Have you noticed your internet window getting smaller and smaller over time as more and more tool bars magically appear along the top? Most of these extra tool bars get installed along with other software, and most of the time you may not even be aware that it happened until you go to surf the net and find yet another tool bar clogging up the top of your internet window. Well fret not, for here we will show you how to remove these tool bars and reclaim the space that they waste! This article explains the process of toolbar-removal in Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Opera. How to Get Rid of Toolbars in Internet Explorer
This set of instructions will show you how to remove unwanted toolbars from Internet Explorer.
How to Hide a Toolbar in Internet Explorer
1.Open Internet Explorer.
2.Right-click on an empty part of a toolbar (somewhere where there isn't anything like an input box or a link, you may have to try a couple different spots) as shown below:
3.This menu displays all of the current toolbars that are installed. To remove one from view, simply uncheck the name of the toolbar you want to hide. This will only hide it, it will remain installed and you can return to this menu and re-check the box to un-hide it should you decide that you actually want it in the future.
How to Uninstall a Toolbar in Internet Explorer
1.Close your browser.
2.Go to the Windows Control Panel by clicking: “Start”->”Settings”->”Control Panel”, or “Start”->“Control Panel”.
3.Double Click “Add / Remove Programs”.
4.This should open a window that displays a list of all of the currently installed software on your computer. Search this list for the name of the toolbar you wish to uninstall, then select it and click the “Change/Remove” button.
What If I Can't Hide / Uninstall Them?
If the Tool Bar doesn't appear either in the “show/hide” options menu or in the “Add / Remove Programs” list, then it’s likely associated with spyware and its creators have intentionally made it difficult to remove. Always be cautious when installing “free” software for Windows since many creators of such software accept money from spyware and adware companies to include their software in the installation. If you suspect this is the case, see our article on How to Get Rid of Spyware.
How to Get Rid of Toolbars in Firefox
This set of instructions will show you how to remove unwanted toolbars from Firefox.
How to Hide a Toolbar in Firefox
1.Open Firefox.
2.In the top-most menu, click “View” and move the mouse cursor over the “Toolbars” option. This will display a list of currently installed toolbars:
3.Uncheck the toolbar you that want to hide. This will not uninstall the toolbar, but it will hide it from view. If decide you want the toolbar back, just repeat the above steps and re-check the toolbar you want to view.
How to Uninstall a Toolbar in Firefox
1.Open Firefox.
2.In the top-most menu, click “Tools”, and then “Add-ons”. This will display a list of all currently-installed Firefox add-ons including toolbars:
3.Find the toolbar you want to uninstall, select it and then click the “Uninstall” button. If you think you may want it back later you can choose to click “Disable”, which will keep it installed but stop Firefox from loading it when it starts. Later you may return to this menu to re-enable it.
What If I Can't Hide / Uninstall Them?
Though Firefox is less susceptible to spyware than Internet Explorer, sometimes it does happen. If you have a toolbar that doesn’t show up in your “Add-ons” list, look for it in Windows “Add-Remove Programs” list (“Start”->“Settings”->“Control Panel”->”Add/Remove Programs” or “Start”->“Control Panel”->”Add/Remove Programs”).
Failing that, see our article on How to Get Rid of Spyware.
How to Get Rid of Toolbars in Opera
This set of instructions will show you how to remove additional toolbars from Opera.
How to Hide a Toolbar in Opera
1.In the top-most menu, click “View”, and move the mouse cursor over the “Toolbars” option. This will display a list of currently installed toolbars:
2.Uncheck the toolbar you want to hide. This will not uninstall the toolbar, but it will hide it from view. If decide you want the toolbar back, just repeat the above steps and check the toolbar you want to view.
How to Uninstall a Toolbar in Opera
1.In the top-most menu, click “Tools” and then “Preferences”.
2.In the resulting "preferences" window, select the “Advanced” tab, and then click “Toolbars” from the list on the left:
3.Select the unwanted Toolbar and click the “Delete” button.
What If I Can't Hide / Uninstall Them?
Like Firefox, Opera is more resistant to spyware and adware toolbars than Internet Explorer, but also like Firefox, it can happen. If you have a toolbar that doesn’t show up in your “Add-ons” list, look for it in Windows “Add-Remove Programs” list (“Start”->“Settings”->“Control Panel”->”Add/Remove Programs” or “Start”->“Control Panel”->”Add/Remove Programs”).
Failing that, see our article on How to Get Rid of Spyware.