Hdstreamsearch.com Hijacker - How to remove

Hdstreamsearch.com is a malicious add-on that infects web browsers for an opportunity to collect user data, as well as to control how people search the internet. Most likely, Hdstreamsearch.com exists to advertise to the people whose browser it took over.

Although it is not very dangerous, it can be very frustrating. It takes features away from the browser, causes search results ot load slower, and may display unwanted affiliated sites.

On Hdstreamsearch.com in short:

Classification	Adware, browser hijacker.
Problems with Hdstreamsearch.com	It’s bad for privacy – it tracks user data for advertisers to use, it restricts user choice in search engines.
How hijackers get installed	Included with other programs as optional offers, deceptively advertised online.
How to remove Hdstreamsearch.com	Delete HDStreamSearch and other malware yourself and with antivirus tools (Combo Cleaner for Mac, Spyhunter for PC), disable notifications from sites that abuse them.

Hdstreamsearch.com is a malicious add-on

It hijacks searches

Hdstreamsearch.com (or HDStreamSearch) is a very useless and unhelpful browser add-on whose only purpose is to spy on its users and to control how they can search the web. Though its description promises “easy access to search” and promises to be the best way to search the internet, the truth is the opposite: Hdstreamsearch.com restricts your search ability to search and makes it harder.

Here are some of the problems with Hdstreamsearch.com:

• It takes your browsing data, such as your search logs. It’s bad for privacy.
• It changes your default search engine. It decides which site can deliver your search results while you don’t get a choice.
• Hdstreamsearch.com can open new tabs with promoted websites. It can close tabs, as well.
• If you allowed Hdstreamsearch.com to send notifications, it can show pop-up ads on your screen.

It’s obvious that Hdstreamsearch.com is good at two things: spying on its users and advertising to them. Indeed, this is how many browser extensions make money. Except, Hdstreamsearch.com doesn’t even offer any useful features that could deserve payment.

It’s installed unfairly

Hdstreamsearch.com uses deceptive ads to pressure or trick people into feeling like they have to install it.

The ads for Hdstreamsearch.com are always framed like they’re a part of an ongoing process – a download or a video streaming session. So, Hdstreamsearch.com may show an ad that has a download button, then show that ad on a file hosting site. People will get confused about which button leads to the real download – and end up installing the Hdstreamsearch.com malware.

If you read the fine print, then it becomes a bit clearer that Hdstreamsearch.com is just an optional offer. But who has the time to read the fine print on every website? It’s not practical. And it’s obvious that the developers of Hdstreamsearch.com were trying to confuse people.

Besides, it matters what precedes the Hdstreamsearch.com installation and how it’s framed. The team behind Chromium (the browser that Chrome is based on) considers manipulative behavior like this to be deceptive installation tactics.

 

How to remove Hdstreamsearch.com redirects

Remove the Hdstreamsearch.com malware

The extension HDStreamSearch should be in your extension area (upper right corner of the browser, the puzzle icon) and the Extensions page in your settings. Either of these areas allows you to remove Hdstreamsearch.com. (In case the extension cannot be removed because your browser is “managed”, click here.)

Use an antivirus tool, like Combo Cleaner for macOS, Spyhunter for Windows, and others to check your programs, add-ons, and download items for anything suspicious.

Check your other add-ons

It’s also important to review the rest of your extensions. Is there anything else that might be suspicious? Maybe an unfamiliar extension that you didn’t install and that wasn’t included with your browser?

If something is still wrong after you have removed Hdstreamsearch.com, then continue reviewing your extensions. Even those that you have had for a long time and those that don’t have very intrusive permissions could be up to something.

For instance, extensions that have only the single permission to “read your browsing history” can open and close tabs, redirect searches, and open pop-up ads.

Block unwanted notifications

Also, In case pop-up ads from Hdstreamsearch.com and other sites (such as Content4you.net or Install.notify-service.com) are bothering you, read our post on how to block web push notifications. You can disable sites individually or you can block all sites from ever asking you to allow notifications.

Automatic Malware removal tools

Remove extensions and fix browser settings

TopHow To remove Hdstreamsearch.com Hijacker from Google Chrome:

• Click on the 3 horizontal lines icon on a browser toolbar and Select More Tools→Extensions
  
• Select all malicious extensions and delete them.
  
• Click on the 3 horizontal lines icon on a browser toolbar and Select Settings
  
• Select Manage Search engines
  
• Remove unnecessary search engines from the list
  
• Go back to settings. On Startup choose Open blank page (you can remove undesired pages from the set pages link too).
• If your homepage was changed, click on Chrome menu on the top right corner, select Settings. Select Open a specific page or set of pages and click on Set pages.
  
• Delete malicious search websites at a new Startup pages window by clicking “X” next to them.
  

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings

If you are still experiencing any issues related to Hdstreamsearch.com Hijacker, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on a Chrome’s menu button (three horizontal lines) and select Settings.
• Scroll to the end of the page and click on theReset browser settings button.
  
• Click on the Reset button on the confirmation box.
  

If you cannot reset your browser settings and the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program.

How to remove Hdstreamsearch.com Hijacker from Microsoft Edge:Top

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Microsoft Edge window. Select “Extensions”.

• Select all malicious extensions and delete them.

• Click on the three-dot menu on the browser toolbar and Select Settings

• Select Privacy and Services and scroll down. Press on Address bar.

• Choose Manage search engines.

• Remove unnecessary search engines from the list: open the three-dot menu and choose Remove.

• Go back to Settings. Open On start-up.
• Delete malicious search websites at Open specific page or pages by opening the three-dot menu and clicking Delete.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings If you are still experiencing any issues related to Hdstreamsearch.com Hijacker, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings

• Click on Edge's menu button and select Settings. Click on the Reset Settings button on the left.
• Press the Restore settings to their default values option.

• Click on the Reset button on the confirmation box.

If you cannot reset your browser settings and the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program.

How To remove Hdstreamsearch.com Hijacker from Firefox:Top

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Mozilla window and select the “Add-ons” icon (Or press Ctrl+Shift+A on your keyboard).
  
• Go through Extensions and Addons list, remove everything Hdstreamsearch.com Hijacker related and items you do not recognise. If you do not know the extension and it is not made by Mozilla, Google, Microsoft, Oracle or Adobe then you probably do not need it.
  
• If your homepage was changed, click on the Firefox menu in the top right corner, select Options → General. Enter a preferable URL to the homepage field and click Restore to Default.
  

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings If you are still experiencing any issues related to Hdstreamsearch.com Hijacker, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Mozilla Firefox window. Click on the Help button.
  
• ChooseTroubleshooting Information on the Help menu.
  
• Click on theReset Firefox button.
  
• Click on the Reset Firefox button on the confirmation box. Mozilla Firefox will close and change the settings to default.
  

If the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program to identify malicious entries.