If your Windows computer is being redirected to unwanted sites, advertisements are popping up while you browse the Internet, or a message saying a virus was detected pop-ups up, then it is possible that you have malware installed on your computer.

What is malware?

Malware refers to any type of malicious software that tries to infect a computer or mobile device. Hackers use malware for any number of reasons such as, extracting personal information or passwords, stealing money, or preventing owners from accessing their device. ‘Malware’ is a general term used to refer to a variety of forms of hostile or intrusive software.

Malware includes computer viruses, ransomware, worms, trojan horses, rootkits, keyloggers, dialers, spyware, adware, malicious BHOs, rogue security software, and other malicious programs; the majority of active malware threats are usually worms or trojans rather than viruses.

Below you can find a short description for the most common types of malware:

Trojan Horse

A Trojan Horse is a type of malware that pretends to be something useful, helpful, or fun while actually causing harm or stealing data. Trojans are often silently downloading other malware (e.g. spyware, adware, ransomware) on an infected device as well.

A Trojan Horse is a type of malware that pretends to be something useful, helpful, or fun while actually causing harm or stealing data. Trojans are often silently downloading other malware (e.g. spyware, adware, ransomware) on an infected device as well. Worm

A computer worm is a type of Trojan that is capable of propagating or replicating itself from one system to another. It can do this in a number of ways. Unlike viruses, worms don’t need a host file to latch onto. After arriving and executing on a target system, it can do a number of malicious tasks, such as dropping other malware, copying itself onto devices physically attached to the affected system, deleting files, and consuming bandwidth.

A computer worm is a type of Trojan that is capable of propagating or replicating itself from one system to another. It can do this in a number of ways. Unlike viruses, worms don’t need a host file to latch onto. After arriving and executing on a target system, it can do a number of malicious tasks, such as dropping other malware, copying itself onto devices physically attached to the affected system, deleting files, and consuming bandwidth. Spyware

Spyware is a type of malware that’s hard to detect. It collects information about your surfing habits, browsing history, or personal information (such as credit card numbers), and often uses the Internet to pass this information along to third parties without you knowing. Keyloggers are a type of spyware that monitors your keystrokes.

Spyware is a type of malware that’s hard to detect. It collects information about your surfing habits, browsing history, or personal information (such as credit card numbers), and often uses the Internet to pass this information along to third parties without you knowing. Keyloggers are a type of spyware that monitors your keystrokes. Ransomware

Ransom malware or ransomware is a threat that prevents users from accessing their system or personal files and demands a ransom payment in order to regain access.

Ransom malware or ransomware is a threat that prevents users from accessing their system or personal files and demands a ransom payment in order to regain access. Rootkits

The term “rootkit” comes from “rootkit,” a package giving the highest privileges in the system. It is used to describe software that allows for the stealthy presence of unauthorized functionality in the system. Rootkits modify and intercept typical modules of the environment (OS, or even deeper, rootkits).

The term “rootkit” comes from “rootkit,” a package giving the highest privileges in the system. It is used to describe software that allows for the stealthy presence of unauthorized functionality in the system. Rootkits modify and intercept typical modules of the environment (OS, or even deeper, rootkits). Adware

Adware, short for advertising-supported software, is arguably the forerunner of the modern-day PUP (Potentially Unwanted Program). Adware is typically a standalone program which displays adverts to the end-user in a variety of forms: inside the program itself, or via pop-ups, slide-in adverts, browser pop-ups, inserted adverts, or altered website content. The revenue generated by the adverts is how the program the adware is attached to is paid for, meaning the end-user receives their desired tool or service for “free.”

Is my Windows computer infected with malware?

It’s not always easy to tell if your computer was compromised or not, because these days cybercriminals are going to great lengths to hide their code and conceal what their programs are doing on an infected computer.

