maxask.com is a fake search engine that belongs to the Max Ask browser hijacker. If you suddenly find that this site has been set as your homepage and new tabs, your computer likely has a browser hijacker installed on it. It’s not a serious infection that will directly harm your computer. Instead, it will try to redirect you to sponsored websites. However, not all of them will be safe, which is why it’s recommended to remove Max Ask browser hijacker as soon as you notice it installed on your computer.
A browser hijacker’s most annoying feature is the browser’s settings changes. It’s also what makes them such noticeable infections. As soon as you install Max Ask, it will change your homepage, new tabs, and default search engine to maxask.com. Hijackers can affect all popular browsers, including Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. Making these changes is the whole purpose of a browser hijacker because it’s then able to redirect you to sponsored content and make revenue.
Browser hijackers force users to use questionable search engines. Max Ask forces users to use maxask.com. These search engines offer unreliable and even potentially dangerous search results. These results are mixed with legitimate ones. They usually have very little to do with what you search for so they’re fairly easy to identify. The reason hijackers do this is to redirect users to sponsored websites and generate revenue.
Browser hijackers are not particularly dangerous because they do not cause direct damage. However, they do try to redirect you, which is very problematic. You could be redirected to all kinds of questionable websites, such as ones that promote scams and hide malware. Thus, avoid clicking on any sponsored search results.
One last thing to note about browser hijackers is their intrusive data collection practices. Specifically, the maxask.com browser hijacker will likely be tracking what you search for, the sites you visit, what content you interact with, and your IP address. It’s not uncommon for this data to also be shared with third parties for advertisement purposes. Considering that the hijacker has no use to you and does nothing but take up space on your computer, the sooner you remove Max Ask, the better.
There are two ways you can remove maxask.com browser hijacker from your computer. It would be easier to use an anti-virus program and have it uninstall maxask.com browser hijacker for you. However, if you prefer to do it manually, it shouldn’t be difficult. You can find instructions at the end of this report if you need help.
How can you avoid installing browser hijackers?
Commonly, infections like browser hijackers and adware are disguised as legitimate and useful programs and promoted on various free download sites. Users who do not research programs before installing them may not think twice about it when they come across a program/extension that could be useful, only to end up with an infection. This is why it’s strongly recommended to always research programs before downloading/installing them. It’s also very important to choose download sources carefully. It’s best to stick to legitimate sources like official app stores and official program websites.
Browser hijackers and similar infections are often attached to free programs as extra offers in what’s known as software bundling. This method is quite frowned upon because it essentially allows unwanted programs to be installed without explicit permission. The extra offers, while technically optional, are authorized to be installed automatically. Users aren’t even aware of these installations in most cases.
The extra offers are optional, and all you need to do to stop them from installing is deselect them during installation. During installation, choose Advanced (Custom) settings instead of Default (Basic). Program installation windows recommend using Default settings but if you do that, all added offers will be permitted to install alongside without your knowledge and explicit permission. However, if you opt for Advanced or Custom, the added offers will be clearly displayed, and you will have the option to deselect all of them. All you need to do is uncheck the boxes of those offers.
The offers may initially seem useful but allowing any of them to be installed is not recommended. If you allow these installations, you will only fill your computer with junk programs that can be difficult to remove once fully installed.
How to remove maxask.com browser hijacker
Browser hijackers aren’t serious infections, which means you should be able to remove maxask.com browser hijacker manually as well as using an anti-virus program. If you need help with manual maxask.com removal, you can use the instructions provided below.
However, it would be easier to use an anti-virus program to delete maxask.com browser hijacker because the program would take care of everything for you. Once the hijacker has been removed, you will be free to change your browser’s settings as usual and your browser will go back to normal.
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Quick Menu
Step 1. Uninstall maxask.com and related programs.
Remove maxask.com from Windows 8
Right-click in the lower left corner of the screen. Once Quick Access Menu shows up, select Control Panel choose Programs and Features and select to Uninstall a software.
Uninstall maxask.com from Windows 7
Click Start → Control Panel → Programs and Features → Uninstall a program.
