Simple Word Count is a potentially harmful browser extension. It counts words in sentences, but it also interferes with internet searches. It hijacks Google search pages and replaces them with alternative sites, like Fxsmash.xyz and Websearches.club.
Simple Word Count does this to advertise and to give these sites more traffic. For users, it is unhelpful and disruptive.
Simple Word Count Adware quicklinks
- What is Simple Word Count?
- Simple Word Count hijacks internet search
- It’s downloaded from the internet
- How to remove Simple Word Count
- Automatic Malware removal tools
- How to remove extensions
(Win)
Note: Spyhunter trial provides detection of parasites and assists in their removal for free. limited trial available, Terms of use, Privacy Policy, Uninstall Instructions,
(Mac)
Note: Combo Cleaner trial provides detection of parasites and assists in their removal for free. limited trial available, Terms of use, Privacy Policy, Uninstall Instructions, Refund Policy ,
Simple Word Count:
Classification | Adware,
browser hijacker. |
---|---|
Problems and issues | Simple Word Count hijacks internet search results,
it promotes sites that don’t have a clear privacy policy, it may be installed without permission. |
How Simple Word Count spreads | It is advertised online. |
How to uninstall Simple Word Count | Remove the extension and other potentially unwanted apps manually and with anti-malware tools (Spyhunter for PC, Spyhunter for Mac, Combo Cleaner for Mac, etc.),
check your search settings and remove all traces of adware. |
What is Simple Word Count?
Simple Word Count hijacks internet search
Simple Word Count is a browser add-on for Google Chrome and other Chromium browsers, like Edge.
On the Chrome Web Store, Simple Word Count offers to help users count words in sentences. But that’s not all that it does! Simple Word Count also can catch when you try to search the internet by using a regular search engine, such as Google. It then replaces the search page with its own, opening Fxsmash.xyz, Websearches.club, or another site.
Thanks to Simple Word Count’s redirects, your search results might look a bit strange:
- Filters and other tools which are present in mainstream search engines are missing.
- A lot of ads in those search results. The ads are often irrelevant to the search query.
- The sites that Simple Word Count opens don’t have clear privacy policies. This could be a problem for privacy.
The goal of Simple Word Count is to make money. It does this by improving the traffic of related websites and by showing ads on these sites. This is why Simple Word Count is adware. It doesn’t directly inject ads into web browsers (Understanding malvertising through ad-injecting browser extensions). But it does promote sites whose main purpose is to advertise. In a way, what Simple Word Count does is similar to a scheme that some call “harming” (Pharming explained: How attackers use fake websites to steal data.
It’s downloaded from the internet
Simple Word Count’s function is counting words. It’s not the only extension on the Chrome Web Store that does this, but is it quite strange when compared t the others:
- Simple Word Count’s description is incredibly short and poorly formatted.
- Despite being pretty new, this extension already has thousands of users, according to the Chrome Web Store.
- And yet, not a single user has reviewed or rated the extension. That is very strange.
If Simple Word Count really does have thousands of users, it has gained them very quickly, in days. For an add-on with no marketing, that seems unbelievable.
That’s because there was marketing. You might be familiar with the “Download Ready” ads and similar pop-ups that infest certain websites. Ads like these are meant to trick people into installing browser extensions that they might not really want. These ads might be disguised as download links, or they might say that installation supports the website (as advertisements do). Most likely, users who install Simple Word Count do it unintentionally.
How to remove Simple Word Count
If your browser is being strange, opening unknown websites and showing excessive ads, look first into your browser extensions. Getting rid of the Simple Word Count add-on should stop Websearches.club and other strange websites from opening. If it doesn’t, then there must be another adware infection that needs to be removed. This is very possible, as malware infections sometimes spread in groups of two and three.
You can remove Simple Word Count and other extensions in your browser settings, see instructions below. After that, check your settings and see if the adware extensions left any unwanted traces.
To check your device for malware thoroughly, scan it with anti-malware apps, like Spyhunter for Windows, Spyhunter for Mac, Combo Cleaner for Mac, etc. If the scans detect any suspicious apps or files, remove them.
Automatic Malware removal tools
(Win)
Note: Spyhunter trial provides detection of parasites and assists in their removal for free. limited trial available, Terms of use, Privacy Policy, Uninstall Instructions,
(Mac)
Note: Combo Cleaner trial provides detection of parasites and assists in their removal for free. limited trial available, Terms of use, Privacy Policy, Uninstall Instructions, Refund Policy ,
How to remove extensions
TopHow To remove Simple Word Count Adware 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 Simple Word Count Adware, 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 Simple Word Count Adware 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.
- 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.
How To remove Simple Word Count Adware from Firefox:Top
- 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 Simple Word Count Adware 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.
- If your homepage was changed, click on the Firefox menu in the top right corner, select Options → General. Enter a preferable URL to the homepage field and click Restore to Default.
- Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Mozilla Firefox window. Click on the Help button.
- ChooseTroubleshooting Information on the Help menu.
- Click on theReset Firefox button.
- Click on the Reset Firefox button on the confirmation box. Mozilla Firefox will close and change the settings to default.