How to remove unTabs

What is unTabs

unTabs extension is a malicious software categorized as adware and a potentially unwanted program (PUP) that primarily targets Google Chrome browsers. Its deceptive nature and the methods through which it infiltrates computers pose significant privacy and security risks to users. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of unTabs, including its functionality, infection methods, affected browsers, and the underlying risks associated with its presence on a computer. While unTabs primarily targets Google Chrome, the tactics used for its distribution and the nature of its activities suggest that other browsers could potentially be at risk, especially if similar malicious extensions are developed to target them. However, the majority of reported cases and removal guides specifically address unTabs as a Chrome extension. unTabs employs techniques that make it challenging to remove from the affected browser. It may create policies that prevent users from easily uninstalling the extension or revert changes made to browser settings.

How unTabs infects computers

The primary distribution method of unTabs involves bundling with freeware or shareware applications. This deceptive technique, known as software bundling, allows unTabs to be installed on a user’s computer without explicit permission during the installation of another program. Users often overlook bundled offers within the installation process, inadvertently allowing unTabs and similar unwanted programs to infiltrate their systems. Additionally, unTabs can be forcefully installed through the use of malicious JavaScript codes on compromised websites. Users visiting such sites may encounter misleading prompts or dialog boxes that manipulate them into installing the extension.

1. Download unTabs Removal Tool
2. Remove unTabs from Control Panel and Applications
3. Remove unTabs extensions from browsers
4. Reset browser search and homepage settings
5. Alternative way to remove unTabs search redirects
6. Clean browser shortcuts from unTabs
7. How to protect from threats like unTabs

Remove unTabs manually for free

Here is a manual step-by-step tutorial for full unTabs removal from your computer. This works 99% and was checked with the latest versions of the unTabs an installer on operating systems with the latest updates and browser versions.

Note: unTabs can be installed as Google Chrome extension as Administrator (you may see Installed by enterprise policy or Your browser is managed by your organization inscription near it), and this will not allow removal. Therefore, before starting removal process, perform these actions:

1. Start the Command Prompt by clicking the Start menu button and typing command prompt (or just searching for “command prompt” in Windows 10 search field). Right click on the Command Prompt result and choose Run as Administrator.



2. Type in and execute the following commands:

   
rd /S /Q "%WinDir%\System32\GroupPolicyUsers"
rd /S /Q "%WinDir%\System32\GroupPolicy"
gpupdate /force

Remove unTabs from Control Panel or Applications

To start removing unTabs you should uninstall it using Control Panel. It can be present by different names – “unTabs”. It should uninstall correctly, however, we recommend you to use IObit Uninstaller to clean leftover items after uninstalling. Here are instructions for Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows 11, or Mac.

Remove unTabs from Windows XP:

1. Click on Start button.
2. Choose Control Panel.
3. Click Add or Remove Programs.
4. Find unTabs-related or other suspicious program.
5. Click Uninstall.

Remove unTabs from Windows 7:

1. Click Start button.
2. Then go to Control Panel.
3. Click Uninstall a Program.
4. Find unTabs-related or other suspicious program and click Uninstall.

Remove unTabs from Windows 8:

1. Hover mouse pointer to the bottom-right corner to see Menu.
2. Click Search.
3. After that click Apps.
4. Then Control Panel.
5. Click Uninstall a Program under Programs.
6. Find unTabs-related or other suspicious program, click Uninstall.

Remove unTabs from Windows 10:

There are 2 ways to uninstall unTabs from Windows 10

Way one

1. Click on the Start button.
2. In opened menu choose Settings.
3. Click on the System tile.
4. Click Apps & features and locate unTabs-related or other suspicious program in the list.
5. Click on it and then click Uninstall button near it.

Way two (classic)

1. Right-click on the Start button.
2. In opened menu choose Programs and Features.
3. Locate unTabs-related or other suspicious program in the list.
4. Click on it and then click Uninstall button above.

Remove unTabs from Windows 11:

1. Right-click on the Start button.
2. In opened menu choose Settings.
3. Click on the Apps tab on the left side.
4. Click Apps & features and locate unTabs-related or other recently installed suspicious program in the list.
5. Click on 3-dots icon near it and then click Uninstall button near it.
6. Depending on the type of application (Windows Store app or classic Win32 app) it will be removed immediately or you will need to confirm the action and go through standard uninstall procedure.

Remove unTabs from Mac:

1. In the Finder sidebar, click Applications.
2. unTabs might have an Uninstaller.
3. Otherwise, drag unTabs from the Applications folder to the Trash (located at the end of the Dock).
4. Then choose Finder > Empty Trash.

Cannot uninstall unTabs in Windows

In some cases, unTabs won’t uninstall and gives you the message, that “You do not have sufficient access to uninstall unTabs. Please, contact your system administrator” when you try to remove it from Control Panel or “Access denied” error when removing the unTabs folder and files. This happens because the process or service does not allow you to do it. In this case, I will recommend you to use SpyHunter 5 or Malwarebytes or uninstall unTabs in Safe Mode. To boot in Safe Mode do the following:

1. Reboot your computer.
2. While it starts booting press F8 button.
3. This will open Advanced Boot Options menu.
4. Choose Safe Mode and wait until Windows loads.
5. Go to Control Panel > Uninstall a program and remove unTabs or other suspicious program

>> See detailed instructions and video tutorial on how to boot in Safe Mode

Cannot uninstall unTabs in MacOS

If you can’t uninstall unTabs using instructions above, or it keeps coming back, you can use free AppCleaner for Mac to remove all residual data and libraries of unTabs. Follow instructions below:

1. Download free AppCleaner.
2. Drag unTabs from Applications folder to AppCleaner window.
3. Choose files and folders you want to remove along with unTabs.
4. Click Delete button.

