Monochrome Tab is a browser-hijacking app that can read your browsing history
Monochrome Tab is a browser extension that can be found on the Google Chrome Web store, although might also be sometimes downloaded along with freeware apps accidentally. The particular extension is presented as a tool that can help users to create a “calming working space.” According to the creators, it employs plenty of features that can customize users' browsing experience – a clock, weather widget, background to choose from, ability to add various links and social media, etc.
While it may look like a great addition to the web browsing experience, Monochrome Tab is considered to be a browser hijacker,[1] as it changes homepage and new tab settings soon after the infiltration. While it may seem that these changes are not significant (or rather welcomed, in fact), it soon becomes clear that the web browsing experience is no longer the same. This mainly manifests in an increased number of advertisements that users may encounter while browsing the web.
The browser extension may start gathering various user data in the background for commercial purposes. While most of the collected information is anonymous, some details might be considered personal according to local privacy laws.
By no means is Monochrome Tab malicious – it is unlikely to cause any security issues. However, if you have found this app installed on your system without installing it on purpose and would like to remove it, we provide all the required information to do so below.
| Name | Monochrome Tab |
|---|---|
| Type | Browser hijacker, potentially unwanted browser extension |
| Distribution | Software bundles, ads, third party websites |
| Symptoms | New tab and homepage settings appended to the browser; alternative search results that may include ads |
| Removal | The extension can easily be removed via web browser settings or a few other methods – we list them below. As a precautionary measure, we recommend scanning the system with SpyHunterCombo Cleaner security software |
| Optional steps | After removing all potentially unwanted applications, we recommend you employ FortectIntego utility to clean your web browsers and repair any damaged system files |
Installation permissions
If your browser is redirecting you to Monochrome Tab, it means that you have a browser extension of the same name installed on your system. If you did not install the app deliberately, it is likely that you have downloaded it accidentally along with other software from third-party websites, or were tricked by a deceptive advertisement on a random website.
Extensions' operation surface is closely related to the browser they are attached to – be it Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, MS, Edge, Safari, or Safari. If installed from legitimate sources, the extension would usually ask for the following permissions before it can start being operational:
- Read and change your data on monochrometab.com
- Replace the page you see when opening a new tab
- Read your browsing history.
We strongly recommend carefully reading these requirements before installing any browser extension, as it can often tell how intrusive or even malicious the app can be.
Data collection
As we already mentioned, Monochrome Tab collects certain user data. While this practice is not unusual (almost all service providers and applications collect certain data, although it is usually anonymous. The laws of data protection may vary from region to region, thus its classification might also differ. For example, in Europe, websites that do not meet the strict data retention requirements can't even be viewed due to GDPR[2] – General Data Protection Regulation law.
When checking Monochrome Tab's privacy policy, we noticed that developers associate the data they collect as private:
Usage Data may include information such as Your Device's Internet Protocol address (e.g. IP address), browser type, browser version, the pages of our Service that You visit, the time and date of Your visit, the time spent on those pages, unique device identifiers and other diagnostic data.
When using a mobile device, information such as unique device ID and other identifiers might be collected.
Removal explained
Below instructions are provided for Google Chrome. If you are using Mozilla Firefox, MS Edge, or another browser, check the information below them.
The first thing you should do when trying to remove Monochrome Tab is to get rid of the extension itself. Usually, you can do that by clicking the “Extensions” button to the right of the URL bar. If, for some reason, it's impossible, follow these steps:
- Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
- In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all the suspicious plugins that might be related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.
Your next step is to perform a full system scan with SpyHunterCombo Cleaner or MalwarebytesMalwarebytes anti-malware to ensure that your system is clean – this is especially important if you did not have security software running. Chances of infecting your device with dangerous malware such as ransomware also increase if you tend to visit pirated software, illegal video streaming, and similar high-risk websites.
Once you are sure your system is clean, you need to clean web data from your browser. Cookies,[3] for example, are used for data tracking purposes and may remain on your device for ears if not eliminated manually or automatically. If you want a reliable tool that can do the maintenance tasks for you, employ FortectIntego or proceed with the following steps instead:
- Click on Menu and pick Settings.
- Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
- Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
- Click Clear data.
Remove from Microsoft Edge
Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:
- Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
- From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
- Click Remove.
Clear cookies and other browser data:
- Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- 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.
Restore new tab and homepage settings:
- Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
- Then find On startup section.
- Click Remove next to any suspicious startup page.
Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:
- Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
- Select Details tab.
- 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.
Instructions for Chromium-based Edge
Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):
- Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
- Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and site data:
- Click on Menu and go to Settings.
- Select Privacy, search and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Under Time range, pick All time.
- Select Clear now.
Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- On the left side, pick Reset settings.
- Select Restore settings to their default values.
- Confirm with Reset.
- This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.
Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
Remove dangerous extensions:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
- Select Add-ons.
- In here, select the unwanted extension and click Remove.
Reset the homepage:
- Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
- Choose Settings.
- Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.
Clear cookies and site data:
- Click Menu and pick Settings.
- Go to Privacy & Security section.
- Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
- Click on Clear Data...
- Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.
Reset Mozilla Firefox
If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
- Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.
- Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
- Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.
Delete from Safari
Remove dangerous extensions:
- Open Safari, click Safari in the menu at the top-left of the screen, and select Preferences.
- Go to the Extensions tab, look for any suspicious entries, and click Uninstall to remove them.
Clear history and website data:
- Click Safari in the menu and pick Clear History.
- Set Clear to all history and confirm with Clear History.
Reset Safari:
- Click Safari in the menu and select Preferences > Advanced.
- Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
- From the menu bar, click Develop and select Empty Caches.
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