1startpage.com

We often say that downloading freeware applications is a security risk because you might end up installing more than just one adware or potentially unwanted program on your computer. However, potentially unwanted programs are not all that comes with freeware. You might also get infected with such browser hijackers as 1startpage.com. This browser hijacker enters your computer without your permission, and before you know it, your default homepage and search engine are modified for 1startpage.com. It does not seem to be an extremely dangerous hijacker, but you still must remove 1startpage.com from the system as soon as possible.

The problem is that users often tend to tolerate such random browser hijackers, freeware apps and even adware programs when they get installed onto their computers together with the program they have downloaded. The truth is that more often than not, you can choose whether you want 1startpage.com installed on your browser or not. 1startpage.com does have an installation wizard. It is part of the setup process that you initiate when you download and install programs via download assistant by Malavida. If you read all the installation steps carefully, you will notice that at one particular step you are presented with the following information:

1StartPage

Establish 1startpage as my home page.

1startpage is a home page conceived to simply the user’s searching and browsing experience.

1startpage is compatible with Internet Explorer, Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.

1startpage offers you shortcuts to the most popular sites on the Internet.

The “most popular sites on the Internet” include Facebook, Bing, Vimeo, Hotmail, various Games and movies webpages. It does not seem like 1startpage.com is trying to infect you with malware or anything, but if your browser settings are modified without your permission, it goes without question that you should get rid of 1startpage.com at once.

What is more, this browser hijacker claims that it can help you improve your online search experience. However, 1startpage.com does not provide you with original search service. If you were to perform a search via 1startpage.com you would be presented with search results from Bing. On top of that, this browser hijacker might also expose you to potentially corrupted content since it displays a lot of third-party advertisements on its homepage.

Browser hijackers often display commercial ads to support themselves, but users need to be smart and realize that clicking those ads is not a good idea. You could be redirected to a website that is part of an online marketing scheme or even worse – a malware program might enter your PC.

Hence, you have to restore your browser settings right now and then terminate 1startpage.com for good. This browser hijacker does not have an automatic uninstall function, so after manual removal you will have to scan the system with SpyHunter free scanner in search of other potentially unwanted and perhaps even dangerous programs. Do all you can to safeguard your PC from potential threats.

How to remove 1startpage.com

Internet Explorer

1. Press Alt+T and go to Manage add-ons.
2. Click Search providers on the left pane.
3. Set a new default search engine and remove 1startpage.
4. Press Alt+T again and go to Internet options.
5. Under General tab, enter a new homepage address and click OK.

Mozilla Firefox

1. Press Alt+T and go to Options.
2. Change your homepage address under General tab and click OK.
3. Press the search engine icon on the left of search box (top right corner).
4. Select Manage search engines on drop-down menu.
5. Remove 1startpage from the list and click OK.

Google Chrome

1. Press Alt+F and go to Settings.
2. Select Open a specific page or set of pages under On startup.
3. Click Set pages and change your homepage address. Click OK.
4. Select Manage search engines under Search.
5. Set a new default search engine, delete 1startpage and press Done.