How to uninstall Online TV Streams and Hide My Searches
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is Online TV Streams?
The Online TV Streams app is advertised as providing quick access to various TV streaming websites, however, it is categorized as a browser hijacker, a potentially unwanted application (PUA), since it promotes a fake search engine (search.onlinetvstreamsapptab.com) by changing browser settings.
An updated variant of this browser hijacker is designed to promote honlinetvstream.co fake search engine. People do not usually download or install apps of this type intentionally. Furthermore, most browser hijackers collect browsing-related details. Additionally, this particular browser hijacker is installed together with another PUA called Hide My Searches.
Online TV Streams promotes search.onlinetvstreamsapptab.com by assigning this URL as the address of the default search engine, homepage, and new tab. In this way, it forces users to visit this site when they open a browser, new tab or enter search queries into the URL bar.
This is the address of a fake search engine, which does not generate unique results - it simply provides results generated by Yahoo. When used, search.onlinetvstreamsapptab.com opens search.yahoo.com and provides results generated by this search engine.
Typically, the only way to return to a preferred search engine (i.e., remove search.onlinetvstreamsapptab.com from the aforementioned settings) is to uninstall Online TV Streams. There are other reasons to uninstall this PUA and other browser hijackers immediately: apps of this type usually collect browsing data including sensitive, personal details.
For example, IP addresses, geolocations, addresses of visited pages, entered search queries, and so on. Developers sell the details to third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) who misuse them to generate revenue.
Browser hijackers can cause problems relating to privacy, browsing safety, and other issues such as identity theft. Therefore, remove Online TV Streams, Hide My Searches and any other PUAs from the browser and operating system immediately.
| Name | Online TV Streams |
| Threat Type | Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab. |
| Detection Names | Avast (Win32:Adware-gen [Adw]), AVG (Win32:Adware-gen [Adw]), ESET-NOD32 (A Variant Of Win32/WinWrapper.V Potentially Unwanted), Microsoft (PUA:Win32/OpenDownloadManager), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal) |
| Browser Extension(s) | Online TV Streams |
| Supposed Functionality | This browser hijacker supposedly provides quick access to various TV streaming sites. |
| Promoted URLs | search.onlinetvstreamsapptab.com, honlinetvstream.co |
| Serving IP Address (search.onlinetvstreamsapptab.com) | 3.214.7.150 |
| Affected Browser Settings | Homepage, new tab URL, default search engine. |
| Symptoms | Manipulated internet browser settings (homepage, default internet search engine, new tab settings). Users are forced to visit the hijacker's website and search the internet using their search engines. |
| Additional Information | Online TV Streams is distributed with another browser hijacker called Hide My Searches. |
| Distribution methods | Deceptive pop-up ads, free software installers (bundling), fake Flash Player installers. |
| Damage | Internet browser tracking (potential privacy issues), display of unwanted ads, redirects to dubious websites. |
| Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
Online TV Streams operates like many other browser hijackers including, for example, Search Plus, Online TV Streamer and TV Streaming Online. All of these (and many other) apps gather data and force people to visit the addresses of fake search engines. Furthermore, deliver no useful features. On the contrary, they simply put users at risk of various problems.
How did Online TV Streams install on my computer?
Typically, unwanted apps are distributed through deceptive advertisements and the set-ups of other programs. If clicked, some ads download and/or install unwanted software by executing certain scripts. In other cases, people are tricked into downloading/installing PUAs when they leave settings such as "Custom", "Advanced" of set-ups unchanged.
PUAs are commonly distributed by inclusion into various download/installation set-ups of other programs. By leaving the settings unchanged, many people allow these apps to be downloaded and/or installed with regular software. This distribution method of potentially unwanted software is known as "bundling".
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications
Third party downloaders, installers and Peer-to-Peer networks (torrent clients, eMule) are often used to proliferate potentially unwanted programs. Therefore, do not use these sources to download or install any software. The safest way to download software is using official websites and direct download links.
Check all "Advanced", "Custom" and other options/settings before completing the setup. Dismiss any offers to download or install additional, unwanted software. Do not click ads that are displayed on dubious websites - they can cause unwanted downloads, installations or open other untrustworthy sites.