It’s very difficult to provide a list of characteristic symptoms of an infected computer because the same symptoms can also be caused by hardware incompatibilities or system instability, however here are just a few examples that may suggest that your PC has been compromised :

You may receive the error “Internet Explorer could not display the page” when attempting to access certain websites

Your web browser (e.g., Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome) freezes, hangs or is unresponsive

Your web browser’s default homepage is changed

Access to security related websites is blocked

You get redirected to web pages other than the one you intended to go to

You receive numerous web-browser popup messages

Strange or unexpected toolbars appear at the top of your web browser

Your computer runs slower than usual

Your computer freezes, hangs or is unresponsive

There are new icons on your desktop that you do not recognize

Your computer restarts by itself (but not a restart caused by Windows Updates)

You see unusual error messages (e.g., messages saying there are missing or corrupt files folders)

You are unable to access the Control Panel, Task Manager, Registry Editor or Command Prompt.

To check your Windows computer for malware and remove it for free, please use the guide below.

Remove Viruses, Trojans & Malware from Windows PC (Free Guide)

The below instructions are for Windows users, however, we also have an Android Guide and a Mac Guide which should help clean up your device.

This malware removal guide may appear overwhelming due to the number of steps and numerous programs that are being used. We have only written it this way to provide clear, detailed, and easy to understand instructions that anyone can use to remove malware for free.

Please perform all the steps in the correct order. If you have any questions or doubt at any point, stop and ask for our assistance.

To remove a Virus, Trojan, Spyware, or Malware, follow these steps:

Some forms of malware may try to stop you from using the below tools. If this happens, we recommend that you start your computer in Safe Mode with Networking, and try from there to perform the Malwarebytes scan. There are two versions of safe mode: Safe Mode and Safe Mode with Networking. They’re quite similar, but Safe Mode with Networking includes the network drivers and services you’ll need to access the Internet. Windows 10 or Windows 8 Before you enter safe mode, you need to enter the Windows Recovery Environment (winRE). It’s also possible that you can repeatedly press the F8 key during boot (before the Windows logo is displayed) to access these screens. Some PC manufacturers disable this action, and on some PCs, the startup is fast enough that it’s hard to hit the key at the right time. But, there’s no harm in trying. If mashing the F8 key didn’t work, we will need to turn off and on your device twice in a row before Windows starts. Doing this should automatically present you with a “Recovery” option that lets you see advanced repair options. Hold down the power button for 10 seconds to turn off your device. Press the power button again to turn on your device. On the first sign that Windows has started (for example, some devices show the manufacturer’s logo when restarting) hold down the power button for 10 seconds to turn off your device. Press the power button again to turn on your device. When Windows restarts, hold down the power button for 10 seconds to turn off your device. Press the power button again to turn on your device. Allow your device to fully restart. You will enter winRE. Now that you are in winRE, you will follow these steps to take you to safe mode: On the Choose an option screen, select “Troubleshoot“.

On the “Troubleshoot” screen, click the “Advanced Options” button.

On the “Advanced Options” page, click the “Startup Settings” option. In Windows 8, this option is labelled “Windows Startup Settings” instead.

On the “Startup Settings” page, click the “Restart”.

After your device restarts, you’ll see a list of options. Select option 5 from the list or press F5 for Safe Mode with Networking. While your computer is running in Safe Mode with Networking, we will need to download, install and run a scan with Malwarebytes (Step 2). Windows 7 Remove all floppy disks, CDs, and DVDs from your computer, and then restart your computer. When the computer starts you will see your computer’s hardware being listed. When you see this information start to press the F8 key repeatedly until you are presented with the Advanced Boot Options.

In the Advanced Boot Options screen, use the arrow keys to highlight Safe Mode with Networking and then press Enter.



STEP 1: Use Rkill to terminate suspicious programs

RKill is a program that will attempt to terminate all malicious processes associated with this infection so that we will be able to perform the next step without being interrupted by this malicious software.

Because this utility will only stop the malicious process and does not delete any files, after running it you should not reboot your computer.

Download Rkill. You can download RKill by clicking the link below. RKILL DOWNLOAD LINK (This link will open a new web page from where you can download “RKill”) Double-click on the RKill icon. Double click on Rkill program to stop the malicious programs from running.

Wait for the RKill scan to complete. RKill will now start working in the background, please be patient while this utility looks for malicious process and tries to end them.

