According to computer security researchers, PDFTab is categorized as PUP from the browser hijacker (sometimes named hijackware) group. Once hijacker get installed on your system, it takes over your web browser such as Edge, Google Chrome, Microsoft Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. PDFTab browser hijacker makes changes to your web browser’s settings, including new tab, search engine and homepage, and installs unwanted plugins deep inside your PC. This is the main reason why you need to remove PDFTab from your computer and return your web browser search provider and home page back to the default.
When you perform a search via PDFTab, in addition to search results from Yahoo, Bing or Google Custom Search which provide links to web pages, news articles, images or videos you’ll also be shown a huge number of annoying ads. The creators of PDFTab doing this to make advertising money from these advertisements.
It’s not a good idea to have an unwanted program like PDFTab on your PC. The reason for this is simple, it doing things you don’t know about. The browser hijacker infection be able to gather lots of personal info about you which can be later transferred third party companies. You do not know if your home address, account names and passwords are safe. And of course you completely don’t know what will happen when you click on any advertisements on the PDFTab.
We strongly suggest that you perform the guidance below that will assist you to remove PDFTab home page using the standard features of Windows and some proven freeware.
Remove PDFTab from Google Chrome, Firefox, IE, Edge
We suggest opting for automatic PDFTab removal in order to delete all browser hijacker related entries easily. This method requires scanning the computer with reputable anti malware, e.g. Zemana Anti-Malware (ZAM), MalwareBytes Free or Hitman Pro. However, if you prefer manual removal steps, you can follow the steps below in this post. Read it once, after doing so, please print this page as you may need to exit your internet browser or reboot your PC system.
To remove PDFTab, complete the following steps:
- How to remove PDFTab manually
- Scan your computer and get rid of PDFTab with free utilities
- Run AdBlocker to stop PDFTab redirect and stay safe online
- How does your browser get affected with PDFTab
- To sum up
How to remove PDFTab manually
If you perform exactly the few simple steps below you should be able to remove the PDFTab from the Edge, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Chrome web browsers.
Remove potentially unwanted software through the Microsoft Windows Control Panel
The best way to begin the PC system cleanup is to delete unknown and questionable applications. Using the MS Windows Control Panel you can do this quickly and easily. This step, in spite of its simplicity, should not be ignored, because the removing of unneeded applications can clean up the Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft Internet Explorer from pop-up ads hijackers and so on.
Windows 10, 8.1, 8
Click the MS Windows logo, and then click Search 
. Type ‘Control panel’and press Enter as shown in the figure below.
After the ‘Control Panel’ opens, press the ‘Uninstall a program’ link under Programs category as displayed in the following example.
Windows 7, Vista, XP
Open Start menu and select the ‘Control Panel’ at right as displayed below.
Then go to ‘Add/Remove Programs’ or ‘Uninstall a program’ (Microsoft Windows 7 or Vista) as shown on the image below.
Carefully browse through the list of installed apps and remove all questionable and unknown applications. We advise to click ‘Installed programs’ and even sorts all installed applications by date. After you have found anything questionable that may be the hijacker infection that cause PDFTab web site to appear or other potentially unwanted application (PUA), then choose this application and click ‘Uninstall’ in the upper part of the window. If the dubious program blocked from removal, then use Revo Uninstaller Freeware to completely delete it from your computer.
Remove PDFTab from Mozilla Firefox by resetting web browser settings
Resetting your Mozilla Firefox is first troubleshooting step for any issues with your web browser program, including the redirect to PDFTab site. It’ll keep your personal information like browsing history, bookmarks, passwords and web form auto-fill data.
First, launch the Firefox and click 
button. It will open the drop-down menu on the right-part of the web-browser. Further, click the Help button (
) as displayed on the image below.
In the Help menu, select the “Troubleshooting Information” option. Another way to open the “Troubleshooting Information” screen – type “about:support” in the internet browser adress bar and press Enter. It will open the “Troubleshooting Information” page as displayed on the image below. In the upper-right corner of this screen, click the “Refresh Firefox” button.
It will display the confirmation prompt. Further, click the “Refresh Firefox” button. The Firefox will start a procedure to fix your problems that caused by the browser hijacker which designed to reroute your web browser to the PDFTab site. After, it is complete, click the “Finish” button.
