ClickForSale ads: what it is and how to remove it
ClickForSale is the potentially unwanted program that makes changes on the machine to affect the online traffic and make people visit commercial pages. All the redirects push either software and tools that have the same purposes of the ad-supported page or reroutes the browsing session to possibly malicious pages where users' data gets tracked and collected.
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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ClickForSale ads: summary
| Distribution | Other similar programs, freeware installations, software bundling, deceptive advertisements |
|---|---|
| Name | ClickForSale |
| Type | Adware |
| Symptoms | Advertising content injected on various web pages you visit, pop-ups, banners, and redirects push other tools and applications. Fake updates and other software get recommended constantly and in-browser content gets installed out of nowhere |
| Danger | Can access information about the user and track those details, collect them, or even share with third-party companies |
| 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 5 more facts
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
|---|---|
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Program | ClickForSale |
| First seen | 12 September 2019 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
Is ClickForSale ads dangerous?
From our report of Sep 2019 · not reviewed since
ClickForSale is the adware program that displays commercial content and causes frustration on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and other browsers
ClickForSale is the potentially unwanted program that makes changes on the machine to affect the online traffic and make people visit commercial pages.
All the redirects push either software and tools that have the same purposes of the ad-supported page or reroutes the browsing session to possibly malicious pages where users' data gets tracked and collected. Visiting these pages can also lead to the installation of malware, PUPs, and spyware. Clicking on pop-ups, banners or redirect windows may initiate the direct download of the software.
These are the methods that help to deliver ClickForSale adware itself. All the deceptive advertisements hide other purposes of the intruder. This PUP also adds browser extension with the same name or installs other toolbars, plugins to track more details about the user and affect the machine even further.
ClickForSale alters come system settings and crucial parts of the machine to ensure the persistence of the adware, so Windows registry and startup preferences get modified. You need to fix that to fight the PUP completely, but manual changes can damage the particular programs, so experts recommend getting automatic tools while eliminating adware, browser hijackers, and other silent threats.
ClickForSale extension and toolbars may be installed on the browser, so all the advertisements go directly on your screen, you should indicate the particular intruder from "Provided by ClickForSale" or similar statements on those banners, pop-ups. However, this adware has more symptoms than intrusive advertisements:
Don't forget about a common feature that ClickForSale and other PUPs have - ad-tracking or data collection function. Each click on the advertisement, banner or the website allows advertisers and even third-party publishers to access data regarding your location, browsing the history, other preferences, most viewed sites and searched items.
Such behavior can lead to privacy issues and even identity theft. So remove ClickForSale as soon as possible until this information is not accessed by a fraudulent person or company.
Unfortunately, instead of useful advertisements this misleading application may deliver ads with sponsored links and cause you some troubles by forcing you to visit unsafe websites. If you have recently started receiving ClickForSale ads on your web browsers, you should check the list of extensions and investigate what programs are working on the background of your system.
If it's inside your PC, you should consider privacy-related issues because it travels along with tracking cookies that collect non-personally identifiable information and may share it with various third parties.
Moreover, you should know that 'Ads by ClickForSale' may not only disrupt your browsing activities but also redirect you to corrupted websites. That's why we highly recommend removing such and similar programs once you observe them on your computer. For this purpose, you can use or any other reputable anti-spyware.
You need a quick ClickForSale removal because this is a misleading adware-type program that has been labeled as a potentially unwanted program that can load other intruders on the device.
Basically, most of the adware-type intruders try to trick people into downloading them by promising to save time and money. Unfortunately, the majority of the apps appears to be rogues and after installing them causes troubles to get rid of them.
- searches on the browser redirected to fake engines;
- shady tools and programs installed on the machine;
- other extensions, toolbars, plugins added without your permission;
- text in random pages become hyperlinks;
- common sites deliver questionable content.
From our report of Sep 2019 · not reviewed since
Avoid freeware installations to keep the system PUP-free
If you often download various freeware and shareware, you are at risk of ending up with potentially unwanted programs on your computer.
That's because adware and similar-type programs typically spread around with the help of free software.
To be more precise, various browser extensions, toolbars, add-ons, or plug-ins are attached to the main installer of freeware and spreads in one pack. This way they manage to appear on computers as if out of nowhere and implement various activities behind the user's back.
To avoid this happening, avoid visiting questionable websites and try being more attentive when installing various download managers, PDF creators, music or video players. It is advisable to select Advanced or Custom installation option due to the fact that this way all checkboxes are disclosed and you can deselect the ones suggesting to install additional applications.
Otherwise, you may be constantly bothered by redirects and may even end up with a malicious program on your computer. We believe that you do not want to find yourself in such a situation, so make sure that you remove this adware as soon as you notice it.
From our report of Sep 2019 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on ClickForSale
- Install to remove ClickForSale damage and associated files
How to remove ClickForSale ads
How to remove ClickForSale
Uninstall first, then remove what stays behind, so the ads do not come back after a restart.