Remove malicious add-ons from your browsers

Uninstalling unTabs from Control Panel or Applications often does not bring the desired effect. It sometimes has a browser extension and it may still be active in Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. Here are instructions on how to remove unTabs extension from your browsers manually.

Google Chrome:

1. Start Google Chrome browser
2. In address box type (or copy-paste) chrome://extensions.
3. Find unTabs extension.
4. Click the Remove button to remove them.
5. Also remove other suspicious extensions from the list.

Mozilla Firefox:

1. Start Mozilla Firefox browser.
2. In address box type (or copy-paste) about:addons.
3. Find unTabs extension.
4. Click three-dots icon near it and choose Remove in the menu.
5. In opened dialog window click Remove button to confirm the action.
6. Remove all suspicious extensions from the list.

Safari:

1. Start Safari on your Mac, click Safari to open drop-down menu and choose Preferences
2. Click Extensions tab.
3. Find unTabs extension.
4. Click Uninstall button to remove it.

Microsoft Edge:

1. Start Microsoft Edge browser.
2. In address box type (or copy-paste) edge://extensions.
3. Find unTabs extension.
4. Click Remove link under the name of extension.
5. In opened dialog window click Remove button to confirm the action.
6. Remove all suspicious extensions from the list.

Internet Explorer (9, 10, 11):

Note: There is no feature to remove browser extensions from browser in latest version of Internet Explorer. To remove unTabs from Internet Explorer, please, perform instructions for uninstalling program from Control Panel. To disable unTabs, please, do the following:

1. Open Internet Explorer.
2. Click on gear/asterisk icon in the top-right corner.
3. In opened menu Manage Add-ons.
4. Select Toolbars and Extensions.
5. Click Disable unTabs or other suspicious extensions.
6. Also disable other suspicious extensions from the list.

Opera Browser:

Generally, unTabs does not install in Opera browser however you can always double check. Do the following:

1. Start Opera browser.
2. Go to Tools > Extensions > Manage Extensions.
3. Find unTabs or other suspicious extensions.
4. Click Uninstall button.
5. Also remove other suspicious extensions from the list.

Reset browsers settings (homepage, default search)

unTabs installs a search engine, that hijacks your browsers. Here is the instruction to reset your browser’s homepage, new tab, and search engine to default values.

Google Chrome:

1. Start Google Chrome browser
2. In address box type (or copy-paste) chrome://settings.
3. On the left panel expand Advanced options.
4. Choose Reset and clean up.
5. Click on Restore settings to their original defaults link and confirm by clicking Reset button.

Google Chrome > Settings > Advanced

Reset and clean up

Reset Google Chrome

Mozilla Firefox:

1. Start Mozilla Firefox browser.
2. In address box type (or copy-paste) about:support.
3. Click Refresh Firefox… button.
4. Click Refresh Firefox button in opened dialog window to confirm.

Reset Safari:

1. Start Safari on your Mac, click Safari to open drop-down menu and choose Preferences
2. Go to the Privacy section of Safari’s preferences.
3. Click Remove All Website Data button.
4. In opened window click Remove Now button to remove data stored by websites in Safari.
5. Go to the Advanced section of Safari’s preferences.
6. Click the Show Develop menu in menu bar option.
7. In the menu click Develop and select Empty Caches from this menu.
8. Again, go to Safari menu and choose Clear History….
9. Choose to clear all history and click Clear History button.

Microsoft Edge:

1. Start Microsoft Edge browser
2. Click on 3-dots icon in the top-right corner and choose Settings.
3. On the left panel find and click Reset settings option.
4. Click on Restore settings to their default values link and confirm by clicking Reset button.

Internet Explorer (9, 10, 11):

1. Start Internet Explorer.
2. Click on gear/asterisk icon in the top-right corner.
3. In opened menu choose Internet options.
4. Click Advanced tab.
5. Click Reset button.
6. Choose Delete personal settings and click Reset.

Opera Browser:

1. Start Opera browser and click on Opera icon in the top-left corner.
2. Choose Settings and click Advanced on the left side and choose Browser.
3. Scroll down to the very bottom and click on Restore settings to their original defaults link.
4. Confirm by clicking Reset button.

How to block ads and pop-ups, promoting unTabs



unTabs, in most cases, is promoted by ads and pop-ups on doubtful websites. These sites can redirect users’ browsers to unTabs ads, generating advertising revenue for the attackers. The malware is often offered through these ads, leaving users puzzled about the origin of the software. In some cases, users may unknowingly install the unTabs extension, which then injects advertisements into the websites they visit and redirects their search queries. Additionally, the malware can be distributed through other channels such as peer-to-peer file-sharing networks, misleading ads, and compromised or shady websites that trigger automatic downloads To protect your PC and browsers from phishing websites, pop-up ads, banners, malicious scripts it is recommended to use AdGuard. Download free trial here:

Download AdGuard for Windows

Download AdGuard for Mac

How to protect from threats, like unTabs, in future


SpyHunter 5 Dashboard

SpyHunter 5 Results

SpyHunter 5 System Guard

Be careful surfing the internet and downloading software, as programs like unTabs may become a real headache as they are hard to remove and break your privacy. To keep safe from such threats we recommend you always use antivirus and one of the anti-malware programs available on the market. One of the best anti-virus programs is SpyHunter 5. It can protect your PC from threats like unTabs.

Download SpyHunter for Windows

Download SpyHunter for Mac