How to Remove Search Solutions

What Is Search Solutions?

The Chrome extension Search Solutions by Search Engage BitCro In is a browser hijacker and a potentially unwanted program (PUP). It changes new tab page and sometimes homepage and default search in the affected Chrome browser. The users that encounter this extension face a problem: Search Solutions is hard to delete or disable. It alters group policies on the computer and makes itself an “Enterprise Installed Extension” that the user cannot uninstall. You can follow this step-by-step removal guide to get rid of Search Solutions in your computer.

How Did Search Solutions End up on My PC?

Search Solutions can get on a computer with free software downloaded from freeware sites. During the freeware installation a user is often urged to install a few “recommended” programs that really are just adware or browser hijackers like Search Solutions. Another way programs such as Search Solutions infiltrate computers is drive-by download: when a user visits a malicious site, a certain script is executed that tries to download and run some files on the computer. It is done by exploiting vulnerabilities in web-browsers, browser plug-ins or OS, that’s why it so important to keep your operating system, browsers and plug-ins updated (new-found vulnerabilities are patched in updates) and not to click on random links and ads (that can easily lead to dangerous sites).

How to Remove Search Solutions

The simplest method to uninstall Search Solutions is to run an anti-malware program capable of detecting browser hijackers in general and Search Solutions in particular. Norton Security is one of such tools; it finds and removes all files, folders and registry entries left by Search Solutions.

Download SpyHunter

Other software that may be able to get rid of Search Solutions:

Norton (Windows, macOS, iOS, Android) The link may not work correctly if your country is currently under sanctions.

You can also try to remove Search Solutions by hand using the following instructions.

Remove Search Solutions From Browsers

To get rid of Search Solutions, either reset browser settings or remove Search Solutions and any suspicious extensions from browsers and set new tab page, homepage and default search provider.

But first, you’ll need to reset group policies on your PC that don’t allow you to delete or disable Search Solutions. The quickest way to do this is to download and run Chrome Policy Remover. Now, launching script files from untrusted sources is not wise, so you can scan it first on virustotal.com to make sure it is not malicious. Then right-click on the downloaded file delete_chrome_policies and select Run as administrator.

Reset Google Chrome Settings:

Note: This will disable your extensions and themes, clear cookies and site data, as well as change content settings, start page, new tab page and search engine to default.

1. Open a new tab.
2. Copy and paste into the address bar: chrome://settings/resetProfileSettings
3. Press Enter.
4. In the dialog box click Reset.

Alternative Way to Get Rid of Search Solutions in Google Chrome:

1. Click menu button .
2. Select More tools ⇒ Extensions.
3. To remove an extension, click on a trashcan to the right of it.
4. Click Remove in the dialog box.
5. Right-click the address bar and select Edit search engines….
6. Select the search provider you want and click Make default next to it.
7. Click an x button next to hijacker search engine to remove it from the list.
8. Click Done.
9. Under On startup section select Open the New Tab page.
10. Under Appearance section put checkmark into Show Home button checkbox.
11. Click Change below.
12. Clear the textfield of the existing address. Put the one you want or select Use the New Tab page.
13. Click OK.

Reset Mozilla Firefox Settings:

Note: Your extensions and themes, among other things, will get deleted.

1. Click on menu button .
2. Click on help button and select Troubleshooting Information.
3. Click Refresh Firefox… in the top-right corner.
4. In the dialog box click Refresh Firefox.

Alternative Way to Get Rid of Search Solutions in Mozilla Firefox:

1. Click on menu button and select Add-ons.
2. Go to Extensions tab.
3. To uninstall an add-on, click on Remove button next to it.

Note: If the extension is impossible to delete, click on => => Restart with Add-ons Disabled…. In dialog boxes click Restart => Start in Safe Mode. Repeat steps 1-3. Restart Firefox in normal mode after you are finished.

4. Click on the search icon in the search bar and click Change Search Settings.
5. Select search engine you want from the drop-down menu.
6. Highlight the hijacker search engine in the table below and click Remove.
7. Go to General tab.
8. Under Startup section click Restore to Default button.

Reset Internet Explorer Settings:

Note: This will remove most of your saved browser data, including extensions, passwords and the majority of browser settings.

1. Click Tools button in the top-right corner.
2. Select Internet options.
3. Go to Advanced tab.
4. Click Reset… button.
5. Put checkmark in Delete personal settings checkbox.
6. Click Reset.

