How to Remove Searchthis.com (Browser Hijacker/PUP)

What is Searchthis.com? And how does it work?

Searchthis.com is a browser extension developed by APN, LLC, “a wholly business owned by IAC”. This browser extension works as a search engine with a plain user interface. In its Privacy Policy, it stated that the developers of this dubious search engine created the Privacy Policy “so that users will know what information is being collected about you and your activities on Searchthis.com”. However, when you read its Privacy Policy it does not really provide users with what kind of information is being collected while they use this search engine. Needless to say, Searchthis.com is not a reliable search engine but a suspicious one.
Once installed, Searchthis.com will change the default settings of the browser such as the default search provider, homepage as well as the new tab page. Thus, you will have no other choice but to use it whenever you browse the internet because even if you try to go back to your previous browser settings, it would be hard to do so as Searchthis.com is not just a typical browser extension but is actually a browser hijacker and a potentially unwanted program.
Upon its installation, you will notice the alarming numbers of sponsored content you see over the web no matter what website you visit. This is because Searchthis.com displays sponsored content from its affiliated sites for revenue. Thus, its main goal is to deliver users with ads and not really provide accurate search results. Some of the ads it display can even redirect you to suspicious parts of the web that might contain harmful content. What’s more is that it also monitors all your browsing activities in order to record browsing information like websites you often visit, ads clicked, browsing history, search queries, email address, and many more. The collected browsing data is then used and shared with its affiliated sites in order to produce more personalized and customized ads. Therefore, there is really nothing useful about Searchthis.com and if you want to keep browsing the web without all the pesky ads and potential threats, you have to remove Searchthis.com right away.
How is Searchthis.com distributed over the web?
Searchthis.com is distributed using a common technique called software bundling where tons of free programs are being bundled up in a single package. But there’s a catch – not all programs in software bundles are safe and can be trusted. In fact, the extra programs are hidden unless you select the Advanced or Custom setup before the installation so you need to select the aforementioned setup instead of the quick one if you want to spare your computer of a browser hijacker and a potentially unwanted program like Searchthis.com.
You can remove Searchthis.com from your computer by following the instructions provided below.
Step 1: Start the removal process by closing all the browsers infected with Searchthis.com. If you’re having a hard time closing them, you can close them using the Task Manager just tap on Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
Step 2: After you open the Task Manager, go to the Processes tab and look for the infected browser’s process and end it.
Step 3: Then close the Task Manager and open Control Panel – to do so, tap the Windows key + R, then type in appwiz.cpl and then click OK or press Enter.

Step 4: After pulling up Control Panel, from the list of installed programs, look for Searchthis.com or any suspicious program you don’t remember installing and then Uninstall it.

Step 5: Edit your Hosts File.

Tap the Win + R keys to open then type in %WinDir% and then click OK.
Go to System32/drivers/etc.
Open the host’s file using Notepad.
Delete all the entries that contain Searchthis.com.
After that, save the changes you’ve made and close the file.

Step 6: Reset all your browsers to default to their default state.
Google Chrome

Open Google Chrome, then tap the Alt + F keys.
After that, click on Settings.
Next, scroll down until you see the Advanced option, once you see it, click on it.
After clicking the Advanced option, go to the “Restore and clean up the option and click on the “Restore settings to their original defaults” option to reset Google Chrome.
Now restart Google Chrome.

Mozilla Firefox

Open the browser and tap Ctrl + Shift + A to access the Add-ons Manager.
In the Extensions menu Remove the unwanted extension.
Restart the browser and tap keys Alt + T.
Select Options and then move to the General menu.
Overwrite the URL in the Home Page section and then restart the browser.

Internet Explorer

Launch Internet Explorer.
Tap Alt + T and select Internet options.
Click the General tab and then overwrite the URL under the homepage section.
Click OK to save the changes.

Step 7: Hold down Windows + E keys simultaneously to open File Explorer.
Step 8: Navigate to the following directories and look for suspicious files associated with the browser hijacker such as the software bundle it came with and delete it/them.

%USERPROFILE%\Downloads
%USERPROFILE%\Desktop
%TEMP%

Step 9: Close the File Explorer.
Step 10: Empty the contents of Recycle Bin.
Refer to the advanced instructions given below to ensure the removal of Searchthis.com as well as all the file residues it left behind.
Perform a full system scan using [product-code]. To do so, follow these steps:

Turn on your computer. If it’s already on, you have to reboot
After that, the BIOS screen will be displayed, but if Windows pops up instead, reboot your computer and try again. Once you’re on the BIOS screen, repeat pressing F8, by doing so the Advanced Option shows up.

To navigate the Advanced Option use the arrow keys and select Safe Mode with Networking then hit
Windows will now load the SafeMode with Networking.
Press and hold both R key and Windows key.

If done correctly, the Windows Run Box will show up.
Type in the URL address, [product-url] in the Run dialog box and then tap Enter or click OK.
After that, it will download the program. Wait for the download to finish and then open the launcher to install the program.
Once the installation process is completed, run [product-code] to perform a full system scan.