If you are having problems with sudden notifications in the bottom-right of your screen that come from a site called Search-Thrill.com or your browser is constantly getting redirected to it, then this article’s for you. Here, I will explain how to deal with this browser-hijacking site and get rid of any changes it may have introduced to your browser.
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An important thing to note before I move on to the guide – if you are indeed getting strange pop-ups, even when the browser is closed, do not trust them or click on them. Search Thrill, like other similar hijackers such as Clearnview and Mergeconnection.co.in, is known for spamming users with fake malware warnings made to look as if they are from Norton, McAfee, or another well-known security program.
In reality, they are yet another sneaky way for the hijacker to hook you and get you to visit its site or some other sketchy and possibly unsafe page. Clicking such notifications can expose you to phishing scams or automatic malware downloads, so it’s important to avoid them and remove their source.
Search Thrill Removal Steps
Let’s not overcomplicate things. Sometimes, the easiest solution is the best one. Before diving into the more technical stuff, try these quick fixes. They might save you a lot of time:
- Open your browser and head over to the menu – those three dots or lines in the top corner.
- Navigate to the Extensions or Add-ons section. This is where your browser keeps all its installed extras.
- Scan through everything. If anything looks off—something you don’t remember installing or something that feels sketchy—delete it. Don’t overthink it. If it looks shady, it probably is.
- Next, dive into your Privacy and Security settings. Look for Site Settings, and pay close attention to permissions related to notifications and pop-ups.
- If you see any suspicious sites allowed there (Search-Thrill.com or something similar), revoke their permissions immediately.
Once you’ve cleaned up extensions and site permissions, restart your computer. Open your browser again and check if the problem’s gone. If Search Thrill is still lurking, don’t worry—we’ve got more tools in our belt.
SUMMARY:
| Name | Search Thrill |
| Type | Browser Hijacker |
| Detection Tool |
We tested that SpyHunter successfully removes Search Thrill* and we recommend downloading it. Manual removal may take hours, it can harm your system if you re not careful, and Search Thrill may reinstall itself at the end if you don’t delete its core files. |
Even though I did my best to make this guide as easy to follow as possible, inexperienced users may still find some of the steps challenging or confusing. If you aren’t confident you can go through all the steps and complete them as they are shown, the alternative solution is to use SpyHunter 5. This powerful and easy-to-use anti-malware tool is great at dealing with hijackers and will clean your browser of Search Thrill.
How to Remove Search-Thrill.com From Your Browser
What typically allows hijackers like Search-Thrill.com to resist more traditional removal methods is the presence of a rogue policy that they introduce to the browser.
Click the menu of your browser and look at the bottom. If there’s a “Managed by your organization” message there, it means Search Thrill has enforced such a policy and you need to remove it before being able to restore your browser’s regular state.
To check your browser’s policies, type this into your browser’s address bar:
- For Chrome:
chrome://policy - For Edge:
edge://policy - For Brave:
brave://policy - For other (Chromium) browsers, just swap the name in the URL.
A list of policies will pop up. Look at what’s shown in the Value column – look for any weird strings of letters or codes. They’ll probably look like gibberish. Copy those and paste them into a text file – you’ll need them soon.
Go back to your Extensions page and turn on Developer Mode. This will show you each extension’s ID. If any of the available extensions look shady, copy their IDs and add them to your notes.
Now, if the Extensions page is blocked (which sometimes happens), you’ll need to dig deeper. Open File Explorer and go to:
C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions
Delete all folders found there. This step is super effective for removing hidden junk. Once you’ve done this, your Extensions page should work like normal again.
Here are the Extensions folder locations for some other popular browsers:
After this is done, the Extensions page should once again be accessible and you’ll be able to collect the IDs of any rogue extensions.
