Uninstall Startpage.com virus (Uninstall Guide) - Aug 2017 updated
Startpage.com virus Removal Guide
Description of Startpage.com redirect
What is known about Startpage.com virus?
Startpage.com virus is categorised as a browser hijacker[1]. This type of computer infection spreads bundled with freeware[2] and after infiltration alters Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Internet Explorer settings. Recognising the hijacker is simple – after hijack, it sets Startpage.com as default homepage and prevents victims from making any customizations. Using this search engine is not recommended because it is capable of modifying search results and including sponsored links.
Sadly, some of them have barely something in common with entered search queries and might be malicious. We do not say that all search results provided by this engine are potentially dangerous; however, if you are not willing to rush with Startpage.com removal, you should be aware of the possible consequences. Some of the provided third-party links might lead to the high-risk[3] or infected websites.
What is worse, some websites might be created for spreading cyber infections, install tracking cookies or try to steal your private or financial information. Startpage.com browser hijacker cannot cause these problems itself; however, it can trick you into visiting dangerous sites where you can accidentally get infected with ransomware, Trojans, and other malware.
Apart from delivering questionable search results, Startpage virus is also capable of placing suspicious banners on various websites, disturb browsing the Internet with tons of aggressive pop-ups, and initiate unexpected redirects to the unknown sites. All these activities decrease browsing experience a lot; however, the developers of this search engine promise opposite results.
Startpage.com virus is presented as a search engine that values user’s privacy and protects from various privacy-related issues that might cause regular search providers. However, cyber security specialists believe that trusting well-known and reputable search engines, such as Google or Bing, is better than relying on some shady tool that is capable of tracking non-personally identifiable[4] information itself.
Keep in mind that legitimate programs do not secretly appear on the computers, so you should take this fact into consideration and remove Startpage.com from the system. We recommend making elimination process simpler by employing FortectIntego.
Distribution methods of the browser hijacker
Browser hijackers get inside computers as additional components that are hidden in the software package. Computer users who are used to installing new programs with ‘Quick’ or ‘Recommended’ setup risk of experiencing Startpage.com hijack. These installation modes do not reveal information about additional components and installs them by default.
Therefore, you might be surprised how many PUPs[5] you might have accidentally installed. Fortunately, you can protect yourself from browser hijackers, adware, and other suspicious apps by installing software with ‘Advanced’ or ‘Quick’ settings. They allow seeing the list of suggested programs and declining their installation. Bear in mind that the majority of additional applications that are bundled in the software packages are shady and not worth trusting. Therefore, deselect them all and continue the installation.
Elimination of Startpage.com virus
There are two possible ways to run away from Startpage.com redirect problems, modified search results and altered browsers’ settings – manual and automatic. Both ways are effective; however, the manual technique might be harder and more complicated.
Our team has prepared detailed guidelines for manual Startpage.com removal; however, if you fail and this search engine still stays on your PC, you should not waste your time and opt for automatic option. This method requires using reputable and professional anti-malware tool and run a full system scan.
Keep in mind that free or cheap antivirus utilities may not work properly and leave some components of the browser hijacker on the computer. If you want to remove Startpage.com for good, you should choose one of the suggested programs below. They not only clean you PC but also protect it from the cyber infections in the future.
You may remove virus damage with a help of FortectIntego. SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner and Malwarebytes are recommended to detect potentially unwanted programs and viruses with all their files and registry entries that are related to them.
Getting rid of Startpage.com virus. Follow these steps
Uninstall Startpage.com in Windows systems
Do not rush with Startpage.com elimination procedure. Keep in mind that you have to remove browser hijacker, the program that brought it inside, and all other malicious components that might be related to it. When you wipe out this computer infection form the system, fix the web browsers that are installed on your PC.
Terminate suspicious programs from Windows 10/8 machines by following these instructions:
- Type Control Panel into Windows search and once the result shows up hit Enter.
- Under Programs, choose Uninstall a program.
- Find components related to suspicious programs.
- Right-click on the application and select Uninstall.
- Click Yes when User Account Control shows up.
- Wait for the process of uninstallation to be done and click OK.
Windows 7/XP instructions:
- Click on Windows Start and go to Control Panel on the right pane.
- Choose Add/Remove Programs.
- Select Uninstall a program under Programs in Control Panel.
- Click once on the unwanted application.
- Click Uninstall/Change at the top.
- Confirm with Yes.
- Click OK and finish the removal.
Uninstall Startpage.com in Mac OS X system
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Users who use OS X should click on Go button, which can be found at the top left corner of the screen and select Applications.
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Wait until you see Applications folder and look for Startpage.com or any other suspicious programs on it. Now right click on every of such entries and select Move to Trash.
Eliminate Startpage.com virus from Microsoft Edge browser
Delete suspicious extensions from MS Edge:
- Go to the Menu by clicking on the three horizontal dots at the top-right.
- Then pick Extensions.
- Choose the unwanted add-ons on the list and click on the Gear icon.
- Click on Uninstall at the bottom.
Clear cookies and other data:
- Click on the Menu and from the context menu select Privacy & security.
- Under Clear browsing data, select Choose what to clear.
- Choose everything except passwords, and click on Clear.
Alter new tab and homepage settings:
- Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
- Then find On startup section.
- Click Disable if you found any suspicious domain.
Reset MS Edge fully:
- Click on the keyboard Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Choose More details arrow at the bottom.
- Go to Details tab.
- Now scroll down and locate every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it.
- Right-click on each of them and select End Task to stop MS Edge from running.
When none of the above solves the issue, you might need an advanced Edge reset method, but you need to backup your data before proceeding.
- Find the following folder on the PC: C:\\Users\\%username%\\AppData\\Local\\Packages\\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe.
- Press Ctrl + A on your keyboard to select all folders.
