How to uninstall Refresh All Tabs adware?
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What is Refresh All Tabs?
As its name suggests, the Refresh All Tabs extension is supposed to refresh all opened browser tabs with one click. However, it is known that this app has the qualities of adware and a browser hijacker - it displays advertisements and promotes a fake search engine by making some changes in the web browser's settings.
Refresh All Tabs adware/browser hijacker in detail
Adware is software that displays unwanted advertisements (for example, pop-ups, banners, coupons, surveys). Pretty often, ads coming from adware are designed to open questionable websites (pages like "Chance To Win The New iPad Pro", "Important Defender Update Available", "McAfee Tollfree", and similar sites).
Pages promoted through adware are designed to trick visitors into providing personal information, downloading and installing some other unwanted software, and so on. It is important to mention that adware might display ads designed to download or install unwanted apps by executing certain scripts.
Another reason to avoid installing Refresh All Tabs is that this app changes the web browser's settings. It changes the address as a default search engine, homepage, and new tab to a fake search engine's address. Refresh All Tabs opens a specific address when users open a browser (or new tab) and enter search queries in the address bar.
As a rule, fake search engines show results generated by other search engines. They show results generated by legitimate and (or) questionable search engines. It is important to know that results displayed by fake search engines may include links to potentially malicious websites and dubious advertisements.
It is known that Refresh All Tabs can read data on the websites that users visit. It is likely that this app collects browsing-related information such as visited websites, entered search queries, IP addresses, geolocations, and other information that could be used for marketing purposes (or sold to third parties).
Although, it is possible that Refresh All Tabs can read sensitive information such as passwords, usernames, email addresses, credit card details, or other data. Individuals behind PUAs that can access sensitive information may misuse collected data to steal identities, accounts, make unauthorized purchases, and so on.
| Name | Ads by Refresh All Tabs |
| Threat Type | Adware, Browser hijacker |
| Symptoms | Your computer becomes slower than normal, you see unwanted pop-up ads, you are redirected to dubious websites. |
| Distribution methods | Deceptive pop-up ads, free software installers (bundling), fake Flash Player installers, torrent file downloads. |
| Damage | Internet browser tracking (potential privacy issues), display of unwanted ads, redirects to dubious websites, loss of private information. |
| Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
Potentially unwanted applications in general
Refresh All Tabs is designed to display annoying and untrustworthy advertisements, promote a fake search engine and read data on the websites that users visit. There are many examples of applications that function similarly to Refresh All Tabs, some of them are NewProduct, GameBox, and AdBlock Popup & Ads.
It is worth mentioning that browser hijackers like Refresh All Tabs do not allow users to undo their changes until users uninstall them. Detailed instructions on how to remove unwanted apps from a browser and the operating system are provided below.
How did adware install on my computer?
Research shows that Refresh All Tabs is promoted on a deceptive website suggesting that a computer is overloaded and encouraging visitors to install this app to free up computer memory. A screenshot of that website is provided below. It is important to mention that deceptive websites can be designed to trick users into installing malware.
Another popular method to distribute PUAs is to bundle them together with free programs. In such cases, downloaders and installers for those programs have "Advanced", "Manual", "Custom", or other settings that can be used to prevent unwanted apps from being downloaded or installed.
Users download or install PUAs with other programs when they do not change the aforementioned settings (or leave available checkboxes ticked). In other cases, users download or install apps of his kind by clicking on ads designed to run certain scripts. Usually, ads of this type appear on dubious pages.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
It is advisable to download applications from legitimate, official websites and via direct links. It is not safe to open files downloaded through or from third-party downloaders, Peer-to-Peer networks like torrent clients, eMule, unofficial pages, etc. Those files can be designed to install unwanted software. The same applies to third-party installers.
Furthermore, it is recommended not to complete downloads and installations without checking downloaders and installers for "Custom", "Advanced" and other settings or checkboxes that could be used to decline undesired offers. Typically, potentially unwanted applications are distributed through downloaders or installers for freeware.
One more way to avoid unexpected downloads and installations is not to click on ads displayed on shady, potentially malicious web pages. Those ads can be designed to open potentially malicious websites. Sometimes, by clicking them, users cause unwanted downloads, installations.
Any suspicious extensions, plug-ins, or add-ons that are installed on a browser or programs of this kind that are installed on a computer should be uninstalled. If your computer is already infected with rogue applications, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate them.
Deceptive website designed to trick users into installing Refresh All Tabs adware:
Refresh All Tabs adware installed on the Edge browser:
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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By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.
Quick menu:
- What is Refresh All Tabs?
- STEP 1. Uninstall adware applications using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove rogue plug-ins from Google Chrome.
- STEP 3. Remove adware-type extensions from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 4. Remove malicious extensions from Safari.
- STEP 5. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
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 any potentially unwanted applications, select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted application that causes Refresh All Tabs redirects, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components or possible malware infections. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
Remove adware from Internet browsers:
Video showing how to remove potentially unwanted browser add-ons:
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 all recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons and remove them.
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the ads by refresh all 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 all recently-installed suspicious browser plug-ins.
Optional method:
Computer users who have problems with ads by refresh all 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 refresh all 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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