Trovi Search is a browser hijacker that it will change the homepage and search engine for your web browser to trovi.com.
The Trovi Search redirect is caused by a browser hijacker which is installed by the users, whether that is knowingly or not. Often, this type of program is offered through advertisements or bundled with other software, leaving the user puzzled where this software came from.
Browser hijackers are a type of malware created for the purpose of modifying Internet browser settings without the user’s knowledge or consent.
The Trovi Search browser hijacker will change your browser search provider to https://trovi.com, which will redirect to search result pages from http://bing.com. This is most likely done to generate advertising revenue by using Bing Search for its search results.
When the Trovi Search browser hijacker is installed on a PC, common symptoms include:
- Changing the web browser’s default homepage to Trovi.com
- Changing the browser’s search provider and built-in to Trovi Search
- Ability to modify the ‘new tab’ functionality to launch the modified search portal page
- Loads into the web browser via a browser extension
Always opt for the custom installation and deselect anything that is not familiar, especially optional software that you never wanted to download and install in the first place. It goes without saying that you should not install software that you don’t trust.
How to remove Trovi Search (Virus Removal Guide)
Please perform all the steps in the correct order. If you have any questions or doubt at any point, STOP and ask for our assistance.
- STEP 1: Uninstall Search Protect from Windows
- STEP 2: Use Malwarebytes to remove Trovi Search redirect
- STEP 3: Use HitmanPro to scan for malware and unwanted programs
- STEP 4: Double-check for malicious programs with AdwCleaner
- (OPTIONAL) STEP 5: Reset the browser settings to remove Trovi.com redirect
STEP 1 : Uninstall Search Protect from Windows
In this first step, we will try to identify and remove any malicious program that might be installed on your computer.
-
Go to “Programs and Features”.
Windows 10
- On the Start menu, type Control Panel in the search box and select “Control Panel” from the results.
- When the “Control Panel” window opens click on the “Uninstall a program” option under “Programs” category.
Windows 8
Right-click on the Start button in the lower-left corner and select “Programs and Features”. This will take you directly to your list of installed programs.- If you can’t find the Programs and Features in the Start menu, type “programs and features” into the search bar at the bottom of the Start window, then click the “Programs and Features” result.
- If you don’t have a Start button, you are likely running Windows 8 instead of Windows 8.1. Press the Windows key + X to open the menu instead and select “Programs and Features”.
Windows 7
- Click on Start, then select “Control Panel”.Start by clicking on the Start button, then click on “Control Panel”.
If you don’t see “Control Panel” here, type control panel into the search bar at the bottom of the Start window, then click the “Control Panel” result. - When the “Control Panel” appears, click on “Uninstall a Program” from the Programs category.
- On the Start menu, type Control Panel in the search box and select “Control Panel” from the results.
-
Find the malicious program and uninstall it.
The “Programs and Features” screen will be displayed with a list of all the programs installed on your PC. Scroll through the list until you find “Trovi“, then click to highlight it, then click the “Uninstall” button that appears on the top toolbar.
The malicious program may have a different name on your computer. If you cannot find any malicious programs on your PC, you can skip to the next step.
When the Trovi (Search Protect) uninstaller will pop-up, select “Continue Uninstall” then click on Next.
At the next pop-up, check “Revert to my original settings“, then click on the “Uninstall” button”
STEP 2: Use Malwarebytes to remove Trovi Search redirect
Malwarebytes is one of the most popular and most used anti-malware software for Windows, and for good reasons. It is able to destroy many types of malware that other software tends to miss, without costing you absolutely nothing. When it comes to cleaning up an infected device, Malwarebytes has always been free and we recommend it as an essential tool in the fight against malware.
The first time you install Malwarebytes, you’re given a free 14-day trial of the premium edition, which includes preventative tools like real-time scanning and specific protection from ransomware. After two weeks, it automatically reverts to the basic free version that will detect and clean up malware infections only when you run a scan. It is important to note that Malwarebytes will run alongside antivirus software without conflicts.
-
Download Malwarebytes.
You can download Malwarebytes by clicking the link below.
MALWAREBYTES DOWNLOAD LINK
(The above link will open a new page from where you can download Malwarebytes) -
Double-click on the Malwarebytes setup file.
