Clickware (Free Instructions) - Removal Guide
Clickware Removal Guide
What is Clickware?
Clickware is the adware application that installs applications without users knowledge and causes additional intrusive behavior
Clickware is the adware that makes devices running slow and causes browser freezes as well as system crashes. Clickware is a potentially unwanted program that collects browsing-related information about the user from every click on the banner, pop-up ad, and visits on the sponsored sites. What makes this tracking issue harmful is the fact that various third-party advertisers get access to those details and can use them in malvertising campaigns or create more personalized advertisements geared towards victims' preferences.[1]
This application gets installed accidentally when people download other freeware without paying enough attention to the installation setup. This threat also called Clicker, decreases users' time online significantly with all the unwanted advertisements and makes the system running slower than usual when additional processes and applications get installed on the browser or the PC itself.
Name | Clickware |
---|---|
Type | Adware |
Also called | Clicker |
Symptoms | Delivers intrusive commercial content, causes redirects to suspicious pages, installs other applications |
Distribution | Freeware installers, deceptive advertisements, bundled software |
Main danger | Diminishes users' time online, collects information about browsing preferences |
Detection names |
|
Elimination | Use FortectIntego to remove Clickware clean the machine fully |
Clickware virus resembles another threat of the same adware type – BWPlayer. Both of them work on the same principle – displays pop-up ads and other unwanted commercial content on the browser so users' activity online can get tracked and data collected.
Programs like Clickware Ads, in most cases, get promoted via other potentially unwanted program campaigns and come to the system during insecure software installations when these free downloads of PUPs and rogue tools are not adequately disclosed in the installation setup.
This is the reason why people are not aware of how Clickware got on their system when they start noticing the unwanted behavior and intrusive commercial content. Unfortunately, during such installations, you can get more than this one PUP, and the adware itself installs various programs, browser extensions to the system behind your back.
Clickware injects advertisements into websites that you commonly visit and other places where commercial content shouldn't appear. Boxes with offers, coupons, or deals, pop-up ads, banners fill up the screen each time you browse online. In-text ads and hyperlinks keep you from accessing wanted sites or searching on the browser.
Additional Clickware features:
- Changed browser appearance;
- Installed browser extensions, toolbars, tools, bookmarks;
- Constant redirects to questionable sites;
- Changed startup preferences;
- Promotional content recommending fake updates, software, and applications.
Clickware virus is the potentially unwanted program that tracks various information about the user from traffic on associated sites.
Clickware affects various browsers, but the most common Mozilla Firefox, and Google Chrome gets more attention from these cyber intruders. The activity on the web browser is the most noticeable, but all the redirects, advertisements, and processes running on the PC itself significantly diminishes time online and the general performance, speed of the device.
There is no need to keep Clickware on the machine since it has nothing helpful or useful about itself. The purpose of this program is to redirect online traffic and bring the revenue for the publisher and distributor. Adware uses resources of the infected device to run additional processes.
Once it gets active, it makes a lot of changes on the machine. So make sure to react as soon as possible and remove Clickware from the PC. Since you cannot manually find all the extra programs and files, we recommend getting an automatic anti-malware tool and eliminate the PUP this way.
Researchers[3] always note how intrusive and frustrating, potentially unwanted programs can get in time. Download FortectIntego and scan the machine. This is the best Clickware removal method that allows you to clean the machine thoroughly with one tool. Also, check your web browsers and delete any extensions or tools installed without your permission.
Software installers promote questionable adware
When you install software, download applications or software updates, there is a possibility that you get promotional content on the setup installer itself. Unfortunately, when Recommended or Quick installations get initiated all the additional program included in the freeware bundle gets automatically installed. This is why you get greeted with intrusive, unwanted content out of nowhere.
This PUP infiltration also happens through advertisements, promotional pop-ups, or banners, when you rely on questionable freeware sources. This information about automatically installed apps is not disclosed on setups properly, and free installations lead to such infections.
Go for Advanced or Custom installations and de-select unwanted program from the list that gets displayed. Make sure to agree to the program you want and need only. Also, rely on official providers or reliable sources, so you don't need to worry about such issues.
Get rid of the Clickware virus entirely by scanning the machine with a proper AV tool
The Clickware virus is a persistent threat because it runs on victims' computer resources to generate needed revenue. Also, it redirects your online traffic and causes tons of pop-up to perform a pay-per-click campaign. This is an unfortunate cyber infection that needs to be terminated as soon as possible, so there is not much virus damage.
You can remove Clickware and all the associated files that get installed without your knowledge by cleaning the machine thoroughly with anti-malware tools. Such programs can check the system entirely and indicate all possible threats, virus damage, or even errors and issues with the system itself.
The automatic Clickware removal with anti-malware tools is the best solution for any malware. However, these PUPs are silent intruders that come without your knowledge and comes bearing other applications. The full system scan and virus termination is the method we recommend.
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 Clickware. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
Get rid of Clickware from the system to get back to pleasant time browsing online
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)
Make sure to check your web browser for additional Clickware content
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
Clickware may install other applications on your Chrome to make it run slower, so eliminate those programs manually
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 Clickware 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
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 Private Internet Access 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, or 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, Data Recovery Pro can be your only hope to retrieve your invaluable files.
- ^ Malvertising campaign abuses Chrome for iOS bug to target iPhone users. ZDNet. Technology news and analysis.
- ^ Malware detection results. Virustotal. Online malware scanner.
- ^ Virusai. Virusai. Spyware related news.