Smart Searching Tab is a browser extension, which official website Smartsearching.net is endorsing as a tool that enhances internet browsing and searching experience of online users especially if they utilized the dedicated search engine at Hp.hsmartsearching.net.
It is considered as browser hijacker because of its malicious behavior on injecting itself into computers without knowledge of web users. Developers of Smart Searching Tab execute a deceptive marketing technique to spread this invasive program. Through freeware “bundling”, installation of Smart Searching Tab is possible. There are software bundles available on the internet free of charge, which includes Smart Searching Tab on the package. Online users do not really notice the penetration of unwanted application like Smart Searching Tab. Typically, software bundles do not reveal that there is Potentially Unwanted Program (PUP) or adware included on the package. It will be too late for online users to see the unsolicited installation of PUP when it starts to exhibit suspicious behaviors on the browser.
Smart Searching Tab begins its operations by making alterations on web browser settings. The usual homepage, new tab page, and search engine will show the unwanted Hp.hsmartsearching.net homepage. Results provided by this questionable web address could be unreliable and inaccurate. Furthermore, Smart Searching Tab can present internet users with questionable web pages, containing unexpected and undesirable subjects. It can also generate intrusive advertisements and pop-ups that connect to dubious websites such as mature-oriented sites, illegal streaming platforms, or intrusive promotional sites, which are unsuitable for web visitors. Furthermore, ads by Smart Searching Tab can install similar-unwanted program into computer, to cause more damage in the operating system.
Infections of Smart Searching Tab on the computers could also lead to privacy issues. This unwanted program and its search engine Hp.hsmartsearching.net are able to track browsing activities and confidential information of web users. Such private data can be exposed to cyber criminals and use it for generating income by blackmailing, or exploiting money from their victims. Note that, a simple installation of an unwanted program could result into petty problems that may become serious in the future. It is better to remove Smart Searching Tab from computers as soon as possible to avoid further adware or malware infection.
Smart Searching Tab Removal Procedure
Below is a systematic instruction that is very useful in getting rid of the potentially unwanted program (PUP) from compromised Windows computer. Aside from removing the malicious browser extension, this guide is also helpful in deleting Hsmartsearching.net hijacker and pop-ups.
In order to totally eliminate the threat, it is vital to follow the process in exact manner.
Step 1 : Delete Smart Searching Tab Browser Extension
Most adware and unwanted programs are using a program called browser extension to be able to take over the settings of internet applications. Therefore, we highly recommend to check and remove the extension that is closely related to Smart Searching Tab.
Remove Smart Searching Tab Extension from Google Chrome
1. Open Google Chrome browser.
2. Type chrome://extensions/ in the address bar and press Enter on keyboard.
3. Find Smart Searching Tab or relevant entry like Hsmartsearching.net and remove it from Google Chrome browser.
Uninstall Smart Searching Tab Extension from Mozilla Firefox
1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser.
2. Type about:addons in the address bar and press Enter on keyboard.
3. Choose Extensions on sidebar menu.
4. Look for object that is pertaining to Smart Searching Tab and remove it from the browser.
After deleting the malicious browser extension, it is expected that Hsmartsearching.net is also gone from the homepage.
Remove Smart Searching Tab Add-ons from Internet Explorer and Edge Browser
1. Open Internet Explorer program.
2. Go to top Menu and click Tools. Then, select Manage Add-ons from the drop-down list.
3. Look for and Remove or Disable entries of Smart Searching Tab from Toolbars and Extension. Additionally, delete Hsmartsearching.net from Search Providers section.
4. Close the window and restart Internet Explorer.
If Smart Searching Tab is still present on the IE browser and there are still homepage and pop-ups originating from Hsmartsearching.net, another option is to remove the adware from Windows Control Panel.
5. Press Windows Key + R and then, type appwiz.cpl command.
6. Program and Features window will open. Arrange the list in chronological manner with recently installed applications on top. To do this, click on 'Installed On' column.
7. Select Smart Searching Tab or recently installed unwanted entry. Then, click on Uninstall to remove it from Windows system.
