EZSearch Removal Guide

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If you ever find the extension EZSearch with the unique ID ikmapcaeknfgfmjlibnhcbchfablckbp installed on your Google Chrome browser, you should immediately go to remove it because it is, undoubtedly, not a piece of software that can be trusted. Its main purpose is to promote the Yahoo! search engine, so it creates a shortcut on Desktop after the successful installation that opens search.yahoo.com/search?p={searchTerms}&xpubz=8z108mno&r=yy62f009mvb12&trk=b1v300. Since the shortcut it creates looks exactly like a legit shortcut of Google Chrome, users often click on it and are presented with the Google Chrome page with this search URL at the top. Without a doubt, it seeks to convince users to click on its shortcut. Decent programs never try to trick users into clicking on their buttons/links, so we would not make a mistake if we call EZSearch an untrustworthy application. It cannot be called a malicious application by any means because it is far from real malicious programs, but it should be named a potentially unwanted program, or PUP, due to suspicious activities it performs on users’ computers, according to specialists at 411-spyware.com. We are sure you will have your own personal opinion about this piece of software after reading this article, so if you still cannot arrive at a final decision regarding its destiny, you should read this description till the very last sentence.

It usually takes time for users to realize that EZSearch is installed on their computers because this program only adds the extension to the list of all add-ons and creates a shortcut of Google Chrome (Google Chrome.lnk) on Desktop. At first glance, it does not differ from the real shortcut, but if you right-click on it and select Properties, you will see a suspiciously long Target line: C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --load-extension="C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Extensions\ikmapcaeknfgfmjlibnhcbchfablckbp. As the command “--load-extension=” indicates, this shortcut is pointed to the extension of EZSearch and opens it every time a user clicks on it with the intention of opening Google Chrome. Luckily, other original shortcuts opening this browser will not be affected. As has already been mentioned in the first paragraph, most likely, EZSearch has been developed to promote search.yahoo.com/search?p={searchTerms}&xpubz=8z108mno&r=yy62f009mvb12&trk=b1v300. Theoretically speaking, the creator of this program should get monetary rewards for doing that. As should be clear for you by now, EZSearch is not a harmful threat, but it performs activities and applies changes many users find irritating. Also, it is far from beneficial applications, so there is no point in keeping it installed.

Researchers are sure that EZSearch should be classified as a potentially unwanted program also because it enters computers in software bundles. It is very likely that it does not even travel alone, i.e. it might enter users’ computers together with other applications which are not necessarily reliable. Also, it might be promoted as a beneficial piece of software on dubious file-sharing pages. As it does not have an official website, users do not download it willingly. This suggests that it tends to enter their computers without their knowledge. You will not find a decent application acting like this, so do not be surprised that it has been categorized as a PUP.

If EZSearch is already inside your computer, you should be able to locate its extension. Also, you will find the Google Chrome.lnk shortcut with the Target line pointing to its extension on Desktop. Last but not least, you might come across new folders in %PROGRAMFILES(x86)%, %PROGRAMFILES%, %LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Extensions, and %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\User Data\Extensions. Finally, it should be possible to locate a bunch of new registry keys in the system registry after the entrance of EZSearch. As a consequence, it is not so easy to delete it.

It is usually possible to delete potentially unwanted programs via Control Panel; however, it is not the case with EZSearch. Since it creates some new folders and registry keys, users need to go to remove them one by one to fully delete it. The manual removal of undesirable software is always more or less complicated, so you should definitely consult our manual removal instructions put below this article. If the process turns out to be too complicated for you, scan your computer with a reputable scanner.

Delete EZSearch

  1. Launch the Windows Explorer (Win+E).
  2. Delete ikmapcaeknfgfmjlibnhcbchfablckbp from these two directories:
  • %LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Extensions
  • %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\User Data\Extensions
  1. Delete the WS folder from %TEMP%.
  2. Open %PROGRAMFILES(x86)% and %PROGRAMFILES%.
  3. If the EZSearch folder is there, delete it.
  4. Remove the Google Chrome.lnk shortcut created by EZSearch on Desktop.
  5. Press Win+R, type regedit in its box, and click OK.
  6. Delete these registry keys:
  • HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\WindowService
  • HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet002\Services\WindowService
  • HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WindowService
  • HKLM\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\EZSearch
  • HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\EZSearch
Download Remover for EZSearch *
*SpyHunter scanner, published on this site, is intended to be used only as a detection tool. To use the removal functionality, you will need to purchase the full version of SpyHunter.

EZSearch Screenshots:

EZSearch
EZSearch
EZSearch

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