Adware Removal Guide

by | Sep 7, 2020 | Adware Removal | 0 comments

Adware, or advertising software, is software that installs an additional component along with other software or via ActiveX controls on the internet. This software feeds advertising; either by delivering pop-up advertisements, redirecting you to sites other than intended, or by installing a toolbar in your browser, often without your knowledge or any disclosure that it will be used to access personal data. In addition, adware can actually be quite annoying if you’re not really a fan of guerilla marketing.

However, it can introduce certain system anomalies or incompatibilities that can give birth to problems in other programs and even disrupt the functioning of your operating system. Furthermore, it includes codes that track your personal information (such as your email address, passwords, browsing history, your online buying habits, your computer’s hardware/software configuration etc.) and passes it on to third parties without your knowledge or authorization. 

What’s more, even seasoned users sometimes face difficulties in trying to uninstall adware because they are designed in that manner to allow them to continue generating revenue through their ads.

Removing Adware Manually

Adware programs often do not have any uninstall procedures; they stealthily penetrate your computer and run unnoticed, making use of technologies that border on ‘virus technology’; it does not show its presence in the system (that is, it does not have an icon in the system tray and is not listed among the ‘installed files’).

Given below is a manual guide for removing adware from your system. However, to ensure that the program has been completely removed and stops displaying advertisements on your computer, experts recommend using SpyHunter to scan your computer for any malware that might have accompanied the adware and may pose a threat to your system’s security.

Step 1 – Uninstall Pop-up Ads Programs

  • Click the Start button, select Control Panel and click on Uninstall a Program.
  • Once the Add/Remove/Uninstall Programs screen is displayed, scroll through the list of installed programs and uninstall any recently installed or unknown programs. As a general rule, make it a point to uninstall any installed program you come across whose purpose you are unaware of or ones that you do not recall installing yourself.  The most common programs installed on users’ systems may include:
  • LyricsSay-1
  • LyricXeeker, 
  • HD-Plus, 
  • GetLyrics, 
  • DownloadTerms 1.0, 
  • Browse2Save, 
  • TidyNetwork.com, 
  • WebCake 

Step 2 – Remove Pop-up Ads from your Browser

Follow the steps given below to remove adware from your respective web browser.

For Google Chrome

Follow these steps to remove any malicious extensions from Google chrome:

  • Open Google Chrome, Click on the menu button (in the top right section) on the browser toolbar, select Tools and click on Extensions.
  • In the Extensions Tab, click on the recycle bin (icon) to remove any unknown extensions. Again, if you have not installed an extension yourself, remove it from your browser. Common extensions found on your browser may include (refer to list mentioned in Step 1).

For Internet Explorer

  • Open Internet explorer, click on the gear icon at the top far-right (or Tools for users with Windows XP) and then click on Internet Options.
  • Once the internet options dialog box opens up, click on the Advanced tab and then click the Reset button.
  • In the Reset internet explorer settings section, check the Delete Personal Settings box and then click on Reset.
  • Click on Close in the confirmation dialogue box and then click OK once internet explorer finishes resetting,
  • Finally, restart Internet explorer by closing it and opening it again.

For Mozilla Firefox

  • Open Firefox, Click the Firefox button at the top of the window and go over to the Help sub-menu. (For users with windows XP, click the Help menu and select Troubleshooting information).
  • In the upper right corner of the troubleshooting information page, click the Reset Firefox button.
  • Move forward by clicking Reset Firefox in the confirmation window that opens up
  • Firefox will automatically close and reset; once it’s done, a window listing the imported information will appear. Click Finish.

After you have successfully removed the adware from your computer manually, make sure to thoroughly scan your system using ultra-reliable antispyware software equipped with adware detection tools.

Download Protection Against Viruses and Malware Infections

Malware and Virus Threats may compromise your online privacy, they can also affect the performance of your computer. If you wish to protect your computer from threats, download a reliable malware protection tool. 

Protect Your Privacy Online

When you surf the internet, your IP adress may help third parties from identifying you. The best way to protect yourself against breaches of privacy is to use a VPN (Virtual Private Network). A VPN essentially lets you surf the internet through another computer so that the digital footprint of your computer may remain hidden.