quick' - this will reveal installation of bundled adware. If you observe ads generated by Search Highlighter, use the removal guide provided to eliminate this potentially unwanted program (PUP) from your Internet browser/s.

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Quick menu:

• What is Search Highlighter?
• STEP 1. Uninstall Search Highlighter application using Control Panel.
• STEP 2. Remove Search Highlighter add-on from Internet Explorer.
• STEP 3. Remove Search Highlighter plugin from Google Chrome.
• STEP 4. Remove Search Highlighter extension from Mozilla Firefox.
• STEP 5. Remove Search Highlighter extension from Safari.
• STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.

Search Highlighter 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 "Search Highlighter", select this entry and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

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

Remove Search Highlighter 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 "Search Highlighter" and disable it.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the search highlighter 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: "Search Highlighter", select it and click the trash can icon.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the search highlighter 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 "Search Highlighter".

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with search highlighter 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, click Safari menu, and select Preferences....

In the opened window click Extensions, locate any recently installed suspicious extension, select it and click Uninstall.

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 upper-right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Extensions". Locate all recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons and click "Remove" below their names.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the search highlighter 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:

Commonly, adware or potentially unwanted applications infiltrate Internet browsers through free software downloads. Note that the safest source for downloading free software is via developers' websites only. To avoid installation of adware, be very attentive when downloading and installing free software. When installing previously-downloaded free programs, choose the custom or advanced installation options – this step will reveal any potentially unwanted applications listed for installation together with your chosen free program.

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