OnlineFormFinder, also labeled GetFormsOnline, is deemed a potentially unwanted program. This browser extension is promoted as an essential tool to find U.S. government forms for taxation, healthcare, immigration, travel, and more. It can gain access to the computer even without your authorization. Typically, it is packed with freeware that you may download from various hosts. When you install such a program, OnlineFormFinder and other adware may get installed on the computer without notice.
How does it get installed?
OnlineFormFinder runs a distinct installation, so computer users will see no trace of it until it is fully integrated with the browser. This malware typically targets well-known internet apps like Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Mozilla Firefox. OnlineFormFinder works on your computer as an extension or add-on. As a result, this adware impacts primarily browser apps.
Once installed, OnlineFormFinder becomes the default search engine. It is clear that these browser tweaks are intended to control some aspects of your search. As demonstrated in the image below, it has a variety of buttons and functions that claim to improve your online experience.
Why is OnlineFormFinder risky?
OnlineFormFinder appears to be a valuable tool. However, the majority of computer security experts continue to question this program. Given that OnlineFormFinder is part of the adware and PUP families, it is still best to proceed with caution while dealing with it.
Our worries about this malware extend beyond the default browser settings, homepage, and search function where Onlineformfinder.com reigns. It may potentially jeopardize your online privacy. OnlineFormFinder may monitor your online activity and record your search queries and interests while you browse the internet. Your browser’s collected data can be utilized in future marketing campaigns to deliver ads that are more relevant to your online activity.
As you can see, having OnlineFormFinder installed on your computer is not safe. If you need to get rid of this program, please follow the steps given below.
OnlineFormFinder Removal Procedure
In this section, we will provide effective guidelines to get rid of the threat from an infected computer. To automatically remove malware, you may download the recommended scanner. For comprehensive instructions, please execute the manual step-by-step procedures.
Instant Removal : Scan the computer with antivirus program
Combo Cleaner is a trusted computer security and optimization tool equipped with a powerful virus and malware detection engine. This program can get rid of OnlineFormFinder browser hijacker and similar threats, whether it has infected PC, Mac, Android, or iOS.
1. Download the application from the following page:
2. Save the file to your preferred location.
3. Double-click the downloaded file CCSetup.exe and install with the default settings.
4. At the end of the setup process, click Finish to run Combo Cleaner.
5. The tool will update the database file; please wait for this process to complete.
6. To begin checking for threats like OnlineFormFinder, click on the Start Scan button. Wait for this scan to finish.
7. At the end of the scan process, click on Remove all threats to delete OnlineFormFinder, including all harmful objects from the computer.
To fully optimize the features of antivirus and privacy scanners, users may have to upgrade to the premium version.
Please continue with the succeeding removal procedures if you are comfortable manually getting rid of the browser hijacker and malicious items linked to it.
Manual Removal : Steps to get rid of OnlineFormFinder
The steps below will guide you to manually remove OnlineFormFinder without having to purchase a recommended virus scanner. We have tested the procedures; hence, the attackers may make modifications overtime. As a result, terms, names, and images in the guide may differ from what users are seeing recently.
The procedure may require you to close the browser or restart the computer; therefore, we are suggesting to Bookmark or Print this page.Step 1 : Uninstall OnlineFormFinder from Windows
1. On your keyboard, press Windows Key + R. Type the appwiz.cpl command and click OK.
2. The Program and Features window will open. Arrange the list in a chronological manner, with recently installed applications on top. To do this, click on the 'Installed On' column.
3. Select OnlineFormFinder or a recently installed suspicious entry from the list.
4. Click on Uninstall to remove it from the Windows system.
Step 2 : Delete OnlineFormFinder Browser Extension
Most adware and unwanted programs use an application called a "browser extension" to be able to take over the settings of internet applications. Therefore, we highly recommend checking and removing the extension that is closely related to OnlineFormFinder. If it is not present, look for and delete any suspicious browser extension.
Google Chrome
For Google Chrome Browser
1. Open the Google Chrome browser.
2. Input the strings below in the address bar and press Enter on the keyboard:
chrome://extensions
3. Look for OnlineFormFinder or a relevant entry and remove it from Google Chrome.
- Other names to look for: GetFormsOnline
Microsoft Edge
For Microsoft Edge Browser
1. On your keyboard, press Windows Key + R. Type the appwiz.cpl command and click OK.
2. The Program and Features window will open. Arrange the list in a chronological manner, with recently installed applications on top. To do this, click on the 'Installed On' column.
3. Select OnlineFormFinder or a recently installed suspicious entry from the list.
4. Click on Uninstall to remove it from the Windows system.
If OnlineFormFinder is still present on the browser and unwanted homepage and pop-ups persist, another option is to remove the hijacker from the browser settings.
5. Open the Microsoft Edge program.
6. Input the following string in the address bar and press Enter on the keyboard:
edge://extensions/
7. Look for and Remove or Disable entries for OnlineFormFinder from the Installed Extensions area.
8. You may now close the window and restart the Microsoft Edge browser.
Mozilla Firefox
For Mozilla Firefox Browser
1. Open the Mozilla Firefox browser.
2. Type or copy and paste the strings below in the address bar and press Enter on the keyboard:
about:addons
3. Click on Extensions from the sidebar menu.
4. Look for an entry that pertains to OnlineFormFinder and Disable or Remove it from the browser using the options button.
Opera
For Opera Browser
1. Open the Opera internet browser program.
2. In the address bar, type or copy and paste the text below. Press Enter on your keyboard.
opera://extensions
3. Find the malicious extension and then, click on Remove button to delete it from the Opera browser.
Step 3 : Scan with AdwCleaner and Reset Chrome Policies
In addition to the procedure, we suggest scanning the computer with AdwCleaner tool. Possibly, there are some traces of OnlineFormFinder on the browser that were not deleted during the preceding steps. This tool will scan the computer and check for presence of malicious applications.
