New Tab Search: what it is and how to remove it
New Tab Search virus is a shady online search service. The application spreads as a browser extension which is available on Chrome Web Store, as well as in bundled software packages.
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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New Tab Search: summary
| Name | New Tab Search |
|---|---|
| Type | Browser hijacker |
| Sub-type | Potentially unwanted program |
| Creator | Visicom Media |
| Found in | Chrome Web Store, software packages |
| Activities | Modifying browser settings, collecting browsing data, redirecting to suspicious pages, displaying commercial content, and so on |
| 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 10 more facts
| Manual removal | Look for instructions at the bottom of this page |
|---|---|
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Symptoms | A changed search engine |
| Evidence | 7 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Search page | ww1.newtabsearch.com |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge and Firefox |
| First seen | 24 May 2019 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
Is New Tab Search dangerous? What it collects
From our report of May 2019 · not reviewed since
New Tab Search virus - not the most reliable and secure search service
New Tab Search virus is a shady online search service.
The application spreads as a browser extension which is available on Chrome Web Store, as well as in bundled software packages. Therefore, it can easily enter the system without the user's permission and knowledge.
Once installed, it modifies the browser's settings such as default search section, homepage, new tab URL, to control the person's browsing habits. The New Tab Search extension is created by Visicom Media known for designing MyStart, MyStart Toolbar and other hijackers.
Developers present New Tab Search as a tool that should help people improve their browsing sessions. However, for the tendency to spy on users' browsing habits and its questionable distribution methods, it has been labeled as a browser hijacker . Usually, this kind of PUP (potentially unwanted program):
The extension also presents the search results from different databases:
- Yahoo
- Baidu
Though the latter is legitimate Chinese search engine provider, it has been associated with Hao123 hijacker assaults and recent Skype virus version. Likewise, it is possible that New Tab Search hijack might direct you to potentially insecure domains.
Security experts found that so-called New Tab Search virus is related to other suspicious applications and websites, for instance, ww1.newtabsearch.com, which maintains an eternal loop of loading and does not present any content. As you might have already noticed, there is no reason to use or keep this potentially suspicious app on your machine.
Though New Tab Search received several dozens of positive ratings from users, it does not mean that the website is safe to use. As mentioned before, it does not present an official website as well as the privacy policy and terms of use. Thus, users are deprived of the right to know what kind of information and for what purposes the extension uses.
However, such behavior might only foreshadow another issue – spying users via cookies and web elements. Usually, the gathered information is non-personally identifiable and used for advertising purposes. But you can never be sure who can get access to it and what tracking technologies are used.
Therefore, this argument should encourage you to remove New Tab Search right away. or will help you in this process. There you will find illustrated and detailed explanation of how to achieve this task.
- modifies browser's settings and leaves users without a possibility to revert them;
- misguides users to sponsored web pages;
- displays an excessive amount of commercial content;
- promotes questionable toolbars and add-ons;
- might redirect to high-risk or potentially dangerous websites.


From our report of May 2019 · not reviewed since
Installation of undesired apps can be stopped if you pay attention to software installation
Nevertheless, a browser-hijacking application can be found on Chrome Web Store or other similar e-shops, though it does not link directly to its web store.
However, direct downloads are not the main distribution method for potentially unwanted programs. These types of applications are mostly spread as a product of bundled software.
If you don't bother checking what programs you download to your computer, you may not only facilitate the browser hijacker but enable the installation of other dubious add-ons. To avoid trouble dealing with potentially unwanted applications, pay attention to the installation wizard of the main software. Also, make sure not to use unreliable downloading services.
Additionally, you should select the "Custom" or "Advanced" settings to spot irrelevant applications. Once you do so, opt out of all unwanted programs and content that you do not want to have in your computer system. This way you will be able to avoid all unexpected downloads and installations of browser-hijacking content.
From our report of May 2019 · not reviewed since
Getting rid of the New Tab Search browser hijacker
You can delete the extension in two ways – either remove New Tab Search virus manually or get rid of it with the assistance of malware elimination tool.
The latter is a more optional option as it will come in handy battling more intricate malware. Also, antimalware programs are capable of dealing with unwanted content in a few minutes of time.
Additionally, you will ensure complete New Tab Search removal if you combine these two methods. Check whether its toolbar and search engine are fully eliminated. Manual elimination guidelines are below.
Please follow them attentively! Make sure that all web browsers such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, and Safari are completely clean and refreshed for effective working.
From our report of May 2019 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on New Tab Search
- can help you with this process
Check your browser and PC
- Address:
ww1.newtabsearch.com
How to remove New Tab Search
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
In Chrome open
chrome://extensions, in Edgeedge://extensions, and in Firefox the menu > Extensions and themes.Remove every extension you do not remember adding, especially search, new tab, coupon, PDF, weather or video downloader add-ons. Check every browser and every profile, because each keeps its own list.
If an extension has no Remove button or comes back, a browser policy holds it (see "Managed by your organization" in the procedure below). The pages are the same on Windows 11 and Windows 10.