RKill will stop the malicious programs. Continue with the other steps. When the Rkill tool has completed its task, it will generate a log. Do not reboot your computer after running RKill as the malware programs will start again.



STEP 2: Use Malwarebytes Free to remove Trojans and adware

Malwarebytes Free is one of the most popular and most used anti-malware software for Windows, and for good reasons. It is able to destroy many types of malware that other software tends to miss, without costing you absolutely nothing. When it comes to cleaning up an infected device, Malwarebytes has always been free and we recommend it as an essential tool in the fight against malware.

It is important to note that Malwarebytes Free will run alongside antivirus software without conflicts.

Download Malwarebytes Free. You can download Malwarebytes by clicking the link below. MALWAREBYTES DOWNLOAD LINK

(The above link will open a new page from where you can download Malwarebytes) (The above link will open a new page from where you can download Malwarebytes) Double-click on the Malwarebytes setup file. When Malwarebytes has finished downloading, double-click on the MBSetup file to install Malwarebytes on your computer. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.

You may be presented with an User Account Control pop-up asking if you want to allow Malwarebytes to make changes to your device. If this happens, you should click “Yes” to continue with the Malwarebytes installation.

Follow the on-screen prompts to install Malwarebytes. When the Malwarebytes installation begins, you will see the Malwarebytes setup wizard which will guide you through the installation process. The Malwarebytes installer will first ask you on what type of computer are you installing this program, click either Personal Computer or Work Computer.

On the next screen, click “Install” to install Malwarebytes on your computer.

When your Malwarebytes installation completes, the program opens to the Welcome to Malwarebytes screen. Click the “Get started” button. Select “Use Malwarebytes Free”. After installing Malwarebytes, you’ll be prompted to select between the Free and the Premium version. The Malwarebytes Premium edition includes preventative tools like real-time scanning and ransomware protection, however, we will use the Free version to clean up the computer.

Click on “Use Malwarebytes Free“.

Click on “Scan”. To scan your computer with Malwarebytes, click on the “Scan” button. Malwarebytes will automatically update the antivirus database and start scanning your computer for malware.

Wait for the Malwarebytes scan to complete. Malwarebytes will scan your computer for adware and other malicious programs. This process can take a few minutes, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check on the status of the scan to see when it is finished.

Click on “Quarantine”. When the scan has completed, you will be presented with a screen showing the malware infections that Malwarebytes has detected. To remove the malicious programs that Malwarebytes has found, click on the “Quarantine” button.

Restart computer. Malwarebytes will now remove all the malicious files and registry keys that it has found. To complete the malware removal process, Malwarebytes may ask you to restart your computer.



When the malware removal process is complete, you can close Malwarebytes and continue with the rest of the instructions.

STEP 3: Use HitmanPro to remove Spyware and other Malware

HitmanPro is a second opinion scanner that takes a unique cloud-based approach to malware scanning. HitmanPro scans the behavior of active files and also files in locations where malware normally resides for suspicious activity. If it finds a suspicious file that’s not already known, HitmanPro sends it to their clouds to be scanned by two of the best antivirus engines today, which are Bitdefender and Kaspersky.

Although HitmanPro is shareware and costs $24.95 for 1 year on 1 PC, there is actually no limit in scanning. The limitation only kicks in when there is a need to remove or quarantine detected malware by HitmanPro on your system and by then, you can activate the one time 30 day trial to enable the cleanup.

Download HitmanPro. You can download HitmanPro by clicking the link below. HITMANPRO DOWNLOAD LINK

(The above link will open a new web page from where you can download HitmanPro) (The above link will open a new web page from where you can download HitmanPro) Install HitmanPro. When HitmanPro has finished downloading, double-click on “hitmanpro.exe” (for 32-bit versions of Windows) or “hitmanpro_x64.exe” (for 64-bit versions of Windows) to install this program on your PC. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.



You may be presented with an User Account Control pop-up asking if you want to allow HitmanPro to make changes to your device. If this happens, you should click “Yes” to continue with the installation. Follow the on-screen prompts. When HitmanPro starts you will be presented with the start screen as shown below. Click on the “Next” button to perform a system scan.