When Malwarebytes has finished downloading, double-click on the mb3-setup-consumer-x.x.x.xxxx.exe file to install Malwarebytes on your PC. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.
You may be presented with an User Account Control pop-up asking if you want to allow Malwarebytes to make changes to your device. If this happens, you should click “Yes” to continue with the installation.
-
Follow the on-screen prompts to install Malwarebytes.
When the Malwarebytes installation begins, you will see the Malwarebytes Setup Wizard which will guide you through the installation process. To install Malwarebytes on your PC, click on the “Agree and Install” button.
-
Click on “Scan Now”.
Once installed, Malwarebytes will automatically start and update the antivirus database. To perform a system scan, click on the “Scan Now” button.
-
Wait for the Malwarebytes scan to complete.
Malwarebytes will now start scanning your computer for adware and other malicious programs. This process can take a few minutes, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check on the status of the scan to see when it is finished.
-
Click on “Quarantine Selected”.
When the scan has completed, you will be presented with a screen showing the malware infections that Malwarebytes has detected. To remove the malicious programs that Malwarebytes has found, click on the “Quarantine Selected” button.
-
Reboot your computer.
Malwarebytes will now remove all the malicious files and registry keys that it has found. To complete the malware removal process, Malwarebytes may ask you to restart your computer.
When the malware removal process is complete, you can close Malwarebytes and continue with the rest of the instructions.
STEP 3: Use HitmanPro to scan for malware and unwanted programs
HitmanPro is a second opinion scanner that takes a unique cloud-based approach to malware scanning. HitmanPro scans the behavior of active files and also files in locations where malware normally resides for suspicious activity. If it finds a suspicious file that’s not already known, HitmanPro sends it to their clouds to be scanned by two of the best antivirus engines today, which are Bitdefender and Kaspersky.
Although HitmanPro is shareware and costs $24.95 for 1 year on 1 PC, there is actually no limit in scanning. The limitation only kicks in when there is a need to remove or quarantine detected malware by HitmanPro on your system and by then, you can activate the one time 30 day trial to enable the clean up.
-
Download HitmanPro.
You can download HitmanPro by clicking the link below.
HITMANPRO DOWNLOAD LINK
(The above link will open a new web page from where you can download HitmanPro) -
Install HitmanPro.
When HitmanPro has finished downloading, double-click on “hitmanpro.exe” (for 32-bit versions of Windows) or “hitmanpro_x64.exe” (for 64-bit versions of Windows) to install this program on your PC. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.
You may be presented with an User Account Control pop-up asking if you want to allow HitmanPro to make changes to your device. If this happens, you should click “Yes” to continue with the installation. -
Follow the on-screen prompts.
When HitmanPro starts you will be presented with the start screen as shown below. Click on the “Next” button to perform a system scan.
-
Wait for the HitmanPro scan to complete.
HitmanPro will now begin to scan your computer for malicious programs. This process will take a few minutes.
-
Click on “Next”.
When HitmanPro has finished the scan, it will display a list of all the malware that the program has found. Click on the “Next” button to remove the malicious programs.
-
Click on “Activate free license”.
Click on the “Activate free license” button to begin the free 30 days trial and remove all the malicious files from your PC.
When the process is complete, you can close HitmanPro and continue with the rest of the instructions.
STEP 4: Double-check for malicious programs with AdwCleaner
AdwCleaner is a free popular on-demand scanner which can detect and remove malware that even the most well-known anti-virus and anti-malware applications fail to find.
While the Malwarebytes and HitmanPro scans are more than enough, we’re recommending AdwCleaner to users who still have malware related issues or just want make sure their PC is 100% clean.
-
Download AdwCleaner.
You can download AdwCleaner by clicking the link below.
ADWCLEANER DOWNLOAD LINK
(The above link will open a new web page from where you can download AdwCleaner) -
Double-click on the setup file.
Double-click on the file named “adwcleaner_7.x.x.exe” to start AdwCleaner. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.
You may be presented with a User Account Control dialog asking you if you want to run this file. If this happens, you should click “Yes” to continue with the installation.
