I wrote this article to help you remove DownloadMuze Search Plus. This DownloadMuze Search Plus removal guide works for Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer.

DownloadMuze Search Plus is a browser extension. The utility is marketed as a search optimization tool. It should improve your browsing sessions. The services it offers include selecting a custom web browser, maintaining a links bar, and facilitating the search sessions. DownloadMuze Search Plus is available on the Chrome Web Store. If your work or studies are dependent on finding information on the Internet, you may decide to give this app a try. This would be a mistake. According to security experts, DownloadMuze Search Plus is a browser hijacker. The rogue tool exposes users to risks by interfering with their browsing client’s internal settings, altering their search results, and monitoring their online activity.

If you have not acquired DownloadMuze Search Plus from the Chrome Web Store, you are probably wondering how and when it got installed to your web browser. There is a reasonable explanation. At some point, you were tricked to give permission for its install. The sinister program utilizes several propagation vectors. The most common dark pattern is bundling. The hijacker can get attached to a pirated utility, a piece of freeware or shareware. The download client will offer you DownloadMuze Search Plus as a bonus tool. The default option will be to include the app in the process. Omitting to read the terms and conditions and change the setting would result in it getting access to your system.

The payload of DownloadMuze Search Plus can be hidden behind an attachment to a spam email. In the message, the fraudster will explain that he is sending you a document on an important matter. To make the bogus notification seem genuine, he can introduce himself as a representative of a genuine company or organization. If you receive an email you were not expecting, proof the contacts to make sure the sender is who he claims to be. In general, you should be careful about the sources you trust. Corrupted websites and compromised links can get your machine infected after a single click. When you enter the malicious domain, the download of the contained malware will start automatically. Do your research on unfamiliar websites and only follow links from people you are sure you can trust.

Although DownloadMuze Search Plus allows users to select their preferred search engine, it changes their homepage and default search provider to a certain website. You will be forced to conduct your searches through apps.searchalgo.com while the hijacker is active on your system. The intrusive tool does not allow users to revert back to their custom settings. The changes are appended for a purpose. Your search results will be manipulated to include supported websites. This is how DownloadMuze Search Plus makes profit for its developers. The covert program generates revenue by deploying the pay-per-click system. Every time a user clicks on a sponsored link, a certain sum is awarded by the owner of the corresponding domain.

There are two approaches to bringing supported content to users’ attention. Interfering with the web browser only gets so far. The more effective technique is to display advertisements. DownloadMuze Search Plus will flood your screen with pop-ups, pop-unders, banners, freebies, coupons, interstitial, floating, contextual, transitional, inline, and comparison ads. The windows will show you exclusive offers for miscellaneous consumer goods, like clothes, accessories, technological devices, furniture, decorations, sports gear, gardening equipment, games, and other items. Be advised that the hijacker does not check the reliability of the websites it leads to. It is for the best to avoid unsolicited ads.

The other major threat around DownloadMuze Search Plus poses is data theft. The furtive program tracks users’ browsing sessions and records the information stored in the web browser. It will obtain your surfing history, cookies, keystrokes, IP address, geographic location, postal code, demographic details, email account, telephone number, fax, user names, passwords, and financial credentials. The people behind the hijacker will sell the gathered input without asking you to give your permission or telling you about their intentions. You will not know what kinds of data has been collected on you or who has purchased it. The people who have bought your details may be cyber criminals.

DownloadMuze Search Plus Removal

Before starting the real removal process, you must reboot in Safe Mode. If you are familiar with this task, skip the instructions below and proceed to Step 2. If you do not know how to do it, here is how to reboot in Safe mode:

For Windows 98, XP, Millenium and 7:
Reboot your computer. When the first screen of information appears, start repeatedly pressing F8 key. Then choose Safe Mode With Networking from the options.

For Windows 8/8.1
Click the Start button, next click Control Panel —> System and Security —> Administrative Tools —> System Configuration.‌

Check the Safe Boot option and click OK. Click Restart when asked.
For Windows 10
Open the Start menu and click or tap on the Power button.

While keeping the Shift key pressed, click or tap on Restart.

Here are the steps you must perform to remove the hijacker from the browser:

Remove From Mozilla Firefox:

Open Firefox, click on top-right corner , click Add-ons, hit Extensions next.

Look for suspicious or unknown extensions, remove them all.

Remove From Chrome:

Open Chrome, click chrome menu icon at the top-right corner —>More Tools —> Extensions. There, identify the malware and select chrome-trash-icon(Remove).

Remove From Internet Explorer:
Open IE, then click IE gear icon on the top-right corner —> Manage Add-ons.

Find the malicious add-on. Remove it by pressing Disable.

Right click on the browser’s shortcut, then click Properties. Remove everything after the .exe” in the Target box.

Open Control Panel by holding the Win Key and R together. Write appwiz.cpl in the field, then click OK.

Here, find any program you had no intention to install and uninstall it.

Run the Task Manager by right clicking on the Taskbar and choosing Start Task Manager.

Look carefully at the file names and descriptions of the running processes. If you find any suspicious one, search on Google for its name, or contact me directly to identify it. If you find a malware process, right-click on it and choose End task.

Open MS Config by holding the Win Key and R together. Type msconfig and hit Enter.

Go in the Startup tab and Uncheck entries that have “Unknown” as Manufacturer.

Still can not remove DownloadMuze Search Plus from your browser? Please, leave a comment below, describing what steps you performed. I will answer promptly.