The free AdwCleaner program is designed to remove adware and potentially unwanted software from your computer. After removing such software, the security of your computer will increase.
Many users have often encountered the implicit installation of various unnecessary software on their computer. Toolbars and browser add-ons, advertising modules and banners, toolbars, and similar programs penetrate the computer during installation or after launching programs downloaded from the Internet.
The user expects to install a specific program on his computer, but in the end receives an unexpected “gift” that he will not be happy with at all. In some cases, the user himself allows such programs to appear on his computer without unchecking the appropriate boxes, and without paying attention to this when installing the program. In other cases, such unwanted software enters the computer secretly, without any notification to the user.
To prevent the installation of unnecessary programs, you can use a program that will warn you about an attempt to install such unwanted software on your computer.
Often, such unwanted software, once installed on a computer, behaves quite aggressively. Home pages in browsers change, new search engines appear, for example, such as the notorious Webalta, advertising banners, etc. Webalta secretly penetrates the computer, changes the start page in the browser, makes itself the default search engine, changes the properties of the shortcut for opening your page in the browsers installed on your computer.
To combat such unwanted programs, you can use the AdwCleaner program. AdwCleaner will scan your computer for adware and potentially dangerous software. Then you will receive a report, then you will be asked to remove the found adware, malware, and other potentially unwanted programs after restarting your computer.
AdwCleaner successfully removes toolbars, toolbars, ad units, hijacker programs that change the browser home page, and other similar software. Once the cleanup is complete, your computer will be safer.
AdwCleaner does not require installation on your computer. It can be launched from anywhere on the computer, from a connected disk or flash drive. The AdwCleaner utility has Russian language support and is used in the Windows operating system.
AdwCleaner download
The AdwCleaner program was acquired by the famous antivirus company Malwarebytes. after that, changes occurred in the application interface and settings.
The article has been supplemented with a review of the new version of Malwarebytes AwdCleaner.
Malwarebytes AwdCleaner Settings
Launch Malwarebytes AwdCleaner. In the main window of the application, there are several sections in the sidebar: “Control Panel”, “Quarantine”, “Report Files”, “Settings”, “Help”.
To change application settings, open the “Settings” section. The Settings section has three tabs: Application, Exception, Details.
The “Application” tab contains options for applying certain program parameters when restoring during a basic system cleanup. Here you can set more strict rules for scanning and cleaning the system, depending on the degree of problems encountered on a given computer. From here you can remove AdwCleaner.
In the “Exceptions” tab, the user adds applications to exceptions so that AdwCleaner ignores this data when scanning and cleaning.
The Quarantine section contains quarantined files.
From the “Report Files” section, you can copy the report to Notepad for saving on your computer, or for transferring to others.
Find adware and unwanted programs in Malwarebytes AwdCleaner
In the main window of Malwarebytes AwdCleaner, in the “Control Panel” section, click on the “Scan” button to start searching for unwanted and adware software on your PC.
After scanning your computer, the AdwCleaner window will display information about detected threats.
First, click on the “View Scan Report” button to obtain detailed information about the detected objects. I advise you to read the report, as the program lists unwanted applications associated with Mail.Ru.
Remove unwanted programs and adware with Malwarebytes AwdCleaner
In the main window of Malwarebytes AwdCleaner, you can uncheck the boxes next to the found files and folders that should not be deleted in your opinion.
After reviewing the information received, click on the “Clean and restore” button.
In the reboot warning window, click on the first button; the reboot will occur after the system is cleaned of unwanted software.
Then another window will open in which you need to click on the “Restart” button.
After Windows starts, the Malwarebytes AwdCleaner window will open with information about the cleaning results. If necessary, you can repeat the search and removal of unwanted applications again.
Removing unwanted programs in AdwCleaner (old version)
After downloading to your computer, run the AdwCleaner executable file. In the window that opens, you will need to click on the “J’accepte/I Agree” item to accept the terms of the license agreement.
Immediately after launch, the main window of the AdwCleaner program will open. The program is already running and is in the “Waiting for action” mode.
