How to eliminate Customize Your New Tab from browsers

What kind of app is Customize Your New Tab?

In our examination, it was determined that Customize Your New Tab functions as a browser hijacker, altering the settings of affected browsers to promote a designated web address. Additionally, Customize Your New Tab may be able to access and extract various forms of data. Consequently, users should remove this extension from any affected browsers.

Customize Your New Tab browser hijacker overview

Customize Your New Tab hijacks web browsers by altering settings such as the default search engine, homepage, and new tab page. Our investigation revealed that this extension modifies these settings to direct users to pixel-pioneers.net. Consequently, users with Customize Your New Tab added find themselves on pixel-pioneers.net when they open their browser, new tabs, or perform search queries.

When users input a search query into pixel-pioneers.net, the website redirects them to bing.com. This behavior categorizes pixel-pioneers.net as a fake search engine, as it does not generate its own search results. It is crucial to understand that bing.com is a legitimate search engine and can be trusted.

However, pixel-pioneers.net is promoted through browser hijacking tactics and should be avoided as it is a deceptive and fake search engine. Fake search engines are typically crafted to manipulate search results, prioritizing revenue generation for their creators over delivering relevant and accurate information to users.

Moreover, they often gather user data like browsing history and search queries to fuel targeted advertising or malicious activities. Additionally, fake search engines might redirect users to malicious or other unreliable websites, endangering their personal and financial information.

Consequently, it is imperative to remove pixel-pioneers.net and Customize Your New Tab from affected browsers promptly to mitigate these risks.

Threat Summary:

Name	Customize Your New Tab
Threat Type	Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab
Browser Extension(s)	Customize Your New Tab
Supposed Functionality	New tab customization with random fancy backgrounds
Promoted URL	pixel-pioneers.net
Detection Names (pixel-pioneers.net)	Webroot (Malicious), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address (pixel-pioneers.net)	13.248.243.5
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. ▼ Download Combo Cleaner To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Browser hijackers in general

Browser hijackers are notorious for their shared characteristics, which include unauthorized alterations to browser settings like the homepage and (or) search engine. Also, apps of this type are often designed to harvest browsing-related and other data. Typically, they hijack browsers to promote fake and unreliable search engines.

Examples of apps designed to hijack browsers are Colour Picker, LetsDoItnewtab, and Outer Space.

How did Customize Your New Tab install on my computer?

Users may unknowingly add or install browser hijackers through various channels, with software bundling being a prevalent method. In this practice, hijackers are packaged alongside free software downloads. Rushing through the installation process without deselecting unwanted offers results in users inadvertently agreeing to install or add hijackers.

Furthermore, interacting with misleading ads, pop-ups (including notifications from untrustworthy pages), or deceptive download buttons on dubious websites can trigger the automatic download and installation of browser hijackers. Additionally, obtaining applications from third-party app stores, peer-to-peer (P2P) networks, and similar sources can result in browser hijacking.

How to avoid installation of browser hijackers?

Ensure to programs software exclusively from reputable sources, such as official websites and app stores, while refraining from downloading from unofficial sites, P2P networks, or third-party downloaders. During installations, opt for custom or advanced settings (when available) to unselect any bundled offers, guaranteeing the installation of solely desired software.

Exercise caution when encountering pop-ups, ads, or download buttons, particularly on unfamiliar or dubious websites. Additionally, maintain regular software updates and utilize reputable antivirus or antimalware programs to find and eliminate potential threats.

If your computer is already infected with Customize Your New Tab, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.

Pixel-pioneers.net redirects to bing.com (GIF):

Permissions asked by Customize Your New Tab 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:
▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Quick menu:

• What is Customize Your New Tab?
• STEP 1. Uninstall Customize Your New Tab application using Control Panel.
• STEP 2. Remove Customize Your New Tab browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
• STEP 3. Remove pixel-pioneers.net homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
• STEP 4. Remove pixel-pioneers.net redirect from Safari.
• STEP 5. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.

Customize Your New Tab 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, select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications (which cause browser redirects to the pixel-pioneers.net website), scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.

Customize Your New Tab browser hijacker removal from Internet browsers:

Video showing how to remove browser redirects:

Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Extensions" and click "Manage Extensions". Locate "Customize Your New Tab" and other recently-installed suspicious extensions, select these entries and click "Remove".

Change your homepage:

Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section, disable "Customize Your New Tab", look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.pixel-pioneers.net) 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 "pixel-pioneers.net", when located click the three vertical dots near this URL and select "Delete".

• If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Google Chrome.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the pixel-pioneers.net 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 extensions from Mozilla Firefox:

Click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons and themes". Click "Extensions", in the opened window locate "Customize Your New Tab", as well as all recently-installed suspicious extensions, click on the three dots and then click "Remove".

Change your homepage:

To reset your homepage, click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), then select "Settings", in the opened window disable "Customize Your New Tab", remove hxxp://pixel-pioneers.net 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 "Accept the Risk and Continue".

In the search filter at the top, type: "extensionControlled". Set both results to "false" by either double-clicking each entry or clicking the button.

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with pixel-pioneers.net 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 pixel-pioneers.net 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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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the purpose of forcing users visit pixel-pioneers.net website?

Fake search engines like pixel-pioneers.net play a pivotal role in browser hijacking schemes, serving to deceive users and (or) manipulate search results. The creators of pixel-pioneers.net aim to generate revenue by directing users to this site, thereby increasing traffic and potential earnings.

Is visiting pixel-pioneers.net a threat to my privacy?

Visiting pixel-pioneers.net may indeed jeopardize your privacy. As a fake search engine, it might gather your browsing data, search queries, IP address, and other personal information without your explicit consent.

How did a browser hijacker infiltrate my computer?

Browser hijackers have numerous methods to infiltrate browsers, including software bundles, deceptive ads, third-party app stores, peer-to-peer networks, misleading websites, various downloaders, and notifications from untrustworthy sites.

Will Combo Cleaner help me remove Customize Your New Tab browser hijacker?

Combo Cleaner can scan your computer and eliminate any detected browser-hijacking applications. Manual removal may not always be effective, particularly when dealing with multiple browser hijackers that reinstall each other.

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