Remove PDFTab from Google Chrome
In this step we are going to show you how to reset Chrome settings. PUPs such as the PDFTab can make changes to your browser settings including new tab, default search provider and startpage, add toolbars and unwanted extensions. By resetting Chrome settings you will remove PDFTab and reset unwanted changes caused by browser hijacker. However, your themes, bookmarks, history, passwords, and web form auto-fill information will not be deleted.
First open the Chrome. Next, click the button in the form of three horizontal dots (
).
It will open the Chrome menu. Choose More Tools, then press Extensions. Carefully browse through the list of installed extensions. If the list has the extension signed with “Installed by enterprise policy” or “Installed by your administrator”, then complete the following guidance: Remove Google Chrome extensions installed by enterprise policy.
Open the Google Chrome menu once again. Further, click the option named “Settings”.
The web browser will open the settings screen. Another method to display the Google Chrome’s settings – type chrome://settings in the browser adress bar and press Enter
Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the “Advanced” link. Now scroll down until the “Reset” section is visible, as shown in the figure below and press the “Reset settings to their original defaults” button.
The Chrome will display the confirmation dialog box like below.
You need to confirm your action, click the “Reset” button. The web-browser will launch the task of cleaning. When it’s done, the web browser’s settings including search engine by default, new tab page and homepage back to the values which have been when the Chrome was first installed on your PC.
Remove PDFTab search from IE
The IE reset is great if your web browser is hijacked or you have unwanted addons or toolbars on your internet browser, that installed by a malicious software.
First, run the IE, then click ‘gear’ icon 
. It will display the Tools drop-down menu on the right part of the web-browser, then click the “Internet Options” as on the image below.
In the “Internet Options” screen, select the “Advanced” tab, then press the “Reset” button. The Internet Explorer will open the “Reset Internet Explorer settings” dialog box. Further, press the “Delete personal settings” check box to select it. Next, click the “Reset” button as shown below.
After the process is finished, click “Close” button. Close the Microsoft Internet Explorer and restart your PC system for the changes to take effect. This step will help you to restore your internet browser’s search provider, home page and newtab to default state.
Scan your computer and get rid of PDFTab with free utilities
Run malware removal utilities to remove PDFTab automatically. The free applications utilities specially created for browser hijacker, adware and other potentially unwanted apps removal. These utilities may remove most of browser hijacker from Firefox, MS Edge, Internet Explorer and Chrome. Moreover, it can remove all components of PDFTab from Windows registry and system drives.
How to remove PDFTab with Zemana Free
Zemana AntiMalware is a free application for Microsoft Windows operating system to search for and delete potentially unwanted software, adware, malicious browser addons, browser toolbars, and other unwanted apps such as hijacker infection that causes browsers to show intrusive PDFTab web page, installed on your machine.
- Download Zemana by clicking on the link below.
Zemana AntiMalware
164037 downloads
Author: Zemana Ltd
Category: Security tools
Update: July 16, 2019
- At the download page, click on the Download button. Your web browser will open the “Save as” prompt. Please save it onto your Windows desktop.
- Once downloading is done, please close all software and open windows on your computer. Next, start a file named Zemana.AntiMalware.Setup.
- This will run the “Setup wizard” of Zemana onto your computer. Follow the prompts and do not make any changes to default settings.
- When the Setup wizard has finished installing, the Zemana Anti-Malware (ZAM) will start and show the main window.
- Further, click the “Scan” button . Zemana AntiMalware (ZAM) tool will begin scanning the whole PC to find out hijacker infection responsible for redirections to PDFTab. Depending on your computer, the scan may take anywhere from a few minutes to close to an hour. While the Zemana Anti Malware utility is scanning, you can see number of objects it has identified as being affected by malicious software.
- After Zemana has completed scanning, Zemana Free will show a scan report.
- Review the scan results and then click the “Next” button. The tool will start to remove browser hijacker responsible for redirecting your web-browser to PDFTab web-page. Once the process is finished, you may be prompted to restart the PC system.
- Close the Zemana Anti Malware and continue with the next step.
Get rid of PDFTab browser hijacker and malicious extensions with Hitman Pro
HitmanPro is a free utility that can identify hijacker responsible for redirects to PDFTab. It’s not always easy to locate all the junk programs that your PC system might have picked up on the Internet. Hitman Pro will detect the adware, hijackers and other malware you need to erase.
Download Hitman Pro by clicking on the link below. Save it on your Microsoft Windows desktop.