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 ww1.newtabsearch.com
In Chrome open Settings > Search engine > Manage search engines and site search, make an engine you trust the default, and delete
ww1.newtabsearch.comfrom the list.In Edge type
search engineinto the search box at the top of Settings and open Manage search engines; in Firefox use Settings > Search. Then check the homepage and the new tab page in the same settings, because hijackers change all three.If ww1.newtabsearch.com is back after a restart, an extension, a program or a policy still sets it, so finish the other steps and check again. The settings are the same on 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
New Tab Search rarely comes alone: it is usually installed by, or together with, a free program. In Windows 11 open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, in Windows 10 Settings > Apps > Apps & features, and sort by install date.
Uninstall every entry from the day the trouble began that you did not install on purpose, for example a download manager, a converter or a browser you never chose.
Keep drivers and entries from Microsoft, Intel, AMD, NVIDIA or your PC's maker unless you are sure.
Full procedure with screenshots: Uninstall a program or app in Windows On uGetFix
Step 4: Reset the browser
A reset removes what the steps above could miss:
- changed start pages
- site permissions
- hidden settings
In Chrome open Settings > Reset settings > Restore settings to their original defaults; in Edge Settings > Reset settings; in Firefox Help > More troubleshooting information > Refresh Firefox.
Tip: Bookmarks and saved passwords stay, while extensions are turned off and the search engine and start page return to the defaults.
Reset every browser on the PC, including Edge, which Windows 11 and Windows 10 always have.

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
A scan finds the parts of New Tab Search that the manual steps cannot see. In Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, start a Full scan and quarantine what it reports.
Follow it with Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) > Scan now, which restarts the PC and checks the disk while Windows and the malware are not running.
It takes about 15 minutes and works the same in Windows 11 and Windows 10. If either scan finds something, run the full scan again after removal until it comes back clean.

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
If the hijacker was installed in the software package, you should make sure that any other unknown programs or extensions were not installed as well. First of all, look up for PUPs installed on the computer. Then, check the list of Chrome extensions.
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
In order to fix Chrome from the hijack, you have to make sure that any suspicious extensions, add-ons, and similar entries were not installed without your knowledge. Speed up New Tab Search removal by resetting the browser.
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
Cleaning Microsoft Edge web browser app in a few steps is possible. All you have to do is take every below-given step carefully and by paying all of your attention:
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)
You can eliminate all browser hijacker-related components from your Mozilla Firefox web browser application. For more detailed instructing steps, follow these guidelines:
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
If you have spotted any suspicious content in your Safari web browser, you should get rid of with the help of these instructions:
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
While Mac OS X is not usually targeted by the browser hijacker, the appearance of New Tab Search should encourage you to check installed applications and browser extensions. These instructions will help you:
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
If Internet Explorer got hijacked by a potentially unwanted program, you can easily refresh your web browser by using the following guidelines:
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.

