XTab Browser Hijacker

What is XTab?

Created by Beijing ELEX Technology Co. Ltd, XTab is a potentially unwanted application. This software modifies Internet browser (Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox) homepage and default search engine settings, and browser shortcuts by assigning them to website URLS such as mystartsearch.com.

In addition, this adware 'protects' these settings by preventing further user-changes. Developers of this browser hijacker state that XTab is a useful desktop application helping to maintain users' selected browser settings, however, this application provides no real value and is created to simply to redirect users to various websites and prevent further modification of Internet browser settings.

Unwanted redirects to certain websites are applied to generate revenue from users who click deceptive ads or use dubious Internet search engines presented by these websites.

In addition to generating unwanted browser redirects, XTab tracks users' Internet browsing activity by recording web pages visited, user languages, Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, geographic locations, and search queries entered.

The presence of XTab on your system can lead to malware infections and privacy issues, and therefore, you are advised to eliminate this potentially unwanted desktop application from your system immediately.

The XTab browser hijacker is similar to other browser hijackers that modify users' Internet browser settings. Examples include KeepMySettingsX, Keep My Search by Montiera Ltd, Search Protect by Conduit, and Search Protect by Client Connect Ltd. Commonly, users install this browser settings-changing adware when downloading free software.

Today, most freeware download websites employ 'download clients' - small programs offering installation of advertised browser plug-ins together with the chosen free program. Not paying enough attention to the download steps can lead to adware infections.

Therefore, when downloading free software, be attentive and opt-out of installation of advertised browser extensions by clicking the 'decline' button. If you experience browser redirects to unwanted websites, use this removal guide to eliminate adware from your operating system.

The following is a list of websites that hijack Internet browser settings and use the XTab application to block user-attempts to revert these changes: delta-homes.com, key-find.com, luckysearches.com, istartsurf.com, isearch.omiga-plus.com, v9.com, mystartsearch.com, webssearches.com, omniboxes.com, sweet-page.com, and do-search.com

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Quick menu:

• What is xtab?
• STEP 1. Uninstall XTab application using Control Panel.
• STEP 2. Remove redirects from Internet Explorer.
• STEP 3. Remove browser hijackers from Google Chrome.
• STEP 4. Remove unwanted homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
• STEP 5. Remove browser redirects from Safari.
• STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.

XTab 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 XTab (and other recently installed suspicious applications), select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

After uninstalling XTab, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.

XTab removal from Internet browsers:

Video showing how to remove browser hijackers:

Remove malicious add-ons from Internet Explorer:

Remove XTab related Internet Explorer add-ons:

Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Manage Add-ons". Look for any recently-installed suspicious browser extensions (for example "IETabPage Class"), select such entries and click "Remove".

Fix Internet Explorer shortcut target:

This browser hijacker changes the "Target" field of the Internet Explorer shortcut. To fix this, locate the shortcut on your Desktop and click the right mouse button over it. In the opened menu, choose "Properties". In the opened window, locate the Target field and eliminate any text, which is entered after "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe".

Change your homepage:

Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Internet Options", in the opened window, remove any unwanted URL and enter your preferred domain, which will open every time you launch 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, then remove any unwanted Internet search engine.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the xtab-searchprotect, 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:

Remove XTab related Google Chrome extensions:

Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Tools" and click "Extensions". Locate any recently-installed suspicious add-ons (for example: "Extended Protection", "Lightning Newtab" or "Quick Start"), select these entries and click the trash can icon.

Fix Google Chrome shortcut target:

This browser hijacker modifies the "Target" field of the Google Chrome shortcut. To fix this, locate the shortcut on your Desktop and click the right mouse button over it. In the opened menu, choose "Properties". In the opened window, locate the Target field and eliminate any text, which is entered after "C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe"

Change your homepage:

Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section, click "set pages", hover your mouse over any unwanted URL and click the x symbol. Now, you can add your preferred website as your homepage.

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 "Search" section, click "Manage Search Engines...", remove any unwanted Internet search engine and add or select your preferred one.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the xtab-searchprotect, 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:

Remove XTab related Mozilla Firefox add-ons:

Click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons". Click "Extensions", in the opened window, remove any recently-installed suspicious browser plug-ins ("QuickSearch").

Fix Mozilla Firefox shortcut target:

This browser hijacker changes the "Target" field of the Mozilla Firefox shortcut. To fix this, locate the shortcut on your Desktop and click the right mouse button over it. In the opened menu, choose "Properties". In the opened window, locate the Target field and eliminate any text, which is entered after "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe"

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, remove any unwanted URL and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you start Mozilla Firefox.

Change 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 the name of the browser hijacker you are dealing with (for example "istartsurf.com") and press ENTER.
Right-click on the found preferences and select "Reset" to restore default values.

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with xtab-searchprotect 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 xtab-searchprotect, 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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