Chromatic adware (Removal Instructions) - Free Guide
Chromatic adware Removal Guide
What is Chromatic adware?
Chromatic is a web browser that offers to protect your online privacy but often comes bundled with other software
Chromatic adware is a potentially unwanted application that usually gets in as an optional component within software bundles
Chromatic is a free and legitimate application that promises users to create a safer browsing environment. According to its developers, the browser can protect users from landing on malicious websites, which can result in malware infections, personal information loss, and other online threats.
While Chromatic can be downloaded from third-party domains (download.com, soft32.com, cnet.com, softonic.com, and so on), as well as its official site, – it is mainly distributed within software bundle packages, so users rarely notice when the browser enters their devices.
Once installed, the application may set itself as a default browser with predetermined settings. Besides, users are often presented with an intrusive advertisement when using the application: pop-ups, offers, deals, banners, coupons, and other intrusive material is covering all sites that they visit. For those reasons, users are recommended to remove Chromatic adware and resume using trusted browsers instead.
Name | Chromatic |
Type | Browser |
Category | Adware/PUP |
Distribution | Third-party sites, software bundles |
Symptoms | Chromatic set as a default browser, ads on most sites that you visit |
Termination | You can delete the PUP manually as per our instructions below or employ automatic tool like FortectIntego |
According to its developers, Chromatic is simply better at everything, as the slogan presented states:
Welcome to Chromatic, your favorite new Browser! Enjoy unlimited access to videos, uncensored content and amazing discounts!
Developers state that users can enjoy Netflix and other geo-restricted content from anywhere in the world, protect personal information, increase the speed of downloads by 50%, and save money by offering coupons and deals. Therefore, is there a reason to remove Chromatic browser? As it turns out, there are quite a few aspects of the app that might make you want to do so.
While all the offered features sound pretty amazing, not everything is as good as it seems, and we believe that negative aspects of Chromatic adware[1] outweigh the positives. First of all, the distribution of the application is typical to potentially unwanted programs – software bundles[2] ensure that less attentive users install the app without notice.
The second part is the advertisement content. Experts can easily categorize this application as adware, as it presents users with advertisements which are disguised as allegedly useful discounts and coupons. However, multiple users will not be as pleased when they will spot countless pop-ups on all the sites that they visit.
Also, there is no guarantee that content presented by Chromatic adware is entirely secure. Potentially unwanted programs often take no responsibility about the sites that they link users to. It basically means that, in case you land on a malicious site, the developers of the app will not be responsible, and you will have yo deal with the consequences yourself.
Chromatic is adware application that displays coupons, deals and other intrusive advertisements
Even more, even though Chromatic browser claims to be concerned about your privacy, it has been found that it may install tracking cookies[3] and monitor your browsing activities itself. It seems to be targeted at personally non-identifiable information, such as IP address, PC's location, email address, search terms, websites visited, data entered in them, clicks and so on
All in all, we suggest you proceed with Chromatic adware removal. You can do it manually by entering the installed application list or employ security software that can find adware and delete all its traces. For that, we suggest using FortectIntego.
Ad-supported software is hidden inside software bundles
The browser tends to spread bundled with various download managers, PDF creators, and media players that are distributed via such websites as soft32.com, softonic.com, downloads.com, cnet.com, etc. Unfortunately, it's not possible to distinguish software packages from the outside, which is the main reason why people keep installing freeware with additional attachments.
In order to check whether your chosen freeware carries an attachment, it's a must to opt for Advanced or Custom installation (the expanded mode that discloses all available checkboxes) and trace the entire process step-by-step. Your main task is to detect the list of “optional downloads,” which may contain from one to several components set by default. Besides, you should look for such and similar statements: “By clicking the Next, I agree to set Chromatic as my default web browser.” Make sure that you unmark ticks that are set alongside such statements and only then finish the process.
Chromatic discloses in Privacy Policy that it uses Cookies and other tracking technologies to track data
If you found Chromatic adware on your computer, delete by following this guide
Some people might believe that Chromatic adware is a great alternative to most popular web browsers, such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, Opera, and others. However, there is a reason why less known projects are shut down pretty fast – users are unsure how much can they trust new browsers that claim to protect ones privacy, increase download speed and all those other allegedly useful features.