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 OnlineFormFinder.
3. Browse the location of the downloaded file and double-click on adwcleaner.exe to start running the tool.
4. If Windows displays a prompt saying, "Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?" click Yes to proceed.
5. On the AdwCleaner dashboard, click on Settings.
6. While in the Settings window, please turn On the Reset Chrome Policies and Reset IE Policies.
7. Go back to the Dashboard and click the Scan Now button.
8. AdwCleaner searches the computer for malicious programs, extensions, plug-ins, adware, and any items that may be associated with OnlineFormFinder.
9. Clean or Remove all suspicious and harmful items identified after the thorough scan.
10. AdwCleaner will then prompt an option to run another repair, which will reset Winsock and other settings. Please click the Run Basic Repair button.
11. A message will appear stating that "All processes will be closed..." Please click Continue.
12. After the cleanup procedure, rebooting the computer is required to finalize the removal of OnlineFormFinder as well as other detected threats.
Step 4 : Run the Final Scan Using Sophos Home Antivirus.
To remove OnlineFormFinder automatically, scanning the computer with this powerful virus and malware removal tool is recommended. This scanner does not just uncover known threats like viruses or malware; it is also effective in discovering browser hijacker like OnlineFormFinder.
1. Please click on the link below to download the program.
2. After downloading, locate the file SophosInstall.exe in the Downloads folder.
3. Install by double-clicking on the file.
4. If it prompts "Do you want to allow this app to make changes on your device?" please click Yes.
5. Next, it will display the Terms and Conditions page. Click the Install button to begin.
6. Run the installation with the default settings. Please note that an internet connection is required in order to download important updates.
7. After finishing the installation, you must login to the dashboard. If you already have a Sophos account, please login. Otherwise, please enter your details and click on the Create Account button.
8. Once you are in the Sophos Home console, click the Scan button to start checking the computer for OnlineFormFinder components.
9. Scanning may take a while; please wait for this process to finish.
10. After scanning the computer, Sophos Home will start cleaning or deleting files infected with OnlineFormFinder.
11. You may now close Sophos Home. The computer is now free from OnlineFormFinder, as well as associated malware and viruses.
The above procedures should have totally eliminated OnlineFormFinder browser hijacker. However, if you find that there are still remnants of the malware, please proceed to the next steps below.
Step 5 : Fixing the Homepage and Search Engine
Google Chrome
For Google Chrome Browser
1. Open the Google Chrome browser. Type or copy and paste the following on the address bar. Then, press Enter on the keyboard:
chrome://settings
2. Go to the left sidebar and click On Startup.
3. Select "Open a specific page or set of pages" in the right panel.
4. Locate the unwanted Homepage URL, click on More Actions icon (3-dot), and select Remove or Edit.
5. If you choose Edit, enter the desired web address as your home page, replacing OnlineFormFinder. Click Save.
6. To set the default search engine, go to the left sidebar, and this time, select Search Engine.
7. Click on the Manage search engines and site search button in the right panel.
8. Find the unwanted Search Engine in the list. Click on More Actions icon, and then click Delete.
9. Go back to the left side bar and click Search Engine.
10. In the right panel, choose a valid entry from the "Search engine used in the address bar."
You can now restart the Google Chrome browser to see if the unwanted homepage and search engine related to OnlineFormFinder are gone.
Microsoft Edge
For Microsoft Edge Browser
1. Open the Microsoft Edge browser on your computer.
2. In the address bar, type or copy and paste the string below, then press Enter on the keyboard:
edge://settings/startHomeNTP
3. Go to the "When Edge Starts" area. Under the "Open these pages" section, click More Actions (3-dot).
4. Select Edit to open the Edit Page window.
5. Input your desired address to replace the homepage settings of OnlineFormFinder.
6. Click the Save button. You may now restart Microsoft Edge browser.
Mozilla Firefox
For Mozilla Firefox Browser
1. Open the Mozilla Firefox browser on your computer.
2. Type or copy and paste the following on the address bar, then press Enter on the keyboard:
about:preferences
3. Click Home in the sidebar area.
4. Under "Homepage and new windows", you may choose Firefox Home (Default) or Custom URLs.
5. If you chose Custom URLs, input the desired URL to replace OnlineFormFinder settings.
6. To configure the default search engine, select Search in the left sidebar to display the settings.
7. Under the "Default Search Engine" list, please select a legitimate one (i.e., Google).
8. Scroll down to "Search Shortcuts" and select an unwanted search engine.
9. Click on the Remove button to delete the unwanted search engine. You may now restart the Mozilla Firefox browser.
Opera
For Opera Browser
1. In the address bar of Opera browser, type or copy and paste the text below. Press Enter on your keyboard.
opera://settings/searchEngines
2. Scroll down to the "Search Engine" section and find your desired name (i.e. Google Search)
3. Click on the ellipses icon (3-dot) and select Make Default.
4. In the same section, click the ellipses icon of the unwanted search engine and select Delete to remove the malicious search engine from the Opera browser.
5. Go back to the Basic section and scroll down to the "On Startup" section.
6. Find the unwanted homepage address, click its ellipses icon (3-dot), and choose between Remove or Edit.
7. If you choose Edit, enter the desired web address as your homepage, replacing OnlineFormFinder. Click Save.
System Compatibility Notice
We ensured that our method to get rid of OnlineFormFinder is compatible with the majority of Microsoft operating systems (Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows 8, Windows 10, and Windows 11). To prevent complicated steps, the commands used in the instructions are common, useful, and tested. If you encounter any compatibility problems when following this tutorial, please message us or leave your comment below, and we will reply and make the required modifications.
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