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  • Active
  • Severity: Medium
  • Adware
  • Windows, Mac
  • Verified · Feb 2017

How to remove Mute Tabs Button ads

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

Jake Doevan · Computer technology expert

Should you ignore Mute Tabs Button ads?

If you notice Mute Tabs Button ads popping up while browsing the Web, it’s a sign that your computer was infected with an adware[1] program or you have recently installed this browser extension. This app is supposed to mute all tabs in the browser, and this feature might seem useful for some computer users. However, we recommend avoiding this tool if you do not want to deal with annoying ads. What is more, this tool is promoted and distributed using suspicious software marketing technique “bundling.” This method allows attaching the extension as an optional program in the software package[2]. Therefore, it may get inside the computer unnoticed and without asking direct permission. So-called Mute Tabs Button virus is not a dangerous cyber threat itself; however, it may expose you to malicious content by delivering fake ads[3]. Adware program employs “virtual layer” that allows delivering ads even on legitimate websites. Therefore, you should not ignore these ads and focus on their removal. At the end of the article you will find detailed instructions how to perform Mute Tabs Button removal.

Online ads have never been as dangerous as they are today[4]. Hence, having Mute Tabs Button adware on the computer increases the risk of encountering ransomware, malware or Trojan. The damaged caused by these cyber threats might be huge. For this reason, you should scan your computer with a reputable anti-malware program[5] as soon as you notice an increased amount of banners, pop-ups or other online ads. Programs such as FortectIntego or SpyHunterCombo Cleaner can help to remove Mute Tabs Button from the device and protect your device from further cyber parasites. We highly recommend starting removal procedure immediately because the app might also collect information about you. Aggregated information is often used for delivering targeted and personalized ads. Considering Mute Tabs Button redirect issues, you should be aware of the fact that some of the interesting and safely looking ads might lead to the infected websites or install malware on your device. Therefore, even one accidental click might end up badly.

The example of Mute Tabs Button virus

How might this extension get inside the computer unnoticed?

Just like the majority of other potentially unwanted programs, Mute Tabs Button extension might get inside in the software bundle. Many free programs that users can download from the Internet might have attached additional components that are hidden under Basic or Quick installation methods. This installation mode does not reveal about additional programs, as a result, Mute Tabs Button hijack might occur unnoticed. In order to avoid unwanted applications, you have to install new programs using Advanced/Custom settings. One of the installation setups might include the list of pre-selected optional downloads, and you should deselect these offers.

How to remove Mute Tabs Button virus from the device quickly?

The quickest way to remove Mute Tabs Button from the computer is to install reputable anti-malware software and run a full system scan. Within several minutes your chosen software will locate and delete all adware-related components from the system, and you will be able to browse the Web without distractions. Additionally, you can try to find and remove all components manually. Below you will find instructions that will guide you through this process. However, if you miss some of the virus components during manual Mute Tabs Button removal, we highly suggest opting for an automatic method and let professional tools to find and eliminate what you have left.

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

Did this guide help?

3 comments

  1. Harold

    Omg. I thought Ill become insane because of these ads. Fortunately, they are gone

  2. Sue

    Oops. Ive installed this extension. I guess its time to remove it. I should learn to look for information about particular apps before installing them..

  3. Lois

    Not sure how this adware sneaked inside pc, but its definitely annoying!

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