LookThisUp ads: what it is and how to remove it

LookThisUp is another untrustworthy application that may initiate undesirable operations on your computer. The main reason why this app is considered to be adware is due to its ability to display intrusive advertisements at all times, regardless of what is being done on Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, MS Edge, or another web browser.

Facts checked October 7, 2026. Removal steps tested on Windows 11 (26H2) and checked against Microsoft's and the browser makers' current documentation. Sections marked as our earlier report are the original text: they describe the threat as it was then and have not been reviewed since. The 2026 status, the removal steps and the questions are current.

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An automatic scan checks installed programs, startup items and browser extensions for anything that came with LookThisUp.

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Screenshot of LookThisUp: screenshot
LookThisUp as our 2021 report showed it.

LookThisUp ads: summary

NameLookThisUp
TypeAdware
InfiltrationSoftware bundles, third-party websites, official site
SymptomsDisplays ads Tracks online activities Changes web browser settings
Detection namesNo Microsoft detection name is known
DistributionNot recorded in the old report
Removal

Scan the PC with security software to find and remove the malware and anything installed with it. Fortect scans Windows for malware and repairs the system files and settings it damaged.

Remove it nowTo use the full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Fortect. The scan is free.
Show 5 more facts
DamageNot recorded in the old report
EvidenceOne write-up by a security site; details still limited
ProgramLookThisUp
First seen26 April 2021
Facts checked7 October 2026

Is LookThisUp ads dangerous?

From our report of Apr 2021 · not reviewed since

LookThisUp is a potentially unwanted app that claims to enhance browsing experience

LookThisUp is another untrustworthy application that may initiate undesirable operations on your computer.

The main reason why this app is considered to be adware is due to its ability to display intrusive advertisements at all times, regardless of what is being done on Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, MS Edge, or another web browser. Besides, the app's distribution techniques are also questionable, as users commonly find it installed without granting it permission to do so.

You may easily get tricked and believe that this browser add-on is beneficial as it is promoted as an advanced search tool. However, most PC users start looking for its uninstall wizard just a few days after its installation. That's because LookThisUp may start generating various commercial offers and redirecting users to predetermined websites.

Although most of the promoted content is safe, there is no guarantee that some links might not be safe to click on. Also, redirects may expose you to unfamiliar websites, which may contain infected files and suspicious links.

Therefore, it is best not to click on ads that come up on your screen suddenly. If you are experiencing "Ads by LookThisUp," please ignore them and remove the related program as soon as possible.

Another negative trait of this application is its information tracking capabilities. It can track people's browsing activities and send out the following data to unknown parties:

The privacy policy of this program notifies that it will gather details about your browsing habits, so it can not be claimed that this activity is illegal. However, you can never know where this data may end up.

Thus, we strongly recommend reconsidering the reliability of this program and, if it has started initiating problems on each of your web browsers, removing this program from the system. You can do it quickly with security tools such as or . Moreover, you can employ to clean the browsers quickly for you.

  • IP addresses
  • Search queries
  • Bookmarks added
  • Technical data
  • Unique identifiers, etc.
Screenshot of LookThisUp: screenshot
LookThisUp in our 2021 report.

From our report of Apr 2021 · not reviewed since

More from our earlier report on LookThisUp

  • Ensure you delete cookies and other web data from your browsers - can help you do that quicker

How LookThisUp ads got into your browser

From our report of Apr 2021 · not reviewed since

The app is distributed in two ways - official site and free software.

It may happen if you download free programs and do this not attentively enough. Free software is usually supported by third parties, therefore it is bundled with browser extensions, add-ons, plug-ins, toolbars, and other additional applications.

'Advanced' and 'Custom' installation options disclose such additional offers and allow people to opt-out of them. In contrast, the 'Quick' or 'Recommended' installation doesn't reveal if the program is bundled or not. Also, a reputable antivirus can help you keep PUPs and malware away.

