SearchScope - How to remove

SearchScope is listed as an adware due to several malicious actions that it performs. It enters computers without users even being aware of that and once inside, it will display various advertisements on their web browsers. This application is unwanted because those ads are disturbing and can lead you to some cyber security problems. In case your computer is infected with SearchScope and you are looking for ways how to remove it, you have come to the right place. In this article we will provide you with a full step-by-step removal guide of SearchScope.

To perform this fast and efficiently, download a trustworthy anti-malware program. We recommend you to install Spyhunter, Malwarebytes or StopZilla. You can use other anti-malware of your choice as well. Simply scan your PC with one of these applications and it will automatically detect and eliminate the virus. It will also protect your computer from similar infections in the future. If for some reasons you don’t want to download any anti-malware software, you can get rid of SearchScope manually as well. Scroll down to the bottom of this article – there you will find our step-by-step SearchScope removal guide. Follow all the steps carefully and you will be able to eliminate this infection by yourself.

If you have some questions regarding the removal process or infection itself, feel free to ask them in the comments section below and we will be glad to help you. In case you would like to learn more about SearchScope, please continue reading this article.

About SearchScope

It works as a browser add-on that can be added to all most popular web browsers, including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari. Once inside, it will display various advertisements on all of your web browsers. Those ads can be displayed as pop-up, pop-under, in-text, banner or contextual advertisements. They appear completely randomly, from time to time, so it’s really disturbing. It’s not recommended to click on any of those ads because if you do so, you will be immediately redirected to other websites that may be owned by cyber criminals. This can result in your computer being infected or in case you attempt to purchase something there you can even get scammed and lose your hard earned money.

SearchScope is sponsored by cyber criminals for displaying their advertisements to users. As you know, they can’t promote their websites on legitimate advertising networks, so they use adware just like this to do it. So basically, if you have SearchScope installed on your computer, various cyber criminals can reach you right on your web browser on a daily basis.

SearchScope also can collect your personal information, such as your browsing history, search queries, top visited sites or even your IP and email addresses. Adware creators use it for marketing purposes, so your data can be sold to third parties. They also adjust those advertisements according to the collected data, so they look more relevant and attractive specifically to you this way and chances that you will click on one of those ads rise. And that’s the main goal of SearchScope because its owners get paid for every click you make. It’s not difficult to indicate if your computer is infected with SearchScope because those advertisements displayed by it are labeled with a slogan “Ads by SearchScope” or “Brought to you by SearchScope“.

Distribution Methods of SearchScope

As most other adware, SearchScope is distributed bundled with other free software. I.e. when you download and install some freebie from an unreliable source, there is a chance that SearchScope will be installed together with it without you even being aware of that. To avoid this happening, you should be really attentive during the installation. Don’t skip any steps (do not just click “next” and “agree” buttons without reading all the information first) and opt out for a custom or advanced install mode if possible. Look for various check boxes that can be already checked for you. Reading all terms and conditions would be considered wise as well. Don’t rush, because some of the most important information can be displayed in a very tiny font and you don’t want to overlook that. If you notice that some additional software that you are not aware of is being installed alongside – do not allow this to happen because it can be SearchScope or any other unwanted application.

SearchScope

How to remove SearchScope using Windows Control Panel

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

Delete SearchScope from your applications.

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

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