What is Search.protectedio.com?

Search.protectedio.com is search engine, that is installed by potentially unwanted program called ProtectedIO along with browser add-on “ProtectedIO Toolbar”. ProtectedIO is advertised as security solution to protect your system from viruses, hackers and provide anonymity online. Search.protectedio.com is supposed to provide secure search functionality in Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer. In reality, this website delivers low-quality results using infospace.com search engine (ccs.infospace.com). Visually Search.protectedio.com reminds Google.com and this misleads users, because hijacker replaces default homepage and search engine in browsers. Here is complete guide to remove Search.protectedio.com and uninstall ProtectedIO Toolbar from Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista and XP.

How Search.protectedio.com gets on your PC?

ProtectedIO uses mass distribution channel: bundled installations along with popular types of free programs. Many popular utilities like media players, archiver, converters, downloaders, torrent clients, PDF readers are free to use, but they are monetized by adware, hijackers, that are installed alongside. Norton can detect bundled installations and remove existing malware infections, that are not detectable by regular antiviruses. Use it to remove Search.protectedio.com from your computer.

How to remove Search.protectedio.com from your computer?

To uninstall Search.protectedio.com remove it from Control Panel, then delete all files and regkeys.

In our view, there are 3 products that potentially have Search.protectedio.com in their database. You can try to use them for removing Search.protectedio.com.

Recommended Solution:

Norton is a powerful removal tool. It can remove all instances of newest viruses, similar to Search.protectedio.com – files, folders, registry keys.

 

Download Norton*Trial version of Norton provides detection of computer viruses for FREE. To remove malware, you have to purchase the full version of Norton.

Alternative Solution:

Norton Antivirus – detects files, registry values and folders of viruses that show the same behavior as Search.protectedio.com.

 

Download Norton
 

You can try both of these products to remove Search.protectedio.com

Or uninstall Search.protectedio.com manually.

Step 1: Remove Search.protectedio.com from Control Panel

Windows XP:

1. Click Start.
2. Control Panel.
3. Then click Add or Remove Programs.
4. Find ProtectedIO Toolbar.
5. Click Uninstall.

Windows 7/Windows Vista:

1. Click Start.
2. Then Control Panel.
3. Click Uninstall a Program.
4. Find ProtectedIO Toolbar and click Uninstall.

Learn more about uninstallation of programs in Windows 7.

Windows 8/Windows 8.1:

1. Open the Menu.
2. Click Search.
3. After that click Apps.
4. Then Control Panel.
5. Then as in Windows 7, click Uninstall a Program under Programs.
6. Find ProtectedIO Toolbar, select it and click Uninstall.

Learn more about uninstallation of programs in Windows 8 (8.1).

Windows 10:

1. Click on the Start button (or press the Windows key) to open the Start menu, click on the Settings at the top.
2. Click on App & features on the left menu.
3. On the right side, locate ProtectedIO Toolbar and click it, then click on the Uninstall button.
4. Click on Uninstall to confirm.

Learn more about uninstallation of programs in Windows 10

Note: If you can’t find required program, sort programs by date in Control panel and search for last installed programs.

After that remove Search.protectedio.com from your browser.

Step 2: Remove Search.protectedio.com from browsers

Google Chrome:

1. Open Google Chrome
2. Push Alt + F.
3. Click Tools.
4. Choose Extensions.
5. Find ProtectedIO.
6. Click the trash can icon to remove it.

Learn more about removing extensions from Chrome.

Mozilla Firefox:

1. Open Firefox.
2. Push Shift + Ctrl + A.
3. Choose ProtectedIO.
4. Click Disable or Remove button.

Learn more about removing extensions from Firefox.

Internet Explorer:

1. Open IE.
2. Push Alt + T.
3. Click Manage Add-ons.
4. Select Toolbars and Extensions.
5. Click Disable ProtectedIO.
6. Click More information link in the left-bottom corner.
7. Click Remove button.
8. If this button is grayed out – perform alternative steps.

Learn more about removing extensions from IE.

Step 3: Resetting your browser search and homepage settings

Reset browser setting in Google Chrome:

1. Click the Chrome menu (3 bar button) in the top right corner.
2. Choose Settings.
3. Click Show advanced settings.
4. Go to Reset browser settings section.
5. Click Reset browser settings.
6. In the dialog that appears, click Reset.

Learn more about resetting browser settings in Google Chrome.

Reset browser setting in Mozilla Firefox:

1. Open Mozilla Firefox.
2. Go to Help.
3. Go to Troubleshooting information.
4. Click Reset Firefox… button.

Learn more about resetting browser settings in Mozilla Firefox.

Reset browser setting in Internet Explorer:

1. Open Internet Explorer.
2. Click on the cogwheel in the right upper corner.
3. Click Internet options.
4. Go to Advanced tab.
5. Click Reset button.
6. Put a tick near Delete personal settings checkbox.
7. Click Reset button.

Learn more about resetting browser settings in Internet Explorer.

Step 4: Remove Search.protectedio.com from shortcuts

For every browser (Chrome, Firefox, IE) do the following:

1. Right-click on the corresponding shortcut.
2. In opened menu choose Properties.
3. Look carefully at the Target field.
4. Remove Search.protectedio.com from this line.
5. Click Apply button.
6. Confirm changes by clicking Continue button in opened window.
7. Click on the shortcut to check.

Step 5: Remove following files and folders of Search.protectedio.com:

Remove following registry entries:

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Remove following files:

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Remove following folders

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Information provided by: Alexey Abalmasov