Searchie

Posted by Lisa Blanc on May 6, 2016

What is Searchie?

Searchie is a peculiar third party application that should improve your Chrome browser’s performance, but it is very likely that with this extension on, your browser will become sluggish and irresponsive. The security research team at anti-spyware-101.com categorizes this application as potentially unwanted program. This means that it is not a malicious computer threat by itself, but it exhibits particular features that are not desirable in a program. Therefore, if it was not your intention to have this application, it would be for the best to remove Searchie from your system and your browser. For more detailed removal instructions, scroll to the bottom of this article. test test test

Where does Searchie come from?

If you were to visit the official website for this application, you should see that the moment you click the Get It Now! button, you are automatically redirected to the Chrome Web Store. This is where you can find the extension and add it to your browser. It is clear to see that the extension is not popular. It has only one review and a few rating votes.

The fact that Searchie can be found at the Chrome Web Store could make any inexperienced user think that this extension is reliable. However, we believe that users seldom download the extension from the Chrome Web Store. Our research shows that it usually comes bundled with additional applications. This means that the extension is distributed in software packages, most of which are available for download from file-sharing websites. These pages may host any type of software because they do not really check who or how they upload the files.

Whenever you download freeware from third-party sources, keep in mind that the third-party installers usually bundle several applications at the same time. Thus, when you install something you want, you most probably also set up some additional program you were not aware of. This is especially common among users who tend to breeze through the installation steps. Thus, if Searchie is there, perched on your browser, it is very likely that you have installed it yourself.

What does Searchie do?

Technically, this extension should help you set default search engines on your browser. It lets you choose between several search engines, including search.strtpoint.com, google.com, search.yahoo.com, youtube.com, bing.com, and amazon.com. The extension also changes your new tab settings, modifying it to the search engine you choose. What’s more, the extension changes your default homepage and search engine to search.strtpoint.com and h.searchie.net upon the installation. It is possible to switch your homepage back to whatever you have been using only by disabling or removing the extension.

So there you have one annoying and intrusive aspect of this extension that should be enough to convince you there is no reason to keep it. What’s more, you probably understand that you can easily set your default search engine yourself. There is no need to rely on a third-party application that might even employ tracking techniques, to figure out your likes and preferences whenever you surf the web. Thus, it is safe to say that your biggest priority at the moment would be removing Searchie from your browser, and then ensuring your system’s stability.

How do I remove Searchie?

This is a browser extension that caters to Google Chrome, so it means that you cannot remove Searchie via Control Panel. However, you can easily delete it via the browser’s settings menu. While you are at it, you should check for other unfamiliar extensions that might have arrived at your computer together with this program.

If you do not know how to distinguish potential security threats from regular applications, do yourself a favor and scan your PC with the SpyHunter free scanner. An automated security tool will help you find all the unwanted files and folders. What’s more, if you are not confident about removing them on your own, the tool can delete everything automatically for you.

Should you have any further questions regarding potentially harmful software or computer security in general, please feel free to contact us by leaving a comment below.