How to remove LookThisUp ads

How to remove the LookThisUp extension

Do the browser steps in every browser and profile on the PC, then check Windows for the program that installed the extension.

  1. Step 1: Remove extensions you did not add

    In Chrome open chrome://extensions, in Edge edge://extensions, and in Firefox the menu > Extensions and themes.

    Remove every extension you do not remember adding, especially search, new tab, coupon, PDF, weather or video downloader add-ons. Check every browser and every profile, because each keeps its own list.

    If an extension has no Remove button or comes back, a browser policy holds it (see "Managed by your organization" in the procedure below). The pages are the same on Windows 11 and Windows 10.

    Chrome menu with Extensions and Manage extensions highlighted
    Chrome on Windows 11: More > Extensions > Manage extensions.

    Full procedure with screenshots: Remove a browser extension

  2. Step 2: Uninstall LookThisUp

    LookThisUp is removed like any other program, from the list of installed apps. In Windows 11 that is Settings > Apps > Installed apps, in Windows 10 Settings > Apps > Apps & features, and in both you can also use Control Panel > Programs and Features.

    Select LookThisUp, click Uninstall and follow the uninstaller to the end. Then look at the entries just above and below it when the list is sorted by date: bundled programs install at the same minute.

    Full procedure with screenshots: Uninstall a program or app in Windows On uGetFix

  3. Step 3: Reset the browser

    A reset removes what the steps above could miss:

    • changed start pages
    • site permissions
    • hidden settings

    In Chrome open Settings > Reset settings > Restore settings to their original defaults; in Edge Settings > Reset settings; in Firefox Help > More troubleshooting information > Refresh Firefox.

    Tip: Bookmarks and saved passwords stay, while extensions are turned off and the search engine and start page return to the defaults.

    Reset every browser on the PC, including Edge, which Windows 11 and Windows 10 always have.

    Chrome Settings page with the Reset settings section open
    Chrome on Windows 11: Settings > Reset settings.

    Full procedure with screenshots: Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine

  4. Step 4: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan

    A scan finds the parts of LookThisUp that the manual steps cannot see. In Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, start a Full scan and quarantine what it reports.

    Follow it with Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) > Scan now, which restarts the PC and checks the disk while Windows and the malware are not running.

    It takes about 15 minutes and works the same in Windows 11 and Windows 10. If either scan finds something, run the full scan again after removal until it comes back clean.

    Windows Security Scan options with Microsoft Defender Antivirus offline scan selected
    Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options.

    Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan

Instructions for each browser and system

The detailed steps for every browser and system this guide covers. Open the one you use.

Uninstall from Windows

Uninstall from Windows 10/8:

  1. Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
  2. Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 10/8

Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:

  1. Click on Windows Start > Control Panel (Windows XP users should click on Add/Remove Programs).
  2. In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 7/XP

Remove the unwanted program:

  1. In the Programs and Features window, look for any recently installed suspicious entries, select them, and click Uninstall.
  2. If User Account Control appears, click Yes to confirm, then complete the removal.Uninstall the unwanted program from Windows
Remove from Google Chrome

Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

  1. Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
  2. In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all suspicious extensions related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chrome

Clear cache and web data from Chrome:

  1. Click on Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
  3. Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
  4. Click Clear data.Clear cache and web data from Chrome

Change your homepage:

  1. Click menu and choose Settings.
  2. Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
  3. Click on Open a specific or set of pages and click on three dots to find the Remove option.

Reset Google Chrome:

If the previous methods did not help you, reset Google Chrome to eliminate all the unwanted components:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
  3. Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
  4. Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
  5. Confirm with Reset settings.Reset Chrome 2
Remove from Microsoft Edge

Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:

  1. Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
  2. From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
  3. Click Remove.Remove extensions from Edge

Clear cookies and other browser data:

  1. Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
  2. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  3. Select Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear.Clear Edge browsing data

Restore new tab and homepage settings:

  1. Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
  2. Then find On startup section.
  3. Click Remove next to any suspicious startup page.

Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:

  1. Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
  2. Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
  3. Select Details tab.
  4. Now scroll down and locate every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right-click on each of them and select End Task to stop MS Edge from running.Reset MS Edge
Instructions for Chromium-based Edge

Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):

  1. Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
  2. Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chromium Edge

Clear cache and site data:

  1. Click on Menu and go to Settings.
  2. Select Privacy, search and services.
  3. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  4. Under Time range, pick All time.
  5. Select Clear now.Clear browser data from Chroum Edge

Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. On the left side, pick Reset settings.
  3. Select Restore settings to their default values.
  4. Confirm with Reset.
  5. This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.Reset Chromium Edge
Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
  2. Select Add-ons.
  3. In here, select the unwanted extension and click Remove.Remove extensions from Firefox

Reset the homepage:

  1. Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
  2. Choose Settings.
  3. Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.

Clear cookies and site data:

  1. Click Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Go to Privacy & Security section.
  3. Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
  4. Click on Clear Data...
  5. Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.Clear cookies and site data from Firefox

Reset Mozilla Firefox

If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
  2. Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.Reset Firefox 1
  3. Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
  4. Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.Reset Firefox 2
Delete from Safari

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Safari, click Safari in the menu at the top-left of the screen, and select Preferences.
  2. Go to the Extensions tab, look for any suspicious entries, and click Uninstall to remove them.Remove extensions from Safari

Clear history and website data:

  1. Click Safari in the menu and pick Clear History.
  2. Set Clear to all history and confirm with Clear History.Clear history from Safari

Reset Safari:

  1. Click Safari in the menu and select Preferences > Advanced.
  2. Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
  3. From the menu bar, click Develop and select Empty Caches.Reset Safari
Delete from macOS

Remove the unwanted application:

  1. From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
  2. In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).Uninstall from Mac

Delete leftover files and folders:

  1. Select Go > Go to Folder.
  2. Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
  3. Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.Delete leftover files from Mac
  4. Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.

Stream videos without limitations, no matter where you are

There are multiple parties that could find out almost anything about you by checking your online activity.

While this is highly unlikely, advertisers and tech companies are constantly tracking you online. The first step to privacy should be a secure browser that focuses on tracker reduction to a minimum.

Even if you employ a secure browser, you will not be able to access websites that are restricted due to local government laws or other reasons. In other words, you may not be able to stream Disney+ or US-based Netflix in some countries. To bypass these restrictions, you can employ a powerful VPN, which provides dedicated servers for torrenting and streaming, not slowing you down in the process.

Data backups are important - recover your lost files

Ransomware is one of the biggest threats to personal data.

Once it is executed on a machine, it launches a sophisticated encryption algorithm that locks all your files, although it does not destroy them. The most common misconception is that anti-malware software can return files to their previous states. This is not true, however, and data remains locked after the malicious payload is deleted.

While regular data backups are the only secure method to recover your files after a ransomware attack, tools such as can also be effective and restore at least some of your lost data.

From our report of Apr 2021 · not reviewed since

LookThisUp virus uninstall steps

Do not ignore presence on your computer, as data tracking operations will not subside until it remains attached to your browsers.

It is not difficult to remove it manually, even if you are not an advanced user. For this, follow the guide that is provided below and make sure that every step is performed in the correct order.

As mentioned above, taking care of your browsers is an important part of the elimination process, as you need to find all the suspicious browser extensions and clean cookies and web data. A full scan with anti-malware will ensure that your device is malware-free.

Questions about LookThisUp ads

Can I safely uninstall LookThisUp?

If you did not install LookThisUp yourself and it is not part of your hardware or a program you rely on, yes. Uninstalling an unwanted program does not harm Windows. Before you do, search the exact name and publisher to be sure it is not a driver tool, a printer utility or a game launcher with an odd name.

Then remove it from Settings, Apps, Installed apps. Ignore any offers or warnings in its uninstaller about losing protection or performance. Afterwards check Startup apps and your browsers for leftovers, and restart once to confirm that it does not reinstall itself.

