SearchConverter Removal Guide

Have you installed SearchConverter thinking that it would somehow change the way you browse the web? The claims that this extension makes can be confusing. If you downloaded it from the Chrome Web Store (chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/searchconverter/aakboccpfalegnccglnkffcbpfigjfdj) – and you might have been redirected to it via install.search-converter.com – you were informed that it can change your default search, present optimized search results that are powered by Yahoo, and make it easy for you to access “search, images, videos and news” results. None of this sounds incredibly beneficial, but if you are less experienced, you might think that that is how a search tool should work. In reality, you have to be very cautious about the search tools you employ because your virtual security could be affected by the results you are introduced to. According to our cybersecurity experts, deleting SearchConverter is the best move, and if you are not sure why that is so, or if you need help with the removal, this is the article for you.

Did you know that SearchConverter is a clone of SearchAholic, SearchHD, SearchWizard, Searchize, and a bunch of other extensions? Even their names are similar, and while they have unique download sites and Chrome Web Store installers, all of them act the same. That is because they all belong to webcoapps. Each and every single one of the extensions linked to this company has permissions to read users’ browsing history and change search settings, and when you install SearchConverter, the default search provider is changed to feed.search-converter.com. You might also have portal.search-converter.com represented via the New Tab page. This webpage represents free widgets via its interface and, of course, a search dialog box. Whether you enter search keywords into this box or your browser’s address bar, you are routed to search.yahoo.com. We all known Yahoo Search, and many of us trust it and use it on a daily basis. However, that does not mean that you are safe. The extension modifies the results you see, and that could put you at risk. At the end of the day, we do not know what kinds of advertisers could work with the PUP.

Do you know what a PUP is? It is a Potentially Unwanted Program that fails to meet users’ expectations in one way or another. According to our researchers, SearchConverter can be identified as a PUP for several reasons. First of all, this extension does not offer beneficial services. Once it redirects you to Yahoo Search, it modifies the results you see to include advertisements. So, if you want a search tool that does not distract you with ads, SearchConverter is not a tool for you. Second, the advertisers associated with this extension are unknown, and so there is a risk that they could be unreliable, in which case, the advertisements included in the search results could also be unreliable. There is even a risk that you could endanger your own virtual security by interacting with these ads. The final reason why this extension is classified as a PUP is that is tracks information and passes it on to undisclosed parties. Unfortunately, this information can include some level of personally identifiable information too. Overall, the services provided by the extension are not worth the security risks posed by it.

Obviously, we recommend removing SearchConverter from your Google Chrome web browser. At the time of research, it was the only one that the PUP was compatible with. However, it is not enough to just get rid of the extension. You also need to clear browsing data in order to get rid of data-tracking tools employed by the PUP. The process might sound complicated, but it is not, and it simply entails marking a few boxes and clicking a button. We have created a manual removal guide (see below) that we hope will make the removal of SearchConverter easy and quick. If this is the path you choose, make sure you employ a trusted malware scanner afterward to examine what is going on inside your system. Perhaps you downloaded the PUP with dangerous malware, or perhaps it existed before you were introduced to the PUP at all. If you need help eliminating more serious threats and securing your system, it is the perfect time to install legitimate anti-malware software.

How to delete SearchConverter from Google Chrome

1. Open the browser.
2. Simultaneously tap ALT and F keys to access the browser’s menu.
3. Click More tools and then Extensions.
4. Click the Remove button next to the undesirable extension.
5. Open the More tools menu again and click Clear browsing data.
6. In the menu at the top, click Advanced.
7. Select a time range, in which the PUP was installed.
8. Select the boxes representing the data you want to clear.
9. Click the Clear data button.