My Sweeps Tab: what it is and how to remove it
My Sweeps Tab is a potentially unwanted application that is designed to hijack Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, MS Edge, or another web browser. For that purpose, the extension changes the URL of the homepage and new tab to hp.hmysweepstab.com and appends a customized search engine, which redirects all queries to Yahoo.
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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My Sweeps Tab: summary
| Damage | While browser hijackers are not considered to be minor browser infections, they can sometimes make users download other potentially unwanted and useless apps, cluttering their machines. Also, when insecure sites are accessed, users might be tricked into subscribing to worthless services, resulting in monetary loss. Finally, the app gathers a variety of data that is later shared with business partners and affiliates |
|---|---|
| Name | My Sweeps Tab |
| Type | Browser hijacker, potentially unwanted program |
| Infiltration | While the app can be installed via legitimate sources such as Google Web Store, potentially unwanted programs are usually distributed in deceptive ways, such as software bundling or fake update prompts |
| Symptoms | My Sweeps Tab extension installed on the web browser Homepage and new tab address is set to hp.hmysweepstab.com All searches are redirected to Yahoo Search results are filled with sponsored links If notifications were allowed, pop-up ads show up on the desktop Overall slower operation of the web browser |
| Termination | Use the step-by-step instructions provided below or scan your machine with powerful anti-malware software. To stop desktop notifications, you should access browser settings and eliminate the hijacker entry (we explain below how) |
| 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 7 more facts
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
|---|---|
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Search page | hp.hmysweepstab.com |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge and Firefox |
| First seen | 8 June 2020 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
What My Sweeps Tab changes in your browser
We may collect information from you based on information collected resulting from your use of our Services and information that you provide to us. The information collected may include both Non-Personal Information and Personal Information.
Is My Sweeps Tab dangerous? What it collects
From our report of Jun 2020 · not reviewed since
My Sweeps Tab - a browser extension that can read browsing history and track your searches
My Sweeps Tab is a potentially unwanted application that is designed to hijack Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, MS Edge, or another web browser.
For that purpose, the extension changes the URL of the homepage and new tab to hp.hmysweepstab.com and appends a customized search engine, which redirects all queries to Yahoo. While browsing the internet via a suchlike modified web browser, users disclose their browsing information to third parties. They are also more likely to visit sponsored websites, as the search results are filled with promotional links and ads.
While some users might install My Sweeps Tab intentionally via such sources like Google Web Store, most find the extension after they download freeware from a third-party website - this is yet another reason why it is considered to be a potentially unwanted program. Additionally, the hijacker will also ask users to allow notifications to be shown - yet another way to promote My Sweeps Tab ads.
Just like many similar browser hijackers of this type, My Sweeps Tab boasts its allegedly useful features. Similar apps, such as GameSearch, Safeplex Search, Hide My History, Shipment Trackers, and many others, typically use some type of theme to appeal to a certain audience of people. For this, these hijackers append various links to sites focused on weather, recipes, online games, and other topics.
My Sweeps Tab developers claim that the purpose of this app is to allow users to access popular lottery, bingo, and sweepstake sites quickly. Additionally, the app also appends links to popular sites that provide information to weather or similar seemingly useful features.
However, links that allow quick access to websites have been implemented by all modern browsers for a while now - users can customize which sites they want to see as well, rendering this feature relatively useless.
While the developers pretend to care about users' searches, they use the Yahoo engine to feed them ads, display altered search results, and monetize on each click made. In the background, My Sweeps Tab collects a variety of information about those who have the extension installed, as explained in the Privacy Policy:
The gathered data includes:
Unfortunately, the collected information is also shared with business partners, affiliates, service providers, and some other parties. If you are concerned about your privacy, get rid of My Sweeps Tab hijack as soon as possible.
In most cases, you can remove My Sweeps Tab virus by right-clicking on the extension. However, since potentially unwanted applications typically travel in a bundle, there is a chance that you have other useless apps installed on your system. Thus, you should check your web browsers for additional browser extensions, as well as for the installed apps.
Also, My Sweeps Tab removal might not be complete by just eliminating the extension. In case the push notifications from the hijacker were enabled, you will keep seeing ads and pop-ups directly on your screen even after you uninstall the PUP. Therefore, you should access the settings of your web browser and disallow hp.hmysweepstab.com to show notifications - we provide a full explanation below.
Finally, if you keep seeing ads and your browser is still hijacked, we highly advise you to scan the device with anti-malware software and then reset all the installed web browsers. For best results, we also recommend using PC repair tools like after all suspicious add-ons and apps are termination from the system.
- Name, email, phone number, if such is provided;
- Hardware model and the operating system type;
- IP address;
- Internet Service Provider;
- Geolocation;
- Browser settings;
- Bookmarks, etc.
From our report of Jun 2020 · not reviewed since
Ways to avoid potentially unwanted applications
Potentially unwanted programs typically travel within software bundles - software packages that include several apps.
While the technique itself is not malicious - users can be offered optional apps, of course. Still, the problems begin when third-party websites or software authors attempt to disguise optional components within the installers. As a result, users end up with useless and sometimes even dangerous programs on their systems.