LookThisUp came back after I uninstalled it. Why?

Something else is reinstalling it. Common causes are a second program from the same publisher, a scheduled task that downloads it again, or a browser extension that keeps prompting for it. Sort Installed apps by install date and uninstall each entry from the same day that you did not choose.

Then open Task Scheduler and look in the Task Scheduler Library for tasks with updater-style names that you do not recognise. Check Startup apps in Task Manager too. If LookThisUp still returns, start Windows in Safe Mode, uninstall it there and run a Microsoft Defender offline scan, which looks for loaders that ordinary scans can miss.

Does adware steal passwords?

Ordinary adware is built to show ads, not to steal logins, and most of it never touches saved passwords. The line is blurry, though. Extensions that can read every page could capture what you type, and adware ads sometimes lead to phishing pages that ask for passwords directly.

If you entered credentials on a page reached through an ad, change that password from a clean device and turn on two-step verification. Otherwise, removing adware extension and clearing cookies is usually enough.

An ad showed a phone number and I called it. What now?

The number belongs to scammers, not to Microsoft or an antivirus company. If you only talked, hang up and do not call back. If you let them connect to the PC, disconnect it from the internet, uninstall the remote access program they used, such as AnyDesk, TeamViewer, ScreenConnect or UltraViewer, and run a full and offline scan.

If you paid or gave bank details, call your bank at once on the number printed on your card. Change any passwords you typed while they were connected, and report the call.

I clicked on one of the ads. Am I infected?

Probably not. Clicking an ad usually only opens a page, and a page cannot install programs on an up-to-date Windows PC without your help.

You are at risk only if you then downloaded and ran a file, allowed notifications, entered card or login details, or called a phone number shown on the page. Delete any download and run a full and offline scan.

Change passwords you typed, from a clean device. Call your bank if you gave card details. If you called a number or allowed remote access, see the next question.

Can adware slow down my PC?

Yes. Adware runs in the background, loads ad scripts, opens extra tabs and contacts its servers, all of which use processor time, memory and bandwidth. Ad-heavy extensions also slow down every page, because they inspect and change it before you see it.

The effect is strongest on older PCs and when several adware programs arrived together. After removal, restart the PC and check Task Manager for anything still using a lot of resources that you do not recognise. Speed usually returns to normal once the ads stop.

Why didn't my antivirus catch LookThisUp?

Many security products do not block adware or notification sites by default, because users often agreed to them, even through a misleading prompt. Notification spam installs nothing at all, so there is no file to detect.

In Windows 11 you can make Microsoft Defender block potentially unwanted apps: open Windows Security > App & browser control > Reputation-based protection settings and turn on Potentially unwanted app blocking. If notifications caused the pop-ups, no scanner will report them; the fix is in the browser's site settings.

What is LookThisUp?

LookThisUp is another untrustworthy application that may initiate undesirable operations on your computer. The main reason why this app is considered to be adware is due to its ability to display intrusive advertisements at all times, regardless of what is being done on Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, MS Edge, or another web browser.

The summary table at the top of this guide lists the type, the detection names, the symptoms and the damage of LookThisUp. Reading it first helps you decide whether your computer shows the same signs.

Will Fortect remove LookThisUp?

Fortect scans Windows for malware and unwanted programs and repairs the system files and settings they change, and its free scan shows what it finds on your PC before you decide anything.

For LookThisUp, follow the plan above as well: the browser steps take back permissions and settings that no scanner treats as a threat, and uninstalling the program that brought it removes the source.

Run Microsoft Defender's full scan and, if anything was found, its offline scan as a second opinion. If the symptoms are gone after the plan and both scans are clean, there is nothing more to do.

Sources

  1. Google Chrome Help: Use notifications to get alerts (no longer online) (read October 7, 2026)
  2. FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 7, 2026)
  3. Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 7, 2026)
  4. Microsoft Learn: How Microsoft names malware (read October 7, 2026)

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