Websearch.searchuniverse.info Removal Guide

You may be unpleasantly surprised once you hear that Websearch.searchuniverse.info is a browser hijacker. Our researchers say that it can affect all major browsers by changing the default homepage. Although you could try to restore such preferences via browser settings, it might not work if you use Internet Explorer because the application modifies particular files or Registry keys. Nonetheless, our researchers prepared the instructions that will help you remove Websearch.searchuniverse.info once and for all. If you slide below the text, you will see the removal steps, but before you get rid of this browser hijacker, you should learn more about it. In the rest of the article, we will explain to you how such software manages to enter your computer and how it could be dangerous.

The bad news is that the browser hijacker could be installed without your permission by some malicious program that resides in your system. If the application actually appeared out of nowhere this might be the case for you. Probably, the best option would be to get a legitimate antimalware tool and scan your system with it. If there is malicious software in your computer, the security tool will detect it. The other possibility is that you received Websearch.searchuniverse.info while installing a different application. Usually, it happens when users download bundled installers, but they do not notice any suggestions on the setup wizard. To prevent it, you should learn more about the software before installation. Also, it would be better to download programs from reliable sources only.

The biggest problem with Websearch.searchuniverse.info is that its search engine displays modified results. To be precise, it might add advertising material, such as sponsored messages, commercial ads, coupons, and other deals. Moreover, the software’s End User License Agreement states that such content could be provided “by third parties which affiliate with the Company ("Third Parties").” It means that the links might come from unknown sources that this browser hijacker neither reviews nor is responsible for. Therefore, when you click an ad you might get redirected to a site that could be potentially harmful to your computer. For instance, the site could contain malware, e.g. Trojans, viruses, and so on. We cannot say what the chances that something like this could happen to you are, but it does not seem smart to take such risk when there are safer search engines.

Furthermore, it is important to know that the browser hijacker might gather anonymous user information. At least that is what the software’s developers claim in the Privacy Policy document. However, the third-party web pages you might be redirected to could gather not only non-identifiable but also private information. Thus, we would advise you not to submit your personal data while visiting suspicious sites. This information could be used for many purposes, e.g. to scam you or send you spam emails.

If you want to change your homepage and get rid of the Websearch.searchuniverse.info, you should check the instructions prepared by our specialists. The removal guide can help you delete the application from the Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Google Chrome browsers. Erasing the browser hijacker might be not the easiest process, but you can also remove it with an antimalware tool. You can choose any security tool; just make sure that reputable publishers developed it.

Delete Websearch.searchuniverse.info from your browsers

Internet Explorer

1. Press Windows Key+R.
2. Type regedit and click OK.
3. Navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
4. Search for Value Name Start Page on the right side of Registry Editor.
5. Right-Click on Start Page and select Modify.
6. Replace Value Data with the web page you prefer, e.g. google.com.
7. Click OK and close the Registry Editor.

Mozilla Firefox

1. Go to: C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{Unique Mozilla user ID}
2. Locate file Prefs.js and open it with Notepad.
3. Find and delete this line: user_pref("browser.startup.homepage", "http://Websearch.searchuniverse.info").

Google Chrome

1. Locate the following path: C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default
2. Find and erase these files: Preferences, Secure Preferences, and Web Data.