Reading Cursors Malware - How to remove

Reading Cursors is an unwanted extension for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox browsers. It may be downloaded directly through the Chrome Web Store. Nevertheless, it is quite unlikely that you will make your personal decision to integrate the extension into your browser. Hence, the distributors of the extension refer to the help of several adware programs that hijack browsers and cause redirections to reading-cursors.com, its official landing page. We definitely condemn this practice to force users into downloading the programs that they absolutely do not need.

Reading Cursors is advertised as a handy tool that lets you use your cursor as a reading ruler. The developers of the extension claim that this way you will stay focused on the desired selection of the screen while reading online. They mention that this feature is great for kids learning how to read, or for adults looking at a statistics table online. Unfortunately, Reading Cursors introduces a lot of other amendments into your browser apart from its useful features. The extension, however, does not mention this fact clearly. If you agree to install it you automatically give your consent for certain browser modifications. Considering these facts, you should disregard all the tricky proposals mentioned in the description of the Reading Cursors extension.

Browser modifications introduced by Reading Cursors

Once installed and enabled, Reading Cursors may indeed provide you with some of its advertised features. However, it additionally will perform the following alterations into the way your browser operates:

• modifying the startup page;
• changing the default search engine;
• replacing the blank new tab with the page related to Reading Cursors.

Submitting the search queries through your hijacked browser will no longer be done based on your preferences. Instead of Google Search as your default search provider, you will obtain the search results through Yahoo Search or some other third-party service. Some people prefer Yahoo or Bing Search, which are decent search engines too. The problem is that Reading Cursors tries to make the decision instead of you concerning your browsing settings. You will not be able to get back to Google as your startup page, neither will you have a chance to set it as your default search engine again. As long as Reading Cursors is enabled, it will control these important settings and will not let you make your own selections.

Additionally, Reading Cursors may provide you with a lot of irrelevant advertisement banners, sponsored links and cause unwanted pop-ups leading to third-party websites. This way the extension generates the revenue for its owners and distributors. The more supported content is displayed through it, the more profit they get. Finally, Reading Cursors tracks a lot of information about your browsing preferences, search queries, interests, and other sensitive data. It may do that in order to display more relevant ads, but the problem is that you did not give your permission for such tracking. It is certain that the number of unwanted alterations by the extension exceeds the number of its positive functions. Thus, it should be immediately deleted.

How to uninstall Reading Cursors

If you prefer to get rid of the extension manually, follow these steps carefully for Mozilla Firefox browser:

• click on Mozilla Firefox menu in the form of three vertical lines;
• select “Add-ons”;
• go to the “Extensions” tab;
• find Reading Cursors, disable and delete it.

When using Google Chrome, the procedure to remove Reading Cursors is basically the same. All its available extensions may be found by clicking on “More Tools” in the menu and then on “Extensions”. If you discover some other third-party add-ons that you do not need, move them to the trash right away. We additionally recommend scanning your computer with either Spyhunter. It’s important because manual system cleanup might not fully reveal all problems that may still cause the damage. Please follow the rest of the guide explaining how to perform automatic system cleanup with the help of proven security software.

Automatic Malware removal tools

How to remove Reading Cursors using Windows Control Panel

Many hijackers and adware like Reading Cursors Malware install some of their components as regular Windows programs as well as additional software. This part of malware can be uninstalled from the Control Panel. To access it, do the following.

• Start→Control Panel (older Windows) or press Windows Key→Search and enter Control Panel and then press Enter (Windows 8, Windows 10).
• Choose Uninstall Program (if you don't see it, click in the upper right next to "View by" and select Category).
• Go through the list of programs and select entries related to Reading Cursors . You can click on "Name" or "Installed On" to reorder your programs and make Reading Cursors Malware easier to find.
• Click the Uninstall button. If you're asked if you really want to remove the program, click Yes.
• In many cases anti-malware programs are better at detecting related parasites, thus I recommend installing Spyhunter to identify other programs that might be a part of this infection.

How to remove Reading Cursors from macOS

Delete Reading Cursors Malware from your applications.

1. Open Finder.
2. In the menu bar, click Go.
3. Select Applications from the dropdown.
4. Find the Reading Cursors app.
5. Select it and right-click it (or hold the Ctrl and click the left mouse button).
6. In the dropdown, click Move to Bin/Trash. You might be asked to provide your login password.

TopRemove malicious extensions from Internet Explorer

• Press on the Gear icon→Manage Add-ons.
  
• Go through Toolbars and extensions. Remove everything related to Reading Cursors Malware and items you do not know that are made not by Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, Oracle or Adobe.
  
• Close the Options.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings

If you are still experiencing any issues related to Reading Cursors, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Press on the Gear icon->Internet Options.
  
• Choose the Advanced tab and click on the Reset button.
  
• Select a “Delete personal settings” checkbox and click on the Reset button.
  
• Click on the Close button on the confirmation box, then close your browser.
  

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

TopRemoving Reading Cursors Malware from Chrome

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Google Chrome window. Select “Settings”.
  
• Click “Extensions” on the left menu bar.
• Go through the extensions list and remove programs you do not need, especially similar to Reading Cursors. Click on the trash bin icon next to Reading Cursors Malware or other add-ons you want to remove.
  
• Press on the “Remove” button on the Confirmation window.
  
• If unsure, you can disable them temporarily.
  
• Restart Chrome.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings

If you are still experiencing any issues related to Reading Cursors, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

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

TopRemoving Reading Cursors Malware from Firefox

• 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 Reading Cursors 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.
  

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings If you are still experiencing any issues related to Reading Cursors Malware, 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.
  
• Choose Troubleshooting Information on the Help menu.
  
• Click on the Reset Firefox button.
  
• Click on the Reset Firefox button on the confirmation box. Mozilla Firefox will close and change the settings to default.
  

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

How to remove Reading Cursors Malware from Microsoft Edge:Top

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

• Go through the extensions list and remove programs you do not need, especially similar to Reading Cursors. Click on the "Remove" icon next to Reading Cursors Malware or other add-ons you want to remove.

• Press on the “Remove” button on the Confirmation window.

• If unsure, you can disable them temporarily.

• Restart Microsoft Edge.

TopRemoving Reading Cursors from Safari (Mac OS X)

• Click on the Safari menu.
• Choose Preferences.
  
• Click on the Extensions Tab.
• Click on the Uninstall button near the Reading Cursors Malware. Remove all other unknown or suspicious entries too. If you are not sure whether you need the extension or not, you can simply uncheck the Enable check-box to disable the extension temporarily.
  
• Restart Safari.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings

If you are still experiencing any issues related to Reading Cursors, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on the Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Reset Safari.
  
• Select which options you want to reset (usually all of them come preselected) and click on the Reset button.
  

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