RecipeSearch New Tab - How to remove

RecipeSearch is a browser add-on that takes over your new tab page and may even replace the default search provider. As a result, your browser opens unexpected sites that you might never have even seen before. In this case, RecipeSearch promotes the websites Mindspark.com and Ask.com.

RecipeSearch is no malware, but it is an example of a Newtab virus – adware that steers users to certain websites. Usually, it’s to show people ads or to buy traffic.

RecipeSearch is potentially dangerous:

What RecipeSearch does	Collects browsing history and search logs, shows ads and affiliate links on the new tab, steer user to websites owned by the developers.
How the hijacker is installed	Bundled with free programs, promoted by deceptive ads and redirects.
Problems and risks	It collects information about its users, it shows more ads than you might see without the extension, it takes over browser settings.
How to remove RecipeSearch	Scan for malicious files (Combo Cleaner for Mac OS, SpyHunter for PC) and remove them if any are found, remove RecipeSearch and other suspicious extensions from your browser, restore browser settings.

What makes RecipeSearch harmful?

RecipeSearch’s recipe functionality is extremely limited and it takes over the new tab page for no good reason at all. It could easily have been contained in an extension pop-up.

Mindspark, RecipeSearch’s developer, has a really bad reputation as a distributor of potentially unwanted software – just a few examples are FlightSearchApp, MyTransitMapper, and ActionClassicGames. In addition, these add-ons often promote Search Extension by Ask, another hijacker.

When compared to other malware, RecipeSearch is pretty mild. All it does is replace your browser’s default page and then promote its sites (Ask.com, Myway.com) and affiliate links on it. It makes money from advertising.

But at least it doesn’t steal users’ login credentials or something. Still, it’s important to remove RecipeSearch as soon as you discover it on your device. If left installed, it can introduce you to a lot of distractions and risks that could be a lot more harmful:

• Some of the ads displayed by RecipeSearch might be unsafe. For instance, more potentially unwanted programs might be promoted in web search results.
• New tabs open in the browser that lead to promoted sites.
• More low-quality extensions get installed in the background.
• Private browsing data that is captured by RecipeSearch is passed on to advertisers. This data could contain sensitive information.
• Security flaws in the add-ons could be taken advantage of by other malicious websites.

Considering the way RecipeSearch is promoted and the way it behaves, its developer really should not be trusted with anyone’s private browsing information or given access to people’s web browsers.

How RecipeSearch spreads

This might be the most concerning thing about RecipeSearch. Browser hijackers usually use a few methods to get installed:

• Pay other software distributors to bundle the hijacker in their installer.
• Use pop-up ad-networks to open the installation page of those browsing sites with exceptionally aggressive ads.
• Work with adware and notification spammers to show their ads on people’s desktops and browsers.

Unwanted installation

Bundling

Bundling is very common and is a likely explanation to all those who discover RecipeSearch in their browser and have no idea how it got there. When you download free programs, there’s a chance that the program was bundled with some unwanted offers (InstallCore). If you go through the setup file carefully, you might notice offers like “Change your default search to MyWay.com”, or “Add RecipeSearch to my browser”. These offers are always checked by default and often printed in plain, tiny letters, so it’s very easy to miss them completely.

Malvertising

Online ads can also cause malware installations:

• Drive-by downloads could be responsible. In some cases (for example, if your browser is very outdated), malicious scripts could cause automatic downloads.
• Adware viruses and malicious browser extensions that are already on your computer can cause malicious ads to be displayed in your browser. They can poison your search results or replace your search engine with one that is malicious.
• Misleading pop-up ads for RecipeSearch can be mistaken for download links on the sites that advertise them. Basically, fake download button ads.
• Browser extension installation pages can be chained together with deceptive redirects. That’s how RecipeSearch can trick users to install Ask’s search extension.

How to remove RecipeSearch

Remove RecipeSearch and other potentially unwanted extensions. That will be good for your privacy and the usability of your browser. If you want recipe links on your new tab (open your new tab with the buttons Ctrl and T on Windows or Cmd and T on macOS), you can pin them to it with the plus button or through the three-dot menu.

To make sure that there’s no malware left on your computer, scan it with an anti-malware program, for example, Combo Cleaner for Mac or SpyHunter for PC. After all, if the extension was downloaded and installed with a bundler, it’s valuable to know which program is responsible. And if some adware is manipulating your browser to show malicious ads, it should be eliminated before it can cause any real problems.

You should also use antivirus programs that have web filters. They can block bad ads and malicious websites, so if those are blocked, your online security will be much better.

Automatic Malware removal tools

Remove extensions manually

How to remove RecipeSearch using Windows Control Panel

Many hijackers and adware like RecipeSearch New Tab 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 RecipeSearch . You can click on "Name" or "Installed On" to reorder your programs and make RecipeSearch New Tab 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 RecipeSearch from macOS

Delete RecipeSearch New Tab from your applications.

1. Open Finder.
2. In the menu bar, click Go.
3. Select Applications from the dropdown.
4. Find the RecipeSearch 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 RecipeSearch New Tab 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 RecipeSearch, 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 RecipeSearch New Tab 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 RecipeSearch. Click on the trash bin icon next to RecipeSearch New Tab 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 RecipeSearch, 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 RecipeSearch New Tab 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 RecipeSearch 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 RecipeSearch New Tab, 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 RecipeSearch New Tab 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 RecipeSearch. Click on the "Remove" icon next to RecipeSearch New Tab 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 RecipeSearch from Safari (Mac OS X)

• Click on the Safari menu.
• Choose Preferences.
  
• Click on the Extensions Tab.
• Click on the Uninstall button near the RecipeSearch New Tab. 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 RecipeSearch, 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.