Are you trying to remove Prodigy Search from your browser? This article may be able to help you.
Prodigy Search is classified as a potentially unwanted application with browser-hijacking capabilities.
Such apps are also ad-supported, which often leads to the display of intrusive advertisements which interrupt the normal browsing experience.
There are specific outcomes of having such an application installed on your system; thus, the removal of unwanted apps such as Prodigy Search is highly advisable.
Note. There are many browser hijackers similar to this one. They all change the settings of the affected browser to appear every time the system is restarded. Some examples include SearchAdditionally, Search Pulse, and Pizgetz.
Threat Summary
| Name | Prodigy Search |
| Type | Browser Hijacker, Redirect, PUA |
| Short Description | A questionable search engine. |
| Symptoms | The homepage, new tab page and search engine in your default web browser are set to display Prodigy Search. |
| Distribution Method | Freeware Installations, Bundled Packages |
| Detection Tool | See If Your System Has Been Affected by malware Download Malware Removal Tool |
| User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss Prodigy Search. |
Prodigy Search – What Is It?
Because of its sudden, unexpected appearance and overall behavior, Prodigy Search is classified as a potentially unwanted application (PUA) and browser hijacker, designed to alter the settings of your default browser without your knowledge or permission. The browser hijacker will set the homepage to Prodigy Search. The PUA itself may be advertised as an app that improves the browsing experience. In truth, it will only make it worse, and may even put your browsing information at risk.
As a result of having Prodigy Search installed on your Mac, it is possible that you start experiencing intrusive pop-up ads, which are often entirely unrelated to your browsing. These ads could contain information about other questionable applications such as system optimizers, virus alerts and detected system issues, or push notifications. Your searches could also be redirected to unwanted and suspicious pages.
Always remember that unwanted apps such as Prodigy Search are often exposing you to data collection practices, where third parties are obtaining details about your:
- Visited URLs and websites
- Browser’s home page
- Search queries
- Search queries on the visited web pages
- Type of used browser
- Operating system type
- Internet protocol (IP) address
- Geographic location
- The domain name of current Internet service provider (ISP)
- Diagnostic information which describes how their Services are operating on the system
NOTE. To avoid the installation of unwanted software and adware, you should play close attention during the installation of freeware apps. Freeware you recently downloaded from software download pages could have been bundled with Prodigy Search. Third-party developers may support shady practices for monetization purposes, and may offer you to change your homepage or search provider. You can decline any of these additional offers only if you are careful enough to spot them during installation. In other words, paying attention to the installation setups of freeware could spare you from having to deal with this browser hijacker.
To eliminate any associated risks, we recommend that you remove thoroughly Prodigy Search from your browsers and operating system. The next paragraph provides instructions on how to complete the removal process.
Prodigy Search – Removal
In order to remove Prodigy Search and the associated unwanted program, along with all its associated files, you should complete several removal steps. The instructions underneath this article provide both manual and automatic removal methods. In order to fully get rid of the files installed by PUAs, we recommend that you combine the steps.
However, note that the manual removal may be quite a complicated process that requires advanced computer skills. If you don’t feel comfortable with the manual steps, navigate to the automatic part of the guide.
Milena Dimitrova
An inspired writer and content manager who has been with SensorsTechForum since the beginning. Focused on user privacy and malware development, she strongly believes in a world where cybersecurity plays a central role. If common sense makes no sense, she will be there to take notes. Those notes may later turn into articles! Follow Milena @Milenyim
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- Guide 1: How to Remove Prodigy Search from Windows.
- Guide 2: Get rid of Prodigy Search from Mac OS X.
- Guide 3: Remove Prodigy Search from Google Chrome.
- Guide 4: Erase Prodigy Search from Mozilla Firefox.
- Guide 5: Uninstall Prodigy Search from Microsoft Edge.
- Guide 6: Remove Prodigy Search from Safari.
- Guide 7: Eliminate Prodigy Search from Internet Explorer.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
How to Remove Prodigy Search from Windows.
Step 1: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove Prodigy Search
Step 2: Uninstall Prodigy Search and related software from Windows
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 3: Clean any registries, created by Prodigy Search on your computer.
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 Prodigy Search 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.Before starting "Step 4", please boot back into Normal mode, in case you are currently in Safe Mode.
This will enable you to install and use SpyHunter 5 successfully.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Get rid of Prodigy Search from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall Prodigy Search and remove related files and objects
1. Hit the ⇧+⌘+U keys to open Utilities. Another way is to click on “Go” and then click “Utilities”, like the image below shows:
- 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 Prodigy Search 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 malware from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts, programs and malware, the recommended way of eliminating the threat is by using an anti-malware program. Combo Cleaner offers advanced security features along with other modules that will improve your Mac’s security and protect it in the future.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Remove Prodigy Search 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.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Erase Prodigy Search 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.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Uninstall Prodigy Search 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.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Remove Prodigy Search 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 Prodigy Search will be removed.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Eliminate Prodigy Search 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.