Alternative Way to Get Rid of Search Solutions in Internet Explorer:

1. Click Tools button in the top-right corner.
2. Select Manage add-ons.
3. In the drop-down menu under Show: select All add-ons.
4. To delete an add-on, double-click it; in the new window click Remove.
5. Go to Search Providers tab.
6. Right-click the search engine you want and click Set as default.
7. Right-click the hijacker search engine and click Remove.
8. Click Close.
9. Click Tools button .
10. Select Internet options.
11. Under Home page section click Use new tab or enter the URL you want.
12. Click OK.

Reset Opera Settings:

Note: This will delete all saved data including bookmarks and passwords and return the browser to freshly installed state.

1. Exit Opera browser.
2. Open File Explorer.
3. Go to C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Opera\Opera, where username is the name of your Windows account.
4. Find and delete Operapref.ini file.

Alternative Way to Get Rid of Search Solutions in Opera:

1. Press Ctrl +Shift + E keys to open extensions manager.
2. To remove an add-on, click on the x button next to it.
3. Click OK when asked to confirm.
4. Click on the top-left corner, select Settings.
5. In the Search section select one of the search engines from the list.
6. In the On startup section select Open the start page.
7. Click OK.

Remove Search Solutions’s URL From Browser Shortcuts

1. Right-click Internet Explorer shortcut on Desktop.
2. Select Properties.
3. Target text field under Shortcut tab should only contain the path to .exe file, put in quotes (example: “C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe”). If there’s a URL after the closing quotation mark, delete the URL.
4. Click OK.
5. Repeat the steps with Internet Explorer shortcuts on the taskbar at the bottom of the screen (for this one you may have to right-click on the shortcut, then right-click on Internet Explorer and then click on Properties) and in Start Menu.
6. Repeat the same with shortcuts of all other browsers.

Remove an App Associated With Search Solutions From Programs and Features

If the extension reappears soon after you delete it, go to Programs and Features, uninstall suspicious programs, programs you don’t remember installing, or programs you installed just before Search Solutions appeared on your computer. When you are not sure if a program is safe, look for the answer on the Internet.

Windows XP:

1. Click Start.
2. In the Start menu select Settings => Control Panel.
3. Find and click Add or Remove Programs.
4. Highlight the app.
5. Click Remove.

Windows Vista:

1. Click Start.
2. In the Start menu select Control Panel.
3. Find and click Uninstall a program.
4. Highlight the app.
5. Click Uninstall.

Windows 7:

1. Click Start.
2. In the Start menu select Control Panel.
3. Find and select Programs and Features or Uninstall a program.
4. Highlight the app.
5. Click Uninstall.

Windows 8 / Windows 8.1:

1. Press and hold Windows key and hit X key.
2. Select Programs and Features from the menu.
3. Highlight the app.
4. Click Uninstall.

Windows 10:

1. Press and hold Windows key and hit X key.
2. Select Programs and Features from the menu.
3. Highlight the app.
4. Click Uninstall.

How to Protect Your PC From Search Solutions and Other Browser Hijackers

• Get a powerful anti-malware software, capable of detecting and eliminating PUPs. Having several on-demand scanners would be a good idea too.
• Keep Windows firewall enabled or get a third-party one.
• Keep your OS, browsers and security utilities updated. Malware creators find new browser and OS vulnerabilities to exploit all the time. Software writers, in turn, release patches and updates to get rid of the known vulnerabilities and lesser the chance of malware penetration. Antivirus program’s signature databases get updated every day and even more often to include new virus signatures.
• Adjust your browsers’ settings to block pop-ups and to load plug-ins only when clicked.
• Download and use Adblock, Adblock Plus, uBlock or one of the similar trustworthy extensions for blocking third-party advertisements on web-sites.
• Don’t just click on any link you see while browsing the web. That applies particularly to links in comments, on forums, or in instant messengers. Pretty often these are spam links. Sometimes they are used for increasing the traffic to websites, but often enough they will land you on pages that will try to execute a malicious code and infect your computer. Links from your friends are suspect too: the person who shares a cute video might not know that the page contains threatening script.
• Don’t download software from unverified web-sites. You can easily download a trojan (malware that pretends to be a useful application); or some unwanted programs could get installed along with the app.
• When installing freeware or shareware, be sensible and don’t rush through the process. Choose Custom or Advanced installation mode, look for checkboxes that ask for your permission to install third-party apps and uncheck them, read End User Licence Agreement to make sure nothing else is going to get installed. You can make exceptions for the apps you know and trust, of course. If declining from installing unwanted programs is not possible, we advise you to cancel the installation completely.