Uninstall Find My Route from your browser and computer
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is Find My Route?
Find My Route is advertised as an application that provides free and quick access to driving directions and maps. This is supposedly a legitimate app, however, it is categorized as a browser hijacker, a potentially unwanted app (PUA). During the installation process, another PUA called Hide My Searches is also installed.
As with most apps of this type, Find My Route changes browser settings to promote a fake search engine (in this case, search.hfindmyroute.co). Generally, people download and install PUAs unintentionally.
Most of these apps are designed to hijack browsers such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Internet Explorer. After installation, Find My Route assigns search.hfindmyroute.co as the default search engine, homepage, and new tab URL.
Therefore, this site is opened when users open the hijacked browser, a new tab, or when they search using the browser's URL bar. This fake search engine displays results by Yahoo (it simply redirects users to search.yahoo.com). Fake search engines are redundant (they provide no unique results and simply use those generated by other, reputable search engines).
To remove search.hfindmyroute.co from the settings of a hijacked browser, Find My Route must be uninstalled, otherwise this app will reassign settings when attempts are made to change or revert them.
Furthermore, most apps of this type (and their associated search engines) collect IP addresses, addresses of visited pages, entered search queries, geolocations, and other similar information, as long as they are installed and used. Developers send the data to third parties who misuse private information to generate revenue.
The information might also include personal details. This puts users at risk of identity theft or other problems relating to privacy, browsing safety, and so on. To prevent these problems, uninstall Find My Route (and Hide My Searches) immediately.
| Name | Find My Route |
| Threat Type | Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab |
| Detection Names (*-23674302.exe) | Avast (Win32:AdwareSig [Adw]), AVG (Win32:AdwareSig [Adw]), 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) | Find My Route, Maps, Maps & Directions by Find My Route. |
| Supposed Functionality | This app supposedly provides quick access to maps and directions. |
| Promoted URL | search.hfindmyroute.co |
| Serving IP Address (search.hfindmyroute.co) | 52.21.108.235 |
| 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. |
| Additional Information | This browser hijacker (the setup) is used to promote another browser hijacker called Hide My Searches. |
| 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. |
Many other browser hijackers also promote Hide My Searches. Typically, apps of this type are advertised as useful and legitimate, however, most promote dubious (fake) search engines and collect data that can be used to generate revenue. Using these apps will diminish the browsing experience and cause many other problems (mentioned above).
How did Find My Route install on my computer?
Some PUAs can be downloaded from their download websites, however, people often download and install them inadvertently through clicked intrusive ads or when they are bundled into set-ups of other programs.
"Bundling" is a deceptive marketing method that developers use to trick people into installing unwanted apps by hiding them in "Custom", "Advanced" and other options/settings of the download/installation set-ups.
They do not properly disclose information about the inclusion of PUAs and are aware that many users do not download and install software correctly. Therefore, many people leave settings unchanged.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
Software and files should be downloaded from official, trustworthy websites. Do not use third party downloaders, Peer-to-Peer networks such as torrent clients, eMule (or other programs of this type), dubious websites, and so on. Furthermore, check "Custom", "Advanced", and other similar settings when downloading/installing software, especially if it is free.
Deselect offers to install unwanted software and only then finish the installation or download process. Avoid clicking advertisements, especially if they are displayed on dubious (unofficial) websites. These can cause redirects to untrustworthy and potentially malicious websites such as pornography, adult dating, gambling, etc.
If you encounter unwanted redirects or see intrusive ads, check your browser for unwanted applications (extensions, plug-ins, and add-ons) installed.
Also check the list of installed programs on the operating system. Uninstall all unwanted applications and programs immediately. If your computer is already infected with Find My Route (or Hide My Searches), we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.
Find My Route browser hijacker installer set-up:
Website promoting Find My Route browser hijacker:
Find My Route download page asking for various permissions:
Instant automatic malware removal:
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Quick menu:
- What is Find My Route?
- STEP 1. Uninstall Find My Route application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove search.hfindmyroute.co redirect from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove Find My Route browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove search.hfindmyroute.co homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 5. Remove search.hfindmyroute.co redirect from Safari.
- STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
Find My Route 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, "Find My Route"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications that cause browser redirects to the search.hfindmyroute.co website, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
Find My Route 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.hfindmyroute.co 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 "Find My Route".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the search.hfindmyroute.co 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 "Find My Route" (or "Maps & Directions by Find My Route") and other recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons (like "Hide My Searches"), 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 "Find My Route" (or "Maps & Directions by Find My Route") look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.search.hfindmyroute.co) 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.hfindmyroute.co" or "hidemysearches.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.hfindmyroute.co 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 "Find My Route" (or simply "Maps"), 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 "Find My Route" (or simply "Maps") remove hxxp://search.hfindmyroute.co 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.hfindmyroute.co 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.hfindmyroute.co 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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