Step 2 : Scan the computer with Sophos Antivirus
To remove Smart Searching Tab automatically, checking the computer with this powerful malware scanner recommended. This security application does not just uncover known threats like viruses or malware, it is also effective in discovering browser hijacker that assigns Hsmartsearching.net as the homepage URL.
1. Download Sophos Virus Removal Tool from the link below. Save the file on your computer where you can easily access it.
2. Once the download completes, browse the location of the file. Double-click to run the program and begin the install process.
3. On first windows of installation wizard, click Next to continue. Then, it will display the program’s License Agreement. You need to Accept the terms in order to proceed. If Windows prompts for User Account Control, please click Yes to proceed.
4. On succeeding windows, click Next or Continue to carry on with the installation. After completing the installation process, Launch Sophos Virus Removal Tool.
5. Internet connection is required when running this scanner in order to download important updates. Make sure that everything is up-to-date to effectively remove malicious program like Smart Searching Tab.
6. Click the button to carry out the Scan. This will check the system for presence of malicious objects, malware, and viruses. The tool reveals items that were found linked to Smart Searching Tab and other suspicious entities. Be sure to remove all identified threats.
The above procedures should have totally eliminated the Smart Searching Tab browser hijacker. However, if you found that there are still remnants of the threat and Hsmartsearching.net still exists on internet application, please proceed to manual removal of associated objects as outlined below.
Step 3 : Scan and Delete Adware with AdwCleaner
In addition to the procedure, we suggest scanning the computer with AdwCleaner tool. Possibly, there are some traces of Smart Searching Tab on the browser that was not deleted during the preceding steps. This tool will scan the computer and check for presence of malicious applications as well as invalid browser entries that produces Hsmartsearching.net pop-ups.
1. Follow the link below to download the tool called AdwCleaner.
2. When the download has completed, please close all running programs on the computer especially browsers affected by Smart Searching Tab.
3. Browse the location of the downloaded file and double-click on adwcleaner_Ver.exe to start running the tool. Then, click on Scan button.
4. AdwCleaner searches the computer for malicious programs, extensions, plug-ins, adware, and any items that may be associated to Smart Searching Tab. It will also check for suspicious entries on browser settings that is associated with Hsmartsearching.net.
5. Clean or Remove all suspicious and harmful items identified after the thorough scan.
6. After the cleanup procedure, rebooting the computer is required to finalize the removal of detected threats.
Check if your internet browser application is no longer being bothered by Hsmartsearching.net. If the browser hijacker still persists, please continue with the steps below to reset internet programs to default settings.
Optional : Reset Internet Browser Program
Cleaning your internet browser from clutter and unwanted add-on/extension is a must when dealing with Smart Searching Tab. The procedure below discuss on resetting various browsers to its default state.
Restore Google Chrome to Default Settings
Resetting Google Chrome to default settings is helpful in deleting hard-to-remove extension such as from Smart Searching Tab. This method is highly advisable to perform if you have difficulty in removing unwanted extension.
1. Open Google Chrome Internet browser.
2. On the address bar, type chrome://settings/reset and press Enter key.
3. Under Reset and clean up section, choose Restore settings to their original defaults.
4. Click Reset settings button to clear all entries of Smart Searching Tab.
5. Close the existing tab and restart Google Chrome. That should have removed Smart Searching Tab extension and associated objects.
Reset Mozilla Firefox to Default
This section describes how to remove unwanted extension from Firefox that may be related to Smart Searching Tab. This process can fix many browser issues by restoring Firefox to factory settings without affecting your essential information (bookmarks, browsing history, passwords, and Internet cookies) on the browser. If you desire to remove only specific extension, please see manual removal of add-on from Firefox.
1. Input the string about:support on Firefox web address and press Enter on keyboard.
2. You will now see the Troubleshooting Information page of Mozilla Firefox.
3. You will notice a section on upper-right corner of the screen stating Give Firefox a tune up. Click the Refresh Firefox button.
4. If confirmation window appears, click Refresh Firefox to continue.
5. Firefox browser will close and start the resetting process. When done, it will display a list of restored data. Smart Searching Tab should be gone by now. Click Finish to open a fresh version of Firefox.
