Muti-Webtool: what it is and how to remove it
Muti-Webtool - the intruder that tries to affect time online by redirecting to other search engines and showing shady advertisements. The potentially unwanted program comes out of nowhere in most cases but also can get installed by the user willingly when promotional pages, ads, and other materials are convincing enough.
Facts checked October 6, 2026. Removal steps tested on Windows 11 (26H2) and checked against Microsoft's and the browser makers' current documentation. Sections marked as our earlier report are the original text: they describe the threat as it was then and have not been reviewed since. The 2026 status, the removal steps and the questions are current.
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Muti-Webtool: summary
| Distribution | Software bundle packages, deceptive ads, fake update prompts, promotional content |
|---|---|
| Damage | Installation of other potentially unwanted programs, privacy risks due to information gathering practices, financial losses |
| Name | Muti-Webtool |
| Type | Browser hijacker, potentially unwanted program |
| Symptoms | Unknown extension or application is installed on the system; homepage and new tab address are set to Tailsearch or different engine; search results are filled with sponsored links and ads, banners that trigger more redirects |
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
| Removal | Scan the PC with security software to find and remove the malware and anything installed with it. Fortect scans Windows for malware and repairs the system files and settings it damaged. Remove it nowTo use the full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Fortect. The scan is free. |
Show 5 more facts
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
|---|---|
| Search page | tailsearch.com |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge and Firefox |
| First seen | 27 November 2020 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
Is Muti-Webtool dangerous? What it collects
From our report of Nov 2020 · not reviewed since
Muti-Webtool is the search hijacker that triggers particular changes on the web browser, so the traffic is controlled
Muti-Webtool - the intruder that tries to affect time online by redirecting to other search engines and showing shady advertisements.
The potentially unwanted program comes out of nowhere in most cases but also can get installed by the user willingly when promotional pages, ads, and other materials are convincing enough. Developers of these browser-based threats rely on sponsored content, commercial sites, and other techniques that allow distributing their products around with the help of others.
This is why PUPs have a bad reputation for using software bundling methods. You can eliminate this program/browser add-on freely, and you even SHOULD do so if the application got installed behind your back without any permissions. There is nothing valuable about such rogue software.
Muti-Webtool is the redirect virus or search engine hijacker that affects the speed of the system and the internet in general significantly. it mainly aims to reroute every online search on the web browser, so the user is exposed to unwanted material and can generate views, page visits on sponsored third-party pages.
The main issue with the Muti-Webtool virus is its relation to additional programs and possibly dangerous applications. The main redirecting site that this app reroutes to is Tailsearch.com. This is the intruder family that also includes:
You should move to Muti-Webtool removal right away because any PUPs can lead to additional installations of shady system programs and malicious applications that affect the system significantly. You need to rely on tools like or and properly check the machine for any threats or possibly malicious applications.
Running a security program or anti-malware tool on the system not only ensures that you can remove Muti-Webtool but also improves the performance of the infected machine when all the potential threats get eliminated completely from the system. You can then check for changes on the web browser and repair any damage.
Muti-Webtool is not malicious or dangerous in any way, but you need to pay attention to the fact that PUPs show third-party content that the developers and browser hijacker creators are not responsible for. These issues create privacy issues, identity theft, and other problems that experts always note about.
Muti-Webtool adds itself as an extension on the browser, and Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Safari, or any other browsers become difficult to use normally. Besides those changes to the homepage, search engine, and new tab, this intruder can also alter preferences of pages, add other applications, toolbars.
Make sure to eliminate the PUP itself and repair any settings that Muti-Webtool triggers to change behind your back. You can run as a system optimization and recovery tool that repairs altered files, functions, disabled programs. You might need some help with browser resetting, so the guide below should help you with these issues.
- Spark Search,
- Pro Search,
- Kibo Web.
From our report of Nov 2020 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Muti-Webtool
- You can remove Muti-Webtool by scanning the computer with powerful anti-malware
- Computer infections can cause significant damage to system files or disrupt normal settings.
How Muti-Webtool got into your browser
From our report of Nov 2020 · not reviewed since
You can suffer from such cyber threats as browser hijackers, adware, and general PUPs when you do not pay attention to details that are more important than you may think.
Free download sites and p2p services, torrents, pirating platforms might be convenient, but that is not safe nor legal.
Stay away from such pages and make sure to rely on creators, developers of the applications that you want to get, download, and use. This is the best way and the safest method that ensures that software bundling or additional techniques are not used to spread PUPs to your system. Always go for the Advanced or Custom installation option and control what apps you get from the internet.
Check your browser and PC
- Address:
tailsearch.com
How to remove Muti-Webtool
How to remove Muti-Webtool and get your search engine back
Remove the extension first.
The search settings only stay fixed once nothing on the PC can change them again.
Step 1: Remove extensions you did not add
Muti-Webtool often works through an extension, so go through the extension list of each browser:
chrome://extensionsedge://extensions- Extensions and themes in Firefox
Switch suspicious extensions off one at a time and reload the page where the problem shows, then remove the one that stops it, and any other you did not add.
