How to remove Handy Tab

What is Handy Tab

Handy Tab is potentially unwanted browser extension for Google Chrome by Axel Division LP. After installation, it substitutes search engine, homepage and new tab settings in Chrome. Handy Tab provides some useful features for the users, such as weather widget, in-browser notes, to-do list, bookmarks and quick access links to some shopping and social networks sites. But as undesirable consequence add-on modifies browser settings and search queries are redirected to search.handy-tab.com. This search engine is related to well-known low-reputation advertising network ccs.infospace.com. Every click on the search results or other type of on-line behavior is registered and transferred to third-party advertising companies. This can then be used to generate targeted advertising with help of the same Handy Tab extension. Besides, it will not allow you to remove malicious add-on using standard way, or will leave residual data like settings in browsers. Follow instructions below to remove Handy Tab or search.handy-tab.com from Google Chrome and reset browser settings.

How Handy Tab infected your PC

Handy Tab is available for download in Chrome Store and according to statistics has over 1 million users. However, main distribution channel for Handy Tab is “bundled installations” with free programs. Setups offer to install additional software, usually adware, hijackers, or windows optimizers. After installation Handy Tab creates Windows Group Policies, that won’t allow you to remove it. Every time you click Remove button you may see “Installed by your administrator” or “Installed by enterprise policy” message. In order to remove Handy Tab from your browser use special utility we describe below – SpyHunter 5 Malware Remediation.

Alternative Removal Tool

To remove Handy Tab completely, we recommend you to use Norton Antivirus from Symantec. It detects and removes all files, folders and registry keys of Handy Tab and several millions of other adware, hijackers, toolbars.

Remove Handy Tab manually for free

Here is manual step-by-step tutorial for full Handy Tab removal from your computer. This works 99% and was checked with the latest versions of Handy Tab installer on operating systems with latest updates and browser versions.

Note: Handy Tab can be installed as Google Chrome extension as Administrator (you may see Installed by enterprise policy inscription near it), and this will not allow removal. Therefore, before starting removal process, perform these actions:

1. Start the Command Prompt by clicking the Start menu button and typing command prompt (or just searching for “command prompt” in Windows 10 search field). Right click on the Command Prompt result and choose Run as Administrator.



2. Type in and execute the following commands:

   
rd /S /Q "%WinDir%\System32\GroupPolicyUsers"
rd /S /Q "%WinDir%\System32\GroupPolicy"
gpupdate /force

Remove Handy Tab from Control Panel

To start removing Handy Tab you should uninstall it using Control Panel. It can be present by different names – “Handy Tab”. It should uninstall correctly, however, we recommend you to use IObit Uninstaller to clean leftover items after uninstalling. Here are instructions for Windows XP, Windows 7 and Windows 8.

Remove Handy Tab from Windows XP:

1. Click on Start button.
2. Choose Control Panel.
3. Click Add or Remove Programs.
4. Find Handy Tab.
5. Click Uninstall.

Remove Handy Tab from Windows 7:

1. Click Start button.
2. Then go to Control Panel.
3. Click Uninstall a Program.
4. Find Handy Tab and click Uninstall.

Remove Handy Tab from Windows 8:

1. Hover mouse pointer to the bottom-right corner to see Menu.
2. Click Search.
3. After that click Apps.
4. Then Control Panel.
5. Click Uninstall a Program under Programs.
6. Find Handy Tab, click Uninstall.

Remove Handy Tab from Windows 10:

There are 2 ways to uninstall Handy Tab from Windows 10

Way one

1. Click on the Start button.
2. In opened menu choose Settings.
3. Click on the System tile.
4. Click Apps & features and locate Handy Tab in the list.
5. Click on it and then click Uninstall button near it.

Way two (classic)

1. Right-click on the Start button.
2. In opened menu choose Programs and Features.
3. Locate Handy Tab in the list.
4. Click on it and then click Uninstall button above.

