Download Magnet. How to remove? (Uninstall guide)
Download Magnet is labeled as a potentially unwanted program (PUP) for several reasons. It slithers into users’ systems without their consent; it modifies registry settings, it displays intrusive advertisements. Despite that it presents itself as a beneficial and up to date application that helps to manage download tasks and processes, it is hardly useful at any point. If you want to find out when and how this application can enter your system and what does it do, proceed to the following paragraphs.
How does Download Magnet work?
Download Magnet claims to be a useful program that manages download processes. However, it is just another adware type program, and if you are looking for a more reliable download manager, we suggest installing a well-known and reliable software instead of this one. Download Magnet is a free program, but it is obvious that it has to gain revenue from somewhere. So this application earns pay-per-click revenue from its third-party partners for every click that redirects users to third-party websites. To achieve that, it will display various misleading ads for you that will try to seduce you to click on them.
Questions about Download Magnet
This software uses a particular technique to find out what advertisements may look impressive for you. Firstly, it installs browser extensions that record websites you go to, your search queries, bookmarks that you save and so on. After that, it generates targeted ads based on the things you look for on the Internet. Then this adware starts to show ”ads by Download Magnet”, ”powered by Download Manager” or ”Download Magnet ads” or similarly entitled advertisements every time you will launch your Internet browser. We recommend you to be attentive and because some of these websites may be infectious. One click, and you might initiate an execution of an infectious file. To ensure your PC’s safety, we recommend installing Reimage – a reliable anti-spyware, which is able to detect and remove various computer threats.
How did Download Magnet hijack my system?
This application can be downloaded from its official web page, but our research team has found out that this adware program commonly is spread in software bundles. It means that distributors of this program tend to group it together with other applications, which usually are reliable and legitimate. This is why you have to check if the website providing download link is program’s official one; otherwise you can end up with additional programs on your system. However, there is one more way to avoid unwanted apps – by managing the installation settings. Opt for “advanced” or “custom” option and untick all suggestions to install additional software bundle components. That is all you need to do to ensure that unexpected programs will not reach your system without notice.
How to uninstall/delete this download manager?
You can choose if you want to uninstall Download Magnet virus automatically(with an anti-spyware program) or if you wish to remove it manually. We have provided manual removal guide below this article. Follow the instructions carefully, and you will eliminate this PUP in no time.
You can remove virus damage automatically with a help of one of these programs: Reimage, Malwarebytes MalwarebytesCombo Cleaner, Plumbytes Anti-MalwareMalwarebytes Malwarebytes. We recommend these applications because they detect potentially unwanted programs and viruses with all their files and registry entries that are related to them.
To remove Download Magnet, follow these steps:
Uninstall Download Magnet from Windows systems
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Click Start → Control Panel → Programs and Features (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
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If you are Windows 10 / Windows 8 user, then right-click in the lower left corner of the screen. Once Quick Access Menu shows up, select Control Panel and Uninstall a Program.
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Uninstall Download Magnet and related programs
Here, look for Download Magnet or any other recently installed suspicious programs. -
Uninstall them and click OK to save these changes.
Erase Download Magnet from Mac OS X system
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If you are using OS X, click Go button at the top left of the screen and select Applications.
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Wait until you see Applications folder and look for Download Magnet or any other suspicious programs on it. Now right click on every of such entries and select Move to Trash.
Get rid of Download Magnet from Internet Explorer (IE)
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Remove dangerous add-ons
Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top right corner of the browser and choose Manage Add-ons. -
You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for Download Magnet and other suspicious plugins. Disable these entries by clicking Disable:
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Change your homepage if it was altered by virus:
Click on the gear icon (menu) on the top right corner of the browser and select Internet Options. Stay in General tab. -
Here, remove malicious URL and enter preferable domain name. Click Apply to save changes.
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Reset Internet Explorer
Click on the gear icon (menu) again and select Internet options. Go to Advanced tab. - Here, select Reset.
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When in the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset again to complete Download Magnet removal.
Delete Download Magnet from Microsoft Edge
Reset Microsoft Edge settings (Method 1):
- Launch Microsoft Edge app and click More (three dots at the top right corner of the screen).
- Click Settings to open more options.
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Once Settings window shows up, click Choose what to clear button under Clear browsing data option.
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Here, select all what you want to remove and click Clear.
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Now you should right-click on the Start button (Windows logo). Here, select Task Manager.
- When in Processes tab, search for Microsoft Edge.
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Right-click on it and choose Go to details option. If can’t see Go to details option, click More details and repeat previous steps.
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When Details tab shows up, find every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right click on each of them and select End Task to end these entries.
Resetting Microsoft Edge browser (Method 2):
If Method 1 failed to help you, you need to use an advanced Edge reset method.
- Note: you need to backup your data before using this method.
- Find this folder on your computer:
C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe.
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Select every entry which is saved on it and right click with your mouse. Then Delete option.
- Click the Start button (Windows logo) and type in window power in Search my stuff line.
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Right-click the Windows PowerShell entry and choose Run as administrator.
- Once Administrator: Windows PowerShell window shows up, paste this command line after PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> and press Enter:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register $($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml -Verbose}
Once these steps are finished, Download Magnet should be removed from your Microsoft Edge browser.
WindowsMac OS XInternet ExplorerMicrosoft EdgeFirefoxGoogle ChromeSafariRemove Download Magnet from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
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Remove dangerous extensions
Open Mozilla Firefox, click on the menu icon (top right corner) and select Add-ons → Extensions. -
Here, select Download Magnet and other questionable plugins. Click Remove to delete these entries.
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Reset Mozilla Firefox
Click on the Firefox menu on the top left and click on the question mark. Here, choose Troubleshooting Information. -
Now you will see Reset Firefox to its default state message with Reset Firefox button. Click this button for several times and complete Download Magnet removal.
Eliminate Download Magnet from Google Chrome
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Delete malicious plugins
Open Google Chrome, click on the menu icon (top right corner) and select Tools → Extensions. -
Here, select Download Magnet and other malicious plugins and select trash icon to delete these entries.
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Click on menu icon again and choose Settings → Manage Search engines under the Search section.
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When in Search Engines..., remove malicious search sites. You should leave only Google or your preferred domain name.
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Reset Google Chrome
Click on menu icon on the top right of your Google Chrome and select Settings. -
Scroll down to the end of the page and click on Reset browser settings.
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Click Reset to confirm this action and complete Download Magnet removal.
Uninstall Download Magnet from Safari
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Remove dangerous extensions
Open Safari web browser and click on Safari in menu at the top left of the screen. Once you do this, select Preferences. -
Here, select Extensions and look for Download Magnet or other suspicious entries. Click on the Uninstall button to get rid each of them.
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Reset Safari
Open Safari browser and click on Safari in menu section at the top left of the screen. Here, select Reset Safari.... -
Now you will see a detailed dialog window filled with reset options. All of those options are usually checked, but you can specify which of them you want to reset. Click the Reset button to complete Download Magnet removal process.