Occasional pop-up ads are promoting PDFConverterSearch as useful browser extension that claims to give user quick access to different file conversion websites. In addition, the contents states that PDFConverterSearch can enhance online browsing and search experience of users by providing quick and accurate search result not only when searching for PDF conversion site, but also in general searches.
The motive for such misleading advertisements is to convince web user that the subject is a good application that increases the functions of internet browsers. The truth is, PDFConverterSearch can be present on the computer even without the authority of user. It is labeled as potentially unwanted program (PUP) that uses diverse kinds of tricks to secretly add the code onto targeted internet program like Google Chrome, Safari, Mozilla Firefox, or Edge.
One and probably the most successful scheme to enter the computer is by embedding the PDFConverterSearch code to different freeware applications. These free software are widely spread on different online platforms and web users who regularly acquire them may reach a point of infecting their browser with PDFConverterSearch. On the other hand, bogus software update is the runner-up technique wherein pop-up ads are masking as official software update. It exhibits warning messages about identified obsolete program and advice immediate download of software update. Unknown to online users, the setup process will load PDFConverterSearch instead of the anticipated software update.
The complete installation of PDFConverterSearch yields to several unwanted modifications on the browser. For example, it replaces homepage URL with Pdfconverter-search.com. New tab window and search engine will also bear the same consequence because PDFConverterSearch is eyeing on complete dominance of the internet program. When user performs online search, it is process via Pdfconverter-search.com as substitute to legitimate search engine. Having said that, the outcome may not be as reliable as before when internet software is still free from this bogus search tool.
There is only one way to restore everything back to its original form and it can be accomplish by removing PDFConverterSearch. To help user with this task, we are providing systematic procedures together with free and effective virus and malware scanners.
PDFConverterSearch Removal Procedure
Below is a systematic instruction that is very useful in getting rid of the potentially unwanted program (PUP) from compromised Windows computer. Aside from removing the malicious browser extension, this guide is also helpful in deleting Pdfconverter-search.com hijacker and pop-ups.
In order to totally eliminate the threat, it is vital to follow the process in exact manner.
Step 1 : Delete PDFConverterSearch Browser Extension
Most adware and unwanted programs are using a program called browser extension to be able to take over the settings of internet applications. Therefore, we highly recommend to check and remove the extension that is closely related to PDFConverterSearch.
Remove PDFConverterSearch Extension from Google Chrome
1. Open Google Chrome browser.
2. Type chrome://extensions/ in the address bar and press Enter on keyboard.
3. Find PDFConverterSearch or relevant entry like Pdfconverter-search.com and remove it from Google Chrome browser.
Uninstall PDFConverterSearch Extension from Mozilla Firefox
1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser.
2. Type about:addons in the address bar and press Enter on keyboard.
3. Choose Extensions on sidebar menu.
4. Look for object that is pertaining to PDFConverterSearch and remove it from the browser.
After deleting the malicious browser extension, it is expected that Pdfconverter-search.com is also gone from the homepage.
Remove PDFConverterSearch Add-ons from Internet Explorer and Edge Browser
1. Open Internet Explorer program.
2. Go to top Menu and click Tools. Then, select Manage Add-ons from the drop-down list.
3. Look for and Remove or Disable entries of PDFConverterSearch from Toolbars and Extension. Additionally, delete Pdfconverter-search.com from Search Providers section.
4. Close the window and restart Internet Explorer.
If PDFConverterSearch is still present on the IE browser and there are still homepage and pop-ups originating from Pdfconverter-search.com, another option is to remove the adware from Windows Control Panel.
5. Press Windows Key + R and then, type appwiz.cpl command.
6. Program and Features window will open. Arrange the list in chronological manner with recently installed applications on top. To do this, click on 'Installed On' column.
7. Select PDFConverterSearch or recently installed unwanted entry. Then, click on Uninstall to remove it from Windows system.
Step 2 : Scan the computer with Sophos Antivirus
To remove PDFConverterSearch automatically, checking the computer with this powerful malware scanner recommended. This security application does not just uncover known threats like viruses or malware, it is also effective in discovering browser hijacker that assigns Pdfconverter-search.com as the homepage URL.
