ShowPass Smartbar
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is ShowPass Smartbar?
Created by a company called ReSoft Ltd, the ShowPass Smartbar browser add-on is compatible with Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox. This browser plug-in claims to enhance users' Internet browsing experience by enabling convenient Internet searches and allowing quick social media access.
While this added functionality may seem legitimate, this browser plug-in adds no real value for computer users. In fact, the ShowPass Smartbar is a potentially unwanted application, since it infiltrates Internet browsers using a deceptive software marketing method called 'bundling'.
Following successful infiltration, this adware modifies the homepage and default search engine settings by assigning them to feed.helperbar.com and browse-search.com respectively. While this plug-in is not technically a virus or malware, its presence on your system can cause privacy issues and security infections.
The Internet search engine employed by this site returns search results crowded with dubious ads, and furthermore, ShowPass Smartbar track users' Internet browsing activity by recording IP addresses, browser types, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), operating systems, date/time stamps, clickstream data, and search terms.
The ShowPass Smartbar adds no real value, and therefore, you are advised to eliminate this adware from your Internet browsers.
The ShowPass Smartbar browser hijacker is similar to other adware that infiltrates browsers via free software downloads and modifies browser settings. Examples include searchalgo.com, strtpoint.com, and dsrlte.com .
None of these browser extensions (toolbars) provide any real benefits for users - their purpose is to generate revenue from clicks on deceptive Internet search results. To avoid installation of these browser settings-changing plug-ins, express caution when downloading and installing free software.
Today, most free software download websites employ 'download clients' offering installation of advertised browser plug-ins together with the chosen free software, and therefore, it is important to inspect each download step and opt-out of unwanted adware installation by clicking the 'decline' button.
When installing freeware, choose the 'Advanced' or 'Custom' installation options - this will reveal any bundled adware listed for installation. Computer users who experience browser redirects to browse-search.com or feed.helperbar.com should use this removal guide to eliminate this browser hijacker from their Internet browsers.
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Quick menu:
- What is ShowPass Smartbar?
- STEP 1. Uninstall ShowPass Smartbar and ShowPass Smartbar Engine application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove ShowPass Smartbar redirect from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove ShowPass Smartbar browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove browse-search.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 5. Remove ShowPass Smartbar redirect from Safari.
- STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
ShowPass Smartbar 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 "ShowPass SmartBar" and "ShowPass Smartbar Engine", select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted programs (which cause browser redirects to the browse-search.com and feed.helperbar.com websites), scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
ShowPass Smartbar removal from Internet browsers:
Video showing how to remove browser redirects:
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 "ShowPass Smartbar" and "ShowPass Smartbar Engine", 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://feed.helperbar.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 "Web Search".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the showpass smartbar browser hijacker, 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:
Fix Google Chrome shortcut target:
This browser hijacker modifies the "Target" field of the Google Chrome shortcut. To fix this, locate the shortcut on your Desktop and click the right mouse button over it. In the opened menu, choose "Properties". In the opened window, locate the Target field and eliminate all text (--remote-debugging-port=9223...), which is entered after "C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe"
Remove ShowPass Smartbar related extensions:
Click the Chrome menu icon 
(at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Tools" and click on "Extensions". Locate any recently-installed suspicious plug-ins, select these entries and click the trash can icon.
Change your homepage:
Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right of Google Chrome), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section, click "set pages", hover your mouse over hxxp://feed.helperbar.com and click the x symbol. Now, you can add your preferred website as your homepage.
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" section, click "Manage Search Engines...", remove "HelperBar" and add or select your preferred domain.
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the showpass smartbar browser hijacker, 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 "ShowPass".
Change your homepage:
To reset your homepage, click the Firefox menu, then select "Options", in the opened window, remove hxxp://feed.helperbar.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: "feed.helperbar.com"
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.
Optional method:
Computer users who have problems with showpass smartbar browser hijacker 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 showpass smartbar browser hijacker, 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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