Step 1: Uninstall ClickForSale
ClickForSale is removed like any other program, from the list of installed apps. In Windows 11 that is Settings > Apps > Installed apps, in Windows 10 Settings > Apps > Apps & features, and in both you can also use Control Panel > Programs and Features.
Select ClickForSale, click Uninstall and follow the uninstaller to the end. Then look at the entries just above and below it when the list is sorted by date: bundled programs install at the same minute.
Full procedure with screenshots: Uninstall a program or app in Windows On uGetFix
Step 2: Remove it from startup
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager and select Startup apps (Windows 11) or the Startup tab (Windows 10). Disable entries you do not recognise, especially ones with no publisher or with a name that copies a Windows component.
Right-click an entry and choose Open file location to see where it runs from: programs in
%AppData%or%Temp%deserve a closer look. Some entries are not listed there but in the registry Run keys, which the procedure below shows how to check.Full procedure with screenshots: Stop apps from opening at startup On uGetFix
Step 3: Delete the folders left behind
Uninstalling often leaves the program's folders, and some threats reinstall themselves from them.
Press Windows + R, type
%LocalAppData%and press Enter, then do the same for%AppData%and %ProgramData%, and look for folders named after ClickForSale, its publisher or created on the day the problem started. Delete those folders, and check C:\Program Files and C:\Program Files (x86) too.If Windows says a file is in use, end it in Task Manager or delete the folder after a restart in Safe Mode. The folders are the same in Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Full procedure with screenshots: Remove what malware leaves behind in Windows
Step 4: 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 5: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan
A scan finds the parts of ClickForSale 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
ClickForSale adware requires a thorough elimination from various parts of the device, so follow the suggested steps:
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
Follow the removal processes with proper checks on web browsing tools. ClickForSale may add tools or applications behind your back
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)
Check for suspicious programs and toolbars that may interfere with the speed and general performance of your device
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
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.
Stream videos without limitations, no matter where you are
There are multiple parties that could find out almost anything about you by checking your online activity.
While this is highly unlikely, advertisers and tech companies are constantly tracking you online. The first step to privacy should be a secure browser that focuses on tracker reduction to a minimum.
Even if you employ a secure browser, you will not be able to access websites that are restricted due to local government laws or other reasons. In other words, you may not be able to stream Disney+ or US-based Netflix in some countries. To bypass these restrictions, you can employ a powerful VPN, which provides dedicated servers for torrenting and streaming, not slowing you down in the process.
Data backups are important - recover your lost files
Ransomware is one of the biggest threats to personal data.
Once it is executed on a machine, it launches a sophisticated encryption algorithm that locks all your files, although it does not destroy them. The most common misconception is that anti-malware software can return files to their previous states. This is not true, however, and data remains locked after the malicious payload is deleted.
While regular data backups are the only secure method to recover your files after a ransomware attack, tools such as can also be effective and restore at least some of your lost data.
From our report of Sep 2019 · not reviewed since
Remove ClickForSale virus to eliminate all those redirects and pop-ups
If you think that your PC has already been infected by this adware, we highly recommend running a full system scan with a reputable anti-spyware.
Going for the automatic anti-malware scan gives you the opportunity to remove ClickForSale and improve the performance of the machine significantly. During the full check on the machine, you can eliminate all possible threats and malware, fix virus damage and repair corrupted files.
Questions about ClickForSale ads
Is ClickForSale a virus?
Most programs that appear the way ClickForSale 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.
How do I stop programs like ClickForSale from being installed again?
Most unwanted programs arrive through installers, so the fix is in how you install software. Download programs from their official sites or the Microsoft Store, not from download portals or ads above search results. During setup, choose Custom or Advanced installation and untick every extra offer, including browsers, toolbars and optimizers.
Decline update prompts that appear inside other programs unless you know them. In Windows Security, turn on reputation-based protection and potentially unwanted app blocking. These steps would most likely have stopped ClickForSale before it reached the app list.
ClickForSale has no uninstaller. What now?
Some adware does not register itself properly, or its uninstaller only opens a web page. First try Settings > Apps > Installed apps and the older Control Panel > Programs and Features; one may list it when the other does not.
If neither works, disable its entry in Task Manager > Startup apps, restart, and run a Microsoft Defender full scan and offline scan, which remove known adware files. Then, if anything is left, delete the folder it ran from, which you can find by right-clicking the process in Task Manager and choosing Open file location.
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.
Can adware slow down my PC?
Yes. Adware runs in the background, loads ad scripts, opens extra tabs and contacts its servers, all of which use processor time, memory and bandwidth. Ad-heavy extensions also slow down every page, because they inspect and change it before you see it.
The effect is strongest on older PCs and when several adware programs arrived together. After removal, restart the PC and check Task Manager for anything still using a lot of resources that you do not recognise. Speed usually returns to normal once the ads stop.
Why didn't my antivirus catch ClickForSale?
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 ad-supported program and clearing cookies is usually enough.
Will Fortect remove ClickForSale?
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 ClickForSale, 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
- Semvirus: Semvirus (read October 6, 2026)
- Wikipedia: Bundling (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)