Screen Tab virus: what it is and how to remove it

If you do not want to run into the Screen Tab virus, you should be careful not to install suspicious browser extensions on your PC. Unfortunately, you cannot always control what programs are entering your computer so that the virus can appear on your device unexpectedly.

Facts checked October 7, 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.

Automatic

Get a free scan and check if your PC is infected.

Fortect finds malware, unwanted programs and the Windows damage they leave behind, and repairs it in one pass.

Not sure what changed your search to search.mysearch.com? An automatic scan checks extensions, programs and browser settings in one pass.

Remove it nowTo use the full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Fortect. The scan is free.

Do it yourself · free Remove Screen Tab virus yourself 5 steps, about 15 minutes, no software needed.

Start the steps
Screen Tab virus: illustration
Screen Tab virus as our 2016 report showed it.

Screen Tab virus: summary

Detection namesNo Microsoft detection name is known
DistributionNot recorded in the old report
DamageNot recorded in the old report
NameScreen Tab virus
TypeSearch hijacker extension
SymptomsA changed search engine
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
EvidenceOne write-up by a security site; details still limited
Search pagesearch.mysearch.com
BrowsersChrome, Edge and Firefox
First seen15 June 2016
Facts checked7 October 2026

Is Screen Tab virus dangerous? What it collects

From our report of Jun 2016 · not reviewed since

Why should you not install Screen Tab on your PC?

If you do not want to run into the Screen Tab virus, you should be careful not to install suspicious browser extensions on your PC.

Unfortunately, you cannot always control what programs are entering your computer so that the virus can appear on your device unexpectedly. When Screen Tab hijack does occur, though, it will be more than evident. You will notice a new before-unseen tab and extension icon added to your browser.

What is more, your default search engine and homepage will be replaced with a suspicious search.mysearch.com, and you will continue seeing this site every time you open your browser or a new tab. In the cyber security terms, such behavior is typical to the branch of clingy viruses called browser hijackers.

Even though both, the browser extension and the MySearch site may try convincing you into using them as legitimate browsing-improving services, you should not do that because this software is obscure and unreliable and should be removed from the computer as soon as possible.

For your convenience, you will find Screen Tab removal suggestions at the end of this article, or you can simply use reputable anti-malware scanner such as to get rid of the problem automatically.

Besides hijacking your browser and altering its settings without permission, it is not uncommon to encounter the Screen Tab redirect issue as well. Briefly said, the virus may send you to the predetermined sites against your will by using the search.mysearch.com search engine to generate deceptive search results.

We should warn you that using your browser when infected by Screen Tab can easily result in your computer being infected with viruses, worms, and other malware because there is no guarantee that these sites this hijacker redirects you to are safe. It is always better to stay safe and remove Screen Tab or similar threats from the infected device as soon as they give themselves away.

Screen Tab virus: illustration
Screen Tab virus in our 2016 report.

From our report of Jun 2016 · not reviewed since

Is there a way to protect my computer from viruses like these?

There are several ways you can use to protect your computer from potentially unwanted programs like Screen Tab.

Because they usually travel in software packages together with other free software, a good way of preventing them from entering your computer is by closely inspecting the downloaded programs before installing them on your system.

Just to be sure, opt for the Advanced/Custom installation instead of the predetermined Quick or Recommended ones. The latter may be a quicker option but choosing it, you will be given much less control over the installation process.

Check your browser and PC

  • Address: search.mysearch.com

How to remove Screen Tab virus

How to remove Screen Tab virus 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.

  1. Step 1: Remove extensions you did not add

    Screen Tab virus often works through an extension, so go through the extension list of each browser:

    • chrome://extensions
    • edge://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 menu with Extensions and Manage extensions highlighted
    Chrome on Windows 11: More > Extensions > Manage extensions.

    Full procedure with screenshots: Remove a browser extension

  2. Step 2: Put the search engine back and delete search.mysearch.com

    Searches that pass through search.mysearch.com mean 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 search.mysearch.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 Settings with the Search engine and On startup sections
    Chrome on Windows 11: check Search engine and On startup.

