Remove redirects to the search.htransitmapsdirections.com URL
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is Transit Maps Directions?
Transit Maps Directions is a browser app that provides local maps, driving directions, and other features that can be accessed from a new browser window or tab. In fact, this app is distributed by bundling it into the set-ups of other programs. For this reason, Transit Maps Directions is likely to be downloaded and installed unintentionally.
Apps of this type are known as potentially unwanted apps (PUAs). In this case, Transit Maps Directions is a browser hijacker that changes browser settings (thereby promoting a fake search engine) and gathers information relating to users' browsing habits.
Transit Maps Directions promotes the search.htransitmapsdirections.com fake search engine (which is useless, since it does not generate any unique results). It is known that updated variants of Transit Maps Directions are designed to promote search.transitmapsdirectionstab.com fake search engine.
When a search query is entered, it simply redirects users to search.yahoo.com, a legitimate search engine created by Yahoo. People who have Transit Maps Directions installed on their systems are thus forced to visit search.htransitmapsdirections.com when they open a browser, new tab, or enter a search query into the URL bar.
Transit Maps Directions promotes this fake search engine by assigning it as the default search engine, homepage, and new tab URL. Mozilla Firefox users are forced to visit transit.mysearches.co (on this browser, Transit Maps Directions changes the aforementioned settings to ransit.mysearches.co).
Generally, the only way to undo or change settings appointed by a browser hijacker is to uninstall it. The same applies to Transit Maps Directions. Another reason why it should be uninstalled is that most browser hijackers gather information such as IP addresses, geolocations, URLs of opened pages, entered search queries, etc.
Some PUAs also record personal details, which developers share with other parties (potentially cyber criminals) who use the data to generate revenue. These actions might cause privacy/browsing safety issues and other problems. The best way to avoid this situation is to uninstall all browser hijackers and other PUA installed on the browser or operating system/computer.
| Name | Transit Maps Directions |
| Threat Type | Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab |
| Detection Names | Avast (Win32:AdwareSig [Adw]), Emsisoft (Application.Toolbar (A)), ESET-NOD32 (A Variant Of Win32/WinWrapper.V Potentially Unwanted), Kaspersky (Not-a-virus:HEUR:AdWare.Win32.WebSearch.gen), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal) |
| Browser Extension(s) | Transit, Transit Maps Directions |
| Supposed Functionality | This app supposed to provide maps and driving directions |
| Promoted URL | search.htransitmapsdirections.com and transit.mysearches.co (on Firefox), search.transitmapsdirectionstab.com |
| Serving IP Address (search.htransitmapsdirections.com) | 35.174.77.15 |
| Affected Browser Settings | Homepage, new tab URL, default search engine |
| Symptoms | Manipulated Internet browser settings (homepage, default Internet search engine, new tab settings). Users are forced to visit the hijacker's website and search the Internet using their search engines. |
| Distribution methods | Deceptive pop-up ads, free software installers (bundling), fake flash player installers. |
| Damage | Internet browser tracking (potential privacy issues), display of unwanted ads, redirects to dubious websites. |
| Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
There are many browser hijackers online including, for example, TheCookingClub, Get Recipes Now, and Fast To Login. These apps commonly promote fake search engines and gather various user-information. Developers advertise them as legitimate, useful apps when in fact they do not operate as promised. Do not trust or use apps such as Transit Maps Directions.
How did Transit Maps Directions install on my computer?
Some PUAs have websites from which they can be downloaded, however, users do not generally download and install applications of this type intentionally. This usually happens when software developers use deception and attempt to trick people into downloading/installing PUAs with other software by bundling it into the set-ups.
Information about the inclusion of bundled apps is usually hidden in "Custom", "Advanced" and other similar parts of the download or installation set-ups. Furthermore, many people leave these settings unchanged - they skip set-ups without checking.
Leaving default settings unchanged often means agreeing to each additional download and installation. In other cases, unwanted downloads/installations happen due to clicked intrusive, deceptive ads. If clicked, some ads execute scripts designed to download/install unwanted, potentially malicious apps.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
Download software from legitimate, official websites only. That does not include sources such as third party downloaders, Peer-to-Peer networks such as torrent clients, eMule, dubious web pages, and so on.
Perform each download and installation properly: do not skip any setup without checking all available "Custom", "Advanced", and other options/settings and dismissing any bundled apps. It is not safe to click intrusive advertisements, since they cause redirects to untrustworthy websites relating to gambling, pornography, adult dating, and so on.
If unwanted ads appear or redirects to dubious sites occur often, check for any unknown/unwanted extensions, plug-ins, and add-ons installed on the browser and remove them.
Also remove any programs of this kind installed on the operating system. If your computer is already infected with Transit Maps Directions, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.
Screenshot of search.transitmapsdirectionstab.com fake search engine:
Transit Maps Directions browser hijacker installer set-up:
Website promoting Transit Maps Directions browser hijacker:
Instant automatic malware removal:
Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
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Quick menu:
- What is Transit Maps Directions?
- STEP 1. Uninstall Transit Maps Directions application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove search.htransitmapsdirections.com redirect from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove Transit Maps Directions browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove search.htransitmapsdirections.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 5. Remove search.htransitmapsdirections.com redirect from Safari.
- STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
Transit Maps Directions browser hijacker removal:
Windows 11 users:
Right-click on the Start icon, select Apps and Features. In the opened window search for the application you want to uninstall, after locating it, click on the three vertical dots and select Uninstall.
Windows 10 users:
Right-click in the lower left corner of the screen, in the Quick Access Menu select Control Panel. In the opened window choose Programs and Features.