Delete maxask.com from Windows XP
Click Start → Settings → Control Panel. Locate and click → Add or Remove Programs.
Remove maxask.com from Mac OS X
Click Go button at the top left of the screen and select Applications. Select applications folder and look for maxask.com or any other suspicious software. Now right click on every of such entries and select Move to Trash, then right click the Trash icon and select Empty Trash.
Step 2. Delete maxask.com from your browsers
Terminate the unwanted extensions from Internet Explorer
- Tap the Gear icon and go to Manage Add-ons.
- Pick Toolbars and Extensions and eliminate all suspicious entries (other than Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, Oracle or Adobe)
- Leave the window.
Change Internet Explorer homepage if it was changed by virus:
- Tap the gear icon (menu) on the top right corner of your browser and click Internet Options.
- In General Tab remove malicious URL and enter preferable domain name. Press Apply to save changes.
Reset your browser
- Click the Gear icon and move to Internet Options.
- Open the Advanced tab and press Reset.
- Choose Delete personal settings and pick Reset one more time.
- Tap Close and leave your browser.
- If you were unable to reset your browsers, employ a reputable anti-malware and scan your entire computer with it.
Erase maxask.com from Google Chrome
- Access menu (top right corner of the window) and pick Settings.
- Choose Extensions.
- Eliminate the suspicious extensions from the list by clicking the Trash bin next to them.
- If you are unsure which extensions to remove, you can disable them temporarily.
Reset Google Chrome homepage and default search engine if it was hijacker by virus
- Press on menu icon and click Settings.
- Look for the “Open a specific page” or “Set Pages” under “On start up” option and click on Set pages.
- In another window remove malicious search sites and enter the one that you want to use as your homepage.
- Under the Search section choose Manage Search engines. When in Search Engines..., remove malicious search websites. You should leave only Google or your preferred search name.
Reset your browser
- If the browser still does not work the way you prefer, you can reset its settings.
- Open menu and navigate to Settings.
- Press Reset button at the end of the page.
- Tap Reset button one more time in the confirmation box.
- If you cannot reset the settings, purchase a legitimate anti-malware and scan your PC.
Remove maxask.com from Mozilla Firefox
- In the top right corner of the screen, press menu and choose Add-ons (or tap Ctrl+Shift+A simultaneously).
- Move to Extensions and Add-ons list and uninstall all suspicious and unknown entries.
Change Mozilla Firefox homepage if it was changed by virus:
- Tap on the menu (top right corner), choose Options.
- On General tab delete malicious URL and enter preferable website or click Restore to default.
- Press OK to save these changes.
Reset your browser
- Open the menu and tap Help button.
- Select Troubleshooting Information.
- Press Refresh Firefox.
- In the confirmation box, click Refresh Firefox once more.
- If you are unable to reset Mozilla Firefox, scan your entire computer with a trustworthy anti-malware.
Uninstall maxask.com from Safari (Mac OS X)
- Access the menu.
- Pick Preferences.
- Go to the Extensions Tab.
- Tap the Uninstall button next to the undesirable maxask.com and get rid of all the other unknown entries as well. If you are unsure whether the extension is reliable or not, simply uncheck the Enable box in order to disable it temporarily.
- Restart Safari.
Reset your browser
- Tap the menu icon and choose Reset Safari.
- Pick the options which you want to reset (often all of them are preselected) and press Reset.
- If you cannot reset the browser, scan your whole PC with an authentic malware removal software.
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2-remove-virus.com is not sponsored, owned, affiliated, or linked to malware developers or distributors that are referenced in this article. The article does not promote or endorse any type of malware. We aim at providing useful information that will help computer users to detect and eliminate the unwanted malicious programs from their computers. This can be done manually by following the instructions presented in the article or automatically by implementing the suggested anti-malware tools.
The article is only meant to be used for educational purposes. If you follow the instructions given in the article, you agree to be contracted by the disclaimer. We do not guarantee that the artcile will present you with a solution that removes the malign threats completely. Malware changes constantly, which is why, in some cases, it may be difficult to clean the computer fully by using only the manual removal instructions.