My Search Dock Ads

What is My Search Dock?

My Search Dock is presented as an application that saves time and money by displaying the best online shopping deals. These false claims might trick some users into believing that My Search Dock is a legitimate and useful app, however, My Search Dock often infiltrates systems without users’ permission.

Furthermore, it gathers various information relating to Internet browsing activity and generates intrusive online advertisements. For these reasons, My Search Dock is categorized as a potentially unwanted program (PUP) and adware.

This PUP generates various intrusive online advertisements such as coupon, banner, and pop-up ads. These are generated using a 'virtual layer', which enables placement of various third party graphical content on any sites. Therefore, none of the displayed ads originate from users' visited websites.

By concealing underlying web content, displayed advertisements significantly diminish the Internet browsing experience. In addition, some might redirect to malicious websites containing infectious content. Thus, even accidental clicks can result in high-risk adware or malware infections.

Furthermore, My Search Dock continually tracks Internet browsing activity and gathers various information that might be personally identifiable. Be aware that the gathered data is shared with third party companies who are can misuse personal data to generate revenue.

Thus, the presence of an information-tracking app such as My Search Dock on your system may lead to serious privacy issues or even identity theft. You are strongly advised to uninstall My Search Dock adware immediately.

As with My Search Dock, apps such as Groover, SmartShop, Dealz, and Clip Clip Save also claim to provide time and money saving features, however, these false claims are merely attempts to trick users to install.

After successful system infiltration, these applications generate intrusive online advertisements, track personally identifiable information, and provide no real value for users. Adware-type programs such as My Search Dock are designed only to generate revenue or the developers.

How did My Search Dock install on my computer?

Although My Search Dock has an official download website, many users download and install this application inadvertently. Developers hide My Search Dock within the 'Custom/Advanced' settings of other software download/installation processes. This deceptive software marketing method is called 'bundling'.

Many users do not express enough caution when downloading and installing software. Therefore, by skipping the aforementioned settings, they expose their systems to risk of various infections.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

Many PUPs such as My Search Dock are distributed as 'bundles' with other software. Therefore, the key to computer safety is caution. Closely analyze each step of the software download and installation processes using the 'Custom' or 'Advanced' settings.

In addition, all additionally-included applications should be cancelled, since there is a high probability that bundled software will be malicious.

Official My Search Dock adware installer set-up:

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Quick menu:

• What is My Search Dock?
• STEP 1. Uninstall My Search Dock application using Control Panel.
• STEP 2. Remove My Search Dock adware from Internet Explorer.
• STEP 3. Remove My Search Dock ads from Google Chrome.
• STEP 4. Remove 'Ads by My Search Dock' from Mozilla Firefox.
• STEP 5. Remove My Search Dock ads from Safari.
• STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.

My Search Dock adware 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 "My Search Dock", select this entry and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

After uninstalling the potentially unwanted program that causes My Search Dock ads, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components or possible malware infections. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.

Remove My Search Dock adware from Internet browsers:

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

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 "My Search Dock", select this entry and click "Remove".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the startpagethemes.com redirect, 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 "Extensions". Locate "My Search Dock", select this entry and click the trash can icon.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the startpagethemes.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 plug-ins from Mozilla Firefox:

Click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons". Click "Extensions", in the opened window, remove "My Search Dock".

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with startpagethemes.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, 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 startpagethemes.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:

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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