To start searching for potentially unwanted and malicious programs, in the AdwCleaner program you will need to click on the “Scan” button. The program will begin the process of searching for unwanted software, scanning services, folders, files, modified shortcuts, the registry, and browsers.
After the scanning process is completed, you will be able to look at the search results for the threats found. To do this, you will need to open the “Services”, “Folders”, “Files”, “Shortcuts”, “Registry”, “Internet Explorer” and other installed browsers tabs in turn in order to familiarize yourself with the detected data.
Carefully review the scan result in each tab. The program may suggest folders and files for deletion that should not be deleted from the computer. This mainly applies to services, programs and extensions of Yandex and Mail.Ru.
In the AdwCleaner program, the settings are made in such a way that, along with the removal of unnecessary toolbars, panels and add-ons, other software related to Yandex and Mail.Ru will be offered for removal. For example, the Yandex.Disk client program or the visual bookmarks extension from Yandex.
Therefore, carefully look at the list of what you found so as not to remove from your computer the add-ons or extensions that you use in your browser. Before deleting items, uncheck the boxes next to the appropriate items to prevent the programs you need from being deleted.
In this image you can see that I unchecked the boxes next to the corresponding items in order not to remove the “Alexa Toolbar” extension, which I myself installed in my Mozilla Firefox browser.
In order to view general information about the data found, you can click on the “Report” button.
Your computer's scan report will open in Notepad. If necessary, you can save this report on your computer. To do this, you will need to enter the “File” menu by selecting “Save as...” from the context menu.
To remove potentially unwanted programs, in the main window of the AdwCleaner program you will need to click on the “Clean” button.
Next, the “AdwCleaner – end programs” window will open. You will be prompted to close all running programs and save open documents on your computer. After completing the programs and saving the documents, click on the “OK” button.
The AdwCleaner - Information window will then open with information that will give you tips on how to prevent unwanted software from being installed on your computer. After reading this information, click on the “OK” button.
After this, the computer will shut down, and then the computer will restart. After starting the operating system again, a notepad will be opened with a report on the work done in the AdwCleaner program. If necessary, you can save this report on your computer.
The AdwCleaner program quarantines data deleted from the computer. If necessary, you can restore erroneously deleted data from quarantine.
Restoring data from quarantine
To restore data from quarantine, in the “Tools” menu, click on the “Quarantine Manager” item. After this, the “AdwCleaner – Quarantine Management” window will open.
To restore erroneously deleted items, you will first need to check the corresponding items, and then you will need to click on the “Recover” button.
You can remove AdwCleaner from your computer from the main program window with one click. To remove the program, you will need to click on the “Delete” button, after which the AdwCleaner program will be removed from your computer.
Conclusions of the article
Using the free AdwCleaner program, adware, malicious and potentially unwanted software will be removed from the user's computer. By removing unwanted applications, your computer's security will be increased.
Malware is software that gains unauthorized access to PC resources or user data stored on it. Such mini-programs are malicious because they are downloaded and installed unauthorized, interfere with the operation of applications, run autonomously, monitor user activity, and in some cases stop the operation of antiviruses and firewalls and send data. But it is incorrect to call malicious software or “malware” viruses in the full sense of the word; they are mini software that pursues its own “malicious” goals.
Such programs that secretly sneak onto a computer are often not identified by antiviruses, and in some cases even deactivate its operation. And it is very difficult to get rid of them. But there are special software methods that allow you to remove Malware.
Or on websites - a pressing problem that is not so easy to solve. We will tell you how to remove ads using one of the programs. But before you follow our recommendations, stop running extensions in your browser, even trusted ones, and look at the result. You may not need utilities. And if the method doesn't work, read on.
Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool
If your PC runs on the latest version of Microsoft operating system, “ten,” you can use a special utility already preinstalled by the developer. This program monitors the system automatically, but it can also be launched manually. The program is located in the system, hidden partition C:\Windows\System32\MRT.exe. An application from an official manufacturer is inferior in efficiency to programs that are installed externally. But you can still run it and check your computer.
