Helping people with computers... one answer at a time.

Toolbars in Internet Explorer can be handy, but each means less room for web pages. We look at steps to get rid of most toolbars in Internet Explorer.

I have two extra tool bars on my computer when I go out on the internet, one is Google and one is Yahoo. I don't know how exactly they were put up but they take up too much of my screen room. Can you tell me how to get them taken off?

Naturally it depends on just what you mean by "taken off".

And of course, it also depends on the specific toolbar.

Yahoo and Google's toolbars are pretty well behaved, so let's look at your options.

If you want to just make them disappear, with the option of getting them back later when you think they might be useful, just hide 'em.

Right click on, oh, say the Google logo in the Google toolbar, you should get a popup list of all the tool bars, with check marks indicating which are displayed:

Toolbars Context Menu

(You can see I have a few.) Uncheck the ones you don't want - you many need to uncheck "Lock the Toolbars" first so you can make changes.

The toolbars you uncheck will still be available later, if you want to enable them again.

If you just want them gone permanently, then the right thing to do is to uninstall them.

"I called Yahoo and Google's toolbars 'well behaved' because they install at your request ... and they actually have an uninstall procedure that works."

In Control Panel, Add or Remove Programs, if you scroll down the list you should find an entry for the toolbar you care about:

Google Toolbar in Add/Remove Programs

Click on Change/Remove or Uninstall for the toolbar you're concerned about, and follow any instructions to remove it. The next time you start your browser it should be gone.

I called Yahoo and Google's toolbars "well behaved" because they install at your request (or, occasionally as an clearly optional component of some other software you might install), and they actually have an uninstall procedure that works. Many toolbars work exactly that way.

However...

There are many other toolbars that do not. These fall into the realm of spyware, adware or just general malware. They are often installed without your permission, and are difficult to uninstall without help. That "help" typically takes the form of one of the better anti-spyware programs. Fortunately running anti-spyware software is something you should be doing anyway, and this will more often prevent these malicious toolbars from appearing in the first place.

Article C2764 - August 22, 2006 « »

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Leo Leo A. Notenboom has been playing with computers since he was required to take a programming class in 1976. An 18 year career as a programmer at Microsoft soon followed. After "retiring" in 2001, Leo started Ask Leo! in 2003 as a place for answers to common computer and technical questions. More about Leo.

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Recent Comments
44 Comments
suzie white
September 27, 2011 10:06 AM

my question has to do with the Morphster-conduit.com toolbar that downloaded itself onto my computer therefore I get it INSTEAD of Internet Explorer. I have deleted everything assoc. with it. I deleted IE and reinstalled. Still say's morphster. I got avg free, then superantivirus, then malware/adware and still can't get rid of it. Who are these people and why have they taken over my internet explorer?

Lynn Peters
October 21, 2011 7:16 AM

I asked how to remove a tool bar that shows up when i run my antispie ware and it is not listed in my system. How do i get rid of it i have tried several thing but no luck.

Patricia
November 30, 2011 1:07 PM

i try to get rid of one of my tabs when you type something in but i don't know how

steve
May 15, 2012 3:57 PM

totaly useless information
i right click 1000 times everywhere and no popup list apears so obviously its useless , explain what to do if this happens but you asume that everyone can do this waste of time

Ron Macpherson
May 30, 2012 7:36 PM

For those who want to remove annoying toolbars the use of Microsoft's "add or remove" feature is not very good.

For one thing it does not remove the many small files that the toolbar put in your registry.

The best way to remove unwanted toobars, or any other program is to use the FREE program called REVO UNINSTALLER.

This was given us by an Australian programmer.
Just go to google and downlaod it to your PC.

When you bring it up it will show you ALL of your programs or apps including the unwanted toolbar. BUT after you press "uninstall" just wait and it will ask you if you want all the extra registry items to be removed as well. Just say yes to all. That nasty toolbar will not re-enter your PC again without your permission. Ron


I've long recommended Revo: Revo Uninstaller - Uninstall Things That Won't
Leo
31-May-2012