Because the official website is no longer available, you might obtained the PUP when downloading freeware from other sites. Thus, you should remove Chromatic adware either by using anti-virus software or by uninstalling the app via the installed program list.
Chromatic adware removal would be much faster if choosing automatic method – a full system scan should only take a few minutes. However, we believe that manual deletion method can be just as successful – check the detailed guide below.
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.
Getting rid of Chromatic adware. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
To uninstall Chromatic browser from Windows operating systems, you should access the installed program list via the Control Panel:
Instructions for Windows 10/8 machines:
- Enter Control Panel into Windows search box and hit Enter or click on the search result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
- From the list, find the entry of the suspicious program.
- Right-click on the application and select Uninstall.
- If User Account Control shows up, click Yes.
- Wait till uninstallation process is complete and click OK.
If you are Windows 7/XP user, proceed with the following instructions:
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel located on the right pane (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
- In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.
- Pick the unwanted application by clicking on it once.
- At the top, click Uninstall/Change.
- In the confirmation prompt, pick Yes.
- Click OK once the removal process is finished.
Delete from macOS
Remove items from Applications folder:
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for all related entries.
- Click on the app and drag it to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash)
To fully remove an unwanted app, you need to access Application Support, LaunchAgents, and LaunchDaemons folders and delete relevant files:
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and click Go or press Enter.
- In the Application Support folder, look for any dubious entries and then delete them.
- Now enter /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders the same way and terminate all the related .plist files.
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 on Uninstall at the bottom.
Clear cookies and other browser data:
- 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.
Restore new tab and homepage settings:
- Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
- Then find On startup section.
- Click Disable if you found any suspicious domain.
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.
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.
- Find the following folder on your computer: C:\\Users\\%username%\\AppData\\Local\\Packages\\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe.
- Press Ctrl + A on your keyboard to select all folders.
- Right-click on them and pick Delete
- Now right-click on the Start button and pick Windows PowerShell (Admin).
- 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
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.
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 unwanted plugin and click Remove.
Reset the homepage:
- Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
- Choose Options.
- Under Home options, enter your preferred site that will open every time you newly open the Mozilla Firefox.
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, as well as Cached Web Content and press 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 the suspicious plugins that might be 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 unwanted extensions from Safari:
- Click Safari > Preferences…
- In the new window, pick Extensions.
- Select the unwanted extension and select Uninstall.
Clear cookies and other website data from Safari:
- Click Safari > Clear History…
- From the drop-down menu under Clear, pick all history.
- Confirm with Clear History.
Reset Safari if the above-mentioned steps did not help you:
- Click Safari > Preferences…
- Go to Advanced tab.
- Tick the Show Develop menu in menu bar.
- From the menu bar, click Develop, and then select Empty Caches.
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 Chromatic 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 adware
Access your website securely from any location
When you work on the domain, site, blog, or different project that requires constant management, content creation, or coding, you may need to connect to the server and content management service more often. The best solution for creating a tighter network could be a dedicated/fixed IP address.
If you make your IP address static and set to your device, you can connect to the CMS from any location and do not create any additional issues for the server or network manager that needs to monitor connections and activities. VPN software providers like Private Internet Access can help you with such settings and offer the option to control the online reputation and manage projects easily from any part of the world.
Recover files after data-affecting malware attacks
While much of the data can be accidentally deleted due to various reasons, malware is one of the main culprits that can cause loss of pictures, documents, videos, and other important files. More serious malware infections lead to significant data loss when your documents, system files, and images get encrypted. In particular, ransomware is is a type of malware that focuses on such functions, so your files become useless without an ability to access them.
Even though there is little to no possibility to recover after file-locking threats, some applications have features for data recovery in the system. In some cases, Data Recovery Pro can also help to recover at least some portion of your data after data-locking virus infection or general cyber infection.
- ^ Olivia Morelli. What is adwre? In depth analysis and removal guides. 2-spyware. Cybersecurity news and articles.
- ^ Bundled Software. Techopedia. Where IT and Business Meet.
- ^ Chris Hoffman. What Is a Browser Cookie?. How-to Geek. Site that explains technology.