After launch, you will see a wizard window with Russian language support. All you need to do while the utility is scanning is to press the “continue” button in time. The process of identifying malicious software using this utility is quite long, so wait until it is finished.
If licensed Windows 10 is installed on your PC, the utility for identifying malicious applications is official, i.e. developed by Microsoft itself. This means that you can use this method absolutely safely, without fear that the program will delete an important file. If your PC does not have pre-installed software, it can be downloaded separately on the official OS developer page.
AdwCleaner
AdwCleaner is the most effective tool that will rid your browser of adware and clean your computer of unnecessary malware applications. If you are tormented by pop-up adware, have unwanted pages open automatically when surfing, and have an unnecessary start page installed that cannot be replaced, the utility from Xplode will help you deal with all these problems.Why do we recommend AdwCleaner? This program is absolutely free, created with support for the Russian language, does not require installation, effectively removes adware and all kinds of malware, is constantly improving and distributes free and very useful recommendations and tips. Yes, when the procedure for checking and removing malicious software and advertising is completed, the utility will tell you how to protect your computer from unwanted software.
Even untrained PC users can use this utility. All you need to do is launch the software, click “scan”, view the scan results and remove unnecessary programs. If you doubt the “need” of a particular application, uncheck the box.
If the program that needs to be removed using AdwCleaner is running at the time of scanning, the computer will restart.
Download the AdwCleaner utility to your computer only from the author’s official page. Otherwise, you risk getting the same malicious software, only under a different cover. If you downloaded the software from an unofficial resource, check it in real time.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free
Anti-Malware is the most popular utility that effectively searches for and removes virus adware and malicious applications.
The program is available in two versions - professional and free, and has Russian-language support. If you used the program before 2015, be sure to update, as the new version has been improved in terms of efficiency and has been efficiently translated into Russian. The free version of Anti-Malware is practically no different from the professional version, only some options are missing. And if you use it, it will find and effectively remove malicious software installed on the PC.
According to some users, the program sometimes skips suspicious software. If you are ready for a long scan, run the Anti-Malware version “Free”.
Zemana AntiMalware
If the first two programs we described above did not remove all malicious applications and adware, download and scan your computer with the Zemana AntiMalware utility. The program positions itself as an anti-virus scanner. In its work, it uses a number of engines and cloud technologies that allow it to find and effectively get rid of modern threats that are undetectable by most antiviruses.The program has Russian-language support and a fairly simple interface. Scans and finds individual program components using cloud technology. At the same time, it has the ability to work in real time, preventing harmful Malware and adware from entering the computer.
Most often, advertising software appears in browsers, in the form of modules and extensions. The Zemana AntiMalware utility effectively combats this type of malware, finding and removing them in real time. To take advantage of this useful program option, you must allow extension checking in your browser. Enable this option in Advanced Settings.
There is one drawback to the utility - it is paid. But it allows you to scan your computer for half a month in free mode. Also, for startup and further testing, the computer must be connected to the network.
HitmanPro
The HitmanPro mini-utility is another effective solution for combating malicious software that is installed on a PC without authorization. This utility is capable of detecting a sufficient number of modern threats, and it will also clean up those elements that were missed when other programs were running. A huge advantage of this program is that it will scan your computer in record time, and does not require installation.
There is one drawback, so to speak, of the program - it is paid, but you can only buy it after a month. During this time, you can clean the operating system from malicious software. It will cope with the problems of pop-up advertising in browsers and with replacing the start page. Moreover, this utility can work in tandem, completely removing all junk programs and its individual elements from the computer.
Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool
Malicious Soft Removal Tool Win is a mini-software utility created by the operating system developer. It finds and removes the Blaster and Sasser computer worms, the Novarg mail worm and many other threats that became a real epidemic in its time. The utility works on all versions of the Microsoft operating system, and is a method supported by the developer. To use the program's options, you just need to launch it and scan your computer. When the scanning procedure is completed, the Microsoft utility will provide results on the basis of which you can make decisions about whether to remove or not remove certain applications or individual components.
The utility does not make any changes to the registry or OS, so you can safely use it, at least at the first stage.
