What is Smartshopsearch.com

Smartshopsearch.com is a so-called “redirect virus” designed to redirect users to partner websites. Smartshopsearch.com often comes bundled with freeware and is installed as a browser extension without the user’s consent. Following infiltration, it starts altering the browser’s settings to set Smartshopsearch.com as the main search provider. As a result, all your search queries will be redirected to Yahoo.com or other search engines. Despite the fact that Yahoo is a legitimate search engine, your search results might be filled with bogus links. Furthermore, the user might notice an increased amount of various and intrusive ads on websites he or she visits. You may follow this guide to get rid of browser hijacker and completely remove Smartshopsearch.com. The manual removal is possible, but you need to find all the related files and applications, which is time-consuming. So if you don’t have much experience, you’d better use the automatic deletion tool.

Brief overview:

Name	SmartShopSearch
Type of threat	Browser hijacker
URL address	https://www.smartshopsearch.com/
Symptoms	Browser hijacker changes the homepage and search engine of the browser so that users are forced to use them. It fills the targeted browser with commercial content in form of pop-ups, banners, in-text links, audio/video ads, etc. Also, hijackers can occasionally cause redirects to third-party websites
Infiltration	Freeware programs, illegal software, software cracks, torrents, fake updates
Manual Removal	To eliminate the threat manually, you should remove all files and applications related to the browser hijacker
Removal Tool	To completely get rid of hijacker, We recommend using SpyHunter. This is the only way you can be 100% sure that all components of the threat are removed from the system.

Smartshopsearch.com modifies your browser’s settings, such as the default search engine, new tab page, and homepage, to promote third-party advertisements and search results. The hijacker may also install additional toolbars, extensions, or plugins without your consent, which can slow down your browser’s performance and compromise your privacy. Smartshopsearch.com may also collect your browsing history, search queries, IP address, and other sensitive information to display personalized ads or share with third-party advertisers.

How Smartshopsearch.com browser hijacker spreads

Smartshopsearch.com browser hijacker typically spreads through software bundling, which is a method of distributing free or pirated software with additional unwanted programs. When you download and install a program from an untrustworthy website, the installer may also include Smartshopsearch.com or other PUPs as a “recommended” or “custom” installation option. If you rush through the installation process without reading the terms and conditions, you may inadvertently agree to install the hijacker along with the desired program.

Smartshopsearch.com may also spread through malicious ads, fake software updates, or phishing emails. Malicious ads may redirect you to a website that automatically downloads and installs the hijacker without your knowledge. Fake software updates may prompt you to download and install a critical update for your browser or operating system, but in reality, it is a disguised installer for the hijacker. Phishing emails may contain a link or attachment that downloads and installs the hijacker when clicked or opened.

Signs That Your Browser Has Been Hijacked by Smartshopsearch.com

If your browser has been hijacked by Smartshopsearch.com, you may notice some of the following signs:

1. Your default search engine has been changed to Smartshopsearch.com or another unknown search engine.
2. Your new tab page and homepage have been replaced with Smartshopsearch.com or another unknown website.
3. You see more pop-up ads, banners, coupons, or deals than usual, especially on shopping or gaming websites.
4. Your browser is slower than usual or crashes frequently, especially when opening new tabs or windows.
5. You cannot uninstall or remove certain toolbars, extensions, or plugins from your browser.
6. Your browser’s security settings have been changed without your consent, such as disabling the built-in firewall or antivirus.

If you experience any of these signs, it is likely that your browser has been hijacked by Smartshopsearch.com or another PUP.

Risks Associated with Smartshopsearch.com Browser Hijacker

Smartshopsearch.com browser hijacker is not only annoying, but it can also pose several risks to your system and privacy. The hijacker may track your browsing history, search queries, and other online activities to display personalized ads or share with third-party advertisers. This can compromise your privacy and expose you to targeted phishing attacks or identity theft. The hijacker may also install additional PUPs or malware that can damage your files, steal your passwords, or hijack your webcam or microphone. Moreover, the hijacker may slow down your browser’s performance and consume your system’s resources, leading to crashes or freezes.

How to uninstall Smartshopsearch.com hijacker from your computer?

The easiest and most modern way of removing pop-ups, trojans, ransomware, or other viruses is to use automatic removal tools. This tool can detect and remove stubborn PUPs and malware that may be hiding in your system. See our Anti-malware tools below for further instructions.

Recommended Anti-malware tools:

Also, you can try to uninstall Smartshopsearch.com hijacker manually.

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Sometimes, an extension cannot be removed because it is supposedly “Managed by your organization”. If this is your case, we recommend that you also use this guide – How to remove Managed by your organization from Chrome?

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Step 1: Remove Smartshopsearch.com hijacker from Control Panel/Applications

Windows XP:

1. Click Start.
2. Control Panel.
3. Then click Add or Remove Programs.
4. Find Smartshopsearch.com hijacker.
5. Click Uninstall.

Learn more about uninstallation of programs in Windows XP.

Windows 7/Windows Vista:

1. Click Start.
2. Then Control Panel.
3. Click Uninstall a Program.
4. Find Smartshopsearch.com 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 Smartshopsearch.com, 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, and click on the Settings at the top.
2. Click on App & features on the left menu.
3. On the right side, locate Smartshopsearch.com 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 the required program, sort programs by date in Control panel and search for the last installed programs.

Windows 11:

1. Right click on the Start button to open the Start menu.
2. Click on App & features on the left side.
3. In the opened window, search for the program you want to remove, click on the “3-dots icon”, and click Uninstall button.
4. Click on Uninstall again to confirm.

Learn more about uninstallation of programs in Windows 11

Mac OSX:

1. Open Finder
2. In the Finder sidebar, click Applications
3. If you see Uninstall Smartshopsearch.com or Smartshopsearch.com Uninstaller (or other suspicious apps that you’ve never installed), double-click it, and follow the instructions
4. Drag unwanted application Smartshopsearch.com from the Applications folder to the Trash (located on the right side of the Dock)

Learn more about uninstallation of programs in Mac OSX

After that uninstall Smartshopsearch.com from your browser.

Step 2: Remove Smartshopsearch.com from browsers

Google Chrome:

If you cannot remove the extension from Google Chrome, as the delete icon is greyed out and the extension is marked as “managed by your organization”, you should first perform steps described in the How to remove Managed by your organization from Chrome? article and only then proceed with the removal.

1. Open Google Chrome
2. Click on 3-dots icon in the upper right corner and select Tools.
3. Choose Extensions.
4. Find Smartshopsearch.com.
5. Click the trash can icon to remove it.

Learn more about removing extensions from Chrome.

Safari:

1. Open Safari
2. Click Safari menu.
3. Choose Extensions.
4. Find Smartshopsearch.com or other suspicious extensions.
5. Click Uninstall button to remove it.

Learn more about removing extensions from Safari.

Mozilla Firefox:

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

Learn more about removing extensions from Firefox.

Microsoft Edge:

1. Press Settings and more button
2. Choose and Click on Extensions
3. Find Smartshopsearch.com extension and click settings
4. Press Uninstall button
5. Start Edge again

Learn more about removing extensions from Edge.

Internet Explorer:

1. Open IE.
2. Push Alt + T.
3. Click Manage Add-ons.
4. Select Toolbars and Extensions.
5. Click Disable Smartshopsearch.com.
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 Safari:

1. Open Safari.
2. Click on the Safari menu.
3. Choose Reset Safari….
4. Click Reset button.

Learn more about resetting browser settings in Safari.

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.