Restore Internet Explorer to Default Settings
1. Open Internet Explorer and navigate to top menu. Click Tools, and then Internet Options.
2. Select Advanced tab on Internet Options window.
3. On lower part of the window, under Reset Internet Explorer Settings area, click the Reset button. Please see image for reference.
Your data like favorites, bookmark, and history will remain in the browser. However, this process may delete add-ons by Smart Searching Tab and other unknown objects. If you prefer to carry out the procedure manually, please add-on removal from Internet Explorer.
Clear the Safari Internet Browser (Mac)
1. Open your Safari browser application.
2. In the Safari menu, click on Preferences from the drop-down list.
3. On Preferences window, please select the Privacy tab.
4. Click on Manage Website Data button.
5. Select unwanted entry like Smart Searching Tab and click the Remove button. If you choose to Remove All, you may be logout from most visited websites and online services. Therefore, we advise to remove suspicious item one at a time to prevent changing behavior towards your favorite websites.
6. If it prompts, please confirm your actions.
7. Next, we will need to clear the Cache. Back at the Safari Preferences window, choose Advanced tab.
8. Navigate to the bottom and activate Show Develop menu in menu bar.
9. Go to Safari menu, choose on Develop from the drop down list and click on on Empty Caches.
10. Next thing to do is to restore the Homepage to your preference and remove the one from Smart Searching Tab.
11. Back at the Safari Preferences window, click on General tab.
12. Under Homepage section, type your desired URL to be the default start-up page.
13. Lastly, make sure to have the right Search Engine.
14. Go back to Safari Preferences window and click on Search tab.
15. Select your desired Search tool under the Search engine section.
16. You may not restart Safari browser.
How to remove Hsmartsearching.net Pop-ups (Notification)
Most of the time, browser hijackers are combined with intrusive pop-up ads originating from the source website Hsmartsearching.net. It is taking advantage of push notification feature of popular internet programs like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, or Edge. These pop-up ads from Hsmartsearching.net are extra ordinary as it exceeds the normal display volume and they are certainly annoying.
Normally, Hsmartsearching.net pop-ups will start to bombard internet browser screen with pop-ups if web user was deceived to click “Allow” button that triggers the said website to send push notification. To stop Hsmartsearching.net from showing the pop-ups, please execute the procedures below. Remember, these steps may only be successful after the removal of the main component or dubious browser extension.
Google Chrome
1. On Google Chrome browser, input the following in the address bar and press Enter:
chrome://settings/content/notifications
2. Navigate to the list under "Allow" section and look for Hsmartsearching.net.
3. Click the ellipses (3 dots) beside Hsmartsearching.net list to reveal the options.
4. Click on Block or Remove to stop Hsmartsearching.net from displaying pop-up ads on Google Chrome browser.
6. Please restart Google Chrome browser.
Mozilla Firefox
1. On Mozilla Firefox browser, type the following in the address bar and press Enter key:
about:preferences#privacy
2. Navigate below to Permission area and look for Notifications.
3. Click the Settings button aligned with the Notifications.
4. Look for Hsmartsearching.net entry and change the Status to Block.
5. Click on Save Changes and restart Mozilla Firefox and check if Hsmartsearching.net pop-up is gone.
Safari (Mac)
1. On top menu, click on Safari and then, select Preferences from the drop-down list.
2. Click on Websites tab to open its settings.
3. Select Notifications from the left sidebar.
4. On right panel, it will display a list of websites with "Allow" attribute.
5. Find and click on Hsmartsearching.net.
6. You may choose to Deny or Remove it from the notification list.
7. You may now restart Safari browser and see if Hsmartsearching.net pop-up is gone.
Microsoft Edge
1. Assuming that Edge browser is open, click on the ellipses (3 dots) on upper right corner to open the Settings. Alternatively, you can press Alt + X on the keyboard.
2. Select Settings from the drop-down list.
3. Click on Advanced.
4. Under Website Permissions area, click on Manage Permissions button.
4. Find and select Hsmartsearching.net from the list. Click on X button to stop it from showing pop-up ads or notifications.
5. You may now restart Edge browser.
