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  • Active
  • Severity: Medium
  • Browser Hijackers
  • Windows, Mac
  • Verified · Jan 2021

How to remove SafeSideTab

A step-by-step removal guide for affected devices. Follow the verified procedure below — most readers complete it in under 10 minutes.

Gabriel E. Hall · Passionate web researcher

SafeSideTab is a browser hijacker that causes problems for users as it displays numerous suspicious ads

SafeSideTab is technically not a virus, but due to its suspicious activity, many computer users tend to call it like that. This program is more annoying than hazardous, but it can still expose you to insecure content on the web, so 2-Spyware researchers strongly advise you to remove it from your computer as soon as you notice its existence.

The first sign which indicates that the computer is infected with this potentially unwanted program (PUP) is if you can see search.safesidetabplussearch.com instead of your previous homepage address in your browser. If this search engine shows up every time you open your web browser or a new tab in it, that is definitely proof that your computer is affected by spyware.

SafeSideTab virus

It is quite dangerous to browse the Internet while SafeSideTab browser hijacker is inside the computer system. This program monitors user’s activity online, tracks search queries, browsing history, IP address, clicks, and gathers similar information in order to know the computer user better and to find out what his/hers interests are. There is no exact information why this browser hijacker needs to collect such data about the user, but we assume that it needs it to serve targeted ads for individual users.

We also want to point out that this software CANNOT collect your personally identifiable data unless you provide it voluntarily.

If you have this hijacker, we recommend scanning the computer system with an anti-spyware application. Make sure you use a good anti-spyware program, and if you do not know which one is a reliable one, you can use the one we recommend – SpyHunterCombo Cleaner or MalwarebytesMalwarebytes. If you do not want to remove browser hijacker automatically, then follow SafeSideTab removal instructions at the bottom of this article and eliminate it by yourself.

However, the facts mentioned above are not the main things this browser redirect virus does. The primary function of it is to cause web redirects when the user attempts to use the aforementioned search engine. Part of search.safesidetabplussearch.com search results is supplemented with links leading to web pages owned by SafeSideTabPlus affiliates, although they should be leading the user to entirely different websites.

If you do not want to experience redirects to sites that you are not looking forward to visiting, stay away from this search engine and, even better, delete SafeSideTab redirect virus from your computer without a delay. If, after removal, you notice that your computer is still performing worse than before, we recommend that you fix the system files. You can do this easily with FortectIntego or another reliable repair tool.

Browser hijacker enters the system by using deceptive methods

Security researchers know very well that potentially unwanted software spreads via freeware and shareware, however, some computer users do not know what it means. Let us explain this to you.

PUPs like this one enters computer systems only if the computer user tends to be careless while installing any type of free program into the computer. You have to be extremely careful when you download programs from the Internet because the majority of them usually suggest installing additional programs alongside them.

Such additional software that is bundled with the main application can be installed only if the user selects Default or Standard installation settings. If you are looking forward to installing ONLY your chosen software, you need to opt-out bonus programs via Advanced or Custom installation settings.

Remove SafeSideTab browser hijacker as soon as possible

Do not let redirect virus control your web browser and ruin your browsing experience. As we have already stated, there are two different methods to remove SafeSideTab virus. You can eliminate it automatically with the anti-spyware program of your choice, or, if you are confident enough, uninstall it manually.

SafeSideTab removal guidelines are provided below the article, so if you do not want to make any mistakes while uninstalling this software from your PC, we recommend you read these instructions first. Also, remember to be careful in the future. Use only the Advanced/Custom installation method if you want to avoid browser hijackers.