Wait for the HitmanPro scan to complete. HitmanPro will now begin to scan your computer for malicious programs. This process will take a few minutes.

Click on “Next”. When HitmanPro has finished the scan, it will display a list of all the malware that the program has found. Click on the “Next” button to remove the malicious programs.

Click on “Activate free license”. Click on the “Activate free license” button to begin the free 30 days trial and remove all the malicious files from your PC.



When the process is complete, you can close HitmanPro and continue with the rest of the instructions.

STEP 4: Use Zemana AntiMalware Free to remove browser hijackers and redirects

Zemana AntiMalware is a free popular on-demand antivirus scanner which can detect and remove malware that even the most well-known anti-virus and anti-malware applications fail to find.

Download Zemana AntiMalware. You can download Zemana AntiMalware Free by clicking the link below. ZEMANA ANTIMALWARE DOWNLOAD LINK

(The above link will open a new web page from where you can download Zemana AntiMalware) (The above link will open a new web page from where you can download Zemana AntiMalware) Double-click on the setup file. Double-click on the file named “Zemana.AntiMalware.Setup.exe” to start the installation of Zemana AntiMalware. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.



You may be presented with a User Account Control dialog asking you if you want to run this file. If this happens, you should click “Yes” to continue with the installation.

Install Zemana AntiMalware Free. Click on the “Next” button to install Zemana AntiMalware on your computer. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the install process.

Click on “Scan Now”. When Zemana AntiMalware will start, click on the “Scan Now” button to perform a system scan.

Wait for the Zemana AntiMalware scan to complete. Zemana AntiMalware will now scan your computer for malicious files. This process can take a few minutes.

Click on “Apply Action”. When Zemana AntiMalware has finished it will display a list of all the malware that the program found. Click on the “Apply Action” button to remove the malicious files from your computer.

Restart your computer. When the malware removal process is complete, Zemana AntiMalware may need to restart your computer. Click on the “Reboot” button to restart your computer.

When the process is complete, you can close Zemana AntiMalware and continue with the rest of the instructions.

STEP 5: Double-check for malicious programs with Emsisoft Emergency Kit

Emsisoft Emergency Kit is a free and powerful on-demand scanner that can be used to remove viruses, trojans, spyware, adware, worms, and other malicious programs.

While the previous scans are more than enough, we’re recommending Emsisoft Emergency Kit to users who still have malware related issues or just want to make sure their computer is 100% clean.

Download Emsisoft Emergency Kit. You can download Emsisoft Emergency Kit by clicking the link below. EMSISOFT EMERGENCY KIT DOWNLOAD LINK

(The above link will open a new web page from where you can download Emsisoft Emergency Kit) (The above link will open a new web page from where you can download Emsisoft Emergency Kit) Install Emsisoft Emergency Kit. Double-click on the EmsisoftEmergencyKit setup file to start the installation process, then click on the “Install” button.

Start Emsisoft Emergency Kit. On your desktop the “EEK” folder (C:\EEK) should now be open. To start Emsisoft, click on the “Start Emsisoft Emergency Kit” file to open this program.

You may be presented with a User Account Control dialog asking you if you want to run this file. If this happens, you should click “Yes” to continue with the installation.

Click on “Malware Scan”. Emsisoft Emergency Kit will start and it will ask you for permission to update itself. Once the update process is complete, click on the “Scan” tab, and perform a “Malware Scan“.

Emsisoft Emergency Kit will now scan your PC for malicious files. This process can take a few minutes.

Click on “Quarantine selected”. When the Emsisoft scan has finished, you will be presented with a screen reporting which malicious files were detected on your computer. To remove the malicious programs, click on the “Quarantine selected“.

When the malware removal process is complete, Emsisoft Emergency Kit may need to restart your computer. Click on the “Reebot” button to restart your PC. After you restart your computer, you can close Emsisoft Anti-Malware and continue with the rest of the instructions.

STEP 6: Reset the browser settings to remove redirects and browser hijackers

If your Windows computer is still being redirected to malicious sites or you see pop-ups, we will need to reset the web browser settings to their original defaults. This step should be performed only if your issues have not been solved by the previous steps.