Download and run HitmanPro on your PC. Once started, press “Next” button to begin checking your system for the browser hijacker infection responsible for redirects to PDFTab. A scan can take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the number of files on your computer and the speed of your personal computer. While the tool is scanning, you may see how many objects and files has already scanned..
After the checking is finished, HitmanPro will display a list of all threats found by the scan.
Review the scan results and then click Next button.
It will open a dialog box, click the “Activate free license” button to begin the free 30 days trial to delete all malicious software found.
How to remove PDFTab with Malwarebytes
We advise using the Malwarebytes Free that are completely clean your computer of the hijacker infection. The free utility is an advanced malware removal application created by (c) Malwarebytes lab. This program uses the world’s most popular antimalware technology. It is able to help you remove browser hijacker infections, PUPs, malware, adware, toolbars, ransomware and other security threats from your computer for free.
Visit the page linked below to download the latest version of MalwareBytes AntiMalware for MS Windows. Save it on your MS Windows desktop.
326391 downloads
Author: Malwarebytes
Category: Security tools
Update: April 15, 2020
After the download is done, close all software and windows on your machine. Double-click the setup file called mb3-setup. If the “User Account Control” prompt pops up as displayed on the image below, click the “Yes” button.
It will open the “Setup wizard” that will help you install MalwareBytes Anti-Malware on your system. Follow the prompts and do not make any changes to default settings.
Once install is done successfully, click Finish button. MalwareBytes Anti Malware (MBAM) will automatically start and you can see its main screen as displayed below.
Now press the “Scan Now” button to start scanning your personal computer for the hijacker infection which cause a redirect to PDFTab web-site. A system scan may take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes, depending on your PC system. While the MalwareBytes tool is checking, you may see number of objects it has identified as being affected by malicious software.
After the scan is finished, MalwareBytes AntiMalware (MBAM) will create a list of unwanted applications ad supported software. Once you’ve selected what you wish to remove from your PC system press “Quarantine Selected” button. The MalwareBytes AntiMalware (MBAM) will delete hijacker infection that cause PDFTab web-site to appear and move threats to the program’s quarantine. After the process is complete, you may be prompted to restart the PC.
We recommend you look at the following video, which completely explains the process of using the MalwareBytes to delete adware, hijacker and other malicious software.
Run AdBlocker to stop PDFTab redirect and stay safe online
The AdGuard is a very good ad-blocking application for the IE, MS Edge, Mozilla Firefox and Chrome, with active user support. It does a great job by removing certain types of unwanted advertisements, popunders, popups, unwanted new tabs, and even full page advertisements and site overlay layers. Of course, the AdGuard can block the PDFTab redirect automatically or by using a custom filter rule.
- AdGuard can be downloaded from the following link. Save it to your Desktop.
Adguard download
26628 downloads
Version: 6.4
Author: © Adguard
Category: Security tools
Update: November 15, 2018
- After the downloading process is done, start the downloaded file. You will see the “Setup Wizard” program window. Follow the prompts.
- Once the install is finished, press “Skip” to close the install program and use the default settings, or press “Get Started” to see an quick tutorial which will assist you get to know AdGuard better.
- In most cases, the default settings are enough and you do not need to change anything. Each time, when you run your computer, AdGuard will start automatically and block unwanted popup ads, PDFTab redirect, as well as other malicious or misleading websites. For an overview of all the features of the program, or to change its settings you can simply double-click on the icon named AdGuard, that is located on your desktop.
How does your browser get affected with PDFTab
Many of the freeware out there install unwanted browser toolbars, adware and PUPs like the browser hijacker that cause PDFTab to appear along with them without your knowledge. One has to be attentive while installing freeware in order to avoid accidentally installing bundled applications. It is important that you pay attention to the EULA (End User License Agreements) and choose the Custom, Manual or Advanced setup method as it will typically disclose what additional programs will also be installed.
To sum up
Now your PC system should be free of the browser hijacker responsible for redirecting user searches to PDFTab. We suggest that you keep AdGuard (to help you stop unwanted popup advertisements and intrusive harmful web pages) and Zemana Anti-Malware (to periodically scan your computer for new malware, hijackers and ad-supported software). Make sure that you have all the Critical Updates recommended for Microsoft Windows operating system. Without regular updates you WILL NOT be protected when new browser hijacker infections, harmful apps and ad-supported software are released.
If you are still having problems while trying to get rid of PDFTab start page from your web browser, then ask for help here.
