How to remove an SearchSettings error

The free file information forum can help you determine if SearchSettings.exe is a virus, trojan, spyware, or adware that you can remove, or a file belonging to a Windows system or an application you can trust.

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SearchSettings.exe file information

The process known as Search Settings application or Search Settings (version v1.2.3) or YouTube Downloader Toolbar (version v4.9) belongs to software Search Settings or YouTube Downloader Toolbar or Widgi Toolbar by Spigot (www.spigot.com) or Vendio Services (www.vendio.com).

Description: SearchSettings.exe is located in a subfolder of "C:\Program Files". Known file sizes on Windows 7/XP are 991,584 bytes (23% of all occurrences), 974,848 bytes and 9 more variants.
The file is not a Windows core file. Program starts upon Windows startup (see Registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run). The program is not visible. You can uninstall this program in the control panel. SearchSettings.exe is able to monitor applications. Therefore the technical security rating is 34% dangerous, however also read the users reviews.
You have the option to remove the entire program Search Settings or YouTube Downloader Toolbar using Windows Control Panel.

If SearchSettings.exe is located in a subfolder of "C:\Program Files\Common Files", the security rating is 30% dangerous. The file size is 526,336 bytes (22% of all occurrences), 534,880 bytes and 8 more variants. The program has no visible window. Program can be uninstalled in the Control Panel. The process is loaded during the Windows boot process (see Registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run). It is not a Windows core file. It is a Verisign signed file. It is digitally signed. SearchSettings.exe is able to monitor applications.
You have the option to remove the entire program YouTube Downloader Toolbar or pdfforge Toolbar using Windows Control Panel.

Important: Some malware camouflages itself as SearchSettings.exe, particularly when located in the c:\windows or c:\windows\system32 folder. Therefore, you should check the SearchSettings.exe process on your PC to see if it is a threat. We recommend Security Task Manager for verifying your computer's security. This was one of the Top Download Picks of The Washington Post and PC World.

Score

User Comments

tries to install every time I open a folder.
Chris Dark

It want to change the default search engine to Yahoo (with Bing search algorythms), which was recently bought by Microsoft, so their goal is to become more popular than Google... It can easily be removed by using the Add/Remove software in the control panel.
Raphael J. (further information)

It is maleware and is often called dealio, hijacks your search settings

I suspect it is a trojan and it is sending all the information of the web sites I visit.
Lisa

it try redirect http request to it's own homepage, it modify internet explorer settings and came with other adware like shitty browser or toolbar... Should Delete it like a malware
IT technician fred

Kept causing Windows to freeze, didn't install it, had no idea why it was there, PC more stable since removal
HeathenDominion

SearchSettings.exe is generally considered malware (Trojan) and should be removed. It is a product of Vendio Services and has been reported to hijack your search toolbar to Yahoo. It has been known to install during some shareware and freeware program installations. It has also been reported under the name of Dealio toolbar.
Mike (further information)

SearchSettings.exe is just a small utility that comes with Yahoo appliations and tries to update Yahoo functionalities while setting the default search engine to Yahoo. More annoying than anything else. Disable it from your startup programs and it will never bother you again.
Francois Demers

Hi, my name is Laurentiu and I work for Spigot. I am here to provide information about how to remove searchsettings.exe. Please take a look here: http://www.spigot.com/remove-search-settings.html Please contact me from our website http://www.spigot.com/contact.html if you need more help. Thank you.
Laurentiu (further information)

The file is safe.
Laurentiu (further information)

It runs continuously, blocking your attempts to change your default search engine: it keeps setting it back to Yahoo
GreenAsJade

I have had to remove this "Pestware" several times now. It appears when you start up your computer with a magnifying glass saying there was an attempt to change your search settings. The start up init is SpiBot. I believe that it may come from Yahoo tool bar updates. What I am certain of is that I have never requested the installation of it.Here is a link to help remove it. www.spigot.com/remove-search-settings.html I hope this helps.
rodneyp (further information)

Downloads itself without permission with a YouTubedownloader Toolbar (toolbar is NOT necessary for YouTubedownloader to run!) and then simply makes your browsers - if you have more than one installed and several tabs on each open - literally crawl! Is installed by a company called "spigot" and as soon as I uninstalled everything in program files and regedit that had to do with "spigot", mu computer started working again normally, read 10 times faster. This is nasty little malware that ionstalls itself without your permission! Look out!
Margot

I found my PC was running in full CPU power, and SearchSettings.exe alone was at 40 ~ 50% of CPU power!
Tony Ng, Malaysia

It was installed with Yahoo messenger (without my permission) and was consuming 30-50% of my CPU when the Internet Explorer was running and was also running after quiting the IE. It not only took statistics of my Search Engine but was also trying to set Yahoo as the default search Engine.
Dimitris G.

Take, use and / or consumed at, 25% of the CPU in my Laptop
ric200111

Known name of a variant of DarkComet trojan
Anonymous

I had just the same problem.. SearchSettings.exe 33% process rate.. I just removed YouTube Downloader Toolbar (YTD) and now it is gone

I deleted the Spigot folder, toolbar, AND downloader, SearchSettings comes right back. I am not pleased.
LunarDash

This nasty little code slowed down all my applications which use an internet connection by a degree of 10. So it's for sure the program is sending information the whole time! A golden tip: Press ctrl-alt-del and check all of your system tasks, then google them 1 by 1 to get to know about them. Some might act like windows core files!
drezzel

Installed with YouTubeDownloader
Joe

Programme which installs itself and rewires your internet brower to set Yahoo as default browser. Causes stability issues in Windows 7. No useful function, essentially malign.
Vince

It is not listed in add/remove under it's own name, so one must figure out what name it is using to remove it. Spyware installed without my knowledge or permission, company claims not malware, uh huh.
Gina Jordan

Constantly changes Firefox search engines, making yandex.ru default search engine.

Summary: Average user rating of SearchSettings.exe: based on 35 votes with 24 reviews.

2 users think SearchSettings.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application. 7 users think it's neither essential nor dangerous. 10 users suspect danger. 16 users think SearchSettings.exe is dangerous and recommend removing it. 2 users doesn't grade SearchSettings.exe ("not sure about it").

SearchSettings scanner

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