Spybot Search & Destroy
The utility, positioned as Anti-malware, Antivirus Software, will not only effectively rid your computer of harmful software and advertising, but also protect against new threats. A program developed with support for the Russian language will not only allow you to scan your computer. You can also take advantage of its auxiliary options aimed at ensuring computer security in real time.
Immediately after launch, the program will scan the system, find unwanted software, and remove it completely or only individual components/elements. And after that, you can protect your computer from new threats. Also, SpyBot-Search and Destroy can monitor applications already installed on the computer and stop their active activity, attempts to change system files, edit the registry, etc.
It is safe to use the program from the software developer Safer Networking, since its functionality allows you to delete all previously made changes. For example, if the utility removed some necessary component, and this led to a failure in the operation of a separate program or the operating system as a whole, you can return everything back.
These are, in our opinion, the most effective mini-utilities that allow you not only to remove malicious software and adware, but also to protect your computer online from other threats or the activity of already installed applications. If you need to clean your PC once, use the official utility. And if you need constant protection, install more effective programs.
Recently, problems such as pop-up advertising in the browser, changing the start page, spontaneous opening of browser tabs, etc. have become increasingly common. Most often, these phenomena are caused by the presence of unwanted programs (malware) on your computer, which are installed on the PC without the user’s knowledge and which are not so easy to remove. Developers of such programs make money by showing advertisements to users of infected PCs, sometimes being extremely annoying with their “intrusiveness” and “troublesomeness.” In this article, we will look at the most effective tools for removing unwanted programs.
First of all, I recommend that you disable all add-ons (extensions) in your browser, even those whose names are familiar to you. Developers have become more cunning and sometimes disguise their software as add-ons familiar to the user. If this does not help, try the programs from the article.
AdwCleaner
This program is not the most powerful tool for removing malware and advertising, but it is worth starting with. Why? Firstly, the program is completely free and is updated regularly. Secondly, it weighs little and does not require installation. Thirdly, it is quite effective and scans quite quickly.
Using AdwCleaner couldn't be easier. We launch the downloaded file, click “scan”, look at the results. If you are sure that some elements should not be deleted, uncheck them in the scan results. Click "clean". A reboot may be required during the process of removing unwanted software. After the removal is complete, you will receive a full report on the actions performed.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free
Anti-Malware is my favorite tool for finding and removing unwanted software and ads and one of the most popular in the world. The free version of Free for home use can be downloaded from the official website: https://www.malwarebytes.org/free/
A 14-day trial of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Premium can be downloaded from the following link: https://www.malwarebytes.org/trial/
The premium version of the program has advanced features, in particular: it blocks access to potentially dangerous sites, has a turbo scanning mode, allows you to set up a schedule for scanning and updating the program database, and protects Anti-Malware files and services from changes by malware.
So, downloaded Anti-Malware, installed it - click “Scan”
After the scan is complete, click “Remove selected” to remove all detected threats, or uncheck those files that you are absolutely sure about.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware shows excellent results in numerous tests, but does not scan particularly quickly. But you can wait to achieve results, right?)
HitmanPro
HitmanPro is a very fast, effective utility that does not require installation. Works great in conjunction with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware. The program is paid, but the full version comes with a 30-day trial period, which is enough to get rid of all the malware that has accumulated on your computer. HitmanPro does an excellent job of removing ads in the browser and returning the browser start page to its original form (but not only). You can download the program from the official website
Download, run the file, select “No, I’m going to scan the system only once”
After the scan is completed, we see a window with the results. If you are confident in a file and know that it is not dangerous, you can exclude it from objects placed in quarantine.
Got a virus in your browser and now ads keep popping up? It's terribly annoying. Yes, and curing a browser from viruses is not so easy. They still need to be found, and many modern antiviruses simply do not see this infection. Actually, that’s why you see pop-up windows, and also advertising pages that constantly open (for example, Vulcan or other casinos).
So what should you do if your browser is infected with a virus? Find and get rid of it :) Especially for this purpose, below are 6 effective ways to remove a virus from your browser. And as a bonus, here are a couple of useful tips on how to protect your computer or laptop from re-infection.