Google Chrome

To reset Google Chrome and remove malicious browser extensions or browser hijackers, follow these steps: Click the menu icon, then click on “Settings”. In the top right corner, click on Chrome’s main menu button, represented by three vertical dots. When the drop-down menu appears, click on “Settings“.

Click “Advanced”. Chrome’s “Settings” should now be displayed in a new tab or window, depending on your configuration. Next, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the “Advanced” link.

Click “Reset settings to their original defaults”. Scroll down until the “Reset and clean up” section is visible, as shown in the example below. Click on “Reset settings to their original defaults“.

Click “Reset Settings”. A confirmation dialog should now be displayed, detailing the components that will be restored to their default state should you continue on with the reset process. To complete the restoration process, click on the “Reset Settings” button.

Resetting your browser settings will reset the unwanted changes caused by installing other programs. However, your saved bookmarks and passwords will not be cleared or changed.To reset Google Chrome and remove malicious browser extensions or browser hijackers, follow these steps: Mozilla Firefox

To reset Firefox and remove malicious browser extensions or browser hijackers, follow these steps: Click the menu icon, then click on “Help”. Click on Firefox’s main menu button, represented by three horizontal lines. When the drop-down menu appears, select the option labeled “Help“.

Click “Troubleshooting Information”. From the Help menu, click on “Troubleshooting Information“.

Click on “Refresh Firefox” Click the “Refresh Firefox” button in the upper-right corner of the “Troubleshooting Information” page.

Confirm. To continue, click on the “Refresh Firefox” button in the new confirmation window that opens.

Click “Finish”. Firefox will close itself and will revert to its default settings. When it’s done, a window will list the information that was imported. Click on “Finish“. Your old Firefox profile will be placed on your desktop in a folder named “Old Firefox Data“. If the reset didn’t fix your problem you can restore some of the information not saved by copying files to the new profile that was created. If you don’t need this folder any longer, you should delete it as it contains sensitive information. The reset feature fixes many issues by restoring Firefox to its factory default state while saving your essential information like bookmarks, passwords, web form auto-fill information, browsing history and open tabs.To reset Firefox and remove malicious browser extensions or browser hijackers, follow these steps: Microsoft Edge

To reset Microsoft Edge and remove malicious browser extensions or browser hijackers, follow these steps: Open the “Settings” menu. In the top right corner, click on Microsoft Edge’s main menu button, represented by three horizontal dots. When the drop-down menu appears, click on “Settings“.”.

Click on “Reset Settings”. On the left side of the window, click on “Reset Settings”.

Click on “Restore settings to their default values”. In the main window, click on “Restore settings to their default values”.

Click “Reset”. A confirmation dialog should now be displayed, detailing the components that will be restored to their default state should you continue on with the reset process. To complete the restoration process, click on the “Reset” button.

This will reset your startup page, new tab page, search engine, and pinned tabs. It will also disable all extensions and clear temporary data like cookies. Your favorites, history and saved passwords will not be cleared.To reset Microsoft Edge and remove malicious browser extensions or browser hijackers, follow these steps: Internet Explorer

To reset Internet Explorer and remove malicious browser extensions or browser hijackers, follow these steps: Go to “Internet Options”. Open Internet Explorer, click on the gear icon in the upper right part of your browser, then select “Internet Options“. Select the “Advanced” tab, then click “Reset” In the “Internet Options” dialog box, select the “Advanced” tab, then click on the “Reset” button. Click on “Reset”. In the “Reset Internet Explorer settings” section, select the “Delete personal settings” checkbox, then click on the “Reset” button. Click on “Close”. When Internet Explorer has completed its task, click on the “Close” button in the confirmation dialogue box.

Close your browser and then you can open Internet Explorer again. You can reset Internet Explorer settings to return them to the state they were in when Internet Explorer was first installed on your computer.To reset Internet Explorer and remove malicious browser extensions or browser hijackers, follow these steps:

Your computer should now be free of malware. If you are still experiencing problems while trying to remove malware from your device, you can ask for help in our Malware Removal Assistance for Windows forum.