Searcheq.com Redirects - How to remove

Do Searcheq.com and Direct.dexum.org show up when you search the web? Has your browser been behaving strangely?

If Searcheq.com and Direct.dexum.org appear on your screen, that likely means that a dubious extension installed on your browser. It’s not dangerous, but Searcheq.com does collect some user data and takes control over your default search engine.

You can stop the redirects by finding and removing the hijacker add-ons.

About Searcheq.com:

Threat type	Adware, browser hijacker.
How Searcheq.com/Direct.dexum.org work	A malicious browser extension configures Searcheq.com as your default search engine, your search queries are sent to Searcheq.com and Direct.dexum.org by your browser, these sites take control over your searches.
Problems and issues	You can’t control which website is your default search engine, the new tab page loses features, unfamiliar sites are able to access your browsing history.
How to remove Searcheq.com	Uninstall all suspicious browser extensions, remove malware with antivirus programs (Combo Cleaner for Mac, Spyhunter for PC, etc.), disable notifications from unwanted sites.

About Searcheq.com

A search engine

Searcheq.com, or Search EQ, stands for Easy & Quick Search. The Searcheq.com website claims to provide “cutting edge technologies, tools and extensions for helping users”.

Searcheq.com is not just a home site for a few browser extensions, it is also supposed to be a search engine – a website that finds and displays relevant search results when you type in a query.

It’s not a real search engine, though. It takes in queries and then redirects to another site – Direct.dexum.org. Direct.dexum.org then opens whatever site it wants to open.

The reason that Searcheq.com may show up on your screen is that a browser add-on is forcing your browser to open these sites. It’s not unusual for browser extensions to make money by opening ads in users’ browsers and by manipulating their searches.

Browser hijackers

Browser extensions are mini-apps that can be installed on your web browser and add features, change what your browser looks like, or change its behavior.

Searcheq.com is promoted by a few browser add-ons:

• EQSearch,
• Easy Installer,
• Easy Search (not to be confused with EasySearch Pro),
• and E-Installer (not that E-Installer).

The EQSearch and Easy Search extensions allow users to switch between search engines without having to go into browser settings. They generously let you choose between Bing and Yahoo. Although, in my case, they ended up showing Google after redirecting to Direct.dexum.org.

E-Installer and Easy Installer, which promise to help users find software, only offer a couple of links to Eqinstaller.com – a website that doesn’t seem to do anything. Oh, and they also hijack the browser’s search in the same way as the other two extensions.

It seems like the browser add-ons that promote Searcheq.com do not provide features worth using. There are plenty of browser add-ons that provide better functionality and don’t hijack your web search.

Data collector

Installetize is the company that made Searcheq.com. Unsurprisingly, it’s a web marketing and software monetization company.

According to Searcheq.com’s privacy policy, the associated browser extensions collect some data:

• Your search terms and the time of search,
• Which ads in your search results you clicked on,
• When and what browser extensions you have installed,
• The usual technical information (your location, language, browser, etc.).

This data can be used to help advertisers offer you relevant ads – that is, ads based on your search data and other data.

Browser extensions have a lot of access to user data, which is why it’s advised to review their privacy policies before installing them.

How to remove Searcheq.com

Open the settings of your browser and review the extensions that are installed. To get rid of Searcheq.com and Direct.dexum.org, remove EQSearch, Easy Installer, Easy Search, E-Installer, and other extensions that may be responsible for redirecting your searches.

The extensions that I mentioned are likely not the only ones that are associated with Searcheq.com and with Direct.dexum.org. To check which extension is doing something unwanted, disable all of them one-by-one until the unwanted behavior disappears.

Or just use antivirus programs, such as Spyhunter for Windows, Combo Cleaner for macOS, and others to remove malware from your computer.

If you don’t remember installing the unwanted add-ons on your device, it may also be wise to scan your computer for adware bundlers. There are some programs, such as infected installers, that install hijackers and other unwanted items without your knowledge.

In case Searcheq.com or Direct.dexum.org are sending you pop-up ads even after you’ve removed all suspicious extensions, check your notification settings and block notifications from sites that are abusing them.

Automatic Malware removal tools

Remove unwanted extensions

TopRemoving Searcheq.com Redirects 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 Searcheq.com Redirects. Click on the trash bin icon next to Searcheq.com Redirects 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 Searcheq.com Redirects, 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.

How to remove Searcheq.com Redirects 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 Searcheq.com Redirects. Click on the "Remove" icon next to Searcheq.com Redirects 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.