Browser hijackers are a common issue in computers. These unwanted applications change the web browser settings without the user’s knowledge or consent. They are created to induce advertisements into the user’s browser. One of the most common of these browser hijackers is Search-me.club.
About Search-me.club
Search-me.club is a browser hijacker created specifically for Macintosh browsers like Safari, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox. It usually gets into the device through freeware and shareware installation. It can also be contracted when the user, knowingly or not, adds the extension ChumSearch into the computer. Most of the time, Search-me.club is a product of software bundling. A bundled software is a software that is sold or downloaded together with a new computer, hardware, or another software application.
What Does Search-me.club Do?
Once installed in your PC, Search-me.club modifies the web browser settings of the device. And by this modification, we mean the homepage and new tab window getting changed to https://search-me.club. Using the search engine will also redirect you to the same page. It almost doesn’t matter what you are trying to inquire about on the Web, you will be taken to the same unwanted URL.
Aside from the annoying advert, this browser hijacker is also a threat to security. As it shows the same web page all the time, without the user’s knowledge, it is gathering personal information. These pieces of information include search keywords, most-visited websites, IP addresses, geo-locations, and other crucial credentials. Not only that, Search-me.club is also made to promote and spread other unwanted applications.
But Search-me.club does not have to bother you forever. It can be removed.
How Does One Remove Search-me.club?
Below is a step-by-step removal guide for Search-me.club:
Remove the browser hijacker from your Mac computer
Step 1: Go to Finder.
Step 2: Click on Applications.
Step 3: From the list of applications, look for the ChumSearch application.
Step 4: Right-click, then Move to Trash.
Step 5: Empty Trash.
Remove Search-me.club extension off Safari, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox
Safari
Step 1: Open Safari internet browser.
Step 2: From the Safari menu, choose Preferences.
Step 3: Click on Extensions.
Step 4: Locate Search-me.club. Right-click, then Remove.
Google Chrome
Step 1: Launch Chrome.
Step 2: Go to Settings.
Step 3: From the left pane, look for Extensions.
Step 4: A list of extensions will then appear. Look for Search-me.club.
Step 5: Click on Remove.
Or reset Chrome settings to default. Here’s how:
Step 1: Launch Chrome.
Step 2: Go to Settings.
Step 3: Scroll to the bottom of the screen till you see the part that says Advanced. Click on it.
Step 4: Scroll down until you see Reset settings. Click on Restore settings to their original defaults.
Step 5: Confirm Reset settings.
It is worth noting, however, that there are times when simply restoring settings to their default options or deleting the extension does not work. If this happens, you need to Chrome and all files related to it, then reinstall. Here’s how you do it:
Step 1: From the menu bar, choose Finder.
Step 2: Click Go, then Go to Folder.
Step 3: In the window that pops up, paste the following:
Applications/Chrome.app
/Library/Application Support/Google/
/Library/Google/
~/Library/Application Support/Google/
~/Library/Google/
~/Library/Preferences/com.google.Chrome.plist
Step 4: Delete all the items listed above.
Step 5: Restart your device.
Step 6: Reinstall Chrome.
Mozilla Firefox
Step 1: Open Mozilla Firefox.
Step 2: Click on the Menu button.
Step 3: Go to Add-ons.
Step 4: Select Extensions.
Step 5: From the list of extensions, look for Search-me.club.
Step 6: Click on the ellipsis beside the extension name. Select Remove.
Summary
Browser hijackers such as the Search-me.club, National Special, and Nextyourcontent.com should be removed as soon as detected. Otherwise, they may cause more serious problems to you and your device. The next time you come across one, feel free to visit Software Tested as we might have the perfect removal guide that you need.