-
Click on “Scan Now”.
When AdwCleaner will start, click on the “Scan Now” button to perform a system scan.
-
Wait for the AdwCleaner scan to complete.
AdwCleaner will now scan your PC for malicious files. This process can take a few minutes.
-
Click on “Clean & Repair”.
When AdwCleaner has finished it will display a list of all the malware that the program found. Click on the “Clean & Repair” button to remove the malicious files from your device.
-
Click on “Clean & Restart Now”
When the malware removal process is complete, AdwCleaner may need to restart your device. Click on the “Clean & Restart Now” button to finish the removal process.
(OPTIONAL) STEP 5: Reset the browser settings to remove Trovi.com redirect
If your PC is being redirected to the Trovi.com site, we will need to reset the web browser settings to their original defaults. This step should be performed only if your issues have not been solved by the previous steps.
Google Chrome
-
Click on the three dots at the top right and click “Settings”.
Click on Chrome’s main menu button, represented by three dots at the top right corner. Now click on the menu option labeled Settings as shown by the arrow in the picture below, which will open the basic settings screen.
-
At the bottom, click “Advanced”.
Chrome’s “Settings” should now be displayed in a new tab or window, depending on your configuration. Next, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the “Advanced” link (as seen in the below example).
-
Under the section “Reset,” click “Reset”.
Chrome’s advanced settings should now be displayed. Scroll down until the “Reset and clean up” section is visible, as shown in the example below. Next, click on the “Reset settings to their original defaults” button.
-
Confirm by clicking “Reset”.
A confirmation dialog should now be displayed, detailing the components that will be restored to their default state should you continue on with the reset process. To complete the restoration process, click on the “Reset Settings” button.
Mozilla Firefox
-
Go to the “Help” menu.
Click on Firefox’s main menu button, represented by three horizontal lines. When the drop-down menu appears, select the option labeled “Help“.
-
Click “Troubleshooting Information”.
From the Help menu, click on “Troubleshooting Information“.
If you’re unable to access the “Help” menu, type about:support in your address bar to bring up the Troubleshooting information page. -
Click on “Refresh Firefox”
Click the “Refresh Firefox” button in the upper-right corner of the “Troubleshooting Information” page.
-
Confirm.
To continue, click on the “Refresh Firefox” button in the new confirmation window that opens.
-
Click on “Finish”.
Firefox will close itself and will revert to its default settings. When it’s done, a window will list the information that was imported. Click on the “Finish“.
Internet Explorer
-
Go to “Internet Options”.
Open Internet Explorer, click on the gear icon in the upper right part of your browser, then select “Internet Options“.
-
Select the “Advanced” tab, then click “Reset”
In the “Internet Options” dialog box, select the “Advanced” tab, then click on the “Reset” button.
-
Click on “Reset”.
In the “Reset Internet Explorer settings” section, select the “Delete personal settings” check box, then click on “Reset” button.
-
Click on “Close”.
When Internet Explorer has completed its task, click on the “Close” button in the confirmation dialogue box.
You will now need to close your browser, and then you can open Internet Explorer again.
Microsoft Edge
-
Go to “Apps and Features”.
Right-click on the Start button in the lower-left corner and select “Apps and Features“. This will take you directly to your list of installed programs.
-
Find Microsoft Edge, then select “Advanced Options”.
The “App and Features” screen will be displayed with a list of all the programs installed on your PC. Scroll through the list until you find “Microsoft Edge”, click it, and then click on the “Advanced options” link.
-
Click on “Reset”.
The “Advanced Options” screen will now be displayed. Scroll down until the “Reset” section is visible, as shown in the example below. Next, click on the “Reset” button.
Your computer should now be free of the Trovi.com redirect. If you are still experiencing problems while trying to remove Trovi Search browser hijacker from your PC, please do one of the following:
- Run a computer scan with ESET Online Scanner
- Ask for help in our Malware Removal Assistance for Windows forum.
thanks!
dang the trovi virus was hijacking google i was wondering why trovi was so slow and crappy
so thank you for helping me getting rid of this virus!
This was a great article, everything went well after following all the steps. I really appreciate the time you invested for us all with this problem. Thank you!