Remove all unwanted, suspicious extensions, add-ons and plug-ins already installed on the browser immediately. Also remove software of this kind that is installed on the operating system. If your computer is already infected with Online TV Streams, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.
Installer of Online TV Streams browser hijacker:
Online TV Streams asks permission to read and change various data:
Instant automatic malware removal:
Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
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Quick menu:
- What is Online TV Streams?
- STEP 1. Uninstall Online TV Streams application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove search.onlinetvstreamsapptab.com redirect from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove Online TV Streams browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove search.onlinetvstreamsapptab.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 5. Remove search.onlinetvstreamsapptab.com redirect from Safari.
- STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
Online TV Streams browser hijacker 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 any recently installed suspicious applications (for example, "Online TV Streams"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications that cause browser redirects to the search.onlinetvstreamsapptab.com website, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
Online TV Streams browser hijacker removal from Internet browsers:
Video showing how to remove browser redirects:
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 any recently installed suspicious extensions, select these entries and click "Remove".
Change your homepage:
Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Internet Options", in the opened window remove hxxp://search.onlinetvstreamsapptab.com and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you launch Internet Explorer. You can also enter about: blank to open a blank page when you start Internet Explorer.
Change your default search engine:
Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Manage Add-ons". In the opened window, select "Search Providers", set "Google", "Bing", or any other preferred search engine as your default and then remove "Online TV Streams".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the search.onlinetvstreamsapptab.com redirect, 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 "Online TV Streams" and other recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons (e.g., "Hide My Searches"), and remove them.
Change your homepage:
Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section, disable "Online TV Streams" or "Hide My Searches", look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://search.onlinetvstreamsapptab.com or hxxps://hidemysearches.com) below the “Open a specific or set of pages” option. If present, click on the three vertical dots icon and select “Remove”.
Change your default search engine:
To change your default search engine in Google Chrome: Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings", in the "Search engine" section, click "Manage search engines...", in the opened list look for "hxxp://search.onlinetvstreamsapptab.com" and "hxxp://hidemysearches.com", when located click the three vertical dots near this URL and select "Remove from list".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the search.onlinetvstreamsapptab.com redirect, 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 on "Extensions" and remove "Online TV Streams", as well as all other recently installed browser plug-ins (e.g., "Hide My Searches").
Change your homepage:
To reset your homepage, click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), then select "Options", in the opened window disable "Online TV Streams" or "Hide My Searches", remove hxxp://search.onlinetvstreamsapptab.com or hxxp://hidemysearches.com and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you start Mozilla Firefox.
Change your default search engine:
In the URL address bar, type about:config and press Enter.
Click "I'll be careful, I promise!".
In the search filter at the top, type: "extensionControlled"
Set both results to "false" by either double-clicking each entry or clicking the 
button.
Optional method:
Computer users who have problems with search.onlinetvstreamsapptab.com redirect 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 and click Safari menu, then select Preferences...
In the preferences window select the Extensions tab. Look for any recently installed suspicious extensions and uninstall them.
In the preferences window select General tab and make sure that your homepage is set to a preferred URL, if its altered by a browser hijacker - change it.
In the preferences window select Search tab and make sure that your preferred Internet search engine is selected.
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 top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Extensions". Locate any recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons, and remove them.
Change your homepage and new tab settings:
Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section look for the name of the browser hijacker and click "Disable".
Change your default Internet search engine:
To change your default search engine in Microsoft Edge: Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Privacy and services", scroll to bottom of the page and select "Address bar". In the "Search engines used in address bar" section look for the name of the unwanted Internet search engine, when located click the "Disable" button near it. Alternatively you can click on "Manage search engines", in the opened menu look for unwanted Internet search engine. Click on the puzzle icon 
near it and select "Disable".
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the search.onlinetvstreamsapptab.com redirect, 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:
A browser hijacker is a type of adware infection that modifies Internet browser settings by assigning the homepage and default Internet search engine settings to some other (unwanted) website URL. Commonly, this type of adware infiltrates operating systems through free software downloads. If your download is managed by a download client, ensure that you decline offers to install advertised toolbars or applications that seek to change your homepage and default Internet search engine settings.
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