Windows 7 users:
Click Start (Windows Logo at the bottom left corner of your desktop), choose Control Panel. Locate Programs and click Uninstall a program.
macOS (OSX) users:
Click Finder, in the opened screen select Applications. Drag the app from the Applications folder to the Trash (located in your Dock), then right click the Trash icon and select Empty Trash.
In the uninstall programs window: look for any recently installed suspicious applications (for example, "Transit Maps Directions"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications that cause browser redirects to the search.htransitmapsdirections.com website, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
Transit Maps Directions browser hijacker removal from Internet browsers:
Video showing how to remove browser redirects:
Remove malicious add-ons from Internet Explorer:
Click the "gear" icon 
(at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Manage Add-ons". Look for any recently installed suspicious extensions, select these entries and click "Remove".
Change your homepage:
Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Internet Options", in the opened window, remove hxxp://search.htransitmapsdirections.com and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you launch Internet Explorer. You can also enter about: blank to open a blank page when you start Internet Explorer.
Change your default search engine:
Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Manage Add-ons". In the opened window, select "Search Providers", set "Google", "Bing", or any other preferred search engine as your default and then remove "Transit Maps Directions".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the search.htransitmapsdirections.com redirect, reset your Internet Explorer settings to default.
Windows XP users: Click Start, click Run, in the opened window type inetcpl.cpl In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.
Windows Vista and Windows 7 users: Click the Windows logo, in the start search box type inetcpl.cpl and click enter. In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.
Windows 8 users: Open Internet Explorer and click the gear icon. Select Internet Options.
In the opened window, select the Advanced tab.
Click the Reset button.
Confirm that you wish to reset Internet Explorer settings to default by clicking the Reset button.
Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
Click the Chrome menu icon 
(at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "More tools" and click "Extensions". Locate "Transit Maps Directions" and other recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons, and remove them.
Change your homepage:
Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section, disable "Transit Maps Directions", look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.search.htransitmapsdirections.com) below the “Open a specific or set of pages” option. If present, click on the three vertical dots icon and select “Remove”.
Change your default search engine:
To change your default search engine in Google Chrome: Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings", in the "Search engine" section, click "Manage search engines...", in the opened list, look for "search.htransitmapsdirections.com", and when located, click the three vertical dots near this URL and select "Remove from list".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the search.htransitmapsdirections.com redirect, reset your Google Chrome browser settings. Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome) and select Settings. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen. Click the Advanced… link.
After scrolling to the bottom of the screen, click the Reset (Restore settings to their original defaults) button.
In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Google Chrome settings to default by clicking the Reset button.
Remove malicious plug-ins from Mozilla Firefox:
Click the Firefox menu 
(at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons". Click on "Extensions" and remove "Transit Maps Directions" (or simply "Transit"), as well as all other recently installed browser plug-ins.
Change your homepage:
To reset your homepage, click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), then select "Options", in the opened window, disable "Transit Maps Directions" (or simply "Transit") remove hxxp://search.htransitmapsdirections.com and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you start Mozilla Firefox.
Change your default search engine:
In the URL address bar, type about:config and press Enter.
Click "I'll be careful, I promise!".
In the search filter at the top, type: "moz-extension"
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.
Optional method:
Computer users who have problems with search.htransitmapsdirections.com redirect removal can reset their Mozilla Firefox settings.
Open Mozilla Firefox, at the top right corner of the main window, click the Firefox menu, in the opened menu, click Help.
Select Troubleshooting Information.
In the opened window, click the Refresh Firefox button.
In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Mozilla Firefox settings to default by clicking the Refresh Firefox button.
Remove malicious extensions from Safari:
Make sure your Safari browser is active and click Safari menu, then select Preferences...
In the preferences window select the Extensions tab. Look for any recently installed suspicious extensions and uninstall them.
In the preferences window select General tab and make sure that your homepage is set to a preferred URL, if its altered by a browser hijacker - change it.
In the preferences window select Search tab and make sure that your preferred Internet search engine is selected.
Optional method:
Make sure your Safari browser is active and click on Safari menu. From the drop down menu select Clear History and Website Data...
In the opened window select all history and click the Clear History button.
Remove malicious extensions from Microsoft Edge:
Click the Edge menu icon 
(at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Extensions". Locate any recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons, and remove them.
Change your homepage and new tab settings:
Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section look for the name of the browser hijacker and click "Disable".
Change your default Internet search engine:
To change your default search engine in Microsoft Edge: Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Privacy and services", scroll to bottom of the page and select "Address bar". In the "Search engines used in address bar" section look for the name of the unwanted Internet search engine, when located click the "Disable" button near it. Alternatively you can click on "Manage search engines", in the opened menu look for unwanted Internet search engine. Click on the puzzle icon 
near it and select "Disable".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the search.htransitmapsdirections.com redirect, reset your Microsoft Edge browser settings. Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge) and select Settings.
In the opened settings menu select Reset settings.
Select Restore settings to their default values. In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Microsoft Edge settings to default by clicking the Reset button.
- If this did not help, follow these alternative instructions explaining how to reset the Microsoft Edge browser.
Summary:
A browser hijacker is a type of adware infection that modifies Internet browser settings by assigning the homepage and default Internet search engine settings to some other (unwanted) website URL. Commonly, this type of adware infiltrates operating systems through free software downloads. If your download is managed by a download client, ensure that you decline offers to install advertised toolbars or applications that seek to change your homepage and default Internet search engine settings.
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Outstanding!
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