Ad Network Performance ads: what it is and how to remove it
Ad Network Performance virus, closely related to Adnetworkperformance.com, is a piece of dubious software that gets the user involved in advertising campaigns. Considered to be a PUP due to the deceptive infiltration techniques employed, the app is capable of appearing on both Windows and macOS computers and hacking web browsers such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, or Safari.
Facts checked October 6, 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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Ad Network Performance ads: summary
| Distribution | The most popular way of getting infected by adware is through a deceptive strategy called "software bundling" when the PUP comes in a package of free or shared software. Also, you can accidentally download adware by clicking on an infectious ad or hyperlink that occurs while visiting unsecured sources |
|---|---|
| Name | Ad Network Performance |
| Also known as | Adnetworkperformance.com/Ad Network Performance virus |
| Type | Adware application/potentially unwanted program |
| Targeted apps | This suspicious product can appear on any type of web browser application, including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, and Safari |
| Tasks | The main goal of this adware program is to drop advertising content straight on the user's computer screen and convince the user to take suspicious deals and offers for real. Also, the PUP can initiate redirects to affiliate sources some of which might appear to be malware-laden. Furthermore, the adware can collect non-personal data related to the user's browsing history and share it with third-parties later on |
| 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 9 more facts
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
|---|---|
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Symptoms | Redirects to an unknown domain |
| Evidence | 6 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Domains | adnetworkperformance.com |
| Ads shown as | Redirects through ad pages |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge and Firefox |
| First seen | 20 March 2020 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
Is Ad Network Performance ads dangerous?
From our report of Mar 2020 · not reviewed since
Ad Network Performance virus - a piece of adware that can load fake prize claims and misleading offers
Ad Network Performance virus, closely related to Adnetworkperformance.com, is a piece of dubious software that gets the user involved in advertising campaigns.
Considered to be a PUP due to the deceptive infiltration techniques employed, the app is capable of appearing on both Windows and macOS computers and hacking web browsers such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, or Safari. Ad Network Performance adware can include bogus extensions, plug-ins, add-ons, and toolbars to your web browsers and initiate some setting changes on the default homepage and new tab bar.
However, the worst part about Ad Network Performance is its intrusive advertising that you are very likely to see and feel while infected with this threat. Mostly, adware apps provide you with various scams, surveys, fake rewards, false software updates, misleading deals, and offers.
The main goal of the developers is to collect cost-per-click income whenever a person steps on a provided ad and they do not really care if the shared content has true value or not. To continue, we are going to talk about how the bogus adds can affect your browsing quality, put your finances and personal information in danger, cause the risk of potential malware installations, and so on.
Ad Network Performance virus can load you with fake software updates such as Adobe Flash Player. When you have this PUP installed on your computer, you are likely to see random notifications to update your products while browsing the Internet sphere. You should not take such urges for granted and rather check the program's official website to see if there truly were some upgrades released recently.
Furthermore, Ad Network Performance virus might show fake technical support notifications that claim about a non-existing virus infection lurking on your computer. This way the hackers seek to make you call the given phone number.
When dialed, you might be asked to provide some personal information that can lead to identity theft or be pushed to purchase a useless fixing utility that would appear to be a complete waste of money.
However, this is still not all that Ad Network Performance virus can bring to you. You might also be approached with fake surveys that offer to win a particular prize.
Here, you can be encouraged to transfer a small starter fee for receiving the big reward which, as you might have already notice, does not exist. Also, such scams can try to swindle some private data such as your birthdate, residence place, mobile phone number, etc.
When Ads by Ad Network Performance start bothering you frequently, you will likely notice that this affects your browsing quality, i.e. slows down the entire surfing process, forces browser windows to crash. As a result, you will get annoyed with ads and struggles every time you try to complete a browsing task. Besides, this can affect your computer too as it might experience general sluggishness too.
Another thing that can be initiated by notifications from Ad Network Performance virus is rerouting to affiliate sources. By clicking on an ad, you might be taken to a developer-sponsored network where you will be provided with additional offers and deals.
However, the worst part about this redirecting activity is landing on a potentially malicious website where you might have to deal with notorious malware such as ransomware viruses or trojans.
