WinWiki add-on can be attached to your Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Internet Explorer web browsers if you download and install it along with another freeware. Right after that you may not be able to fight against commercial advertisements while browsing, so if possible, stay away from this application.
How can WinWiki virus install on my computer without being noticed?
WinWiki is known not only as an ad-supported web browser add-on (‘adware’), but it also belongs to the group of ‘potentially unwanted program’ (PUP). Security experts have found spreading alongside freewares and sharewares. Although legitimate such distribution method is treated as highly unfair because people are not directly informed about third-party applications that are spreading alongside freewares. For now, it seems that WinWiki adware is a frequent companion of HealthCareGov, which is nothing else but just another adware. Both of them are usually attached to various download managers, media players, PDF creators, and other free programs. Therefore, if you do not want unwanted apps settling down on your web browser, make sure that you analyze settings (advanced/custom) of each freeware and untick check marks that say: “I accept EULA, Privacy Policy and agree to install WinWiki add-on” or similar.

Why should I avoid this adware?
WinWiki does not feature any traits that are typical of a virus. It neither spreads using illegal means nor initiate criminal activities. Nevertheless, it does not inform people about all unwanted activities that it will start once installed on a computer. Instead of that, it is trying to convince them that it is going to save time and money while they will do shopping online.
Once installed, this adware is not going to provide you with any benefit. Instead of that, it may flood you with useless advertisements containing information about deals, discounts, and similar things. Unfortunately, WinWiki ads may be very irritating. The developers (third parties who sponsor this adware) may generate this adware in such forms as pop-ups, banners, interstitial ads, in-text links, or even new tab ads. Consequently, web browsing may become mission impossible. In addition to annoyance and disruption, “Ads by WinWiki” can even lead to infiltration of other PUPs. While clicking on some of the ads can make you visit online shops or other unwanted but secure websites, the others can display you fake software updates (Java, Flash Player, Media Player, etc.) that once clicked may inject other unwanted apps to your machine. Also, to provide you with personalized ads, WinWiki virus can track your web browsing activities and accumulate information about pages that you view, search terms that you type, clicks, IP address, PC’s location, and so on. So if you suspect this adware to be hiding in your computer, run FortectIntego and let it do its job.
What options do I have for WinWiki removal?
If WinWiki redirects make you visit third party websites that you certainly do not want to visit, you should take corresponding actions to stop this program from causing them. In fact, the only reliable way to do that is to remove the add-on with all its components. To help you get rid of it, we have prepared a step-by-step guide that you can find below:
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.
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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1 comment
Me
How silly I was to believe that this program will make online shopping easier! In fact, it made my web browsing impossible, so NEVER ever install it.