How to remove TelevisionFanatic Toolbar browser plugin?

TelevisionFanatic Toolbar – What is it?

“TelevisionFanatic Toolbar” search hijacker is a potentially unwanted application (PUA)¹, that is promoted as a plugin for your internet browser. It is typically advertised as an add-on for Chrome or Firefox, that assists to browse some special information, for example, about sporting activity events, make your web browser a lot more secure, allow downloading of any kind of video, and so on. Also, this app adds the “Managed by your organization” feature (on Chrome browsers).

Nevertheless, the “TelevisionFanatic Toolbar” plugin is quite useless since all such functions are currently integrated to your browser and/or Windows. Such advertising and marketing mottos are targeted at low-skilled computer users, for example, pensioners or schoolchildren. However in some cases even skilled users are getting caught on such an appeal. In specific scenarios, this hijacker is spread together with free apps.

TelevisionFanatic Toolbar Search Hijacker

How harmful is TelevisionFanatic Toolbar hijacker?

Besides its uselessness, TelevisionFanatic Toolbar hijacker is also considerably hazardous for web browser use. It modifies your search engine to its particular – Hp.myway.com, and additionally changes your background, putting its watermark on your wallpaper (or, occasionally, changing it to default with the specified symptom).

Aside from visual alterations done by TelevisionFanatic Toolbar hijacker, you may observe that a couple of your search queries are redirecting to the unfamiliar websites, full of links and ads – so-called doorway sites. Such sites can consist of links for malware downloads. The possibility of redirecting boosts if you try to launch Google search page forcibly.

But all these actions are far more annoying than truly harmful. The biggest hazard, especially for people who have a considerable amount of secret information in their web browsers, is installed in data gathering capabilities. Cookie files, chats, often-visited sites, as well as various other activities are simply gathered by TelevisionFanatic Toolbar hijacker.

How to remove TelevisionFanatic Toolbar search hijacker?

• Download and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware.
• Open GridinSoft Anti-Malware and perform a “Standard scan“.
• “Move to quarantine” all items.
• Open “Tools” tab – Press “Reset Browser Settings“.
• Select proper browser and options – Click “Reset”.
• Restart your computer.

Browser hijackers are almost always fairly very easy to deal with. Usually, they have a separate app that can be located in the list of installed programs. Due to the certain marketing manner of TelevisionFanatic Toolbar hijacker, it can be simply tracked and removed manually. Nonetheless, if you got TelevisionFanatic Toolbar in the package with a free applications, your system may be infected with a lot more harmful malware – trojans, spyware or even ransomware. That’s why I’d recommend you make use of anti-malware tools to remove the TelevisionFanatic Toolbar PUA and all other malware.

You can utilize Microsoft Defender² – it is capable of detecting and removing different malware, including named hijacker. But major malware, that can exist on your personal computer in the specified case, can disable the Windows antivirus tool by editing the Group Policies. To avoid such circumstances, it is far better to utilize GridinSoft Anti-Malware.

To detect and eliminate all malicious programs on your desktop with GridinSoft Anti-Malware, it’s better to utilize Standard or Full scan. Quick Scan is not able to find all the viruses, because it scans only the most popular registry entries and folders.

You can observe the detected malicious programs sorted by their possible hazard during the scan process. But to perform any actions against malicious apps, you need to wait until the scan is over, or to stop the scan.

To set the action for every detected virus or unwanted program, click the arrow in front of the name of the detected virus. By default, all the viruses will be removed to quarantine.

Reset browser settings to original ones

To reset your browser settings, you need to use the Reset Browser Settings option. This action is not able to be intercepted by any malicious program, hence, you will surely see the result. This action can be located in the Tools tab.

After pressing the Reset Browser Settings option, the menu will be displayed, where you can specify, which settings will be reverted to the original.

Deleteing TelevisionFanatic Toolbar hijacker manually

Besides using anti-malware software for browser restoration, you may choose the “Reset browser settings” function, which is usually embedded in all popular browsers.

1. Open “Settings and more” tab in upper right corner, then find here “Settings” button. In the appeared menu, choose “Reset settings” option :
2. After picking the Reset Settings option, you will see the following menu, stating about the settings which will be reverted to original :

1. Open Menu tab (three strips in upper right corner) and click the “Help” button. In the appeared menu choose “troubleshooting information” :
2. In the next screen, find the “Refresh Firefox” option :

After choosing this option, you will see the next message :

1. Open Settings tab, find the “Advanced” button. In the extended tab choose the “Reset and clean up” button :
2. In the appeared list, click on the “Restore settings to their original defaults” :
3. Finally, you will see the window, where you can see all the settings which will be reset to default :
   

1. Open Settings menu by pressing the gear icon in the toolbar (left side of the browser window), then click “Advanced” option, and choose “Browser” button in the drop-down list. Scroll down, to the bottom of the settings menu. Find there “Restore settings to their original defaults” option :
2. After clicking the “Restore settings…” button, you will see the window, where all settings, which will be reset, are shown :

As an afterword, I want to say that time plays against you and your PC. The activity of browser hijacker must be stopped as soon as possible, because of the possibility of other malware injection. This malware can be downloaded autonomously, or offered for you to download in one of the windows with advertisements, which are shown to you by the hijacker. You need to act as fast as you can.

References

1. More information about PUAs
2. Detailed review of Microsoft Defender