Alertsx.com ads: what it is and how to remove it
Alertsx.com is a site created for the purpose to generate revenue with the help of pay-per-click advertising. It does this by sending push notifications straight to users' screens, sometimes even when the browser is closed.
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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Alertsx.com ads: summary
| Distribution | Shady websites; deceptive ads; freeware installations |
|---|---|
| NAME | Alertsx.com |
| TYPE | Push notification spam; adware |
| SYMPTOMS | Pop-up ads, banners appear on the screen even when the browser is closed |
| DANGERS | Deceptive advertisements can lead to dangerous websites where users are at risk of giving away their personal information and suffering from monetary losses or downloading malicious software |
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
| 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 8 more facts
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
|---|---|
| Name | Alertsx.com |
| Type | Ad-supported program |
| Symptoms | An unknown program in Installed apps |
| Evidence | 5 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Program | Alertsx.com |
| First seen | 23 November 2021 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
Is Alertsx.com ads dangerous?
From our report of Nov 2021 · not reviewed since
Alertsx.com can spam users with pop-up ads every day and get paid for it
Alertsx.com is a site created for the purpose to generate revenue with the help of pay-per-click advertising.
It does this by sending push notifications straight to users' screens, sometimes even when the browser is closed. As the website itself states: "We'll send you alerts each day with awesome deals from around the web and your local area."
These "awesome deals" can lead to dangerous websites where people can get tricked into providing their personal information, downloading PUPs (potentially unwanted programs), or malware which could lead to monetary losses or even identity theft. The developers of the site do not care about user privacy and security so they allow ads from all types of sources to show up.
From our report of Nov 2021 · not reviewed since
Stop pop-up ads from appearing
Push notifications work on a subscription-based model, so if you request to receive them, you will have to block them yourself too.
You can do this easily by following our step-by-step instructions:
Google Chrome (desktop):
Google Chrome (Android):
MS Edge (Chromium):
- Open Google Chrome browser and go to Menu > Settings.
- Locate the Privacy and security section and pick Site Settings > Notifications.
- Look at the Allow section and look for a suspicious URL.
- Click the three vertical dots next to it and pick Block. This should remove unwanted notifications from Google Chrome.
- Open Google Chrome and tap on Settings (three vertical dots).
- Select Notifications.
- Locate the unwanted URL and toggle the button to the left (Off setting).
- Open Mozilla Firefox and go to Menu > Options.
- Click on Privacy & Security section.
- Under Permissions, you should be able to see Notifications. Click Settings button next to it.
- In the Settings – Notification Permissions window, click on the drop-down menu by the URL in question.
- Select Block and then click on Save Changes. This should remove unwanted notifications from Mozilla Firefox.
- Click on Safari > Preferences...
- Go to Websites tab and, under General, select Notifications.
- Select the web address in question, click the drop-down menu and select Deny.
- Open Microsoft Edge, and click the Settings and more button (three horizontal dots) at the top-right of the window.
- Select Settings and then go to Advanced.
- Under Website permissions, pick Manage permissions and select the URL in question.
- Toggle the switch to the left to turn notifications off on Microsoft Edge.
- Open Microsoft Edge, and go to Settings.
- Select Site permissions.
- Go to Notifications on the right.
- Under Allow, you will find the unwanted entry.
- Click on More actions and select Block.
- Open Internet Explorer, and click on the Gear icon at the top-right on the window.
- Select Internet options and go to Privacy tab.
- In the Pop-up Blocker section, click on Settings.
- Locate web address in question under Allowed sites and pick Remove.
From our report of Nov 2021 · not reviewed since
Clear cookies and cache
Cookies are simple text files that a website can store on your browser.
The main purpose of a cookie is to identify users, save site login details or customize web pages according to the individual's preferences. Most websites will install cookies as a way of developing a profile for a person. The cookies will track each time a user visits a site, what they search for, what they buy, and more.
Unfortunately, not all websites can be trusted with data gathering. If you browse a lot, you most likely accepted the usage of cookies on many websites. You should consider deleting cookies on your browsers because:
The good news is because they are stored on your device, they are quite easy to get rid of but can still take quite a lot of time if you use more than one browser.
You can use optimization tool that can take care of this automatically. This software can also fix various system errors and fix corrupted files to have more than one use. If you want to proceed with a manual guide follow this:
Clear cache and web data from Chrome:
MS Edge (Chromium):
- They can slow down your device: over time, you may accumulate a lot of cookies, which will slow your system down.
- They store your personal information: cookies remember the sites you visit and the purchases you make. Websites can then track you and follow you to develop a more detailed profile.
- They pose a security threat: there have been instances where threat actors hijack cookies and gain access to browser sessions to steal personal data.
- 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.
- Go to Settings > Apps/Applications.
- Expand the full list of the installed apps.
