Searchwarden.com Redirects - How to remove

Searchwarden.com is a search hijacker that appears in web browsers when a certain add-on gets installed. It could be considered a browser hijacker. It restricts browser choices and it may be harmful to your privacy.

You can stop Searchwarden.com from taking over your searches by uninstalling the SearchGuard — Smart Search browser extension.

In short about Searchwarden.com:

Classification	Browser hijacker, potentially unwanted program.
How Searchwarden.com affects the browser	It appears in the address bar when searching the internet, it gets access to your browsing data, it sometimes displays a new tab page on Searchwarden.com.
How hijackers get installed	Advertised online as a privacy extension.
How to remove Searchwarden.com	Check your computer for malware (with Combo Cleaner for Mac, Spyhunter for PC, etc), uninstall unwanted browser extensions, check your browser settings.

How does Searchwarden.com work?

It takes over internet search

Searchwarden.com is a website that works together with the SearchGuard — Smart Search browser extension. This extension changes the settings of your web browser, redirecting your searches through Searchwarden.com.

When the extension is installed, your address bar says “Search Smart Search or type a URL”. If you used the default new tab page before, you might have been used to having a search box on it. But after the Searchwarden.com add-on is installed, it removes this search box. And if you search the web by typing your queries into the address bar, those queries are sent to Searchwarden.com.

This has a few consequences:

• You can’t control your search engine. It’s up to Searchwarden.com what site delivers your search results. It was Google.com for me, with Searchwarden.com briefly showing up in the address bar. While Google is fine, it’s concerning that Searchwarden.com could change the results page at any time.
• Web search results take a bit longer to show up. You are forced to visit another site instead of going to web search results directly, which wastes time.
• Your search queries are exposed to Searchwarden.com. This information should only be known to you and your search site. It’s not good for privacy that Searchwarden.com gets access to this information.

Searchwarden.com is really similar to Burst Search, Search Converter Net, and other hijackers.

It promises to help your privacy

SearchGuard – Smart Search is advertised online as a privacy extension. This doesn’t really make sense to me, as all it does is expose your search queries to more sites (Searchwarden.com) than if you didn’t have the extension. It seems to me that SearchGuard – Smart Search is nothing but a search hijacker.

All that SearchGuard – Smart Search does is change your search settings – something that you can do yourself in your browser settings.

Searchwarden.com’s description does not even explain why and how it changes your browser’s search engine, only that it does. It hands control over your searches to Searchwarden.com – and this is somehow supposed to improve your browsing privacy and experience.

In reality, most modern and professional websites already encrypt activity for confidential browsing by using encryption.

How to remove Searchwarden.com

Avoid hijackers

Searchwarden.com is promoted online and it has a few red flags that make it appear suspicious. So, when you encounter a browser extension online, check a few things to see if you can trust the extension:

• Check its privacy policy and see if you’re comfortable with it. Strangely, Searchwarden.com doesn’t have a detailed privacy policy, other than a mention that data about your browsing habits is collected.
• Check its reviews. Do they mention specific features of the extension? Searchwarden.com’s are pretty suspicious – all very positive, very vague, and posted within two days.
• See if the extension’s description of its features fits the extension’s permissions. SearchGuard – Smart Search is really good here, only asking to change your search settings to Searchwarden.com.

Overall, it’s advisable to avoid installing browser extensions from unknown developers. It’s also a good idea to use an antivirus program to protect your computer.

Uninstall SearchGuard – Smart Search

You can find SearchGuard – Smart Search in the extension area in the upper right corner of your web browser’s window.

You can also go into your Settings, where the extensions are displayed more clearly. The instructions can be found below. They also show how to check your default search engine and other settings that are often tampered with by browser hijackers.

It’s also advisable to get an antivirus program, like Combo Cleaner for macOS or Spyhunter for Windows, to scan your computer and check for any potentially unwanted programs. When you find a potentially unwanted program,  it’s always good to check if there are more.

Automatic Malware removal tools

Restore browser settings

TopHow To remove Searchwarden.com Redirects 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 Searchwarden.com Redirects, 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 Searchwarden.com Redirects 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 Searchwarden.com Redirects, 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.