How to Remove Adware, Malware, and Pop up Ads from Your Web Browser? (Android, Chrome, Mac, Windows)

Imagine a situation where you are all relaxed and browsing something important on your perfectly working web browser. And suddenly, ads start popping up on your device screen insanely.

No matter how much you want to close it, it keeps buzzing you. Well, if such is the situation, then your system might have got affected by Adware.

However, do not panic. As in this article, we will be discussing adware and some easy ways to remove it from your Android, Chrome, and Mac.

What is Adware?

Adware is a software that is built to show advertisements on your screen. This is most often involved within a web browser and many professionals consider it as a precursor for the modern-day PUP (Potentially unwanted program).

It will primarily appear as a false notification of certain applications to trick you into installing it on your PC, tablet, or any mobile device. 

Who Does the Adware Target?

When it comes to targeting people, like other malware, they do not target business. They will primarily target private users like Windows PC, Mac, cellphones, and users of all web browsers. It calls the victims by “too excellent to be true” design in the form of videos, games, or any special deals.

How Should You Protect Yourself from Adware?

Now, as Adware is concerning a significant number of system users lately, let’s plunge into some of the ways by which you can protect yourself from Adware.

• Think twice before downloading or installing any new software
• Read the terms and conditions thoroughly
• Avoid torrent sites, illegal downloads and reopening an application from an unknown source.
• Download a reputable cybersecurity program for your computer or device.
• Make sure to perform frequent scans and keep the system up to date. 

Distinct Ways to Remove Adware from Different Web Browsers

It is quite clear from the above segment that adware can be pretty annoying for a user. However, if you have been experiencing it lately, we have listed some of the ways to get rid of it in various platforms like Windows 10, Google Chrome, Mac, and Android.

How to Remove Adware from Google Chrome?

If you want to remove Adware from Google Chrome, make sure to follow the steps mentioned below thoroughly.

• First of all, start Google Chrome and select “Customized and Control Google Chrome’. You can identify it by the 3 dot icon present at the top right corner of the browser. 
• After that, choose the More Tools option and click on Extensions. This will open a window representing all the installed extensions and plugins. 
• Following that, Look for signs of Adware. Click on the Trash icon and get rid of all the malicious extensions.
• Now, click on Settings, present in the left side so that you can display the recent configuration of Google Chrome. 
• Move down and look for the “On startup” section with options like “Open a specific page or set of pages”. Now, select the “Set pages” option. 
• Click on the X button to get rid of all the unwanted or hijacked Startpage from the Google Chrome

However, if you notice that there is only one startup page and the default startup page is removed, it is better for you to generate a brand new and preferred web address by selecting the “Add a new page” option and then setting Google as your default page.

• Now, make sure to go to the Appearance section and checkmark the “Show home button” option. Click on change.
• Choose “Use the New tab page” to disable the new tab option from opening to adware. 
• Click on Ok so that you can save the current settings.
• Restore the default search engine and move down to Search. Click on “Manage search engines”
• Make sure to select the preferred search settings. To get rid of unwanted search engines, click on the X button.

How to Remove Adware from Windows 10?

If you are a Windows user and have been facing problems with Adware, then we recommend you to follow the solutions provided within this segment. 

Safe Mode with Networking Support

Make sure to restart the computer in Safe Mode to get rid of this problem. To do so, follow the steps mentioned below.

• Press Windows+X and choose “Shut down or Sign Out”. Following that, choose the Restart option. 
• Once the computer restarts and the login screen appears, press the Shift key while clicking the Power icon simultaneously. In doing so, you will notice that the system will restart again.
• Once the system restarts, click on Troubleshoot>Advanced options>startup settings>Restart
• Once the Resulting boot option screen appears, press the option beside “Safe mode with Networking”. ( It can be either F5 or 5)

Launch Your Browser for Rogue Extensions and Add Ons

Adware can also appear as browser extensions or add-ons. Thus make sure to start your browser to check for any browser extensions or add-ons within it. 

Chrome

Firstly, click on the Chrome menu present in the top right corner of the browser. It appears as three dots. Now, select “Settings” and click on “Extensions”. Look for any extensions that are unknown. If you notice anything that does not look recognizable, then click on the associated trash icon.

Internet Explorer

Click on tools> Manage add ons. Click on “All add ons” so that you can see the installed add-ons. However, if you notice that something is unrecognizable, then click on “Disable”. Hit the close button when you are done. 

Firefox

Click on the Open menu present in the top right corner of the screen and select “Add ons”. Now check for anything unfamiliar in “Extensions”. If you want to disable an extension, click on it once and then select Disable. 

Look for Browser Start Page, Search Engines, and Other Defaults

There can be instances where the adware will basically hijack the default webpage and search engines of the browser. Let’s see how you can check for start page, search engines, and other defaults on Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, and Firefox. 

Chrome

• First of all, click on “Settings” in the Chrome menu and then select “Set pages”. If you notice other pages other than a blank page or specifically configured page on starting the browser, choose the listed site and then Press on X to delete. 
• Go to “Settings” and look for the Appearance tab. Now, select the “Show Home” button
• Click on “Change” and then select “Use the new tab page”. Make sure to click Ok so that you can save the changes.
• Now verify the search engine settings present in the Settings menu by clicking on “Manage Search Engines” under the “Search” section. Now, make sure to select the search engine that you use and then click on “Make default”. The URL present on the right side of the screen should match with the name of the search engine. Now, delete it with the X marker on the screen. 

For Firefox

In the “Open menu”, select “Options”. After that, select “Restore to Default” and click on Ok to continue. To  verify the search engine settings:

• First of all, click on the Open menu and then go to “Options”.
• After that, on the left bar, make sure to click on Search and then set the search engine to something like Google or Bing.
• However, if you notice that something unrecognizable is listed below, click on One-click search engines and then click on “Remove”

How to Remove Adware from Mac Manually?

If you want to get rid of Adware on your Mac, it is better to try to do so manually. Below we have cited the exact steps by which you can do so.

• Open Activity Monitor from the LaunchPad.
• Now, look for the suspected applications and select the Force Quit button. It will most probably be present on the top left corner of the window.
• Move back to your applications and drag it to the trash.
• Now, restart your Mac and get rid of the Trash.

How to Remove Adware from Android?

Follow the steps exactly as provided below to get rid of adware from your Android device without any difficulty.

• Go to Settings 
• Navigate to the App section
• Find the Adware App and remove it.

You can also just try the Uninstall button and get rid of it easily. However, keep in mind that malware can give itself administrator permission and the Uninstall button can turn grey in color. 

To enable it,

Go to Settings>Security>Device Administrators.

The solutions stated above should solve the issue with adware without any difficulty. Please let us know your experience in the comments section below.