Remember the other browsers and profiles on the PC. If Remove is missing or greyed out, a policy forces the extension, which the policy step deals with. Windows 11 and Windows 10 show the same pages.
Chrome on Windows 11: More > Extensions > Manage extensions. Full procedure with screenshots: Remove a browser extension
Step 2: Put the search engine back and delete tailsearch.com
Searches that pass through
tailsearch.commean the browser's default search engine was replaced. Chrome: Settings > Search engine > Manage search engines and site search, then Make default on Google, Bing or another engine you chose, and Delete on tailsearch.com.Edge has the same list under Manage search engines (search the Settings page for it), and Firefox under Settings > Search.
Look at On startup and the homepage settings too and remove the hijacker's address there. Nothing in this step differs between Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Chrome on Windows 11: check Search engine and On startup. Full procedure with screenshots: Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine
Step 3: Uninstall programs you did not mean to install
Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps in Windows 11, or Settings > Apps > Apps & features in Windows 10, and sort the list by install date. Look at what appeared around the day the problem started and uninstall every program you do not recognise or did not choose.
Free converters, PDF and video tools, "system optimizers" and unknown browsers are the usual carriers of Muti-Webtool. If a name is unclear, search for it before you remove it, so you do not uninstall a driver or a Windows component.
Full procedure with screenshots: Uninstall a program or app in Windows On uGetFix
Step 4: Reset the browser
Finish the browser part with a reset, which puts the search engine, start page, new tab page and site permissions back to their defaults and switches extensions off. Chrome: Settings > Reset settings > Restore settings to their original defaults.
Edge: Settings > Reset settings. Firefox: Help > More troubleshooting information > Refresh Firefox, which also removes its extensions. Your bookmarks and saved passwords are kept, and the menus are the same on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Chrome on Windows 11: Settings > Reset settings. Full procedure with screenshots: Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine
Step 5: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan
Open Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, run a Full scan and remove everything it finds. Then select Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) and click Scan now: the PC restarts and scans before Windows loads, which finds files that hide while Windows runs.
Save your work first, because the offline scan takes about 15 minutes. Both scans are built into Windows 11 and Windows 10, and a second scanner from another vendor is a useful extra opinion.
Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options. Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan
Instructions for each browser and system
The detailed steps for every browser and system this guide covers. Open the one you use.
Uninstall from Windows
Repair the machine by eliminating Muti-Webtool
Uninstall from Windows 10/8:
- Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel (Windows XP users should click on Add/Remove Programs).
- In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.
Remove the unwanted program:
- In the Programs and Features window, look for any recently installed suspicious entries, select them, and click Uninstall.
- If User Account Control appears, click Yes to confirm, then complete the removal.
Remove from Google Chrome
Make sure to restore settings on the browser. You can restore it to default fully
Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
- 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 suspicious extensions related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and web data from Chrome:
- 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.
Change your homepage:
- Click menu and choose Settings.
- Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
- 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:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
- Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
- Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
- Confirm with Reset settings.
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.
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.
Delete from macOS
Remove the unwanted application:
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).
Delete leftover files and folders:
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
- Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.
- Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.
Reset Internet Explorer
Remove dangerous add-ons:
- Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top-right corner of the browser
- Pick Manage Add-ons.
- You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for suspicious plugins. Click on these entries and select Disable.
Change your homepage if it was altered:
- Open IE and click on the Gear icon.
- Select Internet Options.
- In the General tab, delete the Home page address and replace it by your preferred one (for example, Google.com).
- Click Apply and then select OK.
Delete temporary files:
- Press on the Gear icon and select Internet Options.
- Under Browsing history, click Delete...
- Select relevant fields and press Delete.
Reset Internet Explorer:
- Click on Gear icon > Internet options and select Advanced tab.
- Select Reset.
- In the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset.
Choose a proper web browser and improve your safety with a VPN tool
Online spying has got momentum in recent years and people are getting more and more interested in how to protect their privacy online.
One of the basic means to add a layer of security - choose the most private and secure web browser. Although web browsers can't grant full privacy protection and security, some of them are much better at sandboxing, HTTPS upgrading, active content blocking, tracking blocking, phishing protection, and similar privacy-oriented features.
However, if you want true anonymity, we suggest you employ a powerful VPN - it can encrypt all the traffic that comes and goes out of your computer, preventing tracking completely.
Lost your files? Use data recovery software
While some files located on any computer are replaceable or useless, others can be extremely valuable.
Family photos, work documents, school projects - these are types of files that we don't want to lose. Unfortunately, there are many ways how unexpected data loss can occur:
- power cuts
- Blue Screen of Death errors
- hardware failures
- crypto-malware attack
- even accidental deletion
To ensure that all the files remain intact, you should prepare regular data backups. You can choose cloud-based or physical copies you could restore from later in case of a disaster. If your backups were lost as well or you never bothered to prepare any, can be your only hope to retrieve your invaluable files.
From our report of Nov 2020 · not reviewed since
Make sure to eliminate any traces of the Muti-Webtool PUP
Don't forget about the issue that the intruder creates when you remove Muti-Webtool from the machine - registry and startup file alterations.