1. Download Sophos Virus Removal Tool from the link below. Save the file on your computer where you can easily access it.
2. Once the download completes, browse the location of the file. Double-click to run the program and begin the install process.
3. On first windows of installation wizard, click Next to continue. Then, it will display the program’s License Agreement. You need to Accept the terms in order to proceed. If Windows prompts for User Account Control, please click Yes to proceed.
4. On succeeding windows, click Next or Continue to carry on with the installation. After completing the installation process, Launch Sophos Virus Removal Tool.
5. Internet connection is required when running this scanner in order to download important updates. Make sure that everything is up-to-date to effectively remove malicious program like PDFConverterSearch.
6. Click the button to carry out the Scan. This will check the system for presence of malicious objects, malware, and viruses. The tool reveals items that were found linked to PDFConverterSearch and other suspicious entities. Be sure to remove all identified threats.
The above procedures should have totally eliminated the PDFConverterSearch browser hijacker. However, if you found that there are still remnants of the threat and Pdfconverter-search.com still exists on internet application, please proceed to manual removal of associated objects as outlined below.
Step 3 : Scan and Delete Adware with AdwCleaner
In addition to the procedure, we suggest scanning the computer with AdwCleaner tool. Possibly, there are some traces of PDFConverterSearch on the browser that was not deleted during the preceding steps. This tool will scan the computer and check for presence of malicious applications as well as invalid browser entries that produces Pdfconverter-search.com pop-ups.
1. Follow the link below to download the tool called AdwCleaner.
2. When the download has completed, please close all running programs on the computer especially browsers affected by PDFConverterSearch.
3. Browse the location of the downloaded file and double-click on adwcleaner_Ver.exe to start running the tool. Then, click on Scan button.
4. AdwCleaner searches the computer for malicious programs, extensions, plug-ins, adware, and any items that may be associated to PDFConverterSearch. It will also check for suspicious entries on browser settings that is associated with Pdfconverter-search.com.
5. Clean or Remove all suspicious and harmful items identified after the thorough scan.
6. After the cleanup procedure, rebooting the computer is required to finalize the removal of detected threats.
Check if your internet browser application is no longer being bothered by Pdfconverter-search.com. If the browser hijacker still persists, please continue with the steps below to reset internet programs to default settings.
Optional : Reset Internet Browser Program
Cleaning your internet browser from clutter and unwanted add-on/extension is a must when dealing with PDFConverterSearch. The procedure below discuss on resetting various browsers to its default state.
Restore Google Chrome to Default Settings
Resetting Google Chrome to default settings is helpful in deleting hard-to-remove extension such as from PDFConverterSearch. This method is highly advisable to perform if you have difficulty in removing unwanted extension.
1. Open Google Chrome Internet browser.
2. On the address bar, type chrome://settings/reset and press Enter key.
3. Under Reset and clean up section, choose Restore settings to their original defaults.
4. Click Reset settings button to clear all entries of PDFConverterSearch.
5. Close the existing tab and restart Google Chrome. That should have removed PDFConverterSearch extension and associated objects.
Reset Mozilla Firefox to Default
This section describes how to remove unwanted extension from Firefox that may be related to PDFConverterSearch. This process can fix many browser issues by restoring Firefox to factory settings without affecting your essential information (bookmarks, browsing history, passwords, and Internet cookies) on the browser. If you desire to remove only specific extension, please see manual removal of add-on from Firefox.
1. Input the string about:support on Firefox web address and press Enter on keyboard.
2. You will now see the Troubleshooting Information page of Mozilla Firefox.
3. You will notice a section on upper-right corner of the screen stating Give Firefox a tune up. Click the Refresh Firefox button.
4. If confirmation window appears, click Refresh Firefox to continue.
5. Firefox browser will close and start the resetting process. When done, it will display a list of restored data. PDFConverterSearch should be gone by now. Click Finish to open a fresh version of Firefox.
