This article is created to help you by showing you how to remove the Better History browser extension from your web browser and secure your computer against this potentially unwanted application from your computer.
A new program which was reported to be causing web browser redirects and different advertisements on the computers it has been installed on has been detected and reported on user forums and online threat centers. The program’s primary purpose is to pretend to improve your web browsing experience, however in reality it does more harm than good, redirecting you to unsafe websites, via the unanalytics.com domain, which we have detected to be associated with a massive wave of browser redirects for the past few days.
Threat Summary
| Name | Better History |
| Type | Potentially Unwanted Application |
| Short Description | An ad-supported browser extension whose primary purpose is to display different advertisements and cause browser redirects to unanalytics.com– related domains. |
| Symptoms | Better History browser extension added on your web browser. Online advertisements, slow computer performance and browser redirections. |
| Distribution Method | Bundled downloads. Web pages which may advertise it. |
| Detection Tool |
See If Your System Has Been Affected by malware
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Malware Removal Tool
|
User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss Better History. |
How Did I Start Seeing Redirects Caused By Better History
According to user reports, Better History was originally designed to help improve your searching process when you are trying to review your web browser history to see a web page you have visited a while ago. This was until adware authors purchased the legitimate applications, according to latest rumors and started using it’s large database of over 200 thousand users to spread advertisements and redirects that lead to deceptive sites. The app is originally installed from it’s main web page which advertises it and since many have trusted it in the past, they may be misled to install it again, which for this moment is not advisable:
In addition to this, users who have had problems with Better History also report having problems with other potentially unsafe browser extensions, similar to Better History such as “Enhanced History”:
Better History PUA Extension – What Does It Do
Better History is categorized by many as a PUA (Potentially Unwanted Application). While the app improves the way you search for websites you have visited In the past, it also comes together with a bonus and this bonus is not necessarily a good thing.
For starters, when it is installed on your web browser, Better History may obtain different information from your web broswer, like:
- Your online search history.
- Your browsing history.
- Bookmarked websites.
- Information about your online clicks.
- Personal information which you may have entered accidentally.
This information is likely used by the Better History app to do none other than display different advertisements on your computer. The ads that are displayed may be of different types, like pop-ups, taken over banner spaces and many other forms of advertisements, but the main ads that are displayed are browser redirects via the host unanalytics.com, whose primary purpose is to lead you to third-party websites.
The third-party sites that you may be lead to without your consent are usually sites that aim to make money of pay-per click or pay-per-visit schemes by driving hoax traffic to an advertised URL. While this strategy is often used by unwanted programs, like Better History, other risks may be involved with the program as well. One of those is that it can lead you to Phishing pages which are fake web pages of online retailers or login pages for big websites, like Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn. Those fake pages may ask you to enter your online information and try to login, however your password and username may be collected by the third-party vendors of those pages, who may have nothing to do with Better History. And in addition to this, the unanalytics.com browser redirections can also lead you to other websites that can even infect your computer with malware or introduce tech support scam sites that may lock your web browser.
Remove Better History Adware from Google Chrome and Your PC
If you have seen advertisements and browser redirects for quite some time on your computer, chances are that Better History may have spread to your file system and may have added adware as programs as a result of redirects to sites that automatically install other ad-supported programs on your computer. So to remove Better History, you should check your PC and your web browsers for all sorts of software that you do not know existed on your PC and check it’s credibility as well. The best way to do this manually is to follow the manual instructions underneath. However, if you want to be completely sure that your PC is fully secured, cyber-security professionals recommend scanning it with an anti-malware scanner to fully remove Better History and all of the associated files and objects related to it, plus secure your PC against future intrusive software and malware in real-time.
Ventsislav Krastev
Ventsislav is a cybersecurity expert at SensorsTechForum since 2015. He has been researching, covering, helping victims with the latest malware infections plus testing and reviewing software and the newest tech developments. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for learning new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management, Network Administration and Computer Administration of System Applications, he found his true calling within the cybersecrurity industry and is a strong believer in the education of every user towards online safety and security.
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- Windows
- Mac OS X
- Google Chrome
- Mozilla Firefox
- Microsoft Edge
- Safari
- Internet Explorer
- Stop Push Pop-ups
How to Remove Better History from Windows.