- Right-click on the selection and choose Delete
- Right-click on the Start button and pick Windows PowerShell (Admin).
- Copy and paste the following command, and then press Enter:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\\AppXManifest.xml” -Verbose
Instructions for Chromium-based Edge
Delete extensions:
- Open Edge and click Settings.
- Then find Extensions.
- Delete unwanted extensions with the Remove.
Clear cache and site data:
- Click on Menu and then Settings.
- Find Privacy and services.
- Locate Clear browsing data, then click Choose what to clear.
- Time range.
- Click All time.
- Select Clear now.
Reset Chromium-based MS Edge browser fully:
- Go to Settings.
- On the left side, choose Reset settings.
- Select Restore settings to their default values.
- Click Reset.
Delete Startpage.com from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
In the list of extensions look for newly installed applications. They might be related to Startpage.com virus, so you have to remove them without any doubts and restore Firefox's settings.
Remove suspicious Firefox extensions:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the three horizontal lines at the top-right to open the menu.
- Select Add-ons in the context menu.
- Choose plugins that are creating issues and select Remove.
Reset the homepage on the browser:
- Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner.
- This time select Options.
- Under Home section, enter your preferred site for the homepage that will open every time you launch Mozilla Firefox.
Clear cookies and site data:
- Click Menu and pick Options.
- Find the Privacy & Security section.
- Scroll down to choose Cookies and Site Data.
- Click on Clear Data… option.
- Click Cookies and Site Data, Cached Web Content and press Clear.
Reset Mozilla Firefox:
If none of the steps above helped you, reset Mozilla Firefox as follows:
- Open Mozilla Firefox and go to the menu.
- Click Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.
- Locate Give Firefox a tune-up section, click on Refresh Firefox…
- Confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox on the pop-up.
Chrome browser reset
Uninstall all suspicious extensions that might have been installed on Google Chrome without your knowledge. They might be related to the browser hijacker and initiate another Startpage.com hijack. Once you remove all suspicious apps, restore browser's settings.
Find and remove suspicious extensions from Google Chrome:
- In Google Chrome, open the Menu by clicking three vertical dots at the top-right corner.
- Select More tools > Extensions.
- Once the window opens, you will see all the installed extensions.
- Find any suspicious add-ons related to any PUP.
- Uninstall them by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and web data from Chrome:
- Click the Menu and select Settings.
- Find Privacy and security section.
- Choose Clear browsing data.
- Select Browsing history.
- Cookies and other site data, also Cached images and files.
- Click Clear data.
Alter settings of the homepage:
- Go to the menu and choose Settings.
- Find odd entries in the On startup section.
- Click on Open a specific or set of pages.
- Then click on three dots and look for the Remove option.
Reset Google Chrome fully:
You might need to reset Google Chrome and properly eliminate all the unwanted components:
- Go to Chrome Settings.
- Once there, scroll down to expand Advanced section.
- Scroll down to choose Reset and clean up.
- Click Restore settings to their original defaults.
- Click Reset settings again.
Delete Startpage.com from Safari
Get rid of questionable extensions from Safari:
- Click Safari.
- Then go to Preferences…
- Choose Extensions on the menu.
- Select the unwanted extension and then pick Uninstall.
Clear cookies from Safari:
- Click Safari.
- Choose Clear History…
- From the drop-down menu under Clear, find and pick all history.
- Confirm with Clear History.
Reset Safari fully:
- Click Safari and then Preferences…
- Choose the Advanced tab.
- Tick the Show Develop menu in the menu bar.
- From the menu bar, click Develop.
- Then select Empty Caches.
Even if you have completed all the steps above, we still strongly recommend you to scan your computer system with a powerful anti-malware software. It is advisable to do that because an automatic malware removal tool can detect and delete all remains of Startpage.com, for instance, its registry keys. The anti-malware program can help you to easily detect and eliminate possibly dangerous software and malicious viruses in an easy way. You can use any of our top-rated malware removal programs: FortectIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes.
How to prevent from getting browser plugins
Securely connect to your website wherever you are
Sometimes you may need to log in to a content management system or server more often, especially if you are actively working on a blog, website, or different project that needs constant maintenance or that requires frequent content updates or other changes. Avoiding this problem can be easy if you choose a dedicated/fixed IP address. It's a static IP address that only belongs to a specific device and does not change when you are in different locations.
VPN service providers such as Private Internet Access can help you with these settings. This tool can help you control your online reputation and successfully manage your projects wherever you are. It is important to prevent different IP addresses from connecting to your website. With a dedicated/fixed IP address, VPN service, and secure access to a content management system, your project will remain secure.
Reduce the threat of viruses by backing up your data
Due to their own careless behavior, computer users can suffer various losses caused by cyber infections. Viruses can affect the functionality of the software or directly corrupt data on your system by encrypting it. These problems can disrupt the system and cause you to lose personal data permanently. There is no such threat if you have the latest backups, as you can easily recover lost data and get back to work.
It is recommended to update the backups in parallel each time the system is modified. This way, you will be able to access the latest saved data after an unexpected virus attack or system failure. By having the latest copies of important documents and projects, you will avoid serious inconveniences. File backups are especially useful if malware attacks your system unexpectedly. We recommend using the Data Recovery Pro program to restore the system.
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- ^ Browser Hijacker. Technopedia. Where IT and business meet.
- ^ Freeware. BusinessDictionary. Online business dictionary.
- ^ Stefanie Hoffman. When Good Goes Bad: 10 Most Dangerous Web Sites. CRN. Technology News For Solution Providers And the IT Channel.
- ^ Personally identifiable information. Wikipedia. The Free Encyclopedia.
- ^ PUPs Explained: What is a “Potentially Unwanted Program”?. How-To Geek. For Geeks, By Geeks.