You can terminate the intruder with anti-malware tools and make the machine virus-free again, but you need to repair those alterations if you want to use the PC normally again.
Muti-Webtool removal gives the best results and the quickest when you rely on security tools, anti-malware apps that use a trustworthy AV engine database. Also, you should get a program that repairs affected files and altered functions. You need to still do manual changes on web browsers, so save time with professional system tools.
Questions about Muti-Webtool
How do I change my search engine back from tailsearch.com?
Open the browser's search engine settings, choose the search engine you want and set it as default, then remove tailsearch.com from the list.
If the option is greyed out or a note says it is controlled by an extension, remove that extension first and try again. If the browser says it is managed by your organization, a policy holds the setting, and the policy steps in this guide apply.
When the change will not stick, reset the browser: it restores the default search engine and start page and turns off extensions, but keeps bookmarks and saved passwords. Then check Installed apps for a program that may put tailsearch.com back.
Did tailsearch.com come with a program I installed?
Most likely, yes. Search hijackers such as tailsearch.com usually arrive with free software, where an extra offer is pre-ticked in the installer, or as an extension that promises something useful, such as file conversion, maps, recipes or streaming.
Look at Settings, Apps, Installed apps sorted by install date: whatever was installed just before the search engine changed is the main suspect. Uninstall it, then remove any extension you do not recognise. In future, choose the custom or advanced option in installers and untick extra offers, and install extensions only from the official store pages of publishers you know.
Why do my searches go to tailsearch.com?
Because the browser's default search engine was changed to it. Muti-Webtool did that through an extension, a program or a browser policy, and as long as that source remains, the setting points to tailsearch.com.
The page then passes your query to a real search provider, so the results look almost normal, with extra sponsored links on top. Changing the search engine back on its own does not last, because the source resets it. Remove the extension or program first, then the policies if any, then set your own search engine.
Is it safe to keep searching with tailsearch.com?
We would not. Every query you type is logged by its operators and shared with their advertising partners, and the sponsored links at the top are chosen for payment, not relevance. Results that look like a download page or a support site may lead to scams.
The page will not damage Windows by itself, but there is no benefit in keeping it: the results come from another search engine anyway. Remove Muti-Webtool and use that search engine directly, by typing its address or choosing it in the browser settings.
Which browsers does Muti-Webtool affect?
We saw it in Chrome, Edge and Firefox. That does not mean the other browsers on your PC are safe: hijacker installers usually change every browser they find, and browser sync can carry an extension to other computers signed in to the same account.
Check the search engine, home page, new tab, extensions and policies in each browser you have, including ones you rarely open. Chrome and Edge profiles count separately, so switch to each profile and check it as well before you call the job done.
What does tailsearch.com know about me?
It knows what you searched for while it was your search engine, when, from which IP address and with which browser, and usually which results you opened. Tracking cookies let it connect those searches into a profile. It does not see your saved passwords or files.
After removing Muti-Webtool, delete the cookies and site data for tailsearch.com so the profile cannot be continued, and remove it from the browser's list of saved search engines. Signing out of important sites and back in also replaces session cookies.
Will resetting the browser remove Muti-Webtool?
A reset disables extensions, restores the default search engine, start page and new tab, and clears temporary data and cookies. It keeps bookmarks, history and saved passwords. For many hijackers that is enough.
It does not remove a program installed in Windows, policies in the registry, changes to the hosts file or DNS, or edited shortcuts, so Muti-Webtool can come back after a reset if one of those remains. Do the reset after removing the program and policies, not instead of it.
I changed the search engine, but it switched back. Why?
The hijacker is still installed, and it rewrites the setting whenever the browser starts or the extension updates. Changing the setting is the last step, not the first. Find what controls it: the search settings page usually names the extension, and a greyed-out field means a policy.
Remove that source, restart the browser, then pick your search engine and delete the hijacker's entry from the list of saved search engines so it cannot be chosen by accident. Check again after a day, when extensions have had a chance to update.
Would an ad blocker stop Muti-Webtool?
Not really. An ad blocker can hide some of the sponsored results on tailsearch.com, but it does not change your search engine back or remove the extension that set it. Your searches would still pass through the hijacker's servers and be logged.
Some ad blockers include tracking filters that block parts of the redirect chain, which can break searches altogether. Remove Muti-Webtool with the plan above; an ad blocker is a reasonable extra afterwards, from the official store only and from a developer with a long track record.
Will Fortect remove Muti-Webtool?
Fortect scans Windows for malware and unwanted programs and repairs the system files and settings they change, and its free scan shows what it finds on your PC before you decide anything.
For Muti-Webtool, follow the plan above as well: the browser steps take back permissions and settings that no scanner treats as a threat, and uninstalling the program that brought it removes the source.
Run Microsoft Defender's full scan and, if anything was found, its offline scan as a second opinion. If the symptoms are gone after the plan and both scans are clean, there is nothing more to do.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Potentially unwanted program (read October 6, 2026)
- Forcepoint: What is Malvertising? (read October 6, 2026)
- Dieviren: Dieviren (read October 6, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 6, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 6, 2026)