One of the simplest but also most common types of browser hijackers are ones like Mergeconnection.co.in – a rogue site that secretly gains various permissions on your browser and then begins to spam you with ads, pop-ups, and misleading messages.
Users who have had their browsers hijacked by this site, or other similar ones like Maxfirewall.co.in and Machands.co.in, are often thrown off by the appearance of weird alarming notifications in the bottom-right of their screens. These notifications often appear as if they come from McAfee, Norton, or another well-known security software, and warn about the presence of malware in the system.
In truth, this is just a fake pop-up from the hijacker that will redirect you to Mergeconnection.co.in or another questionable site if you click it. Obviously, you shouldn’t interact with such notifications, because this carries the risk of getting targeted by scams or unknowingly downloading actual malware on your PC.
But if the pop-ups, browser changes, and redirects come from Mergeconnection.co.in, how can you stop them from occurring? Well, you need to clean your browser of Mergeconnection.co.in, but don’t worry, the guide below will show you exactly how to do that.
Mergeconnection.co.in Removal Steps
My first recommendation is that you start with a simpler removal method. Hijackers like Mergeconnection.co.in often employ various persistence techniques to make their removal more difficult, but often is not always. It is indeed possible to be able to get rid of this hijacker relatively easily:
- Open your browser—Chrome, Edge, Brave, whatever you’re using. Click on the menu (those three little dots or lines) and head over to the Extensions or Add-ons section.
- Take a hard look at what’s installed. See anything weird? Something you don’t remember adding? Get rid of it. Don’t second-guess it—if it feels off, it probably is.
- Next stop: Privacy and Security settings. Dive into Site Settings, then check permissions for notifications and pop-ups.
- If something sketchy has access, shut it down. And while you’re there, clean house—revoke permissions for anything suspicious, not just Mergeconnection.co.in.
Once you’ve done all that, restart your computer. Open the browser again. If everything’s back to normal, congrats! You’re done. If not, well… time to get serious.
SUMMARY:
Name | Mergeconnection.co.in |
Type | Browser Hijacker |
Detection Tool | Some threats reinstall themselves if you don't delete their core files. We recommend downloading SpyHunter to remove harmful programs for you. This may save you hours and ensure you don't harm your system by deleting the wrong files. |
Before you begin, know that some of the steps shown next require at least some minimal level of troubleshooting experience. Also, you’ll need an hour or more to fully complete this guide. If either of these factors sounds like too much, you can always opt for the alternative of using SpyHunter 5 – a powerful anti-malware tool that you can find on this page.
How to Remove Mergeconnection.co.in From Your Browser
If the quick steps above didn’t work or you weren’t able to complete some of them, the most likely reason for this is a rogue thrid-party policy introduced into your browser by the hijacker. You can check if such a policy exists by simply clicking the browser’s menu. See a “Managed by your organization” message at its bottom? If yes, this indicates that there’s an active third-party policy in your browser that must be dealt with first.
Here’s how to fight back. In your browser’s URL bar, type one of these, depending on what browser you’re using:
- Chrome →
chrome://policy
- Edge →
edge://policy
- Brave →
brave://policy
A page will pop up showing active policies. Look at the Value column. If you see a bunch of random letters or strings that look like gibberish, that’s your enemy. Copy those values and save them somewhere—you’ll need them soon.
Now, go back to the Extensions page. Enable Developer Mode (usually a toggle at the top-right). Copy the IDs of any shady-looking extensions and save those too.
But wait—what if the Extensions Manager is blocked and you get redirected each time you try to open it? No problem. You can manually find these extensions. On Windows, navigate to:C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions
Delete any folders that match the IDs you saved. Once that’s done, your Extensions page should be unlocked. Progress!
Here are the Extensions folder locations for some other popular browsers:
After this is done, the Extensions page should once again be accessible.
Video walkthrough for this step:
Delete Mergeconnection.co.in Policies
Now that you’ve gathered the suspicious values and extension IDs, it’s time to dive into the Registry Editor. Yeah, I know—this part sounds intimidating. But stick with me. You already have the specific data needed to find the exact items you must delete, so this shouldn’t be too difficult.
