Remove Search Trends browser hijacker

The Search Trends extension is classified as a browser hijacker. If your browser redirects you to searchingtrends.com every time you open your browser, the browser has been taken over by a hijacker that changed its settings. It’s not a dangerous infection, but it’s not something you should keep installed as your regular browsing will be disrupted. searchingtrends.com will be set as your homepage, new tabs, and default search engine. However, the search engine does not work and instead redirects users to Google or Yahoo. While Search Trends may be advertised as an extension that summarizes searches into a trend analysis, it’s entirely useless to you. The sooner you remove Search Trends from your device, the quicker you can go back to regular browsing.

 

 

Search Trends is advertised as a legitimate browser extension, but it actually operates as a browser hijacker. According to its description, it can summarize your searches into a trend analysis, but once installed, it takes control of your browser and modifies its settings. Browser hijackers are very obvious infections because they change the default search engine, homepage, and new tab settings. In this case, Search Trends hijacker sets everything to searchingtrends.com. The site has a search box, but the search engine does not work, and all search queries are redirected to Bing (Google in some cases). While both Bing and Google are very reliable and legitimate search engines, they can be accessed directly. There is no need to use a questionable extension or third-party site to access them.

Once a browser hijacker takes over, users cannot undo the setting changes until the hijacker is removed. Additionally, these hijackers can track data such as search queries, browsing history, IP addresses, and other information. This invasion of privacy is intrusive enough to warrant removal. There’s no reason to tolerate any form of data collection from an untrustworthy program like the Search Trends browser hijacker, especially when it may not have been installed willingly.

Fortunately, the noticeable changes made by the Search Trends hijacker in your Google Chrome browser make it relatively simple to identify and remove. It isn’t classified as malicious, which means you can uninstall Search Trends both manually and with antivirus software. However, using an antivirus program may be much easier.

How are browser hijackers distributed?

Infections like browser hijackers and adware are often unintentionally installed by users through a method known as software bundling. The way it works is said infections are bundled with free programs as optional offers that are set to install alongside the main program without explicit permission. While these offers are meant to be optional, users must actively deselect them. Unfortunately, this can be difficult because they are hidden in settings users rarely use when installing free programs. Many users simply don’t notice these offers and inadvertently permit their installation.

To prevent these unwanted programs from being installed, you simply need to select Advanced (or Custom) settings when installing free programs. The installation window recommends Default (Basic) settings, which lead to all bundled offers being installed automatically, without your explicit approval. By opting for Advanced settings, you’ll be able to see all additional offers and uncheck any that you do not want. Even if a bundled offer seems useful, it’s best to avoid installing any of them, as they can clutter your system with junk that is difficult to remove. Additionally, programs that use software bundling are often flagged as potential threats by antivirus software.

It’s important to note that the Search Trends hijacker is also marketed as a helpful extension on free download sites. This is why you need to research programs before downloading them. A brief search online can usually help you determine if a program is safe. We also advise downloading software only from official websites to reduce the chances of acquiring junk.

How to remove Search Trends browser hijacker

Browser hijackers, while not extremely dangerous, should be dealt with quickly. You can remove Search Trends browser hijacker either manually or with antivirus software like WiperSoft. Manually Search Trends hijacker removal can be quite time-consuming, as these hijackers are often quite persistent. Thus, using WiperSoft is recommended. Once you successfully remove searchingtrends.com hijacker from your system, you’ll be able to change your browser settings as usual.