Protect your privacy - employ a VPN
There are several ways how to make your online time more private - you can access an incognito tab.
However, there is no secret that even in this mode, you are tracked for advertising purposes. There is a way to add an extra layer of protection and create a completely anonymous web browsing practice with the help of VPN. This software reroutes traffic through different servers, thus leaving your IP address and geolocation in disguise.
Besides, it is based on a strict no-log policy, meaning that no data will be recorded, leaked, and available for both first and third parties. The combination of a secure web browser and VPN will let you browse the Internet without a feeling of being spied or targeted by criminals.
No backups? No problem. Use a data recovery tool
If you wonder how data loss can occur, you should not look any further for answers - human errors, malware attacks, hardware failures, power cuts, natural disasters, or even simple negligence.
In some cases, lost files are extremely important, and many straight out panic when such an unfortunate course of events happen. Due to this, you should always ensure that you prepare proper data backups on a regular basis.
If you were caught by surprise and did not have any backups to restore your files from, not everything is lost. is one of the leading file recovery solutions you can find on the market - it is likely to restore even lost emails or data located on an external device.
Questions about New Tab Search
Why does my search engine keep changing to ww1.newtabsearch.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 ww1.newtabsearch.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 ww1.newtabsearch.com come with a program I installed?
Most likely, yes. Search hijackers such as ww1.newtabsearch.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.
What is ww1.newtabsearch.com?
It is the search page used by the browser hijacker New Tab Search. It has no search index of its own: it forwards your queries to another search engine and adds ads and tracking along the way.
People rarely choose it on purpose; it becomes the default search engine, home page or new tab after an extension, program or policy changes the browser settings. The page itself is not malware, but it should not be in your browser if you did not set it. The steps above remove the source and restore your settings.
Is ww1.newtabsearch.com dangerous?
It is not designed to infect the PC, but it is not neutral either. It logs searches, adds sponsored results that are hard to tell apart from real ones, and its ad partners are not checked as strictly as those of major search engines.
Some hijacker pages have shown ads for fake updates, tech support scams and unwanted software. The main harm is to privacy. Remove New Tab Search, and if you entered personal data on sites reached through its results, check those sites carefully.
Do I have to fix every browser?
Yes, every one where the search engine or start page changed. In the cases we checked, New Tab Search affected Chrome, Edge and Firefox.
Each browser stores its own search settings and extensions, so fixing one does not fix the others, and Windows-level changes such as shortcuts can affect each browser differently. Work through them one at a time:
- remove the extension
- check the policies
- restore the search engine
- start page
If you sync a browser, stay signed in so the fix spreads to your other computers.
Did ww1.newtabsearch.com record my searches?
Almost certainly. Logging is the point of a hijacker search page: each query, with your IP address, browser details and the result you clicked, is valuable to advertisers.
The operators of ww1.newtabsearch.com can store and share that data under their own privacy policy, which you never agreed to knowingly. There is no way to delete it from their side. What you can do is stop the flow:
- remove New Tab Search
- clear cookies and site data for ww1.newtabsearch.com
- treat sensitive searches made in the meantime as known to a third party
Why can't I change my search engine back?
Because something keeps setting it. If an extension controls the search engine, Chrome and Edge show a note that an extension is controlling this setting, and your change is reverted. If a policy controls it, the field is greyed out and the browser shows Managed by your organization.
Remove the extension first, then the policies, and only then change the search engine; the change will stay. If it still reverts, look for a program in Installed apps or a scheduled task that reinstalls the extension.
Why does my search page look slightly different?
Because it is not your search engine's own page. New Tab Search sends searches to ww1.newtabsearch.com, which may copy the colours and layout of a known search engine while adding its own ads and tracking. Small differences give it away:
- an unfamiliar address
- more ads than usual
- a different logo
- a search box with a brand name you do not recognise
Remove the hijacker and set your search engine again from the browser's settings to get the real page back. Then delete the hijacker's entry from the saved search engines list.
What do I lose if I reset Chrome or Edge?
Less than you might think. A reset turns off all extensions, which you can turn back on one by one, restores the default search engine, home page, new tab and pinned tabs, and clears cookies, so you are signed out of most sites.
Bookmarks, history, saved passwords and autofill data stay. Firefox's equivalent, Refresh Firefox, keeps the same essentials but removes add-ons completely. Before you reset, make sure you know your main passwords or have them saved, since you will need to sign in again.
Will Fortect remove New Tab Search?
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 New Tab Search, 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
- ThreadPost: 'Hoeflertext' Popups Target Browsers With Rat and Locky Ransomware (read October 6, 2026)
- Phys: Consumers have poor understanding of tracking methods used by online advertisers (read October 6, 2026)
- Kaspersky Lab: What Is Browser Hijacking? (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)