How to remove Smooth Search Tab hijacker

How to remove Smooth Search Tab hijacker

What is Smooth Search Tab

Smooth Search Tab is a browser hijacker, making changes to the settings of Chrome, Mozilla, Edge, IE, and other browsers placed on your system. After punching, Smooth Search Tab redirects the user to third-party sites, which, as a rule, are pouring with advertisements, banners, coupons, pop-ups, and so on. Furthermore, these changes cannot be reversed. Smooth Search Tab comes without the user’s consent and can traverse to other malicious software that significantly degrades the performance of the browser. It is worth remarking that the hijacker can collect personal information about the history of browsing and other activities of the user on the network (look for privacy policy published on scammers’ website https://smoothsearch.online/ below). We strongly recommend that you remove Smooth Search Tab right now.

 remove Smooth Search Tab search
 remove Smooth Search Tab from Windows

The manning method remains the most common way to penetrate the victims’ computers. This comes with free downloads from the Internet through specially designed installers, downloaders and web clients that contain unwanted software as an additional component. The fact is that users rarely follow the installation process and do not notice the penetration of such threats. Try to be careful when installing programs and utilities from the Internet. Select an extended installation type and uncheck the unwanted item of the installation package. Remove Smooth Search Tab right now using our guides.

Smooth Search Tab Removal Guide

  1. Download Smooth Search Tab Removal Tool.
  2. Remove Smooth Search Tab from Windows (7, 8, 8.1, Vista, XP, 10) or Mac OS.
  3. Remove Smooth Search Tab from browsers (Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari).
  4. What should you do if Smooth Search Tab won’t uninstall.
  5. How to protect PC from future infections.

Smooth Search Tab Automated Removal Tools:

Solution for Windows and Mac users:

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Download Removal Tool

Malwarebytes may help you to get rid of this virus and clean up your system. In case you need a proper and reliable antivirus, we recommend you to try it.
iOS and Windows compatible

Solution for Mac user:

Download Combo Cleaner Antivirus (Mac)Malwarebytes for Mac is a removal tool, that is able to locate and eliminate Smooth Search Tab pop-up from your Mac and boost your computer’s productivity.

How to remove Smooth Search Tab manually

Below are step-by-step instructions to remove Smooth Search Tab from Windows and Mac computers. Follow these steps carefully and uninstall it from Control Panel, remove malicious browser extensions from browsers, and remove files and folders belonging to Smooth Search Tab.

Uninstall Smooth Search Tab from Windows or Mac

Windows 7/Vista:

  1. Click Start;
  2. Click Control Panel;
  3. Click Uninstall a program (if computer’s settings are sorted by Category);
    Click Programs and Features (if computer’s settings are sorted by Icons);
  4. Find programs potentially related to Smooth Search Tab;
  5. Click Uninstall;
  6. Follow the instructions on the screen or wait until program will be uninstalled.
001-windows-7-start-menu
Click Start > Control Panel
002-windows-7-control-panel-category-view
In category view choose Uninstall a program
003-windows-7-control-panel-icons-view
In icons view Choose Programs and Features
004-windows-7-uninstall-program
Choose unwanted program and click Uninstall

Windows 8/8.1:

  1. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, then tap Search (If you are using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, then click Search.);
  2. Enter control panel in the search box, then tap or click Control Panel;
  3. Under View by: select Large Icons, then tap or click Programs and features;
  4. Find programs potentially related to Smooth Search Tab;
  5. Tap or click the program, then tap or click Uninstall;
  6. Follow the instructions on the screen or wait until program will be uninstalled.
001-windows-8-search-settings
In Windows 8 > Put cursor in the right-bottom corner and Search
002-windows-8-search-control-panel
Type “control” in search box and click Programs and Features
003-windows-8-start-menu
In Windows 8.1 right-click on the start button
004-windows-8-uninstall-program
Choose unwanted program in the list and click Uninstall

Windows 10:

  1. Tap or click Start and choose Settings;
  2. In opened menu choose System;
  3. Under System menu tap or click Apps & features tab;
  4. Find Smooth Search Tab and other suspicious programs that can be related to it;
  5. Tap or click on the program, then tap or click Uninstall;
  6. Confirm action by clicking Uninstall.
001-windows-10-start-settings
Click Start > Settings
002-windows-10-settings-system
In the menu choose System
003-windows-10-uninstall-application
Click Apps & features tab and locate and uninstall unwanted application

Windows XP:

  1. Click Start;
  2. Click Control Panel;
  3. Double-click Add or Remove Programs;
  4. Find programs potentially related to Smooth Search Tab and click on them;
  5. Click to Remove;
  6. Follow the instructions on the screen or wait until program will be uninstalled.
001-windows-xp-start-menu
Click Start > Control Panel
002-windows-xp-control-panel
Choose Add/Remove Programs
003-windows-xp-uninstall-program
Select unwanted program and click Remove

Mac OS:

  1. On the Finder menu click Go;
  2. On the right side choose Applications;
  3. Locate Smooth Search Tab;
  4. Move it to trash bin;
  5. Follow on-screen instructions;
001-mac-os-go-applications
Finder Menu > Go > Applications
002-mac-os-move-application-to-trash
Move unwanted application to Trash
003-mac-os-empty-trash
Empty Trash Bin

Smooth Search Tab won’t uninstall:

Sometimes, some malicious process or service won’t allow user to uninstall Smooth Search Tab or remove is files. In such case, you can boot Windows in Safe Mode or Safe Mode with networking go to Control Panel and try to uninstall Smooth Search Tab. Safe Mode does not allow malicious processes or services to start with Windows.

Learn how to boot in Safe Mode in different versions of Windows.

How to reset browser settings?

After removing malware, we recommend resetting browser settings to default.

Google Chrome:

  1. Open Google Chrome;
  2. a) Click on Options Icon or press Alt+E, Alt+F, then click Settings;
    b) Type “chrome://settings/” in address bar;
  3. Click a link Show advanced settings;
  4. Turn down and click Reset settings;
  5. Click Reset.

Internet Explorer:

  1. Open Internet Explorer;
  2. Press Alt, click Tools, or Click on Gear Icon;
  3. Click Internet Options;
  4. Click Advanced tab;
  5. Click Reset;
  6. Mark Delete Personal Settings, Click Reset.

Mozilla Firefox:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox;
  2. a) Press Alt+H, then click Troubleshooting Information;
    b) Type “about:support” in address bar;
  3. At the Right-Top Corner click Reset Firefox;
  4. Click Reset Firefox.

Safari:

  1. Open Safari.
  2. Select Safari menu.
  3. Choose Reset Safari….
  4. Click Reset button.

How to prevent malware infection?

adware bundle offer 1

As many potentially unwanted programs, Smooth Search Tab uses “bundling” to get installed on personal computers. Let me explain how it works. Malware is bound to freeware, so it can be installed with this freeware. To avoid malware installation, we recommend you not to download suspicious software from unknown sources and try to use only trusted websites.

adware bundle offer 2

Be attentive while installing those programs. Also try to use custom/advanced setup options to disable malware installation. But better to download only licensed software from official websites. If you still want to download such installers, make sure to uncheck or decline all unwanted offers.

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