Browser hijackers are a scourge of the web and cause inconvenience for thousands of computer users and compromise their security. Search Quick is one such hijacker and, once installed, redirects search queries in your browser to its own search engine.

Everything you need to know about Search Quick

Search Quick is not a virus – it doesn’t spread from computer to computer on its own, and it doesn’t self-replicate it. However, it is malware. Specifically, it’s a browser hijacker. Once your Mac has been infected by Search Quick, it alters your homepage settings and default search engine so it can redirect you to its own search page, where it will show you intrusive adverts that are difficult to close, as well as record your IP address, search queries, and other data and send them to its server.

Search Quick finds its way onto Macs by bundling itself with what looks like legitimate app downloads. Often these take the form of video codecs or video players. MPlayer X is a video player that seems to have been abandoned by its developer and is now a common vehicle for distributing bundled adware. When you download and install an app that has Search Quick bundled with it, you also install a browser extension that hijacks the settings for that browser.

How to avoid installing Search Quick

Don’t install any app on your Mac unless you’re certain it's legitimate. Unfortunately, even some reputable download sites use download managers that can bundle potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) and result in your Mac’s browser being hijacked. If you download an app from a website and macOS warns you that it doesn’t come from a trusted developer, think carefully before you grant permission for it to install on your Mac.

How to remove Search Quick from your Mac

There are several steps you need to take to deal with Search Quick.

1. Check your Applications folder

Search Quick is bundled with another app, usually a video player. So, if you’ve downloaded one recently, go to your Applications folder and drag it to the Trash. If you don’t remember downloading one, check your Applications folder and look for any apps you don’t recognize and drag them to the Trash, then empty it.

Tip

Dragging an application to the Trash doesn’t uninstall it, even when you empty the Trash. There may still be stray components lying in obscure folders on your startup disk. The easiest way to uninstall an app completely is to use a dedicated uninstaller, such as the one in CleanMyMac X, which removes every file associated with an application with one click.

2. Remove extensions from your browsers

The next step is to remove malicious extensions from the web browsers you use. These extensions typically have names that include ‘search,’ ‘coupon,’ ‘mall,’ or ‘price.’ Here’s how to remove them.

Remove extensions and re-configure Safari
  1. Launch Safari, click on the Safari menu, and choose Preferences.
  2. Click on the Extensions tab.
  3. Look for any extensions you haven’t chosen to install that look suspicious.
  4. If you find one, click on it and choose Uninstall.
  5. Now choose the General tab.
  6. In the homepage text box, type the URL of the page you want to use as your homepage.
  7. Select the Search tab and set the default search engine to your preference.
  8. Restart Safari.
Get rid of suspicious extensions in Chrome
  1. Launch Chrome and paste this into the address bar:
    chrome://extensions
  2. Look for any extensions you didn’t intentionally install or that look suspicious.
  3. If you find one, press “Remove” next to it.
  4. Now, paste this into the address bar: chrome://settings
  5. Select “Search engine” from the left-side menu and set your preferred search engine.
  6. Go to “On startup” and set your homepage.
  7. Restart Google.
Remove extensions in Firefox
  1. Launch Firefox and click on the three lines at the right of the toolbar.
  2. Choose "Add-ons and themes."
  3. Select Extensions on the left of the window.
  4. Look for any suspicious extensions and if you find one, click Remove.
  5. Press on the three lines again and this time choose Settings.
  6. Choose Home from the left-side menu and set your homepage and default search engine.
  7. At last, go to Search and set your default search engine. 
  8. Restart Firefox.
    9. Did you know?

    You can also use CleanMyMac X to remove extensions from some web browsers. Just launch CleanMyMac, choose Extensions in the sidebar, and select “View all extensions.”

    Extensions module of CleanMyMacX

Search Quick is a browser hijacker that is downloaded to your Mac then you choose to install an app with which it’s bundled. To avoid installing it, be careful about what you install on your Mac, particularly video players that don’t come from the App Store. You can remove Search Quick by getting rid of the app that it was bundled with and removing malicious extensions from the web browsers you use.