Cannot uninstall Handy Tab

In some cases Handy Tab won’t uninstall and gives you message that “You do not have sufficient access to uninstall Handy Tab. Please, contact your system administrator” when you try to remove it from Control Panel or “Access denied” error when removing Handy Tab folder and files. This happens, because process or service does not allow you to do it. In this case I will recommend you to use SpyHunter 5 or Malwarebytes or uninstall Handy Tab in Safe Mode. To boot in Safe Mode do the following:

1. Reboot your computer.
2. While it starts booting press F8 button.
3. This will open Advanced Boot Options menu.
4. Choose Safe Mode and wait until Windows loads.
5. Go to Control Panel > Uninstall a program and remove “Handy Tab”

>> See detailed instructions and video tutorial on how to boot in Safe Mode

Remove malicious add-ons from your browsers

Uninstalling Handy Tab from Control Panel often does not bring desired effect. It sometimes have browser extension and it may still be active in Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. Here are instructions on how to remove Handy Tab related extension from your browsers manually.

Google Chrome:

1. Start Google Chrome browser
2. In address box type (or copy-paste) chrome://extensions/.
3. Find Handy Tab.
4. Click the trash can icon to remove them.
5. Also remove other suspicious extensions from the list.

Mozilla Firefox:

1. Start Mozilla Firefox browser.
2. In address box type (or copy-paste) about:addons.
3. Choose Handy Tab.
4. Click Disable or Remove button.
5. Remove all suspicious extensions from the list.

Internet Explorer (9, 10, 11):

Note: There is no feature to remove browser extensions from browser in latest version of Internet Explorer. To remove Handy Tab from Internet Explorer, please, perform instructions for uninstalling program from Control Panel. To disable Handy Tab, please, do the following:

1. Open Internet Explorer.
2. Click on gear/asterisk icon in the top-right corner.
3. In opened menu Manage Add-ons.
4. Select Toolbars and Extensions.
5. Click Disable Handy Tab.
6. Also disable other suspicious extensions from the list.

Opera Browser:

Generally, Handy Tab does not install in Opera browser however you can always double check. Do the following:

1. Start Opera browser.
2. Go to Tools > Extensions > Manage Extensions.
3. Find Handy Tab extension.
4. Click Uninstall button.
5. Also remove other suspicious extensions from the list.

Reset browsers settings (homepage, default search)

Handy Tab installs search engine that hijacks your browsers. Here is instruction to reset your browsers homepage, newtab and search engine to default values.

Google Chrome:

1. Start Google Chrome browser
2. In address box type (or copy-paste) chrome://settings/.
3. Scroll down and find Show advanced settings link.
4. Click on it and scroll down to the bottom again.
5. Click Reset browser settings button and click Reset to confirm.

Mozilla Firefox:

1. Start Mozilla Firefox browser.
2. In address box type (or copy-paste) about:support.
3. Click Reset Firefox… button.
4. Click Reset Firefox to confirm.

Internet Explorer (9, 10, 11):

1. Start Internet Explorer.
2. Click on gear/asterisk icon in the top-right corner.
3. In opened menu choose Internet options.
4. Click Advanced tab.
5. Click Reset button.
6. Choose Delete personal settings and click Reset.

Opera Browser:

1. Close Opera and open command prompt from the start menu.
2. Type following command del %AppData%\Opera\Opera\operaprefs.ini
3. Start Opera.

Alternative way to remove adware browser extensions and reset browser settings

For safe and effective browser extension removal use avast! Browser Cleanup utility. Run it with administrator privileges and remove all extensions with bad rating including related to Handy Tab. You can also reset your browser settings for each of your browsers: Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox.

Cleaning browsers shortcuts

You can clean your browser shortcuts manually right-clicking on your browser icon, choosing “Properties” and removing hijacker address from “Target” field (leave just the path to your browser). However it is easier to use free Shortcut Cleaner from BleepingComputer. Download it here – its FREE:

Final tips

Be careful surfing the internet and downloading software, as programs like Handy Tab may become a real headache as they are hard to remove and break your privacy. To keep safe from such threats we recommend you always use antivirus and one of antimalware programs available on the market. One of the best anti-spyware and antimalware programs is SpyHunter 5. It can protect your PC from threats like Handy Tab.