What is Search.assist.ly?
Search.assist.ly is a browser hijacker that belongs to a potentially unwanted app called SearchShield. It is promoted as a search tool that “respects your privacy”. A search engine that keeps your online activities secure and anonymous certainly sounds good, however, that is not what the hijacker is aimed at. Its main purpose is to earn revenue by promoting its sponsors. That is why after it infiltrates your system, it causes such disruptions as browser settings modifications, advertisements, redirects, and more. If you wish to get rid of these symptoms, you will have to delete Search.assist.ly.
How does Search.assist.ly work?
If you do not remember installing Search.assist.ly, that may be because you acquired it together with other freeware. When you install free software, you are usually presented with additional offers of potentially unwanted apps. If you do not pay attention to the installation wizard, you agree to adding these programs to your system unwittingly. That is not something that we would recommend. Potentially unwanted applications are not useful to computer users. Their main goal is to monetize the free services. You can avoid them by installing freeware in the Advanced mode and deselecting all unfamiliar components from the wizard.
The hijacker switches your home page and default search engine to Search.assist.ly. This website has a search box, the SearchShield logo, and not much else. When you enter a term into the box, you get original results containing sponsored ads. Other websites present you with advertising data brought by the hijacker as well. It is important that you know that the adverts are not checked by anyone. They could be fake and clicking on them could result in unwanted consequences. Moreover, the hijacker is known to cause redirects to unsafe websites and slow down your computer and Internet surfing speed. If you no longer wish to deal with these symptoms, you should terminate Search.assist.ly without hesitation.
How to remove Search.assist.ly?
You can remove Search.assist.ly from your browsers manually or automatically. If you choose the first option, you will have to uninstall SearchShield from your PC and restore your browser settings yourself. These tasks are described in more detail below the article. Alternatively, you can implement a malware removal tool and have them completed for you. The utility will scan your system, detect all issues, and erase Search.assist.ly along with other threats. In addition to Search.assist.ly removal, it will also keep your PC safeguarded by providing it with real-time online protection and other beneficial features.
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Quick Menu
Step 1. Uninstall Search.assist.ly and related programs.
Remove Search.assist.ly from Windows 8
Right-click in the lower left corner of the screen. Once Quick Access Menu shows up, select Control Panel choose Programs and Features and select to Uninstall a software.
Uninstall Search.assist.ly from Windows 7
Click Start → Control Panel → Programs and Features → Uninstall a program.
Delete Search.assist.ly from Windows XP
Click Start → Settings → Control Panel. Locate and click → Add or Remove Programs.
Remove Search.assist.ly from Mac OS X
Click Go button at the top left of the screen and select Applications. Select applications folder and look for Search.assist.ly or any other suspicious software. Now right click on every of such entries and select Move to Trash, then right click the Trash icon and select Empty Trash.
Step 2. Delete Search.assist.ly from your browsers
Terminate the unwanted extensions from Internet Explorer
- Tap the Gear icon and go to Manage Add-ons.
- Pick Toolbars and Extensions and eliminate all suspicious entries (other than Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, Oracle or Adobe)
- Leave the window.
Change Internet Explorer homepage if it was changed by virus:
- Tap the gear icon (menu) on the top right corner of your browser and click Internet Options.
- In General Tab remove malicious URL and enter preferable domain name. Press Apply to save changes.
Reset your browser
- Click the Gear icon and move to Internet Options.
- Open the Advanced tab and press Reset.
- Choose Delete personal settings and pick Reset one more time.
- Tap Close and leave your browser.
- If you were unable to reset your browsers, employ a reputable anti-malware and scan your entire computer with it.
Erase Search.assist.ly from Google Chrome
- Access menu (top right corner of the window) and pick Settings.
- Choose Extensions.
- Eliminate the suspicious extensions from the list by clicking the Trash bin next to them.
- If you are unsure which extensions to remove, you can disable them temporarily.
Reset Google Chrome homepage and default search engine if it was hijacker by virus
- Press on menu icon and click Settings.
- Look for the “Open a specific page” or “Set Pages” under “On start up” option and click on Set pages.
- In another window remove malicious search sites and enter the one that you want to use as your homepage.
- Under the Search section choose Manage Search engines. When in Search Engines..., remove malicious search websites. You should leave only Google or your preferred search name.
Reset your browser
- If the browser still does not work the way you prefer, you can reset its settings.
- Open menu and navigate to Settings.
- Press Reset button at the end of the page.
- Tap Reset button one more time in the confirmation box.
- If you cannot reset the settings, purchase a legitimate anti-malware and scan your PC.
Remove Search.assist.ly from Mozilla Firefox
- In the top right corner of the screen, press menu and choose Add-ons (or tap Ctrl+Shift+A simultaneously).
- Move to Extensions and Add-ons list and uninstall all suspicious and unknown entries.
Change Mozilla Firefox homepage if it was changed by virus:
- Tap on the menu (top right corner), choose Options.
- On General tab delete malicious URL and enter preferable website or click Restore to default.
- Press OK to save these changes.
Reset your browser
- Open the menu and tap Help button.
- Select Troubleshooting Information.
- Press Refresh Firefox.
- In the confirmation box, click Refresh Firefox once more.
- If you are unable to reset Mozilla Firefox, scan your entire computer with a trustworthy anti-malware.
Uninstall Search.assist.ly from Safari (Mac OS X)
- Access the menu.
- Pick Preferences.
- Go to the Extensions Tab.
- Tap the Uninstall button next to the undesirable Search.assist.ly and get rid of all the other unknown entries as well. If you are unsure whether the extension is reliable or not, simply uncheck the Enable box in order to disable it temporarily.
- Restart Safari.
Reset your browser
- Tap the menu icon and choose Reset Safari.
- Pick the options which you want to reset (often all of them are preselected) and press Reset.
- If you cannot reset the browser, scan your whole PC with an authentic malware removal software.
Site Disclaimer
2-remove-virus.com is not sponsored, owned, affiliated, or linked to malware developers or distributors that are referenced in this article. The article does not promote or endorse any type of malware. We aim at providing useful information that will help computer users to detect and eliminate the unwanted malicious programs from their computers. This can be done manually by following the instructions presented in the article or automatically by implementing the suggested anti-malware tools.
The article is only meant to be used for educational purposes. If you follow the instructions given in the article, you agree to be contracted by the disclaimer. We do not guarantee that the artcile will present you with a solution that removes the malign threats completely. Malware changes constantly, which is why, in some cases, it may be difficult to clean the computer fully by using only the manual removal instructions.