Amazon Toolbar (Removal Instructions) - Sep 2015 update

Amazon Toolbar Removal Guide

What is Amazon Toolbar?

Problems with Amazon Toolbar

Amazon Toolbar, which is now known as Amazon Assistant, is an browser extension that users can add by their own volition. It is compatible with many web browsers, including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera, Sleipnir, Sogou Explorer, 360 Safe Browser and 360 Quick Browser. We noticed that a lot of users complain about technical issues[1] regarding this toolbar or even call it Amazon Toolbar virus. We must point out that it is a legitimate application and it isn’t malicious or illegal in any way. However, our researchers decided to add it to “potentially unwanted program” category because many computer users start looking for its removal guidelines shortly after installing the toolbar to their systems. It turns out that it initiates many unwanted activities on a computer, for instance, displays annoying ads urging the user buy more items and redirect to pages that sell them.

Although we mentioned that this toolbar can be installed with user’s permission, we didn’t explain how it can hijack your browsers with your permission, but without your knowledge. This program can be installed on PC systems without any notification if you tend to install computer programs in a rush and without paying enough attention to installation settings. Straight after that, this browser add-on attaches itself to your Internet browser and changes some of the browser settings, like the homepage and the default search engine. Secondly, it starts tracking your activity on the Internet. For example, this hijacker collects data about the websites you go to, keywords you type in search fields, you download history, and also knows your IP address[2]. After collecting needed data, this browser add-on generates “Recommended For You” advertisements based on your interests. You may also notice redirects to amazon.com/gp/bit/amazonserp but this site uses Google for showing search results, so you can be sure that they are legitimate and safe.

Even though this toolbar is not classed as a virus[3], its activity can be troublesome. Users often complain that they do not like advertisements appearing on random web sites that prompts buying even more products from the eCommerce platform or its partners. We believe that you should be careful with its headlines and unbelievable great deals that these ads display. If this system tool is already installed on your computer and now you want to remove Amazon Assistant, you should install a reliable anti-malware program, for example, FortectIntego, and run a full system scan. Alternatively, you can use Amazon Toolbar removal guidelines presented below the text.

Amazon searchSearch engine provided by Amazon Toolbar.

What if I can’t remember installing this software on my computer?

If you can’t remember installing this software on your PC, you should carefully read information provided in this section. First of all, you should try to remember what free programs you installed on your PC lately. You could install it along Java[4] or Flash Player, which are known to be offering optional offers for users. The shopping assistant could have entered your PC alongside another program, however, in most cases, users agree to install the toolbar directly from the eCommerce platform. Some users reported that the e-shop suggested installing the toolbar after placing an order “in order to see it without opening Amazon.” Of course, there is an official page dedicated to this toolbar, and you can download it from there.

In case you installed the program without realizing it, please be attentive every time you download free software from the Internet[5]. If you found the program you seek to download on a suspicious website, you should be careful. Make sure you carefully read Terms and Conditions, as well as Privacy Policy. In addition, avoid the “default“ or “standard“ installation options – this is exactly where all automatic agreements to install additional applications are concealed. Instead of these options you should choose either “advanced“ or “custom“ installation options. After doing so, you should see suggestions to install additional content like plug-ins, add-ons, additional applications, as well as suggestions to change your homepage, for example: „Yes, I wan’t Amazon Smart Search to be set as my default homepage“. Untick all of these clauses and you will install only the preferred program.

How to remove Amazon Toolbar?

In case it is too late and you already have this add-on installed on your computer, do not worry. It is not a virus and it cannot damage your computer – it might annoy you a little and in the worst case, it might slow down your computer, but nothing else. It is just a potentially unwanted program and if you think that it does not add useful features to your browsers, you can remove Amazon Toolbar using the tutorial provided below. Our professionals have set a list of step-by-step detailed instructions that you can follow. An even easier way to get rid of it is to run a scan with anti-spyware program, which will delete all of its components for you. The automatic Amazon Assistant removal tool will help you to remove all potentially unwanted and malicious programs from the system with ease.

You may remove virus damage with a help of FortectIntego. SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner and Malwarebytes are recommended to detect potentially unwanted programs and viruses with all their files and registry entries that are related to them.

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Compatible with Microsoft Windows Compatible with macOS
What to do if failed?
If you failed to fix virus damage using Fortect Intego, submit a question to our support team and provide as much details as possible.
Fortect Intego has a free limited scanner. Fortect Intego offers more through scan when you purchase its full version. When free scanner detects issues, you can fix them using free manual repairs or you can decide to purchase the full version in order to fix them automatically.
Alternative Software
Different software has a different purpose. If you didn’t succeed in fixing corrupted files with Fortect, try running SpyHunter 5.
Alternative Software
Different software has a different purpose. If you didn’t succeed in fixing corrupted files with Intego, try running Combo Cleaner.

Getting rid of Amazon Toolbar. Follow these steps

Uninstall from Windows

First of all, open the panel that provides the list of all programs that are currently installed on your computer. Delete all shopping assistants and other shady programs that you cannot remember installing.