How can you tell if your browser has been infected? This can be seen by the following symptoms:
Where do viruses come from in the browser?
Modern users very often install games, programs, extensions and do not even look at what they are installing. Just click “Next, next, done” - and now another adware virus has quietly crept into your Windows system. As a result, pop-up windows appear, advertising pages open, etc.
And in 99% of cases the user himself is to blame. Why? Yes, because usually browser virus treatment is required after:
You can also add the lack of antivirus on your PC or laptop. Of course, it won’t protect you from all viruses, but it will still detect and remove some. And if you think with your head and manually check suspicious files with an antivirus, this will help you avoid many problems. You can be sure of this.
How to clean your browser from viruses and advertising
We’ve sorted out the causes and symptoms of viruses, now let’s move on to the main thing. So, how to get rid of adware in your browser? It all depends on what kind of infection you caught. However, below are step-by-step instructions, following which you can cure your browser from various ad viruses.
It is universal and suitable for any Internet browser - Google Chrome, Opera, Mozilla Firefox, Yandex Browser, Microsoft Edge. So all users can use it.
So, to get rid of viruses in your browser, follow these steps:
Run a full antivirus scan of your PC or laptop
Check your browser add-ons
Some extensions install themselves. Therefore, go to your browser and check if there are add-ons that you did not install. It is also recommended to delete those that you do not use.
Check installed applications
To open them, go to Start - Control Panel - Programs and Features.
Sometimes malicious modules are installed as regular software (for example, Webalta). To remove a virus that runs ads in your browser, you just need to find it and remove it from this list.
Check your browser shortcut
If, after launching it, the page of Vulcan or another advertising site immediately opens, then most likely the problem lies in the shortcut. Sometimes viruses write in the shortcut properties (in the “Object” field) the address of the site, which opens when the browser starts. To resolve this issue, delete the shortcut and create a new one.
Check the hosts file
Also, many viruses edit this file. As a result, when you open a popular website, another one opens (outwardly it looks the same, and you won’t notice the difference). And then messages appear asking you to send SMS, pop-ups, aggressive advertising, etc. There are two ways to remove this adware virus. The first is using the AVZ antivirus utility. And the second one is done manually. For this:
- Go to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc.
- Open the hosts file using notepad.
- Remove extra lines. A normal hosts file should look like this:
Programs to clean your browser from viruses
There are also special programs for removing viruses in the browser. They see what antivirus programs missed and help get rid of malicious adware.
AdwCleaner
The first excellent program for cleaning your browser from advertising and viruses is AdwCleaner (link to the official website).
This utility will perform a quick search for viruses in the browser and find all advertising toolbars, banners, and malicious scripts. It can also clean shortcuts, files and the registry.
Malwarebytes
Another effective program for cleaning browsers from viruses. It will quickly scan your PC or laptop and help you get rid of pop-ups and annoying ads (link to official website). It has more than enough capabilities to find a virus in your browser and remove it.
Browser protection from ads and viruses
And finally, as promised, I will give some useful tips on how to protect your browser from viruses:
- Install an antivirus on your laptop or PC. It can be free. The main thing is to remember to update it (or turn on auto-update). In half the cases, it will help you remove the virus from your browser. Or rather, to prevent infection. I recommend reading: .
- Install a program to remove adware viruses. What antiviruses miss, special utilities like AdwCleaner or HitmanPRO will notice. With this combination, no infection will simply get onto your PC. And for your own peace of mind, periodically run a browser scan for viruses (for example, once a month).
- Install a browser extension to block ads. It can be Adblock or Adguard - at your discretion. And if you want to disable advertising on your favorite website or blog (in order to support its owner financially), just add this web resource to the exception.
And most importantly: think with your head! Do not download suspicious exe files (especially if you need a movie in avi or mkv format), do not follow unknown links, and do not go to dubious sites.
As they say, the best antivirus is the one that sits on the other side of the monitor :) That is, the user. If you violate the rules described above, then no antivirus will help you. You need to be extremely careful on the Internet - remember this!
