Ask.com is a questionable, yet legitimate and safe website that utilizes questionable marketing practices in comparison to other legitimate search engines. In many cases users may redirect to ask.com, search.ask.com, search.tb.ask.com, and other websites upon booting a new browser window, opening a new browser tab, or searching the web using the browser address bar.

In many cases users have found their internet browsers transformed by Ask.com, causing browser redirects and other unwanted activities on Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Internet Explorer.

Ask.com is often promoted through Ask Toolbar. Ask Toolbar is a browser helper object, add-on, and extension that may have permissions set users may not want allowed. In many causes potential Ask Toolbar malware will need to be removed, as well as associated programs that may have installed alongside Ask Toolbar in order to stop browser redirects and start-ups on ask.com and other websites.

Step 1: Scan your computer for malware

1. We highly recommend writing down the toll free number below in case you run into any issues or problems while following the instructions. Our techs will kindly assist you with any problems.

2. Install the free or full version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware. The full version enables real-time protection to block malware and unwanted programs from infecting your computer, while the free version is just a free scan and removal tool.

3. Once Malwarebytes is installed, run the Anti-Malware program. Malwarebytes may automatically begin to update and scan your computer at this point.

4. Once Malwarebytes has been opened, if a scan or update has not automatically initiated, please click the large Scan Now button or visit the “Scan” tab to manually run a scan. Before the scan is started Malwarebytes may ask to update the software, make sure to do so if prompted to.

5. Once the scan is complete, click the Quarantine All button to isolate and remove the detected files. You may be asked to reboot your computer after removal to completely remove detected files.

6. You can chose to visit the History tab and click Delete All to remove these files from the Quarantine log, although these files no longer provide a threat.

Step 2: Clean up and repair settings

1. Install the free or full version of CCleaner by Piriform.

2. Once installed, open the program and navigate to Cleaner and click the Analyze button. Afterwards, click the Run Cleaner button on the bottom right of the program interface. This will clean up unnecessary junk that may have been introduced to your computer.

3. Next, navigate to Tools > Startup and search through each tab starting from Windows, Internet Explorer, etc., all the way to Content Menu, for additional suspicious entries and click Disable and Delete once anything you do not recognize is found. This will help you locate and remove unwanted browser attachments and repair other settings.

Step 3: Manually uninstall Ask.com

1. Access Windows Start Menu and navigate to the Control Panel (on Windows 8, right click the bottom left corner to access the Windows 8 Start Menu).

2. Click Uninstall a program or Add and remove a program.

3. In the list of installed programs search for Ask Toolbar (or similar). Once the program is located, double click it or select the program in the list and click the Uninstall button.

Step 4: Manually remove browser attachments

Google Chrome

1. Click on the Customize icon (wrench or 3 bar icon) next to the address bar and navigate to More tools > Extensions.

2. Search for the Ask.com extension (Ask Toolbar) and remove it by clicking the trashcan icon next to it.

Mozilla Firefox

1. Type Ctrl+Shift+A.

2. On the Extensions and Plugin search for the Ask.com add-on (Ask Toolbar) and remove it if located using the correct procedures.

Microsoft Internet Explorer

1. Click Tools and select Manage add-ons.

2. On the Toolbars and Extensions tab search for the Ask.com add-on (Ask Toolbar), click it, and click the Remove button.

Step 5: Remove Ask search engine

• In Mozilla Firefox, click the small search magnify glass near the search box (not url/search field) and click “Manage Search Engines…”. Remove Ask.com search engine from the list of search providers by highlighting the selections and clicking remove.

• In Microsoft Internet Explorer navigate to Tools > Manage Add Ons > Search Providers and remove Ask.com search engine from the list.

• In Google Chrome, click the customize icon (wrench or 3 bars) and navigate to Settings > Manage search engines… click the X next to Ask.com  search engine to remove it.

Please note, If http://www.ask.comt/ is set as Google Chrome’s default search engine, add (or select) a new search engine (such as Google.com) and select the new search engine as the default search engine, then remove the unwanted search engine by clicking the X next to it.

Step 6: Remove Ask.com from homepage

• In Mozilla Firefox navigate to Tools > Options or click Firefox in the top left corner and click Options > Options. Under the General tab remove Ask.com.com from the “Home Page:” field and replace it with your preferred home page URL.

• In Microsoft Internet Explorer navigate to Tools >Internet Options. Remove Ask.com.com from the Home Page field and replace it with your preferred URL.

• In Google Chrome click the customize icon (wrench or 3 bars) and navigate to Settings.Click “Set pages” under the On startup option. Remove Ask.com.com and replace it with your preferred homepage URL.