- Tap on Chrome and select Storage & cache.
- Clear storage and clear cache of the app.
- Click Menu and pick Options.
- Go to Privacy & Security section.
- Click on Clear Data...
- Select Cookies and Site Data, as well as Cached Web Content and press Clear.
- Click Safari > Clear History.
- From the drop-down menu under Clear, pick all history.
- Confirm with Clear History.
- Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Privacy & security.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Select everything (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear.
- Click on Menu and go to Settings.
- Select Privacy and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Under Time range, pick All time.
- Select Clear now.
- Press on the Gear icon and select Internet Options.
- Under Browsing history, click Delete.
- Select relevant fields and press Delete
From our report of Nov 2021 · not reviewed since
Tell the difference between legitimate and shady websites
Telling the difference between trustworthy pages and those that do not have your best interest in mind, is becoming more and more difficult.
Fraudsters have learned how to make the pages look professional and non-suspicious. However, there are still some signs that can give it away.
The first one is in the URL. If it starts with HTTP and not HTTPS, that means the page does not have end-to-end encryption and hackers could easily access all the data that you provide to that page. We do not recommend interacting with such pages and not providing them with any of your personal information.
Another sign that you can look for is the privacy policy and terms of use sections. If the website does not have them at all, there is no good news. In some countries, pages are required by law to have these sections, so if the page does not have them, that should raise a concern.
Even if a page has a privacy policy, you should read it to learn if the page is not intrusive. A paragraph from the Alertsx.com privacy policy states:
It is not comforting to know that the site will not be held accountable if you would happen to suffer from some type of consequences. If the individuals behind the page would take your privacy ad safety seriously, you would think that they would do everything they can to control and monitor what advertisers are promoting on their own page.
From our report of Nov 2021 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Alertsx.com
- Remove website permissions via browser settings or deploy professional security software to detect adware
- Use for remediation and fix any damage left after removal
- The Offerings may provide, third parties may provide and/or refer you to, links to other Internet websites and/or resources including, without limitation, the Links.
- Because Company has no control over such third party websites and/or resources, you hereby acknowledge and agree that Company is not responsible for the availability of such third party websites and/or resources.
- Furthermore, Company does not endorse, and is not responsible or liable for, any terms and conditions, privacy policies, content, advertising, services, products and/or other materials at or available from such third party websites or resources, or for any damages and/or losses arising therefrom.
How to remove Alertsx.com ads
How to remove Alertsx.com
Uninstall first, then remove what stays behind, so the ads do not come back after a restart.
Step 1: Uninstall Alertsx.com
Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps in Windows 11, or Settings > Apps > Apps & features in Windows 10. Sort the list by install date and find Alertsx.com, then choose Uninstall from the three-dot menu next to it (in Windows 10, click the entry and then Uninstall).
Remove anything else installed on the same day that you do not recognise, because such programs usually arrive together in one installer. If the uninstaller opens a browser page with an offer or a survey, close it: the program is removed either way.
Full procedure with screenshots: Uninstall a program or app in Windows On uGetFix
Step 2: Remove it from startup
Whatever Alertsx.com installed usually starts with Windows. Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc, go to Startup apps in Windows 11 or the Startup tab in Windows 10, and disable what you do not know, starting with entries that have an empty Publisher column.
Open file location on the right-click menu shows the file, which helps you decide and tells you what to delete later. Disabling is safe: if something you need stops working, switch it back on.
Full procedure with screenshots: Stop apps from opening at startup On uGetFix
Step 3: Delete the folders left behind
What the uninstaller leaves behind is usually in the user folders. Open File Explorer, switch on View > Show > Hidden items (in Windows 10 View > Hidden items), and go through
%LocalAppData%,%AppData%, %ProgramData% and the two Program Files folders.Sort by Date modified and delete folders that appeared together with the problem and belong to no program you use. Folders with random names that hold
.exe,.dll, .js or .ps1 files are the strongest sign.Full procedure with screenshots: Remove what malware leaves behind in Windows
Step 4: Reset the browser
Finish the browser part with a reset, which puts the search engine, start page, new tab page and site permissions back to their defaults and switches extensions off. Chrome: Settings > Reset settings > Restore settings to their original defaults.
Edge: Settings > Reset settings. Firefox: Help > More troubleshooting information > Refresh Firefox, which also removes its extensions. Your bookmarks and saved passwords are kept, and the menus are the same on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Chrome on Windows 11: Settings > Reset settings. Full procedure with screenshots: Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine
Step 5: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan
Open Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, run a Full scan and remove everything it finds. Then select Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) and click Scan now: the PC restarts and scans before Windows loads, which finds files that hide while Windows runs.
Save your work first, because the offline scan takes about 15 minutes. Both scans are built into Windows 11 and Windows 10, and a second scanner from another vendor is a useful extra opinion.
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:
- 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.