If you are already wondering how to remove Ad Network Performance from your PC and web browsers, you are having very good thoughts as there is nothing positive about adware. Besides the mentioned activities, the app can also install browsing cookies, pixels, or beacons to stalk on your browsing sessions and online habits. The program might capture data such as pages visited, links clicked, bookmarks saved, your IP, browser type.
Afterward, the collected information might be shared with other parties for monetary income or used for benefitting in targeted advertising campaigns. If you do not like the idea of being stalked, receiving tons of ads, getting redirected to odd domains, experiencing browser modifications, you should opt for Ad Network Performance virus removal right away. This is the only way to free your PC and browsers from the adware.
Gladly, there are even two ways that can help you to remove Ad Network Performance virus from your machine. The first one is called the automatic method where you will need to download and install reliable antimalware software.
By running such an app, you can be sure that your computer has been cleaned fully. Also, you can try removing the threat by yourself by checking out the step-by-step instructions that are added to the end of this article.
From our report of Mar 2020 · not reviewed since
Keep adware away from your computer and browsers
If you cannot remember installing a particular potentially unwanted program, it probably entered your computer system along with another free program you have installed.
Therefore, we would like to advise you to be more careful when installing new software on your PC. Developers of PUPs target to spread their products as effectively as possible; therefore, they use the software bundling strategy.
They add these PUPs to other programs disguised as "free additions" or "recommended downloads." Unfortunately, you can find out about such additions only by selecting Advanced or Custom installation settings.
Please take note that the majority of PC users rely on dubious Default/Standard options while in reality these installation settings automatically install all additional components added to the primary program. Please choose our recommended settings and opt such shady additions out.
Additionally, you should prevent yourself from clicking on unknown hyperlinks and adverts that show up when you browse the Internet as some of them might initiate the installation process of the PUP.
Also, do not install any questionable-looking updates as there are many fake upgrades lurking on the Internet, for example, Adobe Flash Player-related ones. Last but not least, get a reliable antivirus tool to protect you from possible adware attacks.
From our report of Mar 2020 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Ad Network Performance
- If you have discovered some compromisation not only on your web browsers but also on your computer system, try diminishing the alterings by downloading a reliable fix tool such as
Check your browser and PC
- Address:
adnetworkperformance.com
How to remove Ad Network Performance ads
How to remove the Ad Network Performance extension
Do the browser steps in every browser and profile on the PC, then check Windows for the program that installed the extension.
Step 1: Remove extensions you did not add
In Chrome open
chrome://extensions, in Edgeedge://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 on Windows 11: More > Extensions > Manage extensions. Full procedure with screenshots: Remove a browser extension
Step 2: Uninstall programs you did not mean to install
Ad Network Performance rarely comes alone: it is usually installed by, or together with, a free program. In Windows 11 open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, in Windows 10 Settings > Apps > Apps & features, and sort by install date.
Uninstall every entry from the day the trouble began that you did not install on purpose, for example a download manager, a converter or a browser you never chose.
Keep drivers and entries from Microsoft, Intel, AMD, NVIDIA or your PC's maker unless you are sure.
Full procedure with screenshots: Uninstall a program or app in Windows On uGetFix
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 on Windows 11: Settings > Reset settings. Full procedure with screenshots: Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine
Step 4: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan
A scan finds the parts of Ad Network Performance 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 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
To terminate potentially unwanted programs from your Windows operating system and make sure that there is no suspicious content left, apply the below-provided step-by-step guidelines
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.
Remove from Google Chrome
To delete all bogus components that were brought by adware and reverse all unknown changes in Google Chrome, carry out the following guide
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.
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.
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)
To get rid of all questionable products such as extensions, plug-ins, and add-ons, you should clean Mozilla Firefox with the help of these instructing steps
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.
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.
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
To clean all browser helper objects that were included in Internet Explorer because of the adware program, you should complete the following instructions
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.
Do not let government spy on you
The government has many issues in regards to tracking users' data and spying on citizens, so you should take this into consideration and learn more about shady information gathering practices.
Avoid any unwanted government tracking or spying by going totally anonymous on the internet.
You can choose a different location when you go online and access any material you want without particular content restrictions. You can easily enjoy internet connection without any risks of being hacked by using VPN.
Control the information that can be accessed by government any other unwanted party and surf online without being spied on. Even if you are not involved in illegal activities or trust your selection of services, platforms, be suspicious for your own security and take precautionary measures by using the VPN service.
