AdChoices is a browser hijacker that, when installed, makes a series of changes to your personal settings and causes advertisements to appear on your desktop. AdChoices is normally contained in other third party programs and infects Internet Explorer, Chrome and Firefox on Windows PCs. Removing AdChoices will help prevent your computer and personal information from being compromised by malicious third parties.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Remove AdChoices (Windows)
Step 1. Download and install AdwCleaner
It is a free anti-adware program developed by the General Changelog Team. You can download it for free from general-changelog-team.fr/en/tools/15-adwcleaner.
Many people manage to remove AdChoices using AdwCleaner alone, but if you want to be more than sure, download the following two programs as well
Step 2. Download and install Malwarebyte Antimalware
It is another free anti-malware program that can help you detect and remove AdChoices and other malicious programs. You can find it at malwarebytes.org.
Step 3. Download and install Spybot Free Edition
It is another free aniti-adware program, developed by Safer Networking. You can get the free version at safer-networking.org/mirrors
Step 4. Restart your computer in Safe Mode
With these anti-adware programs, scanning is easier when the computer is started in Safe Mode.
- Restart your computer.
- Press F8 repeatedly before the Windows logo appears.
- Select "Safe Mode with Networking" from the Advanced Boot menu.
- Look for more detailed instructions on how to enter Safe Mode.
Step 5. Start AdwCleaner and click the "Search" button
Allow the program to scan your computer (this may take a few minutes).
Step 6. Make sure all results are selected
When AdwCleaner has finished scanning, a list of results will be returned. By default, they should already be selected.
Step 7. Click the "Clean" button
AdwCleaner will delete all selected entries.
Step 8. Launch Malwarebytes and Spybot
Both work in a similar way to AdwCleaner. Allow them to scan your computer and then clean or quarantine the scan results.
Run a single scan at a time
Step 9. Restart your computer
After running a scan with all three programs and removing all results, you can restart your computer to exit Safe Mode and proceed to the next section.
Part 2 of 4: Reset Browsers (Windows)
Step 1. Open Internet Explorer
Even if you don't use Internet Explorer, you should still follow these steps, as it is a method used in some system activities.
Step 2. Click on the gear icon or on the Tools menu and select "Internet Options"
Step 3. Click the tab
Advanced.
Step 4. Click on the button
Reset… and check the "Delete personal settings" box.
Step 5. Click
Reset to reset Internet Explorer to default configuration and remove AdChoices. You will be asked to restart your computer.
Step 6. Open Firefox (if applicable)
AdChoices infects all your browsers, so if it is installed, open Firefox even if you don't use it. If you don't have it, move on to the next browser.
Step 7. Click the Firefox Menu button (☰) and select "Help"
It is located at the bottom of the menu.
Step 8. Click "Troubleshooting Information"
Step 9. Click on the button
Reset Firefox…. Click it again to confirm.
Step 10. Open Chrome (if applicable)
AdChoices infects all your browsers, so open Chrome, if it's installed, even if you don't use it.
Step 11. Click the Chrome Menu button (☰) and select "Settings"
Step 12. Click on the "View Advanced Settings" link at the bottom of the page
Step 13. Scroll down to the bottom of the list and click
Reset Settings. Click on the Reset button to confirm.
Part 3 of 4: Remove AdChoices (Mac OS X)
Step 1. Download AdwareMedic
It is a free anti-adware program that works with OS X 10.7 (Lion) or later. If you are using an older version of OS X, see the "Manual Removal" section below.
Step 2. Start the scan with AdwareMedic and select "Scan for Adware"
Checks with AdwareMedic are usually quite fast.
Step 3. Look at the results list
If AdwareMedic detects any adware-type file on your computer, it will list it along with the name of the program that created it. Any files that AdwareMedic deems dangerous will be automatically marked for deletion.
It is recommended that you check the items that are not selected. Usually these are the browser settings files that have been changed. Their removal will help ensure the elimination of the adware, but some of the browser settings may also be changed
Step 4. Click on the button
Remove Selected. All selected results will be removed and placed in a folder in your trash.
- You will be prompted to log in as an administrator when you remove some adware.
- You will also be prompted to restart your computer to complete the process.
Step 5. Reinstall Firefox (if required)
Sometimes, adware can make changes to the Firefox program you are using. It's not something that can be fixed with AdwareMedic, but it will warn you in case it happens. If this occurs, it is highly recommended that you delete Firefox and re-download it from Mozilla.
Part 4 of 4: Manual Removal (Mac OS X)
Step 1. Open Safari
This browser doesn't have an option that removes extensions for you, so you'll have to do everything manually.
Step 2. Click on "Safari" → "Preferences" and select the "General" tab
Step 3. Reset the homepage to the chosen page
Step 4. Check the "Security" and "General" tabs to set them to your default search engine
Their location varies according to the version of Safari you are using.
Set your preferred search engine as the default search engine
Step 5. Select the "Extensions" tab on the "Preferences" menu
Search for all unknown extensions and click Uninstall.
Step 6. Open the file locations listed below
These are common locations for many adware. Copy a line, open Finder, click "Go" → "Go to Folder" and then paste the copied line into the field. The location will open in the Finder and you can delete the files. Drag everything you find to the trash:
/ Library / Application Support / VSearch
/Library/LaunchAgents/com.vsearch.agent.plist
/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.vsearch.daemon.plist
/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.vsearch.helper.plist
/Library/LaunchDaemons/Jack.plist
/ Library / PrivilegedHelperTools / Jack
/System/Library/Frameworks/VSearch.framework
/Applications/SearchProtect.app
/Library/LaunchAgents/com.conduit.loader.agent.plist
/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.perion.searchprotectd.plist
/ Library / Application Support / SIMBL / Plugins / CT2285220.bundle
~ / Library / Internet Plug-Ins / ConduitNPAPIPlugin.plugin
~ / Library / Internet Plug-Ins / TroviNPAPIPlugin.plugin
/ Library / InputManagers / CTLoader / All contents to Trash
/ Library / Application Support / Conduit / All contents to Trash
~ / Conduit / All contents to Trash
~ / Find / All contents to Trash
Step 7. Restart your Mac
Your browser should no longer be controlled by AdChoices.
