How to Manually Remove Owebsearch.com? [ Manual Removal ]

Owebsearch.com is a browser hijacker that infiltrates your computer through bundled software installations or fake software updates. Once installed, it modifies your browser settings without your permission. Common changes include altering your homepage, new tab page, and default search engine to Owebsearch.com, leading to redirects to unwanted or potentially harmful websites. This hijacker can cause slower browser performance, an increase in intrusive advertisements, and exposure to additional malware threats.

Detailed Steps to Remove Owebsearch.com from Your Browser

1. Uninstall Suspicious Programs:

1. Press Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type control panel and press Enter to open the Control Panel.
3. Click on Programs > Programs and Features.
4. Scroll through the list of installed programs and look for any suspicious or unknown programs, particularly those installed recently.
5. Select the suspicious program and click Uninstall. Follow the prompts to remove the program.

2. Reset Browser Settings:

Google Chrome:

1. Open Chrome and click on the three dots in the upper right corner.
2. Select Settings from the dropdown menu.
3. Scroll down and click Advanced to expand the settings.
4. Under the Reset and clean up section, click Restore settings to their original defaults.
5. Confirm by clicking Reset settings.

Mozilla Firefox:

1. Open Firefox and click on the three lines in the upper right corner.
2. Select Help and then More troubleshooting information.
3. Click the Refresh Firefox button.
4. Confirm by clicking Refresh Firefox again.

Microsoft Edge:

1. Open Edge and click on the three dots in the upper right corner.
2. Select Settings from the dropdown menu.
3. Scroll down and click Reset settings.
4. Select Restore settings to their default values.
5. Confirm by clicking Reset.

3. Remove Suspicious Extensions:

Google Chrome:

1. Open Chrome and click on the three dots in the upper right corner.
2. Go to More tools > Extensions.
3. Look for any suspicious or unknown extensions and click Remove.

Mozilla Firefox:

1. Open Firefox and click on the three lines in the upper right corner.
2. Select Add-ons > Extensions.
3. Look for any suspicious or unknown extensions and click Remove.

Microsoft Edge:

1. Open Edge and click on the three dots in the upper right corner.
2. Select Extensions.
3. Look for any suspicious or unknown extensions and click Remove.

4. Check and Clean Browser Shortcuts:

1. Right-click on your browser's shortcut icon on your desktop or taskbar.
2. Select Properties.
3. In the Shortcut tab, check the Target field. It should only contain the path to the browser's executable file (e.g., C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe). Remove any additional URLs or text.

5. Open File Explorer and Navigate to Specific Directories:

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Navigate to C:\Program Files (x86) and check for any recent additions or suspicious files related to Owebsearch.com or other unknown entries. Delete them.
3. Navigate to C:\Users\%user%\AppData and check for suspicious files or folders. Delete them if found.
4. Navigate to C:\Users\%user%\AppData\Roaming and repeat the check for suspicious files or folders. Delete them if found.

6. Enable Microsoft Defender Antivirus:

1. Open Settings by pressing Windows + I keys.
2. Go to Update & Security > Windows Security.
3. Click on Virus & threat protection.
4. Ensure that Real-time protection is turned on.

7. Perform a Full System Scan:

1. Open Settings and go to Update & Security > Windows Security.
2. Click on Virus & threat protection.
3. Under the Current threats section, click Scan options.
4. Select Full scan and click Scan now.
5. Wait for the scan to complete and follow the prompts to remove any detected threats.

By following these detailed steps, you can remove the Owebsearch.com browser hijacker and secure your system from further issues.