Backup files for the later use, in case of the malware attack
Computer users can suffer from data losses due to cyber infections or their own faulty doings.
Ransomware can encrypt and hold files hostage, while unforeseen power cuts might cause a loss of important documents. If you have proper up-to-date backups, you can easily recover after such an incident and get back to work. It is also equally important to update backups on a regular basis so that the newest information remains intact - you can set this process to be performed automatically.
When you have the previous version of every important document or project you can avoid frustration and breakdowns. It comes in handy when malware strikes out of nowhere. Use for the data restoration process.
From our report of Mar 2020 · not reviewed since
Ad Network Performance removal instructions
We believe that you have landed on this page because you wanted to find out how to remove Ad Network Performance virus from your computer.
Our security experts suggest that you choose from two options: the automatical way and the manual technique. The first method includes downloading and installing reliable antimalware software that will properly take care of the PUP and ensure that it is gone within a few minutes of time.
The second option includes step-by-step Ad Network Performance virus removal from your computer system and web browsers such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, and Safari. Note that you have to terminate all of the suspicious components that have been added to those apps, otherwise, the potentially unwanted program might return the next time you turn on your computer system or launch your occupied web browser.
According to LosVirus experts, it is better to employ reliable software for the removal process of adware and Ad Network Performance virus is not an exception. If you think of yourself as a less-experienced user or you have been simply running into a lack of time lately, you should better choose to rely on automatical removal and fix software.
Questions about Ad Network Performance ads
Why does my browser keep going to adnetworkperformance.com?
Something is sending it there. On one site only, that site's ads are the cause and leaving the site ends it.
On many different sites, the usual causes are an extension you installed with something else, a site you once allowed to send notifications, or an ad-supported program in Windows that changes how the browser behaves. adnetworkperformance.com itself is only a stop on the way: it records the visit and forwards you to whatever advertiser pays most.
Check the extensions page, then the list of sites allowed to send notifications, then Installed apps sorted by date. Removing the cause stops the redirects; blocking the domain alone usually does not, because the network moves to a new one.
Should I worry about redirects to adnetworkperformance.com?
Worry less about adnetworkperformance.com itself and more about what keeps sending you there. A single redirect from a free streaming or download site is normal and harmless once the tab is closed.
Repeated redirects on sites that used to work fine mean something in the browser or in Windows changed, often an extension or program installed alongside other software. It may also collect the pages you visit. Remove the cause with the steps in this guide, and do not act on anything the redirected pages ask:
- no Allow clicks
- no downloads
- no calls
If you already did one of those, the matching section of this guide explains what to do next.
Why does Ad Network Performance show me ads?
Because that is its whole purpose. Ad Network Performance is an adware extension, and its operators are paid for every ad it displays and every click it gets. In this case the ads take the form of redirects through ad pages.
They are chosen by ad networks that accept almost any advertiser, which is why so many look like warnings or prizes. The ads are not a sign that your PC is broken or infected with something worse; they are a sign that something on it, or in the browser, has permission to advertise. Removing that permission or program stops them.
Do I have to clean every browser?
Yes, if you use more than one. We saw Ad Network Performance in Chrome, Edge and Firefox, and each browser keeps its own extensions, notification permissions and settings. Chrome and Edge share the same extension format, so one installer can add the same adware to both, while Firefox has its own add-ons.
Check every browser on the PC, including ones you rarely open. If you sync a browser with an account, clean it while signed in, so that the removal reaches your other computers rather than the adware returning from them.
How do I know the ads come from Ad Network Performance?
Look for redirects to adnetworkperformance.com. That is the trace Ad Network Performance leaves, and it shows up as redirects through ad pages. Ads that appear on every site, including ones that never carried ads before, point to something on your PC or in the browser rather than to the sites themselves.
A quick test is a private window, where extensions are off by default: if the ads disappear there, an extension is responsible. If they appear even with the browser closed, the source is a notification permission or a program in Windows.
Why didn't my antivirus catch Ad Network Performance?
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.
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.
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.
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.
Will Fortect remove Ad Network Performance?
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 Ad Network Performance, 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
- Wikipedia: Potentially unwanted program (read October 6, 2026)
- LosVirus: LosVirus (read October 6, 2026)
- Google Chrome Help: Use notifications to get alerts (no longer online) (read October 6, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 6, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 6, 2026)