Press Win + R, type regedit
, and hit Enter. This opens the Registry Editor. Use Ctrl + F to search for those suspicious policy values and extension IDs you saved earlier. Found them? Delete them. But be precise. Don’t delete random stuff—only the exact matches.
Also, be sure to run multiple searches for each value/ID to ensure all relevant items are deleted.
Sometimes, the system won’t let you delete certain entries. No worries. Right-click on the stubborn key, go to Permissions, then click Advanced, then click Change.
Change the owner to Everyone, apply, click OK, then check both the Replace owner on subcontainers and objects and Replace all child object permissions boxes, and click Apply > Save. Boom—you now have the power to delete it.
Once you’ve cleared everything out, double-check to make sure nothing’s left behind. This step is crucial. Miss something, and Mergeconnection.co.in might creep back in.
Video walkthrough for this step:
Alternative Ways to Get Rid of Mergeconnection.co.in Browser Policies
The Registry cleanup should be enough in most cases, but in case the “Managed by your organization” message is still not gone from your browser, here are two other thing you can try:
First up, the Group Policy Editor. Hit Win + R, type gpedit.msc
, and press Enter. Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates.
Right-click on Administrative Templates, choose Add/Remove Templates, and remove anything you find. Most people don’t use these templates, so this step is pretty safe.
Another lifesaver? The Chrome Policy Remover. It’s a free tool designed to clean out rogue policies from Chrome. Download it, run it as an admin, and let it do its thing. You might get a warning about an unknown publisher, but it’s safe. Trust me. Just ignore the warning by clicking More Info > Run Anyway.
Video walkthrough for this step:
Manual Group Policy Removal
Automatic Group Policy Removal
Remove Mergeconnection.co.in From Chrome, Opera GX, Edge, and other Browsers
You are almost done – after ridding your browser of any rogue policies, the only thing left to do is to restore its settings and reverse any unwanted changes made by Mergeconnection.co.in.
First, head back to Extensions and delete anything that slipped through. Delete any extensions you don’t recognize or that seem rogue.
Next, go to Privacy and Security settings. Clear your browsing data—cache, cookies, site data, all of it. This wipes out any lingering junk. Be sure to use the “All Time” settings and also, no need to delete your passwords, so leave their box unchecked.
Next, check the Site permissions (under Site Settings) again. This time check all permission categories and anywhere you see Mergeconnection.co.in, delete/block it. Also do the same with any other suspicious or unfamiliar sites you may encounter.
Then visit the Search engines section and restore your preferred search provider. Also, check Manage Search Engines for anything unfamiliar. Clean slate.
Last but not least, check the On Startup and Appearance sections and delete Mergeconnection.co.in or any other strange URLs you may find there.
Video walkthrough for this step:
Chrome
Microsoft Edge
Mozilla Firefox
When All Else Fails: Call in the Big Guns
If Mergeconnection.co.in keeps crawling back, it might be time to bring out specialized tools. Software like SpyHunter 5 can sniff out hidden programs that reinstall browser hijackers. Download it, run a full system scan, and let it do the dirty work. This tool digs deep—perfect for tracking down anything you might’ve missed.
Stay One Step Ahead: Prevention Tips
Okay, you’ve reclaimed your browser. But let’s make sure this doesn’t happen again.
- Think before you click. Don’t download random stuff or click on shady links.
- Ignore suspicious pop-ups. Especially fake captchas or “urgent” warnings.
- Check your extensions regularly. It only takes a minute.
- Install a solid antivirus. One that actively blocks malware and hijackers.
- Stay informed. Scammers get smarter every day. Keep up.
Wrapping It Up
Removing Mergeconnection.co.in isn’t exactly a walk in the park, but it’s doable. Start with the simple fixes. If those don’t cut it, dig deeper—policies, registry, scheduled tasks. And if things get out of hand, let trusted tools like SpyHunter 5 back you up.
But here’s the real takeaway: staying safe online is all about vigilance. The more proactive you are, the harder it is for hijackers like Mergeconnection.co.in to slip through.
Now go enjoy your clean, hijacker-free browser. You’ve earned it.
Leave a Comment