Thanks Stelian, you’ve made an idiot proof guide to removal of this pernicious malware, especially with the screenshots. Now if you would kindly go beat these Trovi people around the face and neck we’ll consider the job done.
ADWcleaner did not remove Trovi, removed a bunch of junk but not what I wanted. Now I have to find where that program has hidden itself and remove. Moving on the second option discussed but not holding my breath
ADWcleaner did it for me thanks to the genius behind it, saved me lots of stress. hi 5!
Thanks a lot. Trovi was nasty. Super clear tips and free Ant-Malware software.
Thank you – your process worked as advertised – it removed “trovi search”.
Worked like a charm! Thank you so much!
Hello,
If you are using a Mac OS X, you will need to follow this guide: http://malwaretips.com/blogs/remove-mac-os-x-virus/
Stay safe!!
Hi, I’m trying to do step 2, but, as Lauren, I have a mac and not a pc, so the program doesn’t work for me. Is there any other program that can remove Trovi from google chrome?
Hello,
If you are using an Apple Mac OS X, please use this tool: http://www.adwaremedic.com/index.php
Trying to do step 1 but I have a mac not a pc. That program doesn’t work for me. Would you happen to know one that would?
Thank you, you have been a real blessing to me. For 2 days I used words I haven’t uttered in years. You instructions were clear and easy to follow, and the wild beast is gone. Good man-thanks again!
Thank you so much!!! I could hug and kiss you, but I am old and you are young and that would probably just get me thrown in jail….but I appreciate your help very much.
THANK YOU! I was about to put my foot through my computer screen.
I am paranoid, and I used all of the programs. They all worked, and they all found something (which I guess means I am not as careful as I think I am). But thank you, was having a massive panic attack before I found this guide!
Thank you. I was on my way to Best Buy to pay them to do this for me.
HitMan pro works like magic. It found extra adware and malware that both of my antiviruses didn’t find. :)
Thank you so much! This was incredibly helpful, easy & overall just f-ing amazing!! Everything seems back to normal (…for now..lol)
awdCleaner worked for me. Amazing how much junk I had on my laptop. It’s even faster now. Great site thanks for your work
This guide is AMAZING thank you so much!!!
Thank you!!!
Thank you SO MUCH!! My son is a juvenile gamer and apparently downloaded the Trovi malware. Thank u so much for helping me remove it. Ur step by step instructions were spot on!! Highly recommend anyone to try this!! Seriously!!
A friend of mine quickly clicked through some installation that allowed this malware on my computer. Luckily it is very easy to recognize it as a malware and even more luckily this is a very easy and userfriendly guide on how to remove it. I think my friend is very relieved and happy that I didn’t have too much trouble; if I would have just reset my browser I would still have a lot of malware, and I would probably be more annoyed with him…
Thank you!
Helped a lot, but still don’t know how I got it. Thanks!
This helped my computer and all the computers that were on my network that had gotten the Trovi ‘virus’ as well (note that I did have to do all of the steps on ALL of the computers on the network, but it still removed Trovi and a few other things on all my systems)….Thanks!
Worked well Sir…. Many thanks.
Best wishes.. God Bles.. was really stuck with “Trovi”..!
AMAZING! Haven’t been able to use computer for weeks, and because of your helpful site it is back up and running like ne! THANK YOU SOOOOOOO MUCH!
thank you! it is now removed, and im happy :)
Awesomeewe!!! Thannnnkk youu!!!
I was loosing my Mind (beyond freaking out) this site is very helpful! Thank you so much!
good!
This is awesome! Thank you! +1000!!
Thank you so much. I first started by resetting my browsers and using CCcleaner, then came across this tip on Google. The programs found other stuff I didn’t catch in my initial sweep. Very easy to follow with the screen shots…totally idiot-proof!
As a side note, I was in Romania for about 1.5 months last year – it was my favorite country in all of Europe. (Got to say, not a huge fan of Bucharest [sorry], but I loved Brasov, Sibiu,, Sighisoara, Timisoara, and Cluj. Vama Veche was…uh…) When I come back to visit, I’ll buy you a beer or two!
Hello,
You should still perform a scan with Malwarebytes, HitmanPro and AdwCleaner.