Instructions for Windows 10/8  machines:

  1. Enter Control Panel into Windows search box and hit Enter or click on the search result.
  2. Under Programs, select Uninstall a program. Uninstall from Windows 1
  3. From the list, find the entry of the suspicious program.
  4. Right-click on the application and select Uninstall.
  5. If User Account Control shows up, click Yes.
  6. Wait till uninstallation process is complete and click OK. Uninstall from Windows 2

If you are Windows 7/XP user, proceed with the following instructions:

  1. Click on Windows Start > Control Panel located on the right pane (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
  2. In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program. Uninstall from Windows 7/XP
  3. Pick the unwanted application by clicking on it once.
  4. At the top, click Uninstall/Change.
  5. In the confirmation prompt, pick Yes.
  6. Click OK once the removal process is finished.

Delete from macOS

Check “Applications” folder for suspicious entries. If you can find any shady apps there, move them to Trash using this guide.

Remove items from Applications folder:

  1. From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
  2. In the Applications folder, look for all related entries.
  3. Click on the app and drag it to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash) Uninstall from Mac 1

To fully remove an unwanted app, you need to access Application Support, LaunchAgents, and LaunchDaemons folders and delete relevant files:

  1. Select Go > Go to Folder.
  2. Enter /Library/Application Support and click Go or press Enter.
  3. In the Application Support folder, look for any dubious entries and then delete them.
  4. Now enter /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders the same way and terminate all the related .plist files. Uninstall from Mac 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 on Uninstall at the bottom. 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 Privacy & security.
  2. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  3. Select everything (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 Disable if you found any suspicious domain.

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

If this solution failed to help you, you need to use an advanced Edge reset method. Note that you need to backup your data before proceeding.

  1. Find the following folder on your computer: C:\\Users\\%username%\\AppData\\Local\\Packages\\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe.
  2. Press Ctrl + A on your keyboard to select all folders.
  3. Right-click on them and pick Delete Advanced MS Edge reset 1
  4. Now right-click on the Start button and pick Windows PowerShell (Admin).
  5. When the new window opens, copy and paste the following command, and then press Enter:

    Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\\AppXManifest.xml” -Verbose Advanced MS Edge reset 2

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. Reset Chromium Edge

Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)

Uninstall the assistant for Firefox using these guidelines:

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 unwanted plugin 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 Options.
  3. Under Home options, enter your preferred site that will open every time you newly open the Mozilla Firefox.

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, as well as Cached Web Content and press 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

Remove from Google Chrome

In Chrome, go to Extensions tab and find an extension called “Amazon Assistant for Chrome.” Delete it.

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 the suspicious plugins that might be 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

Delete from Safari

Remove unwanted extensions from Safari:

  1. Click Safari > Preferences…
  2. In the new window, pick Extensions.
  3. Select the unwanted extension and select Uninstall. Remove extensions from Safari

Clear cookies and other website data from Safari:

  1. Click Safari > Clear History…
  2. From the drop-down menu under Clear, pick all history.
  3. Confirm with Clear History. Clear cookies and website data from Safari

Reset Safari if the above-mentioned steps did not help you:

  1. Click Safari > Preferences…
  2. Go to Advanced tab.
  3. Tick the Show Develop menu in menu bar.
  4. From the menu bar, click Develop, and then select Empty Caches. Reset Safari

After uninstalling this potentially unwanted program (PUP) and fixing each of your web browsers, we recommend you to scan your PC system with a reputable anti-spyware. This will help you to get rid of Amazon Toolbar registry traces and will also identify related parasites or possible malware infections on your computer. For that you can use our top-rated malware remover: FortectIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes.

How to prevent from getting stealing programs

Protect your privacy – employ a VPN

There are several ways how to make your online time more private – you can access an incognito tab. However, there is no secret that even in this mode, you are tracked for advertising purposes. There is a way to add an extra layer of protection and create a completely anonymous web browsing practice with the help of Private Internet Access VPN. This software reroutes traffic through different servers, thus leaving your IP address and geolocation in disguise. Besides, it is based on a strict no-log policy, meaning that no data will be recorded, leaked, and available for both first and third parties. The combination of a secure web browser and Private Internet Access VPN will let you browse the Internet without a feeling of being spied or targeted by criminals. 

No backups? No problem. Use a data recovery tool

If you wonder how data loss can occur, you should not look any further for answers – human errors, malware attacks, hardware failures, power cuts, natural disasters, or even simple negligence. In some cases, lost files are extremely important, and many straight out panic when such an unfortunate course of events happen. Due to this, you should always ensure that you prepare proper data backups on a regular basis.

If you were caught by surprise and did not have any backups to restore your files from, not everything is lost. Data Recovery Pro is one of the leading file recovery solutions you can find on the market – it is likely to restore even lost emails or data located on an external device.

About the author
Olivia Morelli
Olivia Morelli - Ransomware analyst

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References
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