Remove Searchmobileonline Browser Hijack From Stock Android Browser (Quick Tip)

Recently, after installing few apps from Play Store my Android phone’s stock browser hijacked by “searchmobileonline”. The default home page has changed to searchmobileonline.com and entire search goes through it. Even if I changed the search provider from the settings menu, it returns in the next start. Unfortunately, I could not figure out which app is the culprit. However, I found a simple solution to remove the hijack.

If your stock browser has hijacked by “searchmobileonline” adware, here is how to remove it from your browser and set the home page to the default Google or your phone manufacturer.

Important: The below method will remove all data, including your bookmarked pages from your browser, so backup your bookmarks before doing the below procedure. Find an app at Play Store for easy backup.

– Look for any suspicious “Search” shortcut on your home screen or app drawer and remove it.

– Open Settings -> Apps -> All (on older devices, Settings -> Applications -> Manage applications -> All)

– Under “All” tab, scroll down and locate “Internet” in the list and open it.

– Tap “Clear cache” (if enabled) and “Clear data”.

– Tap OK to any prompts that appear.

Now exit the Settings menu and open your stock browser. Check if the default home page now points to Google or your phone manufacturer from its settings menu (it should be changed). Restore the bookmarks from the backup.