The fact is that malware is not a virus in the usual sense of the word. These are small utilities that climb into your computer without asking and install any kind of infection or show unwanted advertising. And there are 2 problems here:
- Antiviruses do not see malware because they do not consider them viruses.
- These threats are very difficult to remove.
But it is still possible. After all, there is special software with which you can find and remove malware. And below we will consider 8 excellent utilities designed to remove such advertising viruses.
It’s worth noting right away that Windows 10 already has a malware removal tool by default. Yes, it may not be as effective at cleaning Malware and Adware viruses as other utilities, but it’s still worth a try. Fortunately, you don’t need to download or install anything – everything is already installed and configured.
As a rule, this software starts automatically, but if necessary, you can start it manually. It is located here: C:\Windows\System32\MRT.exe.
Finding and removing malware is simple - you just need to click the “Next” button. But the verification itself takes a very long time, so it will take some time.
The main advantage of this software is that it will 100% not harm your PC or laptop (but only if Windows 10 is licensed). Another plus: you can download it for Windows 7 and 8 at. website ().
AdwCleaner utility
AdwCleaner is very effective in combating:
- pop-ups in the browser;
- opening advertising pages in a new tab;
- changing the home page in the browser and the inability to change it.
Its main advantages:
- free;
- constantly updated;
- gives really practical advice on how to prevent your PC or laptop from becoming infected in the future (after analyzing and cleaning the PC).
Using the utility is extremely simple:
- Launch it and click "Scan".
- See what threats she was able to detect on the computer (you can remove the birds from unnecessary items).
- Click Cleanup.
While the program is running, you will need to restart your PC in order to completely remove ad viruses and other infections. And when cleaning the computer is complete, a detailed report will appear of what was deleted.
By the way, AdwCleaner has recently received support for Windows 10, so it can be safely installed on any operating system.
Today, some malicious utilities can impersonate AdwCleaner. Therefore, if you download it from a third-party site, be sure to check for viruses on virustotal.
Anti-Malware Free
Another excellent utility that can be used to clean your computer from malware is Anti-Malware. Very popular among users today.
Its main advantages:
- reliable computer protection against malware (easily detects webalta and other common threats on PCs);
- effective removal;
- presence of Russian language.
It is also completely free (there is also a paid version, but the first one is more than enough).
For me, checking for malware takes a bit too long. But that's just my opinion. Still, this utility is not in vain considered one of the most popular.
Zemana AntiMalware
It is also worth paying attention to Zemana AntiMalware. This is another good malware cleaning utility.
Main advantages:
- effective search (often finds advertising viruses that the previous 2 utilities do not see);
- scanning individual files to choose from;
- PC protection in real-time mode.
In addition, it has one very useful option - checking for malware in the browser and removing it. Since pop-ups most often appear for this very reason, this makes this utility one of the best.
Among the disadvantages are 15 days of free use and the need to connect to the Internet. But since such malware removal tools are used only occasionally, the first drawback is considered insignificant.
Junkware Removal Tool
Another great free threat scanning utility.
Main advantages:
- works with ad viruses, browser extensions, etc.;
- it automatically deletes detected threats in folders, shortcuts, processes and any browsers (before this it creates a checkpoint for recovery);
- generates a report after the operation is completed.
HitmanPRO program
HitmanPro is software that can also be used to find and uninstall malware.
Main advantages:
- fast work;
- effective search: sees many threats, and even those that have already been removed (traces of them usually remain);
- does not need installation.
It is paid, but there is a 30-day free period. This is more than enough to check your PC for malware.
Malicious Software Removal Tool
Also on this list there is another software from Microsoft that does not require installation and is suitable for Windows 7 and 8. You can download it.
Using the program is easy. Turn it on, click Next and wait for the report.
Spybot utility
And the last free program for removing viruses from your computer is Spybot.
Its main advantages:
- wide functionality;
- can track newly installed software and changes made to the Windows registry and files;
- is able to roll back changes in case of failures in the PC after removing viruses.