While the technique is deceptive, users can always prevent the unwanted infiltration of apps if they pay enough attention to the installation process of the freeware. In fact, if you only download new applications from official sources, you do not have to deal with deception and installation of programs without permission.
- Before installing the app, check its online reviews, blog or forum posts, and find other relevant information online;
- During the installation process, always opt for Advanced/Custom settings instead of Quick/Recommended ones;
- Make sure that the app allows you access to important documents, such as Privacy Policy and ToS;
- Watch out for various tricks: misplaced buttons, pre-ticked boxes, fine print text, misleading offers or deals, etc.;
- Employ reputable anti-malware software that would warn you about the installation of PUPs.
Check your browser and PC
- Address:
hp.hmysweepstab.com
How to remove My Sweeps Tab
How to remove My Sweeps Tab 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
My Sweeps Tab 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 hp.hmysweepstab.com
Searches that pass through
hp.hmysweepstab.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 hp.hmysweepstab.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 My Sweeps Tab. 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
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
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.
Access your website securely from any location
When you work on the domain, site, blog, or different project that requires constant management, content creation, or coding, you may need to connect to the server and content management service more often. The best solution for creating a tighter network could be a dedicated/fixed IP address.
If you make your IP address static and set to your device, you can connect to the CMS from any location and do not create any additional issues for the server or network manager that needs to monitor connections and activities. VPN software providers like can help you with such settings and offer the option to control the online reputation and manage projects easily from any part of the world.
Recover files after data-affecting malware attacks
While much of the data can be accidentally deleted due to various reasons, malware is one of the main culprits that can cause loss of pictures, documents, videos, and other important files.
More serious malware infections lead to significant data loss when your documents, system files, and images get encrypted. In particular, ransomware is is a type of malware that focuses on such functions, so your files become useless without an ability to access them.
Even though there is little to no possibility to recover after file-locking threats, some applications have features for data recovery in the system. In some cases, can also help to recover at least some portion of your data after data-locking virus infection or general cyber infection.
From our report of Jun 2020 · not reviewed since
Remove My Sweeps Tab and other potentially unwanted apps from your system
My Sweeps Tab removal from the web browser should not cause you too much trouble, as the hijacker does not require some special permissions during the infiltration process which would stop users from eliminating it successfully.
However, many users reported that the pop-up ads from the extension still kept showing up, even after uninstallation of the app. This happens due to enabled notifications, and they can only be stopped via the web browser settings.
To remove My Sweeps Tab ads and pop-ups, perform the following steps on your web browser:
From our report of Jun 2020 · not reviewed since
Google Chrome
- Click on Menu and select Settings
- Under Privacy and Security, pick Site Settings
- Select Notifications
- Under Allow, locate hp.hmysweepstab.com entry
- Click on More actions (three vertical dots) and select Block
From our report of Jun 2020 · not reviewed since
Mozilla Firefox
- Open Firefox and go to Menu > Options
- Select Privacy & Security section on the left
- Click on Settings next to Notifications
- Select hp.hmysweepstab.com and pick Block from the drop-down menu
From our report of Jun 2020 · not reviewed since
Safari
Finally, if nothing above worked, perform a full system scan with anti-malware software and reset all the installed web browsers as explained below.
- Go to Safari > Preferences…
- Under Websites tab, pick Notifications
- Pick hp.hmysweepstab.com and then choose Deny
Questions about My Sweeps Tab
Why does my search engine keep changing to hp.hmysweepstab.com?
Because something keeps setting it. An extension can change the search engine every time the browser starts, and an ad-supported program in Windows can do it for every browser and re-add the extension after you remove it. Some hijackers also add a policy that locks the setting.
Changing the search engine back only works once the source is gone. Remove extensions you do not recognise, uninstall programs installed around the time hp.hmysweepstab.com first appeared, and then set the search engine again. If it still returns, check the browser for the Managed by your organization message and follow the policy steps in this guide.
Did hp.hmysweepstab.com come with a program I installed?
Most likely, yes. Search hijackers such as hp.hmysweepstab.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 hp.hmysweepstab.com?
Because the browser's default search engine was changed to it. My Sweeps Tab did that through an extension, a program or a browser policy, and as long as that source remains, the setting points to hp.hmysweepstab.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 hp.hmysweepstab.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 My Sweeps Tab and use that search engine directly, by typing its address or choosing it in the browser settings.
Which browsers does My Sweeps Tab 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 hp.hmysweepstab.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 My Sweeps Tab, delete the cookies and site data for hp.hmysweepstab.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.
Should I just switch to another browser?
It may not help. Installers that add hijackers usually target every browser on the PC, and system-level changes such as the hosts file, DNS or proxy affect all browsers at once. A new browser also leaves the hijacker's program and extension in place, collecting data in the old one.
Remove My Sweeps Tab properly first. After that, use whichever browser you prefer; Chrome, Edge and Firefox all let you set and protect your own search engine. Import your bookmarks only after the old browser is clean.
Would an ad blocker stop My Sweeps Tab?
Not really. An ad blocker can hide some of the sponsored results on hp.hmysweepstab.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 My Sweeps Tab 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.
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.
Will Fortect remove My Sweeps Tab?
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 My Sweeps Tab, 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)
- My Sweeps Tab: Privacy Practices (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)