I did a simple system restore……back in business!
Thank you so much. I tried everything else, and finally found your instructions. Thank you for such clear direction and an effective solution.
Exceptional! I have been battling with Trovi and other adware programs for a few weeks Finally I think they’re licked! Every step was clearly defined, clearly written, screen shots were dead-on. Thank you so much for this remarkable help!
Thank you so much man !!
interesting to find that after 20 years of designing tools to locate infections in humans, I am now learning how to find infections in software. The instructions you give are very well thought out. Now let me see if I can follow them.
Hello,
You can download Adwcleaner from here: https://toolslib.net/downloads/viewdownload/1-adwcleaner/
I can’t open the link to download Adwcleaner; trovi seems to be blocking the download link and I’m now a bit panicky about downloading anything! Can you give me an url to get the right page from which to download safely.
This article was really very helpful. Thanks a lot for this.
wow, thanks a ton for this. really appreciated the amount of time you took to describe each step with every detail. worked great and my internet and chrome are finally back to normal! thanks again dude!
Extremely helpful guidance on removing Trovi stuff. Thank you.
For the moment, many thanks. Success and it looks as if your tool could also remove another long-acting search tool. Can this be?
Great job. Thank you very much.
YOU ARE A GOD! THANK YOU!
I think you are a genius and the way you explain it is very user friendly even a mechanically minded guy can understand that. Thanks very much great job and highly recommended.
Thanks heaps. All back to normal again. Also, these were the easiest instructions I’ve ever had to follow. Thanks for keeping us dummies in mind.
Thank you!!
Thanks so much for this. You really saved my bacon today. I really appreciate the help.
Hello,
No, all the software that we have recommended is safe, and has a good online reputation. You can search reviews for each one before actually install it. :)
Hello, will downloading all the software mentioned in the steps cause our laptop to have more malware? or are they safe to download?
Thank you so much. I needed to do all your steps as the last one picked up and addition 7 malware and virus! Love your work!!
Hello,
I think it’s 20$ or something like that! McAfee it’s not that good, you would be better using another antivirus like Avast Antivirus Free. :)
AWESOME
Thanks the tip fir removing Trovi frin Google Chrome appears to have worked.
I had initially called McAfee about the issue bur they wanted to charge lits if money.
How much is it to purchase Malawarebytes Anti malware premium?
Thank you thank you thank you
Fabulous thank you, my laptop is faster and more efficient since getting rid of Trovigo yay!!!
okay. that was a quick reply :D
Hello,
The first two steps should remove the infection, however I strongly recommend that you go thru all the steps. :)
Stay safe!
are these steps or different ways? I’m confused.
Thanks alot man been running everything i think the 1st 2 steps did the trick for me.
People that make stuff like trovi have a special place in hell waiting for them
Awesome! Thanks :) Your tips really helped!
thanks!! This was really helpful! No more malicious Trovi!
Thank you for a thorough and easy to follow removal process! Everything worked like a charm!
I second third and fourth all the thank yous. I’ll swear Trovi snuck in somehow while I was updating a new installation but we all let our guards down sometimes I suppose and we are all hooman – even me. Great info and great set of utilities
Thank you – this was hugely helpful!
Really appreciate your help, thank you!
Thanks!
Thank you so much!
Thank you. Thank you! I had to go through the steps twice, but everything seems okay now.
Awesome! Worked like a charm – thank you so much!!
Thank you so much for a very user friendly guide! I had to go through all five steps, but now at least my laptop seems Trovi-free (plus a bunch of other stuff the programs found..)!
Woot Woot for no more malware
Thank you very much it perfectly works for me !
Hello,
If you are using Windos OS, then you can run a scan with AdwCleaner and Junkware removal tool… This should remove the infection. :)
i have SAFARI, what can i do???
thank you so much!!! may God bless you… i’m so glad to found out there is solution to this issue.. :) really happy!! THANK YOU!!!
Thanks Guys, it Really Worked :) God Always be with you :)
Worked great. Had Trovi while using Chrome and would mess up my new tabs and default search engine, but followed the steps and cleared it up.
This worked very well, thanks!
Thank you much!