Blocking ads with AdBlock Plus, AdwCleaner and other programs does not always help. It is safer to manually clean your computer or laptop from malicious applications.
Step 1: remove unnecessary and unfamiliar programs
- Right-click in the lower right corner of the screen: "Control Panel" → "Uninstall a program".
- Sort the list of programs by date: double-click the "Install" icon.
- Remove unfamiliar programs installed at the same time as ads appear.
Step 2: disable browser extensions
Often an extension that has been embedded in the browser is responsible for displaying ads. Follow the steps below to uninstall unnecessary applications and disable unnecessary extensions.
How to remove ads in Chrome and Yandex
- Open your browser and go to "Settings".
- Find the "More Tools" section, select "Extensions".
- Review the list of extensions: uncheck unnecessary checkboxes and remove them.
- Close your browser.
Exactly the same actions can be used to block Yandex Direct ads.
How to remove ads in the Opera
- Go to "Settings" → "Extensions".
- Go to the All tab.
- In the list of extensions, disable unnecessary ones. To block ads, even disable reliable ones. Experiment later: turn on any of your choice and see if the ad appears.
- Close your browser.
How to remove ads in Mozile
- Open Firefox browser and go to the control menu.
- Select the "Add-ons" section, the "Extensions" tab and disable unnecessary ones.
- Open the "Plugins" tab and delete those you are not using.
How to block ads in Internet Explorer
- Go to "Service" → "Add-ons".
- Go to the "Configure add-ons" section, select "Toolbox and extensions".
- Experiment with disabling and enabling add-ons.
Step 3: clear links from redirecting to other sites
Often in shortcuts, a link leads to an extension with a fake link ending with "... chrome.url". This is an invalid extension, url is an internet shortcut that leads to a viral site.
Therefore, clean the links, correcting at the end to "... exe".
- Hover over the shortcut, right-click and select Properties. Look at the link in the "Object" field and correct the ending if necessary.
- Click Apply.
- Next, click on "File Location".
- A pop-up window will display an Internet shortcut that links to the malicious site. Delete it and save the file of type application.
- Click "Apply" → "Ok".
These steps are the same for all browsers.
Step 4: delete files from Temp folder
Actions on the example of Windows 7.
- Go to Computer, click Organize → Search Folder Options.
- Click the "View" folder, scroll down and uncheck the "Hide protected system files" checkbox.
- Check the box next to "Show hidden files, folders and drives".
- Click Apply → Ok.
- Go to drive C, find the "Users" or Users folder.
- Open the folder under your account name -> AppData -> Local -> Temp.
- Use the Ctrl + A key combination to select the entire list → press the Delete key.
- If a pop-up window appears, check the box next to "Perform this action for all current objects." If it fails, click Skip. Anything that can be deleted will be deleted. If there are any folders left, it doesn't matter.
- Click Organize → Folder Search Options.
- Go to the "View" section and click "Restore Defaults" → "Apply".
- Close the window.
Now check if the ad appears. For example, go to Mail.ru.
How to disable ads if "cleaning" your computer does not help
You can get rid of pop-ups using special programs HitmanPro and Malwarebytes.These powerful utilities help where other antiviruses fail.
HitmanPro
- Download HitmanPro. It is paid, but the trial version can be used for a month for free. After downloading, you will find the program in the Download folder.
- Click on the HitmanPro program, go to "Settings".
- Take advantage of free activation for 30 days. Click "OK" → "Next" → check the box next to "No, I am going to scan the system only once" → uncheck the box "Subscribe to news" → "Next".
- The scanning process starts. Wait until the program finds virus sites (a corresponding list will appear).
- The program will suggest actions: delete, quarantine, etc. Delete!
- But before that you need to enter the code: click "Activate free license". Enter your e-mail in the appropriate window and click “Activation” → “Ok” → “Next”.
- When finished, close the program.
Malwarebytes
Despite the fact that the program is in English, it is intuitively convenient to use.
- Open the program, click "Scan now", then "Skip updates".
- The scanning process begins. If malicious files are found, the system will mark them in red.
- The removal process is the same as for all anti-virus programs. She will offer to quarantine viral sites, delete or ignore. Select "Quarantine", click "Apply".
- The program will prompt you to restart. Click "No."
After scanning, Internet access may disappear when the browser is launched. If so, do the following.
- Go to the "Control Panel".
- Go to the "Large icons" or "Small icons" mode → "Internet property" → "Connections" → "Network settings" and leave a check mark only in the box next to "Automatic detection of parameters" → "OK".
- Close the windows.
Useful article: "How to remove mail.ru from a computer"
Watch the video tutorial on how to remove ads from your browser