Video walkthrough for this step:
Delete Search-Thrill.com Policies
After collecting the Search-Thrill.com rogue policy values and IDs, it’s time to use this information to clear your system Registry. Be careful here because you don’t want to delete anything that’s not linked to the hijacker. Here’s how to perform the Registry cleanup:
Press the Windows key, type regedit, and run it as an administrator. Once inside, press Ctrl + F to search. Look up the values or IDs you saved earlier. Found one? Delete it.
Be careful, though. Don’t delete anything unless you’re 100% sure it’s related to the hijacker. Deleting the wrong thing can mess with your system.
Also, remember to always run one more search after an item is deleted to see if there’s another one.
If you try deleting something and it says Access Denied or something along those lines, don’t worry.
Right-click the key, select Permissions, then click Advanced, and then click Change.
Change the owner to Everyone and apply.
In the previous window, tick the two Replace options, then click Apply and OK again.
The key in question should now be back under your control and you should be able to delete it normally.
Once you’ve cleaned everything up, do a final search to make sure nothing’s left. This step might take some time, but it’s worth it.
Video walkthrough for this step:
Alternative Ways to Get Rid of Search-Thrill.com Browser Policies
There are other ways to get rid of rogue Search-Thrill.com policies, so if the Registry cleanup wasn’t enough and you are still seeing the “Managed by your organization” message in the browser, here’s what you can try next:
First, try the Windows Group Policy Editor. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and hit Enter.
Go to Administrative Templates under Computer Configuration.
Right-click it, select Add/Remove Templates, and clear everything. Most people don’t even use this feature, so it’s safe to clean it out.
Another option for Google Chrome users specifically is the Chrome Policy Remover tool. It’s free and does all the heavy lifting for you.
Download it, run it as an administrator, and let it automatically delete any remaining policies. It’s safe to ignore any warning about unknown publishers—this tool is legit.
Video walkthrough for this step:
Manual Group Policy Removal
Automatic Group Policy Removal
Remove Search Thrill From Chrome, Opera GX, Edge, and other Browsers
Almost there. Now that you’ve cleared out the rogue policies, you just need to go back into your browser and reverse any changes made to its settings by the Search Thrill hijacker. Here are the specific settings areas you must focus on:
Go back to the Extensions/Add-ons page and delete anything weird that’s still hanging around.
Then, open the Privacy and Security settings. Clear your browsing data – cache, cookies, site data, and everything else except passwords. I recommend using the All time range to ensure nothing unwanted is left in the browser.
Double-check your Site Settings and remove any leftover permissions for suspicious sites – check all permission categories.
Reset your homepage and search engine back to something safe. Also, check Manage Search Engines and delete anything unfamiliar.
After this, your browser should feel like new.
Video walkthrough for this step:
Chrome
Microsoft Edge
Mozilla Firefox
When All Else Fails: Bring in the Big Tools
Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, hijackers like Search Thrill refuse to leave. That’s when it’s time to bring in reinforcements.
SpyHunter 5 is a solid malware removal tool. Download it, run a full scan, and let it find whatever’s hiding in your system. This kind of software can catch things you might miss manually. It’s worth using if you want peace of mind.
Protecting Yourself in the Future
Let’s talk about staying safe moving forward. The best defense is being proactive. Don’t download files from sketchy sites. Avoid clicking on random pop-ups or weird ads. And for the love of all things digital, don’t fall for fake CAPTCHAs asking you to click “Allow” on notifications.
Make it a habit to check your browser for strange extensions and review permissions regularly. Keep your antivirus updated—most modern antivirus tools can block browser hijackers before they even get to you.
And stay informed. The more you know about online scams, the better prepared you are.
Final Thoughts: Stay Ahead of the Game
Browser hijackers like Search Thrill thrive on people letting their guard down. But now you know better. You’ve got the tools, the knowledge, and the confidence to take control of your browser.
Start with the basics. Move on to the heavy-duty methods if you need to. And don’t hesitate to use automated tools when things get tricky.
Most importantly, stay alert. Keep your defenses up, and you’ll be one step ahead of these digital pests. Your browser—and your sanity—will thank you.
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