Uninstall from Windows

Uninstall from Windows 10/8:

  1. Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
  2. Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 10/8

Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:

  1. Click on Windows Start > Control Panel (Windows XP users should click on Add/Remove Programs).
  2. In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 7/XP

Remove the unwanted program:

  1. In the Programs and Features window, look for any recently installed suspicious entries, select them, and click Uninstall.
  2. If User Account Control appears, click Yes to confirm, then complete the removal.Uninstall the unwanted program from Windows

Delete from macOS

Remove the unwanted application:

  1. From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
  2. In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).Uninstall from Mac

Delete leftover files and folders:

  1. Select Go > Go to Folder.
  2. Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
  3. Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.Delete leftover files from Mac
  4. Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.

Reset Internet Explorer

Remove dangerous add-ons:

  1. Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top-right corner of the browser
  2. Pick Manage Add-ons.
  3. You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for suspicious plugins. Click on these entries and select Disable.Remove add-ons from Internet Explorer

Change your homepage if it was altered:

  1. Open IE and click on the Gear icon.
  2. Select Internet Options.
  3. In the General tab, delete the Home page address and replace it by your preferred one (for example, Google.com).
  4. Click Apply and then select OK.Reset IE homepage

Delete temporary files:

  1. Press on the Gear icon and select Internet Options.
  2. Under Browsing history, click Delete...
  3. Select relevant fields and press Delete.Clear temporary files from Internet Explorer

Reset Internet Explorer:

  1. Click on Gear icon > Internet options and select Advanced tab.
  2. Select Reset.
  3. In the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset.Reset Internet Explorer

Remove from Microsoft Edge

Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:

  1. Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
  2. From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
  3. Click Remove.Remove extensions from Edge

Clear cookies and other browser data:

  1. Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
  2. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  3. Select Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear.Clear Edge browsing data

Restore new tab and homepage settings:

  1. Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
  2. Then find On startup section.
  3. Click Remove next to any suspicious startup page.

Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:

  1. Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
  2. Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
  3. Select Details tab.
  4. Now scroll down and locate every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right-click on each of them and select End Task to stop MS Edge from running.Reset MS Edge

Instructions for Chromium-based Edge

Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):

  1. Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
  2. Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chromium Edge

Clear cache and site data:

  1. Click on Menu and go to Settings.
  2. Select Privacy, search and services.
  3. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  4. Under Time range, pick All time.
  5. Select Clear now.Clear browser data from Chroum Edge

Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. On the left side, pick Reset settings.
  3. Select Restore settings to their default values.
  4. Confirm with Reset.
  5. This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.Reset Chromium Edge

Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
  2. Select Add-ons.
  3. In here, select the unwanted extension and click Remove.Remove extensions from Firefox

Reset the homepage:

  1. Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
  2. Choose Settings.
  3. Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.

Clear cookies and site data:

  1. Click Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Go to Privacy & Security section.
  3. Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
  4. Click on Clear Data...
  5. Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.Clear cookies and site data from Firefox

Reset Mozilla Firefox

If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
  2. Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.Reset Firefox 1
  3. Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
  4. Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.Reset Firefox 2

Remove from Google Chrome

Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

  1. Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
  2. In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all suspicious extensions related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chrome

Clear cache and web data from Chrome:

  1. Click on Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
  3. Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
  4. Click Clear data.Clear cache and web data from Chrome

Change your homepage:

  1. Click menu and choose Settings.
  2. Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
  3. Click on Open a specific or set of pages and click on three dots to find the Remove option.

Reset Google Chrome:

If the previous methods did not help you, reset Google Chrome to eliminate all the unwanted components:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
  3. Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
  4. Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
  5. Confirm with Reset settings.Reset Chrome 2

Delete from Safari

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Safari, click Safari in the menu at the top-left of the screen, and select Preferences.
  2. Go to the Extensions tab, look for any suspicious entries, and click Uninstall to remove them.Remove extensions from Safari

Clear history and website data:

  1. Click Safari in the menu and pick Clear History.
  2. Set Clear to all history and confirm with Clear History.Clear history from Safari

Reset Safari:

  1. Click Safari in the menu and select Preferences > Advanced.
  2. Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
  3. From the menu bar, click Develop and select Empty Caches.Reset Safari

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