4Shared is a website that promises useful features, like improved online searches but promotes suspicious tools

4Shared is a potentially unwanted program which spreads with the help of other programs. Technically, it is not a virus, and you can be sure that it won’t pose harm to your computer. So, there is no surprise that it has its official website and relies on third-party download sites to spread 4Shared.dll and other files. However, it seems that you can download this program to your computer without realizing that.[1] An adware is compatible with various operating systems and can be installed on different mobile devices. While the trial program's version is free, you will be constantly encouraged to pay for the premium version. No matter the cost ($10 per month) seems reasonable, keep in mind that this is a potentially unwanted program that can leak your credit card information and similar data.
| Name | 4Shared |
|---|---|
| Type | Adware |
| Detected as | Program.4shared |
| Main symptoms | Delivers deceptive ads, redirects to promotional websites |
| Possible danger | Collects various information about the user and can share it with third-party companies |
| Promoted as | A useful tool that cleans your device or even improves the security |
| Price for the premium version | Differs from 6.50$ to 10$ per month for the Premium version |
| Distribution | Software bundling, deceptive websites |
| Removal | Use FortectIntego for system cleaning and 4Shared removal |
The software bundling is the reason why you should start monitoring every installation process. Otherwise, you can allow 4Shared installation on your computer when downloading freeware from questionable sources like deceptive websites or promotional advertisements.
Also, there are some additional things that you should know about this application. The first of them is continuous pop-up ads that may start appearing right after installing this program on the system. They may appear in the form of advertisements, in-text links, banner ads, pop-up ads, and similar alters.
Beware that such messages may show up as soon as this program infiltrates a computer and that clicking them may cause unwanted redirects to the affiliate websites of 4Shared or partners. These redirects often expose malicious content and visiting these pages may lead to infiltration of additional programs. You may notice other browser content installed without your knowledge:
- browser extensions;
- plugins;
- bookmarks;
- tools.
Finally, this application may start tracking your browsing on the web and may collect information, which is related to your browsing habits. To avoid revealing your email address, IP address and similar data, you should stay away from banner ads, underlined words and similar notifications that are caused by 4Shared adware.[2]
Data tracking issue is even admitted on the Privacy section of the website:
We may also collect additional data through our Digital Properties that may include (a combination of) Personal Data elements, such as:
- Location information & IP address
- Device information such as browser type, mobile device type and identifier, screen resolution, operating system, and device Advertising ID
- Log information such as the date and time of a visit or use of Digital Properties, pages visited on this Service and areas accessed in the App, time spent viewing the Digital Properties, and return visits to the Digital Properties, your 4shared account ID, and your 4shared account activity.
- Wireless Network usage information including, but not limited to, network performance, network usage details of mobile applications, mobile identity, precise location, and network access point identifier. Such data shall be collected and shared with non-affiliates only in accordance with DAA Principles.
- Aggregated information as you and others browse and use our Digital Properties.
If you have already noticed annoying ads on your PC's desktop that are labeled as 'ads by4Shared', '4Shared ads', 'brought to you by 4Shared', etc., you should ignore these alerts and also remove this program from the system.
Otherwise, you will see its ads on all of your web browsers that are installed on the system. For the 4Shared removal of this app, we recommend selecting FortectIntego or other system cleaning tool.
You need to remove 4Shared by scanning the system entirely and following the steps that the program suggests. This is the best option when dealing with PUPs because you may have more intruders on the system than you think or can see. Anti-malware tools detect these programs and delete them from the system

Additional PUPs come from insecure freeware installations
If you found a suspicious program on your computer, you can be sure that you downloaded it there in a bundle with some download-manager, PDF document creator, video recording or steaming program. To avoid such downloads, you should always try to pay more attention to freeware’s installation process by choosing a Custom or Advanced installation.
Also, find these check marks that say that you agree to download one or other application, change your start page or similar, and uncheck it. If you downloaded this program, other experts[3] and we recommend eliminating it from the system.
You need to remove 4Shared using reputable tools
To remove 4Shared from the system thoroughly, you need to pay close attention while eliminating applications and programs from the device. You need to delete all related apps, extensions, toolbars, and add-ons if you want to get rid of the unwanted adware behavior.
However, it is not easy since the program comes to your system silently. We recommend checking the system with anti-malware tools to make sure that it's free of dangerous applications and finish 4Shared removal procedure. To uninstall this program and additional content manually, follow the instructions below the article.
Uninstall from Windows
Uninstall from Windows 10/8:
- Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.

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

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

Delete from macOS
Remove the unwanted application:
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).

Delete leftover files and folders:
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
- Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.

- Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.
Reset Internet Explorer
Remove dangerous add-ons:
- Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top-right corner of the browser
- Pick Manage Add-ons.
- You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for suspicious plugins. Click on these entries and select Disable.

Change your homepage if it was altered:
- Open IE and click on the Gear icon.
- Select Internet Options.
- In the General tab, delete the Home page address and replace it by your preferred one (for example, Google.com).
- Click Apply and then select OK.

Delete temporary files:
- Press on the Gear icon and select Internet Options.
- Under Browsing history, click Delete...
- Select relevant fields and press Delete.

Reset Internet Explorer:
- Click on Gear icon > Internet options and select Advanced tab.
- Select Reset.
- In the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset.

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

Clear cookies and other browser data:
- Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- 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.

Restore new tab and homepage settings:
- Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
- Then find On startup section.
- Click Remove next to any suspicious startup page.
Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:
- Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
- Select Details tab.
- 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.

Instructions for Chromium-based Edge
Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):
- Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
- Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.

Clear cache and site data:
- Click on Menu and go to Settings.
- Select Privacy, search and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Under Time range, pick All time.
- Select Clear now.

Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- On the left side, pick Reset settings.
- Select Restore settings to their default values.
- Confirm with Reset.
- This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.

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

Reset the homepage:
- Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
- Choose Settings.
- Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.
Clear cookies and site data:
- Click Menu and pick Settings.
- Go to Privacy & Security section.
- Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
- Click on Clear Data...
- Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.

Reset Mozilla Firefox
If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
- Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.

- Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
- Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.

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

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

Change your homepage:
- Click menu and choose Settings.
- Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
- 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:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
- Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
- Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
- Confirm with Reset settings.

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

Clear history and website data:
- Click Safari in the menu and pick Clear History.
- Set Clear to all history and confirm with Clear History.

Reset Safari:
- Click Safari in the menu and select Preferences > Advanced.
- Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
- From the menu bar, click Develop and select Empty Caches.

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