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  • Active
  • Severity: High
  • Stealing programs
  • Windows, Mac
  • Verified · Apr 2018

How to remove Okaytab.com

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

Okaytab.com – a suspicious search engine that corrupted web browser's settings

Okaytab.com hijack example

Okaytab.com belongs to the group of browser hijackers that spreads bundled[1] with freeware and targets Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and other web browsers. Upon a hijack, it compromises default settings and establishes the http://www.okaytab.com/ search site, customized Google and Yahoo-based search engine, and a new tab URL. Although such changes are not dangerous, Okaytab.com is actively involved in affiliate marketing. Its goal is to promote third parties.

Name Okaytab.com
Classification Browser hijacker; PUP
Distribution technique Bundling
Browsers targeted Chrome, Firefox, IE, Edge, Safari, Opera, etc.
Symptoms Web browser's settings corrupted, increment of pop-up ads, redirects to suspicious websites
Elimination Download FortectIntego and initiate a full system scan to get rid of Okaytab.com

Okaytab.com is identical to surfnav.com. It imitates Google search and allows users to switch to Yahoo by one click. Besides, the site is adapted to non-English speakers (Portuguese, Egyptian, Saudi Arabian, Indonesian, etc.). Moreover, it allows accessing more than 30 most popular web domains straight from the startup page, as well as playing games or reading news.

However, how to remove Okaytab.com virus is one of the most frequent search queries typed by netizens within Google Search. The main reason why it's dubbed as unreliable is the fact that it places sponsored links instead of reliable ones. This way,Okaytab.com distorts web traffic and boosts the number of visitors to affiliate domains.

In addition to misleading links, the Okaytab.com hijack can result in a significant increment of commercial and non-commercial ads. Pop-up ads, banners, textual links, and similar content can ruin web browsers experience. Nevertheless, Okaytab.com virus can redirect to dangerous domains promoting bogus software or even malware.

Apart from the content it displays, Okaytab.com doesn't miss the gather some content related to people's web browsing activities. It carries tracking cookies and drops them after the install. After that, search queries, websites visited, clicks, IP address, your name, and similar information starts leaking to third-party servers.

Indeed, annoyance is not the main reason why NoVirus.uk[2] and other reputable security firms recommend getting rid of Okaytab.com malware. Using this site pose a risk to PC's security since the content it displays is uncontrolled. The sites it promotes can be infected with malicious content, or they can be dangerous due to JavaScrip coding.

Okaytab.com virus corrupts start page

Thus, Okaytab.com removal is the only thing we recommend doing with this search site. This way, you will minimize the risk of getting infected with malware or landing on a phishing site. The easiest way to remove Okaytab.com is to run a full system scan with a reputable anti-virus, such as FortectIntego. Manual removal enthusiasts can find a step-by-step tutorial at the end of this post.

Browser hijacker does not ask for permission to enter the system

Each time you download a freeware, make sure to dedicate sufficient time for its installation. That's because third-party download sources are stuffed with software bundles that promote unwanted add-ons, toolbars, extensions, and so on.

If you do not want to end up with a bunch of PUPs on the system, you have to check each freeware if it's packed with “optional downloads” or not. For that, opt for Advanced or Custom installation option and carefully read the Terms.[3] Do not agree with the installation of “useful” shopping assistants, browser's helpers, boosters, and similar apps.

Learn how to get rid of Okaytab.com search site

If you have never dealt with a PUP before, we'll explain in details how to remove Okaytab.com from Chrome and PUPs related to it from the system. The easiest way to do that is to launch anti-virus scanner and let it do the job.

If, however, you prefer manual Okaytab.com removal, you can find a comprehensive tutorial submitted by our team. Make sure to perform each step in the right order and then reset web browser's settings.

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

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