How to remove the Search grab extension

by Sean Doyle · Published November 8, 2017 · Updated September 11, 2022

Search grab is a browser extension that changes your existing internet browser settings. The Search grab extension makes modifications to the webpages and URLs that your homepage, new tab, and default search engine point to. In turn, the Search grab extension will cause affected internet browsers to start-up on an undesired webpage and redirect to searchsbay.com, http://find.mystart.space/newsearch/, and other websites when you search the web.

Search grab

The description for the Search grab Google Chrome extension says “Search grab extension modifies your Default Search Engine and allows us to modify and reconfigure your Default Search Engine…”

Search grab extension

Furthermore, the Search grab extension for Google Chrome shows that it has permission to read and change all your data on the websites you visit, replace the page you see when opening a new tab, and change your search settings to: searchsbay.com.

One of the biggest concerns with the Search grab extension is that it is normally advertised by questionable advertising networks on websites that also have advertisements for malware, adware, spyware, and other malicious threats. Some websites might even host malware that automatically drops onto your machine without your consent. This means that if the Search grab extension is attached to your internet browser, it is likely that your computer is infected with other malicious programs that should be removed immediately.

How to remove Search grab

The Search grab removal steps on this page will help you remove the Search grab extension, malware, viruses, and other threats.

Step 1: Remove the extension

Step 2: Remove malware with Malwarebytes Anti-malware

Step 3: Check your computer for malicious trace files with HitmanPro

Step 4: Clean up and fix system issues with CCleaner

Step 5: Manually repair browser settings (Optional)

1. Remove the extension

Chrome

1. Click the Customize and control Google Chrome icon and go to More tools > Extensions.

2. Click the trashcan icon next to the Search grab extension to remove it.

Firefox

1. Open the Menu and click Add-ons.

2. Click Remove next to the Search grab add-on to remove it.

Internet Explorer

1. Go to Tools (Alt+X) and click Manage add-ons.

2. Select the Search grab add-on with your mouse and click Remove.

Safari

1. Go to Safari > Preferences > Extensions.

2. Click the Uninstall button next to the Search grab extension to remove it.

2. Remove malware with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

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Open your browser window and download Malwarebytes 3.0 Premium or Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free.
Open the executable file (mb3-setup.exe) to begin installing Malwarebytes.
Select your language, click Next, then select “I accept the agreement,” click the Next button several times, and then click the Install button to install Malwarebytes. Click Finish once the install process is complete.
Open Malwarebytes and click the Scan Now button on the Dashboard to begin scanning your computer.
Click the Quarantine Selected button once the scan is finished.
If Malwarebytes says “All selected items have been removed successfully. A log file has been saved to the logs folder. Your computer needs to be restarted to complete the removal process. Would you like to restart now?” click the Yes button to restart your computer.

3. Check your computer for malicious trace files with HitmanPro

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Open your browser window and download HitmanPro.
Open the executable file (hitmanpro_x64.exe or hitmanpro_x32.exe) to begin installing HitmanPro.
Click the Next button, check “I accept the terms of the license agreement,” and click the Next button again.
On the Setup page select “Yes, create a copy of HitmanPro so I can regularly scan this computer (recommended)” and add your email address to the registration fields to begin the free trial.
Click Next to begin scanning your computer.
Once the Scan results are displayed click the Next button and click the Next button again on the Removal results page.

4. Clean up and fix system issues with CCleaner

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Open your browser window and download CCleaner Professional or CCleaner Free.
Open the executable file (ccsetup.exe or other) to begin installing CCleaner.
Click the Install button to begin stalling the program.
Click Run CCleaner to open the program when installation is complete.
Select the Cleaner tab and click the Analyze button.
When the Analyze process is complete click the Run Cleaner button to clean all files.
Next, select the Registry tab and click the Scan for Issues button to scan for issues in your registry.
When the scan is complete click the Fix selected Issues button and Fix All Selected Issues button to fix the issues.
Next, select the Tools tab and click Startup. Examine each area, search for suspicious entries, and delete any suspicious startup entries by selecting the entry and clicking the Delete button.
Next, click Browser Plugins and search each internet browser for unwanted browser add-ons and extensions. Click the extension you want to delete and click the Delete button to remove it.