Search My Tabs Adware
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is Search My Tabs?
Developers present Search My Tabs as a legitimate application that supposedly enhances the web browsing experience by allowing them to search the list of open browser tabs. On initial inspection, Search My Tabs may seem legitimate and useful, however, this app often infiltrates systems without consent.
Furthermore, it delivers various intrusive online advertisements and continually monitors browsing activity. For these reasons, Search My Tabs is categorized as a potentially unwanted program (PUP) and adware.
Following infiltration, Search My Tabs generates various intrusive ads (for example, banners, pop-ups, coupons, etc.) Developers of adware-type applications often use various tools (including a "virtual layer") that enable placement of third party graphical content on any site.
Therefore, displayed ads often conceal underlying content, significantly diminishing the browsing experience. Some lead to malicious websites or even run malicious scripts that download and install malware/PUPs. Therefore, even accidental clicks can result in high-risk adware or malware infections.
As well as displaying ads, Search My Tabs records various information relating browsing activity. Data tracking is very common to adware-type applications. The list of collected data types usually includes (but is not limited to) Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, website URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries, and other similar information.
The data might contain personal details that developers of Search My Tabs use to generate as much revenue as possible. The information is sold to third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) who also misuse personal details with the same intention - to generate revenue.
Therefore, the presence of an information-tracking app such as Search My Tabs can lead to serious privacy issues or even identity theft. You are strongly advised to uninstall this adware immediately.
| Name | Ads by Search My Tabs |
| Threat Type | Adware, Unwanted ads, Pop-up Virus |
| Symptoms | Seeing advertisements not originating from the sites you are browsing. Intrusive pop-up ads. Decreased Internet browsing speed. |
| Distribution methods | Deceptive pop-up ads, free software installers (bundling), fake flash player installers. |
| Damage | Decreased computer performance, browser tracking - privacy issues, possible additional malware infections. |
| Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
Search My Tabs is identical to Tabs To Windows, Clean My Chrome, Quiclean, and a number of other PUPs. It also shares many similarities with hundreds of other adware-type applications.
By offering various "useful features", adware-type applications attempt to give the impression of legitimacy, however, these rogue programs are designed only to generate revenue for the developers and give no value for regular users.
Adware-type apps deliver intrusive advertisements (using the "Pay Per Click" advertising model) and continually record various information (which is later sold to third parties).
How did Search My Tabs install on my computer?
Search My Tabs is free for anyone to download on its official website, however, criminals also proliferate PUPs using a deceptive marketing method called "bundling" and the aforementioned intrusive ads. Bundling is stealth installation of third party applications with regular (usually free) software/programs.
Developers conceal bundled apps within the "Custom" or "Advanced" settings of the download/installation processes. Rushing these processes and skipping steps, or clicking ads, commonly exposes systems to risk of various infections and compromises users' privacy.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
To prevent this situation, be very cautious when downloading/installing software and browsing the Internet. Download your software from official sources only and (if possible) select the direct download URL rather than third party download tools. These downloaders often bundle additional software.
If you are encouraged to use a third party download tool, we strongly recommend that you cancel the entire process. Closely analyze the download and installation processes using the "Custom/Advanced" options and decline offers to download/install additional applications.
Avoid clicking ads, since cyber criminals invest a great deal of time and money into making them seem genuine. Therefore, it becomes virtually impossible to determine if they originate from the visited (legitimate) website. Poor knowledge of these threats and rushing steps are the main reasons for computer infections. The key to computer safety is caution.
IMPORTANT NOTE! Search My Tabs installs its Google Chrome extension as Administrator (read more here), thereby preventing removal. Therefore, before taking any further removal steps, perform these actions:
1) Open the Command Prompt by clicking the start menu button and typing "command prompt". Right click the "Command Prompt" result and select "Run as Administrator":
2) Execute the following commands:
- rd /S /Q "%WinDir%\System32\GroupPolicyUsers"
- rd /S /Q "%WinDir%\System32\GroupPolicy"
- gpupdate /force
After performing these actions, you can proceed with further removal steps for this adware.