Step 1: Scan for Better History with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Step 2: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode
Step 3: Uninstall Better History and related software from Windows
Uninstall Steps for Windows 11
Uninstall Steps for Windows 10 and Older Versions
Here is a method in few easy steps that should be able to uninstall most programs. No matter if you are using Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista or XP, those steps will get the job done. Dragging the program or its folder to the recycle bin can be a very bad decision. If you do that, bits and pieces of the program are left behind, and that can lead to unstable work of your PC, errors with the file type associations and other unpleasant activities. The proper way to get a program off your computer is to Uninstall it. To do that:
Follow the instructions above and you will successfully uninstall most programs.
Step 4: Clean Any registries, Created by Better History on Your PC.
The usually targeted registries of Windows machines are the following:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
You can access them by opening the Windows registry editor and deleting any values, created by Better History there. This can happen by following the steps underneath:
Tip: To find a virus-created value, you can right-click on it and click "Modify" to see which file it is set to run. If this is the virus file location, remove the value.
Video Removal Guide for Better History (Windows).
Get rid of Better History from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall Better History and remove related files and objects
Your Mac will then show you a list of items that start automatically when you log in. Look for any suspicious apps identical or similar to Better History. Check the app you want to stop from running automatically and then select on the Minus (“-“) icon to hide it.
- Go to Finder.
- In the search bar type the name of the app that you want to remove.
- Above the search bar change the two drop down menus to “System Files” and “Are Included” so that you can see all of the files associated with the application you want to remove. Bear in mind that some of the files may not be related to the app so be very careful which files you delete.
- If all of the files are related, hold the ⌘+A buttons to select them and then drive them to “Trash”.
In case you cannot remove Better History via Step 1 above:
In case you cannot find the virus files and objects in your Applications or other places we have shown above, you can manually look for them in the Libraries of your Mac. But before doing this, please read the disclaimer below:
You can repeat the same procedure with the following other Library directories:
→ ~/Library/LaunchAgents
/Library/LaunchDaemons
Tip: ~ is there on purpose, because it leads to more LaunchAgents.
Step 2: Scan for and remove Better History files from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as Better History, the recommended way of eliminating the threat is by using an anti-malware program. SpyHunter for Mac offers advanced security features along with other modules that will improve your Mac’s security and protect it in the future.
Video Removal Guide for Better History (Mac)
Remove Better History from Google Chrome.
Step 1: Start Google Chrome and open the drop menu
Step 2: Move the cursor over "Tools" and then from the extended menu choose "Extensions"
Step 3: From the opened "Extensions" menu locate the unwanted extension and click on its "Remove" button.
Step 4: After the extension is removed, restart Google Chrome by closing it from the red "X" button at the top right corner and start it again.
Erase Better History from Mozilla Firefox.
Step 1: Start Mozilla Firefox. Open the menu window:
Step 2: Select the "Add-ons" icon from the menu.
Step 3: Select the unwanted extension and click "Remove"
Step 4: After the extension is removed, restart Mozilla Firefox by closing it from the red "X" button at the top right corner and start it again.
Uninstall Better History from Microsoft Edge.
Step 1: Start Edge browser.
Step 2: Open the drop menu by clicking on the icon at the top right corner.
Step 3: From the drop menu select "Extensions".
Step 4: Choose the suspected malicious extension you want to remove and then click on the gear icon.
Step 5: Remove the malicious extension by scrolling down and then clicking on Uninstall.
Remove Better History from Safari
Step 1: Start the Safari app.
Step 2: After hovering your mouse cursor to the top of the screen, click on the Safari text to open its drop down menu.
Step 3: From the menu, click on "Preferences".
Step 4: After that, select the 'Extensions' Tab.
Step 5: Click once on the extension you want to remove.
Step 6: Click 'Uninstall'.
A pop-up window will appear asking for confirmation to uninstall the extension. Select 'Uninstall' again, and the Better History will be removed.
Eliminate Better History from Internet Explorer.
Step 1: Start Internet Explorer.
Step 2: Click on the gear icon labeled 'Tools' to open the drop menu and select 'Manage Add-ons'
Step 3: In the 'Manage Add-ons' window.
Step 4: Select the extension you want to remove and then click 'Disable'. A pop-up window will appear to inform you that you are about to disable the selected extension, and some more add-ons might be disabled as well. Leave all the boxes checked, and click 'Disable'.
Step 5: After the unwanted extension has been removed, restart Internet Explorer by closing it from the red 'X' button located at the top right corner and start it again.
