What Is Search Monster
Search Monster is the name of a web page that is associated with a browser redirect software. The main purpose of Search Monster and the program that is causing it to appear is to flood your computer with tons of advertisements. This program may be created for one purpose only and that is to show you these ads for profit. Its developers may be paid to show websites in order to drive traffic to them and they do not seem to mind anything they advertise. This means that it is very likely that the ads caused by Search Monster could in some cases lead you to see websites that may be scams or viruses.
This is what makes apps, like the Search Monster one an indirect threat for your computer and should be removed as soon as possible.
Threat Summary
Name | |
Type | Browser Hijacker / PUP |
Short Description | Aims to modify the settings on your web browser in order to get it to cause browser redirects and display different advertisements. |
Symptoms | Your web browser begins to display various types of online advertisements, which results in slowing down of your computer. |
Distribution Method | Bundled downloads. Web pages which may advertise it. |
Detection Tool |
See If Your Device Has Been Affected by Search Monster
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Malware Removal Tool
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User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss Search Monster. |
Search Monster Redirect – More Information
Search Monster is a browser hijacker. Other recently detected programs, like include My Smartlink, TabOptimizer and Package Tracker Express.
Once Search Monster redirect is added to your computer, it may start to modify your web browsers Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Edge an even Safari. This software may change their new tab, home and other web pages. The outcome of this is that Search Monster redirect may show its own page and can show you tons of ads uninterrupted.
The main advertisements that could be displayed by Search Monster are often from the following types:
- Search result ads.
- Pop-ups.
- Redirections.
- Ads, embedded in text.
- Banner promotions.
- Push pop-ups.
But how did Search Monster end up on your computer. These programs often get added optionally to the installers of other free software, like file converters, media players and virtually anything you may have downloaded from the web. The main idea of this is for Search Monster to be included on one of the install steps, where it is likely advertised as a “free extra” or an optional offer. And users often miss these install steps, because they click on the “Custom” and “Advanced” install options instead of the legitimate ones.
Search Monster could also track you using cookies, tags, pixels and other such software. The main idea of this is that the following information could be gathered from as many people as possible:
- The web pages you have visited.
- Where you click online.
- Which sites are your bookmarks.
- What is your browsing history.
Search Monster is the type of software, whose main purpose is to convince victims to see its ads. These ads are the main dangers related to this app. They may eventually lead to the following dangerous sites, since they are shown only for profit:
- Phishing.
- Scams.
- Virus pages or domains.
- Fake Tech Support
- Survey frauds.
This is the main reason to consider removing this potentially unwanted program from your computer as soon as you can.
Remove Search Monster from Your Device
If you want to get rid of Search Monster completely from your computer, we would strongly recommend that you follow the removal instructions we have posted underneath this article. Search Monster can best be removed, however if you download and scan your computer using an advanced anti-malware software. Such a program is created to make sure that all of the files of Search Monster are detected and deleted.
- Guide 1: How to Remove Search Monster from Windows.
- Guide 2: Get rid of Search Monster on Mac OS X.
- Guide 3: Remove Search Monster in Google Chrome.
- Guide 4: Erase Search Monster from Mozilla Firefox.
- Guide 5: Uninstall Search Monster from Microsoft Edge.
- Guide 6: Remove Search Monster from Safari.
- Guide 7: Eliminate Search Monster from Internet Explorer.
- Guide 8: Disable Search Monster Push Notifications in Your Browsers.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer Stop Push Pop-ups
How to Remove Search Monster from Windows.
Step 1: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove Search Monster





Step 2: Uninstall Search Monster 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:



Step 3: Clean any registries, created by Search Monster 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 Search Monster there. This can happen by following the steps underneath:



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 Stop Push Pop-ups
Get rid of Search Monster from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall Search Monster 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 Search Monster 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 Search Monster files from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as Search Monster, 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.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer Stop Push Pop-ups
Remove Search Monster 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 Stop Push Pop-ups
Erase Search Monster 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 Stop Push Pop-ups
Uninstall Search Monster 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 Stop Push Pop-ups
Remove Search Monster 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 Search Monster will be removed.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer Stop Push Pop-ups
Eliminate Search Monster 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 caused by Search Monster 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".