Choose a proper web browser and improve your safety with a VPN tool
Online spying has got momentum in recent years and people are getting more and more interested in how to protect their privacy online.
One of the basic means to add a layer of security - choose the most private and secure web browser. Although web browsers can't grant full privacy protection and security, some of them are much better at sandboxing, HTTPS upgrading, active content blocking, tracking blocking, phishing protection, and similar privacy-oriented features.
However, if you want true anonymity, we suggest you employ a powerful VPN - it can encrypt all the traffic that comes and goes out of your computer, preventing tracking completely.
Lost your files? Use data recovery software
While some files located on any computer are replaceable or useless, others can be extremely valuable.
Family photos, work documents, school projects - these are types of files that we don't want to lose. Unfortunately, there are many ways how unexpected data loss can occur:
- power cuts
- Blue Screen of Death errors
- hardware failures
- crypto-malware attack
- even accidental deletion
To ensure that all the files remain intact, you should prepare regular data backups. You can choose cloud-based or physical copies you could restore from later in case of a disaster. If your backups were lost as well or you never bothered to prepare any, can be your only hope to retrieve your invaluable files.
From our report of Nov 2021 · not reviewed since
If the manual removal failed
If blocking the site permissions in your browser settings did not work, that might mean that you have a potentially unwanted program installed in your system that is generating ads in the background without your consent. Security software can also prevent such infections in the future by giving you a warning about suspicious programs.
If you want to try it yourself, you can find instructions for Windows and macOS under this post.
Questions about Alertsx.com ads
Is Alertsx.com a virus?
Most programs that appear the way Alertsx.com did are not viruses in the strict sense. They are potentially unwanted programs:
- real software that arrives bundled with other downloads and then shows offers
- changes browser settings
- starts with Windows
Some are harmless, some are annoying and a few carry adware. What makes it worth removing is that you did not choose it.
Uninstall it from Installed apps and check the startup list and the browsers for anything added the same day. If it refuses to uninstall or returns after a restart, treat it as more serious and run a Microsoft Defender offline scan.
Alertsx.com 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 Alertsx.com 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.
Is uninstalling Alertsx.com enough?
Often, but not always. Uninstalling Alertsx.com through Settings > Apps > Installed apps removes the main part. Ad-supported programs, however, frequently arrive together with others from the same installer, and some leave a scheduled task or a browser extension behind.
After uninstalling, sort the list of installed apps by date and look at what else appeared that day, check Task Manager > Startup apps, and open the extension page in every browser. A Microsoft Defender full scan at the end catches leftover files.
My scan found nothing, but the ads continue. Why?
Because the source may not be a file a scanner looks for. Browser notifications are a permission stored in the browser, and many adware extensions are not flagged because they come from an official store.
Some ad-supported programs are only reported if you enable detection of potentially unwanted apps. So a clean scan does not mean the job is done. Check each browser's notification permissions and extension list by hand, and turn on Potentially unwanted app blocking in Windows Security before scanning again.
Did Alertsx.com collect my data?
Adware typically collects what it needs to choose ads:
- the sites you visit
- search terms
- approximate location
- browser and system details
Extensions with permission to read and change data on all websites can technically see everything on those pages, including forms. That is a privacy problem rather than proof of theft.
If you typed card details or passwords while it was active, changing the most important passwords is a reasonable precaution. Clearing cookies after removal ends the tracking sessions it may have started.
Can an adware pop-up infect my PC just by appearing?
No. A pop-up, a notification or a new tab is only a web page or a message. It cannot run programs on Windows by itself, provided the browser and Windows are up to date. Infection needs a step from you:
- running a downloaded file
- installing an extension
- giving a stranger remote access
That is why scam pages work so hard to make you click. Close such pages with the tab's X or by closing the browser, not with buttons inside the page, which may start a download.
Why is my browser so slow since the ads started?
Each page now does extra work. An adware extension reads the page, decides where to put ads, loads them from ad servers and reports your visit, and that happens on every tab. Ad-supported programs add their own background activity.
Removing the extension or program usually makes the browser fast again at once. If it stays slow, open the browser's own task manager with Shift+Esc in Chrome or Edge and look for extensions using a lot of memory or processor time.
I let a "support technician" from an ad connect to my PC. What should I do?
Act quickly but calmly. Disconnect the PC from the internet first, so the connection ends. Uninstall the remote access tool they asked you to install and check Installed apps for anything else added during the call.
Run a Microsoft Defender full scan and offline scan. From another device, change your e-mail and banking passwords and sign out of all sessions.
If you paid by card, bank transfer or gift card, contact your bank or the card issuer immediately, and report the scam to the police. Do not answer if they call back.
Will Fortect remove Alertsx.com?
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 Alertsx.com, 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)
- Kaspersky: What end-to-end encryption is, and why you need it (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)