Remove Push Notifications from Your Browsers
Turn Off Push Notifications from Google Chrome
To disable any Push Notices from Google Chrome browser, please follow the steps below:
Step 1: Go to Settings in Chrome.
Step 2: In Settings, select “Advanced Settings”:
Step 3: Click “Content Settings”:
Step 4: Open “Notifications”:
Step 5: Click the three dots and choose Block, Edit or Remove options:
Remove Push Notifications on Firefox
Step 1: Go to Firefox Options.
Step 2: Go to “Settings”, type “notifications” in the search bar and click "Settings":
Step 3: Click “Remove” on any site you wish notifications gone and click “Save Changes”
Stop Push Notifications on Opera
Step 1: In Opera, press ALT+P to go to Settings.
Step 2: In Setting search, type “Content” to go to Content Settings.
Step 3: Open Notifications:
Step 4: Do the same as you did with Google Chrome (explained below):
Eliminate Push Notifications on Safari
Step 1: Open Safari Preferences.
Step 2: Choose the domain from where you like push pop-ups gone and change to "Deny" from "Allow".
Better History-FAQ
What Is Better History?
The Better History threat is adware or browser redirect virus.
It may slow your computer down significantly and display advertisements. The main idea is for your information to likely get stolen or more ads to appear on your device.
The creators of such unwanted apps work with pay-per-click schemes to get your computer to visit risky or different types of websites that may generate them funds. This is why they do not even care what types of websites show up on the ads. This makes their unwanted software indirectly risky for your OS.
What Are the Symptoms of Better History?
There are several symptoms to look for when this particular threat and also unwanted apps in general are active:
Symptom #1: Your computer may become slow and have poor performance in general.
Symptom #2: You have toolbars, add-ons or extensions on your web browsers that you don't remember adding.
Symptom #3: You see all types of ads, like ad-supported search results, pop-ups and redirects to randomly appear.
Symptom #4: You see installed apps on your Mac running automatically and you do not remember installing them.
Symptom #5: You see suspicious processes running in your Task Manager.
If you see one or more of those symptoms, then security experts recommend that you check your computer for viruses.
What Types of Unwanted Programs Are There?
According to most malware researchers and cyber-security experts, the threats that can currently affect your device can be rogue antivirus software, adware, browser hijackers, clickers, fake optimizers and any forms of PUPs.
What to Do If I Have a "virus" like Better History?
With few simple actions. First and foremost, it is imperative that you follow these steps:
Step 1: Find a safe computer and connect it to another network, not the one that your Mac was infected in.
Step 2: Change all of your passwords, starting from your email passwords.
Step 3: Enable two-factor authentication for protection of your important accounts.
Step 4: Call your bank to change your credit card details (secret code, etc.) if you have saved your credit card for online shopping or have done online activities with your card.
Step 5: Make sure to call your ISP (Internet provider or carrier) and ask them to change your IP address.
Step 6: Change your Wi-Fi password.
Step 7: (Optional): Make sure to scan all of the devices connected to your network for viruses and repeat these steps for them if they are affected.
Step 8: Install anti-malware software with real-time protection on every device you have.
Step 9: Try not to download software from sites you know nothing about and stay away from low-reputation websites in general.
If you follow these recommendations, your network and all devices will become significantly more secure against any threats or information invasive software and be virus free and protected in the future too.
How Does Better History Work?
Once installed, Better History can collect data using trackers. This data is about your web browsing habits, such as the websites you visit and the search terms you use. It is then used to target you with ads or to sell your information to third parties.
Better History can also download other malicious software onto your computer, such as viruses and spyware, which can be used to steal your personal information and show risky ads, that may redirect to virus sites or scams.
Is Better History Malware?
The truth is that PUPs (adware, browser hijackers) are not viruses, but may be just as dangerous since they may show you and redirect you to malware websites and scam pages.
Many security experts classify potentially unwanted programs as malware. This is because of the unwanted effects that PUPs can cause, such as displaying intrusive ads and collecting user data without the user’s knowledge or consent.
About the Better History Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this Better History how-to removal guide included, is the outcome of extensive research, hard work and our team’s devotion to help you remove the specific, adware-related problem, and restore your browser and computer system.
How did we conduct the research on Better History?
Please note that our research is based on independent investigation. We are in contact with independent security researchers, thanks to which we receive daily updates on the latest malware, adware, and browser hijacker definitions.
Furthermore, the research behind the Better History threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand this online threat, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.