How to remove Get Directions Now from your browser
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is Get Directions Now?
Get Directions Now is a rogue application advertised for easy access to various maps and driving route content. It is supposedly capable of providing maps, driving directions, local traffic news, etc.
In fact, it is categorized as a browser hijacker, since it makes unauthorized changes to browsers and promotes a fake search engine (search.getdirectionsnowtab.com). Furthermore, Get Directions Now monitors browsing activity. This app is also classed as a Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA), since most users install it inadvertently.
Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, and other popular browsers are common targets for browser hijackers. These applications operate by assigning their fake search tool addresses as the homepage, default search engine, and new tab/window URL.
In the case of Get Directions Now, it promotes search.getdirectionsnowtab.com in this way. Therefore, each new tab/window opened and each search query typed into the URL bar all redirect to search.getdirectionsnowtab.com. Most fake search engines are unable to generate unique results and therefore redirect to legitimate search engines (e.g. Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.).
Indeed, search.getdirectionsnowtab.com is unable to provide unique results, and so redirects to search.yahoo.com. The changes that browser hijackers make may seem insignificant and easy to undo, however, all user changes made are automatically reset (if access to the settings is even allowed).
The hijacking app must be removed to recover the affected browser. Note that Get Directions Now is often distributed with the Hide My Searches unwanted application. Browser hijackers often have data-tracking abilities, and Get Directions Now is no exception.
It gathers data relating to users' browsing habits (URLs visited, pages viewed, search engine history, etc.), and their personal information (IP addresses, geolocations, and other private details). This data is then sold to third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) and can be used for criminal purposes.
Therefore, data-tracking software present in devices can lead to serious privacy issues, financial loss, and even identity theft. To ensure browser/system integrity and user safety, remove all dubious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins.
| Name | Get Directions Now |
| Threat Type | Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab. |
| Detection Names | Avast (Win32:AdwareSig [Adw]), DrWeb (Adware.Spigot.145), 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) | Get Directions Now, Maps. |
| Supposed Functionality | GPS-related functions. |
| Promoted URL | search.getdirectionsnowtab.com |
| Serving IP Address (search.getdirectionsnowtab.com) | 3.224.86.188 |
| 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. |
| Additional Information | Get Directions Now is distributed with another browser hijacker called Hide My Searches. |
| 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. |
Browser hijackers typically share common traits, and those released by the same developers tend to be identical. Similar apps to Get Directions Now include Directions Maps Finder, Maps And Directions App, Find My Route, and dozens of others. Many PUAs may seem legitimate, and further lure users to install by offering a wide variety of "useful" features.
In fact, the only goal of these unwanted applications is to generate revenue for their developers. Any features they advertise tend to be nonoperational. PUAs hijack browsers, cause redirects to dubious and malicious websites, deliver intrusive ad campaigns (banners, pop-ups, coupons, surveys, etc.), and track data.
How did Get Directions Now install on my computer?
Get Directions Now has an "official" download web page, though not all PUAs have these. They are often distributed through the download/install set-ups of other programs. This deceptive marketing method of packing regular software with unwanted or malicious content is called "bundling".
By rushing through the download/installation processes (e.g. ignoring terms, skipping steps and sections, using pre-set options, etc.), many users endanger devices with potential system infiltration and infections. Intrusive ads are also known to spread PUAs. When clicked, they can execute scripts to make stealthy downloads/installs of these apps.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications
You are strongly advised to research software and content to verify its legitimacy before downloading/installing. Only official and verified download channels should be used. Sources such as Peer-to-Peer sharing networks, free file-hosting and unofficial websites, third party downloaders and similar are classed as untrustworthy and should not be used.
Read download/install terms, study possible options, use "Custom/Advanced" settings, and decline installation of additional content (e.g. apps, tools, features, etc.). Intrusive ads usually seem normal and innocuous, however, they can redirect to dubious sites such as gambling, pornography, adult-dating, etc.
If you encounter these ads/redirects, check the system and remove all suspicious applications and/or browser extensions/plug-ins immediately. If your computer is already infected with Get Directions Now, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.
Get Directions Now browser hijacker installer set-up:
Website promoting Get Directions Now 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 Get Directions Now?
- STEP 1. Uninstall Get Directions Now application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove search.getdirectionsnowtab.com redirect from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove Get Directions Now browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove search.getdirectionsnowtab.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 5. Remove search.getdirectionsnowtab.com redirect from Safari.
- STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
Get Directions Now 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, "Get Directions Now"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications that cause browser redirects to the search.getdirectionsnowtab.com website, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
Get Directions Now 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.getdirectionsnowtab.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 "Get Directions Now".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the search.getdirectionsnowtab.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 "Get Directions Now" and other recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons (e.g., "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 "Get Directions Now" or "Hide My Searches", look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://search.getdirectionsnowtab.com or hxxps://hidemysearches.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 "hxxp://search.getdirectionsnowtab.com" and "hxxp://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.getdirectionsnowtab.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 "Get Directions Now" (or simply "Maps"), as well as all other recently installed browser plug-ins (e.g., "Hide My Searches").
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 "Get Directions Now" (or simply "Maps") or "Hide My Searches", remove hxxp://search.getdirectionsnowtab.com or hxxp://hidemysearches.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.getdirectionsnowtab.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.getdirectionsnowtab.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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