    Full procedure with screenshots: Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine

  3. 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 Screen Tab virus. 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

  4. 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 Settings page with the Reset settings section open
    Chrome on Windows 11: Settings > Reset settings.

    Full procedure with screenshots: Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine

  5. 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 Security Scan options with Microsoft Defender Antivirus offline scan selected
    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:

  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
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
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
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
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.

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 Jun 2016 · not reviewed since

How do I remove Screen Tab from my PC?

As you probably understood from this article, Screen Tab browser extension is useless and draws more trouble than benefit.

Therefore, keeping it on your computer is a total waste of space and resources. As already mentioned previously, there are two methods to remove Screen Tab from your computer. You can either download a reputable antivirus scanner such as and analyze your computer thoroughly or use manual Screen Tab removal instructions compiled by 2-spyware experts provided below this article.

Keep in mind, though that a full system scan is always a more preferable choice because it does not limit itself to eliminating a single program but take your whole computer into consideration.

Questions about Screen Tab virus

Is it safe to keep search.mysearch.com as my search engine?

It is not recommended. Searches through search.mysearch.com usually still return results, but the operator sees every query, often stores it with an identifier for your browser and shows extra ads or paid links. Some hijacked results lead to fake downloads or scam pages.

You also did not choose it, which means something changed your settings without asking and may still be installed. Set your own search engine back, remove the extension or program that set search.mysearch.com, and check the browser's other settings, such as the start page and notification permissions, for further changes made at the same time.

Is search.mysearch.com a virus?

It is a browser hijacker, not a virus in the classic sense. search.mysearch.com is a search page that an extension or program set as your default without a clear choice from you.

It does not destroy files or spread to other PCs, but it takes control of your searches, collects them and shows ads, and the software behind it is often bundled with other unwanted programs.

Many antivirus products flag such software as potentially unwanted. Removing the extension or program and resetting the search engine is enough in most cases. A full scan afterwards checks for anything else that came with it.

Why do my searches go to search.mysearch.com?

Because the browser's default search engine was changed to it. Screen Tab virus did that through an extension, a program or a browser policy, and as long as that source remains, the setting points to search.mysearch.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 search.mysearch.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 Screen Tab virus and use that search engine directly, by typing its address or choosing it in the browser settings.

Which browsers does Screen Tab virus 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 search.mysearch.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 Screen Tab virus, delete the cookies and site data for search.mysearch.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.

Would an ad blocker stop Screen Tab virus?

Not really. An ad blocker can hide some of the sponsored results on search.mysearch.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 Screen Tab virus 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.

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 Screen Tab virus 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.

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 Screen Tab virus?

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 Screen Tab virus, 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

More removal guides

Remove Zippyshare virus

Zippyshare - a file sharing site which may cause some problems Zippyshare is a legitimate website that people use to upload files up to 500MB in size and share links.Browser HijackersMedium riskJake Doevan ·

Remove Nebula Search browser hijacker

Nebula Search - a potentially unwanted program that changes your browser settings to serve you sponsored content regularly Nebula Search is yet another browser hijacker that can be downloadedBrowser HijackersMedium riskGabriel E. Hall ·

Remove Is Wave Browser malware? What it is and how to remove it from Windows

Wave Browser (WaveBrowser, from Wavesor Software) is not a classic virus, but Malwarebytes detects it as a potentially unwanted program, PUP.Optional.Wave, and says some copies are installed without the user's...BHMedium riskUgnius Kiguolis ·

Remove Omni-search.net virus

Omni-search.net - a browser hijacker that aims at Chrome and Firefox users Omni-search.net is a domain that leads to BlaSearch. It’s a suspicious search engine that redirects searches to YahooBrowser HijackersHigh riskAlice Woods ·

Questions and experiences: Screen Tab virus

Still seeing it, or found something we did not cover? Ask here: members and our editors answer. Reading is open; writing needs a free account.

0 comments

…

5,528 members already hereReading, writing, commenting and voting. 0 verified · 253 joined this year