How to remove HandyTab browser hijacker? — Fix Guide

The HandyTab search hijacker is an example of a common unwanted program; such programs are promoted enormously nowadays. In this article you will see the detailed guidelines of “HandyTab” hijacker elimination in several tactics: using anti-malware software and also manual elimination process.

HandyTab – What is it?

“HandyTab” search hijacker is a potentially unwanted application (PUA)1, that is spread as a plugin for your web browser. It is typically marketed as an add-on for Chrome or Firefox, that assists to browse some specific details, for example, about sport events, make your browser much more secure, enable downloading of any video clip, et cetera.

However, the “HandyTab” plugin is fairly useless due to the fact that all such functions are currently built-in to your web browser and/or Windows. Such marketing mottos are targeted at low-skilled computer users, like pensioners or schoolchildren. However sometimes even professional users are getting caught on such an attraction. In specific situations, this hijacker is spread along with free programs.

HandyTab hijacker - Handy-tab.com

HandyTab Search Hijacker

Here is a info for the HandyTab hijacker
Site Handy-tab.com
Hosting AS49981 WorldStream B.V.
Netherlands, Naaldwijk
Infection Type Browser Hijacker, Unwanted Application
IP Address 89.39.104.171
Hosting AS49981 WorldStream B.V.
Naaldwijk, Netherlands
Symptoms Changed search engine; search queries redirection
Similar behavior Medianewpage/, Medianewpage, Newtab
Fix Tool
To remove possible virus infections, try to scan your PC

How harmful is HandyTab hijacker?

Besides its impracticality, HandyTab hijacker is also quite hazardous for browser utilization. It modifies your search engine to its particular – Handy-tab.com, and also transforms your background, adding its watermark on your wallpaper (or, in some cases, altering it to default with the specified sign).

Apart from aesthetic changes done by HandyTab hijacker, you might see that a couple of your search questions are redirecting to the unfamiliar sites, full of links and ads – so-called doorway websites. Such sites can consist of links for malware downloads. The possibility of redirecting boosts if you try to launch Google search page by force.

However all these activities are a lot more bothersome than truly hazardous. The most significant threat, primarily for individuals who have a huge amount of confidential information in their web browsers, is embedded in data gathering functionalities. Cookie files, conversations, often-visited web pages, and various other activities are simply collected by HandyTab hijacker.

How to remove HandyTab search hijacker?

  • “Move to quarantine” all items.
  • Open “Tools” tab – Press “Reset Browser Settings“.
  • Select proper browser and options – Click “Reset”.
  • Restart your computer.

Browser hijackers are usually quite simple to delete. Most of the times, they have a separate application that can be seen in the list of installed applications. Because of the specific marketing way of HandyTab hijacker, it can be easily tracked and deleted by hand. Nonetheless, if you got HandyTab in the bundle with a free program, your computer can be infected with far more serious malwaretrojans, spyware or even ransomware. That’s why I’d suggest you utilize anti-malware programs to delete the HandyTab PUA and all various other malware.

You can observe the detected malicious programs sorted by their possible hazard simultaneously with the scan process. But to perform any actions against malware, you need to hold on until the scan is over, or to stop the scan.

To choose the action for every spotted virus or unwanted program, click the arrow in front of the name of the detected malware. By default, all malware will be removed to quarantine.

List of the detected malware after the scan

Reset browser settings to original ones

To revert your browser settings, you are required to use the Reset Browser Settings option. This action is not able to be counteracted by any virus, hence, you will surely see the result. This action can be found in the Tools tab.

After choosing the Reset Browser Settings button, the menu will be shown, where you can specify, which settings will be reverted to the original.

Reset Browser Settings options

Deleteing HandyTab hijacker manually

Besides using anti-malware software for browser restoration, you may choose the “Reset browser settings” function, which is usually embedded in all popular browsers.

To reset Edge, do the following steps :
  1. Open “Settings and more” tab in upper right corner, then find here “Settings” button. In the appeared menu, choose “Reset settings” option :
  2. Reseting the Edge browser

  3. After picking the Reset Settings option, you will see the following menu, stating about the settings which will be reverted to original :
For Mozilla Firefox, do the next actions :
  1. Open Menu tab (three strips in upper right corner) and click the “Help” button. In the appeared menu choose “troubleshooting information” :
  2. The first step to revert Mozilla Firefox

  3. In the next screen, find the “Refresh Firefox” option :
  4. The second step of Firefox restoration
    After choosing this option, you will see the next message :
    The last step for Firefox

If you use Google Chrome
  1. Open Settings tab, find the “Advanced” button. In the extended tab choose the “Reset and clean up” button :
  2. In the appeared list, click on the “Restore settings to their original defaults” :
  3. Finally, you will see the window, where you can see all the settings which will be reset to default :
Opera can be reset in the next way
  1. Open Settings menu by pressing the gear icon in the toolbar (left side of the browser window), then click “Advanced” option, and choose “Browser” button in the drop-down list. Scroll down, to the bottom of the settings menu. Find there “Restore settings to their original defaults” option :
  2. After clicking the “Restore settings…” button, you will see the window, where all settings, which will be reset, are shown :

As an afterword, I want to say that time plays against you and your PC. The activity of browser hijacker must be stopped as soon as possible, because of the possibility of other malware injection. This malware can be downloaded autonomously, or offered for you to download in one of the windows with advertisements, which are shown to you by the hijacker. You need to act as fast as you can.

I need your help to share this guide.

Browser hijackers are among the largest and also disruptive kinds of malware. I published this article to help you, so I wish you will help me to make the computer world completely clean of malware. Please, share this article in the social networks you use – Twitter, Reddit, Facebook – wherever.
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Wilbur Woodham

References

  1. More information about PUAs
  2. Detailed review of Microsoft Defender

About the author

Wilbur Woodham

Technical writer covering malware detections, unwanted programs, and browser-based threats. Wilbur turns research notes into step-by-step guides that Windows users can follow safely.

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