Instant automatic malware removal:
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Quick menu:
- What is Search My Tabs?
- STEP 1. Uninstall Search My Tabs application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove Search My Tabs adware from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove Search My Tabs ads from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove 'Ads by Search My Tabs' from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 5. Remove Search My Tabs extension from Safari.
- STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
Search My Tabs adware removal:
Windows 11 users:
Right-click on the Start icon, select Apps and Features. In the opened window search for the application you want to uninstall, after locating it, click on the three vertical dots and select Uninstall.
Windows 10 users:
Right-click in the lower left corner of the screen, in the Quick Access Menu select Control Panel. In the opened window choose Programs and Features.
Windows 7 users:
Click Start (Windows Logo at the bottom left corner of your desktop), choose Control Panel. Locate Programs and click Uninstall a program.
macOS (OSX) users:
Click Finder, in the opened screen select Applications. Drag the app from the Applications folder to the Trash (located in your Dock), then right click the Trash icon and select Empty Trash.
In the uninstall programs window, look for "Search My Tabs", select this entry and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted program that causes Search My Tabs ads, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components or possible malware infections. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
Remove Search My Tabs adware from Internet browsers:
Video showing how to remove potentially unwanted browser add-ons:
Remove malicious add-ons from Internet Explorer:
Click the "gear" icon 
(at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Manage Add-ons". Look for "Search My Tabs", select this entry and click "Remove".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the ads by search my tabs, reset your Internet Explorer settings to default.
Windows XP users: Click Start, click Run, in the opened window type inetcpl.cpl In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.
Windows Vista and Windows 7 users: Click the Windows logo, in the start search box type inetcpl.cpl and click enter. In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.
Windows 8 users: Open Internet Explorer and click the gear icon. Select Internet Options.
In the opened window, select the Advanced tab.
Click the Reset button.
Confirm that you wish to reset Internet Explorer settings to default by clicking the Reset button.
Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
Click the Chrome menu icon 
(at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "More tools" and click "Extensions". Locate "Search My Tabs", select this entry and click the trash can icon.
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the ads by search my tabs, reset your Google Chrome browser settings. Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome) and select Settings. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen. Click the Advanced… link.
After scrolling to the bottom of the screen, click the Reset (Restore settings to their original defaults) button.
In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Google Chrome settings to default by clicking the Reset button.
Remove malicious plug-ins from Mozilla Firefox:
Click the Firefox menu 
(at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons". Click "Extensions", in the opened window, remove "Search My Tabs".
Optional method:
Computer users who have problems with ads by search my tabs removal can reset their Mozilla Firefox settings.
Open Mozilla Firefox, at the top right corner of the main window, click the Firefox menu, in the opened menu, click Help.
Select Troubleshooting Information.
In the opened window, click the Refresh Firefox button.
In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Mozilla Firefox settings to default by clicking the Refresh Firefox button.
Remove malicious extensions from Safari:
Make sure your Safari browser is active, click Safari menu, and select Preferences....
In the opened window click Extensions, locate any recently installed suspicious extension, select it and click Uninstall.
Optional method:
Make sure your Safari browser is active and click on Safari menu. From the drop down menu select Clear History and Website Data...
In the opened window select all history and click the Clear History button.
Remove malicious extensions from Microsoft Edge:
Click the Edge menu icon 
(at the upper-right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Extensions". Locate all recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons and click "Remove" below their names.
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the ads by search my tabs, reset your Microsoft Edge browser settings. Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge) and select Settings.
In the opened settings menu select Reset settings.
Select Restore settings to their default values. In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Microsoft Edge settings to default by clicking the Reset button.
- If this did not help, follow these alternative instructions explaining how to reset the Microsoft Edge browser.
Summary:
Commonly, adware or potentially unwanted applications infiltrate Internet browsers through free software downloads. Note that the safest source for downloading free software is via developers' websites only. To avoid installation of adware, be very attentive when downloading and installing free software. When installing previously-downloaded free programs, choose the custom or advanced installation options – this step will reveal any potentially unwanted applications listed for installation together with your chosen free program.
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Outstanding!
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