Remove unwanted toolbars from your browser
Have you ever turned on your computer and found and a new toolbar sitting in your browser, and to make things worse, your home page has changed to search site that you never heard of.
This actually happens a lot especially if you do not pay attention when you download a new program. They sneak in these extra download when they suggest the recommended download check box. you should " always select custom installation or advanced installation".
Unwanted toolbars and plug-in, can make your computer less secure. Some outdated plug-ins make it easier for viruses and spyware to sneak in through security holes that your browser would normally plug.
How To Remove A REMOVE A TOOLBAR
deleting the free program that the add-ons came with will not solve the problem. Toolbars are separate programs, so you have to go after them individually.
you can uninstall the toolbars and plug-ins in the same place you'd remove any Windows program.
look for the toolbar name. Or it might be listed under a company name, so check program install dates for things installed most recently.
1- Find unwanted toolbars.
Internet Explorer
Click the gear icon in the upper right corner and select "Manage add-ons"
Mozilla Firefox
Go to Firefox's option menu by clicking on the 3 bars located to the far right of your browser.
Then click the add-ons button to navigate to the add-ons page.
click Extensions to see what's installed. Some toolbars also end up under Plugins.
Google Chrome
Click the three lines to see Chrome's option screen. Then mouse over the "tools" icon and click the "extensions" button on the left side to see what's installed.
Safari
Click the Safari drag-down menu and select the preferences option. then click the "extensions" tab.
2- Check the toolbars
Don't start deleting yet. Some toolbars are actually very usefull. But instead go through each add-on to see if it matches the toolbar you installed. When you find it, select it and click the Remove button, Disable button or trash icon, depending on the browser.Try not to delete add-ons from Microsoft, Adobe, or any other company that you recognize.
3- use the disable button
f you're worried about deleting the wrong thing. Use the disable button-all add-on pages have them-to temporarily shuts the add-on down without uninstalling it. You can re-enable it later if you find it's something you need.
Practice a little trial and error by disabling and re-enabling add-ons that look suspicious until your unwanted toolbar is gone. After you've identified your target, hit the delete button and kiss the toolbar goodbye.
4- A browser reset
A browser reset will restore your browser to its default settings and get rid of any unwanted extras.
the bad news is that a browser reset will also wipe out your personal settings. This includes your homepage, bookmarks, saved passwords and add-ons.
It is most important to save is your bookmarks and passwords. export bookmarks to a file on your desktop. You can re-import them later. passwords, put them in a free third-party password manager like lastpass or keepass.
To reset your browser
Have you ever turned on your computer and found and a new toolbar sitting in your browser, and to make things worse, your home page has changed to search site that you never heard of.
This actually happens a lot especially if you do not pay attention when you download a new program. They sneak in these extra download when they suggest the recommended download check box. you should " always select custom installation or advanced installation".
Unwanted toolbars and plug-in, can make your computer less secure. Some outdated plug-ins make it easier for viruses and spyware to sneak in through security holes that your browser would normally plug.
How To Remove A REMOVE A TOOLBAR
deleting the free program that the add-ons came with will not solve the problem. Toolbars are separate programs, so you have to go after them individually.
you can uninstall the toolbars and plug-ins in the same place you'd remove any Windows program.
look for the toolbar name. Or it might be listed under a company name, so check program install dates for things installed most recently.
1- Find unwanted toolbars.
Internet Explorer
Click the gear icon in the upper right corner and select "Manage add-ons"
Mozilla Firefox
Go to Firefox's option menu by clicking on the 3 bars located to the far right of your browser.
Then click the add-ons button to navigate to the add-ons page.
click Extensions to see what's installed. Some toolbars also end up under Plugins.
Google Chrome
Click the three lines to see Chrome's option screen. Then mouse over the "tools" icon and click the "extensions" button on the left side to see what's installed.
Safari
Click the Safari drag-down menu and select the preferences option. then click the "extensions" tab.
2- Check the toolbars
Don't start deleting yet. Some toolbars are actually very usefull. But instead go through each add-on to see if it matches the toolbar you installed. When you find it, select it and click the Remove button, Disable button or trash icon, depending on the browser.Try not to delete add-ons from Microsoft, Adobe, or any other company that you recognize.
3- use the disable button
f you're worried about deleting the wrong thing. Use the disable button-all add-on pages have them-to temporarily shuts the add-on down without uninstalling it. You can re-enable it later if you find it's something you need.
Practice a little trial and error by disabling and re-enabling add-ons that look suspicious until your unwanted toolbar is gone. After you've identified your target, hit the delete button and kiss the toolbar goodbye.
4- A browser reset
A browser reset will restore your browser to its default settings and get rid of any unwanted extras.
the bad news is that a browser reset will also wipe out your personal settings. This includes your homepage, bookmarks, saved passwords and add-ons.
It is most important to save is your bookmarks and passwords. export bookmarks to a file on your desktop. You can re-import them later. passwords, put them in a free third-party password manager like lastpass or keepass.
To reset your browser
- Internet Explorer, click the gear icon at the top right corner and select Internet Options. Go to the Advanced tab and click the Reset button.
- Firefox, click the Firefox button. Choose Help>>Troubleshooting Information. Click the Reset Firefox button at the top right corner.
- Google Chrome, click on the three-line icon in the upper right corner. Select Settings and then click on the "Show advanced settings" link at the bottom. Scroll down to the bottom and click "Reset browser settings." In the dialog box that appears, click Reset.
- Safari on a Mac, click Safari and choose the "Reset Safari..." option from the drop-down menu. A warning dialog will pop up, showing you the items that will be removed. Click Reset to complete the process.