How to remove Forest Start Tabs browser hijacker
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What kind of app is Forest Start Tabs?
Forest Start Tabs is a browser hijacker designed to promote foreststarttabs.com - a fake search engine. It hijacks a web browser by changing its settings. Our malware researchers have discovered Forest Start Tabs while examining various deceptive websites and sites that use rogue advertising networks.
Forest Start Tabs in detail
Forest Start Tabs changes the default search engine, homepage, and new tab page. It sets them to foreststarttabs.com. We have tested foreststarttabs.com and found that it is a fake search engine that shows results generated by Google, Yahoo, and possibly other legitimate or untrustworthy search engines.
Fake search engines can also generate misleading results and redirect users to untrustworthy websites. In all cases, it is highly recommended not to use questionable/fake search engines or have browser hijackers added to browsers/installed on computers.
| Name | Forest Start Tabs |
| Threat Type | Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab |
| Browser Extension(s) | Forest Start Tabs |
| Supposed Functionality | Improved web browsing experience |
| Promoted URL | foreststarttabs.com |
| Detection Names | N/A (VirusTotal) |
| 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. |
| 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. |
More about browser hijackers
Commonly, browser hijackers can access and collect browsing-related information. Some browser-hijacking apps can gather sensitive data. Moreover, data collected by apps of this type (or fake search engines) can be misused. More examples of browser hijackers are Snowy Tab, Daily Tab, Neptun Tab.
How did Forest Start Tabs install on my computer?
Browsers get hijacked through apps downloaded from deceptive websites, ads designed to execute certain scripts, and installers for other software. In the third case, browser hijackers are included in installers as optional installations. They get installed when users finish installations without changing "Custom", "Advanced", or similar settings.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
Download applications and files from trustworthy/official pages, legitimate platforms, and direct links. Do not trust unofficial pages, third-party downloaders, P2P networks, and similar sources. Always check downloaders and installers for unwanted apps and deselect them before downloading or installing software.
Also, do not trust advertisements on torrent sites, adult dating pages, and other questionable/potentially malicious pages. If your computer is already infected with Forest Start Tabs, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate this browser hijacker.
Foreststarttabs.com redirects to google.com (GIF):
Website promoting Forest Start Tabs browser hijacker:
Browser notification containing information about Forest Start Tabs:
Instant automatic malware removal:
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Quick menu:
- What is Forest Start Tabs?
- STEP 1. Uninstall Forest Start Tabs application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove Forest Start Tabs browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
- STEP 3. Remove foreststarttabs.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 4. Remove foreststarttabs.com redirect from Safari.
- STEP 5. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
Forest Start Tabs 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, "Forest Start Tabs"), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications (which cause browser redirects to the foreststarttabs.com website), scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
Forest Start Tabs browser hijacker removal from Internet browsers:
Video showing how to remove browser redirects:
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 "Forest Start Tabs" and other recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons, 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 "Forest Start Tabs", look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.foreststarttabs.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 "foreststarttabs.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 foreststarttabs.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 plugins from Mozilla Firefox:
Click the Firefox menu 
(at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons". Click on "Extensions" and remove "Forest Start Tabs", as well as all other recently installed browser plug-ins.
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 "Forest Start Tabs", remove hxxp://foreststarttabs.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 foreststarttabs.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 foreststarttabs.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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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the purpose of forcing users visit foreststarttabs.com website?
The main purpose is to increase the number of visitors because the revenue generated through this page depends on the count of its visitors.
Is visiting foreststarttabs.com a threat to my privacy?
Fake search engines can be used to gather information about their users/visitors. Thus, visiting foreststarttabs.com can pose a threat to privacy.
How did a browser hijacker infiltrate my computer?
Browser hijackers are distributed using browser notifications, intrusive advertisements, and similar social engineering techniques. Also, they often are bundled with other software (included in downloaders/installers as extra offers).
Will Combo Cleaner help me remove Forest Start Tabs browser hijacker?
Yes, Combo Cleaner will scan your computer and eliminate browser hijackers. When multiple browser hijackers are present, they can reinstall one another. In such cases, all of them have to be removed at once, and it is difficult to achieve it manually. Thus, using apps like Combo Cleaner is recommended when willing to remove browser hijackers.
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