Restore Internet Explorer to Default Settings
1. Open Internet Explorer and navigate to top menu. Click Tools, and then Internet Options.
2. Select Advanced tab on Internet Options window.
3. On lower part of the window, under Reset Internet Explorer Settings area, click the Reset button. Please see image for reference.
Your data like favorites, bookmark, and history will remain in the browser. However, this process may delete add-ons by PDFConverterSearch and other unknown objects. If you prefer to carry out the procedure manually, please add-on removal from Internet Explorer.
Clear the Safari Internet Browser (Mac)
1. Open your Safari browser application.
2. In the Safari menu, click on Preferences from the drop-down list.
3. On Preferences window, please select the Privacy tab.
4. Click on Manage Website Data button.
5. Select unwanted entry like PDFConverterSearch and click the Remove button. If you choose to Remove All, you may be logout from most visited websites and online services. Therefore, we advise to remove suspicious item one at a time to prevent changing behavior towards your favorite websites.
6. If it prompts, please confirm your actions.
7. Next, we will need to clear the Cache. Back at the Safari Preferences window, choose Advanced tab.
8. Navigate to the bottom and activate Show Develop menu in menu bar.
9. Go to Safari menu, choose on Develop from the drop down list and click on on Empty Caches.
10. Next thing to do is to restore the Homepage to your preference and remove the one from PDFConverterSearch.
11. Back at the Safari Preferences window, click on General tab.
12. Under Homepage section, type your desired URL to be the default start-up page.
13. Lastly, make sure to have the right Search Engine.
14. Go back to Safari Preferences window and click on Search tab.
15. Select your desired Search tool under the Search engine section.
16. You may not restart Safari browser.
How to remove Pdfconverter-search.com Pop-ups (Notification)
Most of the time, browser hijackers are combined with intrusive pop-up ads originating from the source website Pdfconverter-search.com. It is taking advantage of push notification feature of popular internet programs like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, or Edge. These pop-up ads from Pdfconverter-search.com are extra ordinary as it exceeds the normal display volume and they are certainly annoying.
Normally, Pdfconverter-search.com pop-ups will start to bombard internet browser screen with pop-ups if web user was deceived to click “Allow” button that triggers the said website to send push notification. To stop Pdfconverter-search.com from showing the pop-ups, please execute the procedures below. Remember, these steps may only be successful after the removal of the main component or dubious browser extension.
Google Chrome
1. On Google Chrome browser, input the following in the address bar and press Enter:
chrome://settings/content/notifications
2. Navigate to the list under "Allow" section and look for Pdfconverter-search.com.
3. Click the ellipses (3 dots) beside Pdfconverter-search.com list to reveal the options.
4. Click on Block or Remove to stop Pdfconverter-search.com from displaying pop-up ads on Google Chrome browser.
6. Please restart Google Chrome browser.
Mozilla Firefox
1. On Mozilla Firefox browser, type the following in the address bar and press Enter key:
about:preferences#privacy
2. Navigate below to Permission area and look for Notifications.
3. Click the Settings button aligned with the Notifications.
4. Look for Pdfconverter-search.com entry and change the Status to Block.
5. Click on Save Changes and restart Mozilla Firefox and check if Pdfconverter-search.com pop-up is gone.
Safari (Mac)
1. On top menu, click on Safari and then, select Preferences from the drop-down list.
2. Click on Websites tab to open its settings.
3. Select Notifications from the left sidebar.
4. On right panel, it will display a list of websites with "Allow" attribute.
5. Find and click on Pdfconverter-search.com.
6. You may choose to Deny or Remove it from the notification list.
7. You may now restart Safari browser and see if Pdfconverter-search.com pop-up is gone.
Microsoft Edge
1. Assuming that Edge browser is open, click on the ellipses (3 dots) on upper right corner to open the Settings. Alternatively, you can press Alt + X on the keyboard.
2. Select Settings from the drop-down list.
3. Click on Advanced.
4. Under Website Permissions area, click on Manage Permissions button.
4. Find and select Pdfconverter-search.com from the list. Click on X button to stop it from showing pop-up ads or notifications.
5. You may now restart Edge browser.
