Download-readynow.com ads: what it is and how to remove it
Download-readynow.com is a website that promotes a dubious browser extension called AdBlock Master. Even though it is promoted to block pop-ups and tracking, it does the opposite.
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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Download-readynow.com ads: summary
| Distribution | Shady websites, deceptive ads, bundled software |
|---|---|
| NAME | Download-readynow.com |
| TYPE | Redirect virus; adware |
| SYMPTOMS | Users get redirected to a page that promotes a malicious browser extension |
| DANGERS | Users might install a rogue extension that will start performing changes in the browser |
| 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 11 more facts
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
|---|---|
| Name | Download-readynow.com |
| Type | Push-notification spam site |
| Symptoms | Notification spam from a website |
| Evidence | 5 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Domains | download-readynow.com |
| Ads shown as | Desktop notifications |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge and Firefox |
| Installed on the PC | Nothing; a browser notification permission only |
| First seen | 15 December 2021 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
Is Download-readynow.com ads dangerous?
From our report of Dec 2021 · not reviewed since
Download-readynow.com promotes a browser extension that claims to block ads
Download-readynow.com is a website that promotes a dubious browser extension called AdBlock Master.
Even though it is promoted to block pop-ups and tracking, it does the opposite. If users add this application to their browsers they might experience an increase in commercial content, pop-ups, and redirects to random websites.
The aim of such add-ons is to generate revenue with ads. Additionally to advertising material, people might experience changes in their browsers like the homepage, new tab address, and search engine which raises many user privacy and security concerns. These kinds of plugins are considered to be browser hijackers, and they force users to use only selected channels for browsing.
Many of these rogue applications are promoted using deceptive tactics. Do not download apps from random websites. Even though you might see attractive claims that they block ads, increase speed and security, it is best to do your research first before making impulsive decisions.
Look for information on external sources, read the reviews, look at the ratings and the number of users. If you cannot find any information besides the promotional website, it is best to ignore it.
From our report of Dec 2021 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Download-readynow.com
- If you have added the promoted extension remove it in your browser settings; a system scan with professional security tools is recommended
From our report of Dec 2021 · not reviewed since
Online dangers
The appearance of Download-readynow.com can be caused by careless browsing habits of users as well as adware.
You could have been redirected to this page by another shady website you were on previously. Most of the time, these are pages that engage in illegal activities because they are unregulated, full of deceptive ads and redirects.
You might see that the extension is available at the chrome web store and think that it is completely safe. The reality is, sometimes these kinds of extensions get listed on official marketplaces because it is difficult for them to decide what is an unwanted program.
It could be found useful by one user, and by another one considered to be a virus, so the chrome web store logo does not mean that the plugin is completely safe. Always do your research.
Shady websites and applications can not only bombard you with annoying ads that can be dangerous but also collect various browsing-related data, like your IP address, the page you visit, links you click on, and things you purchase online. This is not a bad thing at first sight - this allows website and application developers to personalize the user experience.
The danger comes from bad actors who can use these small data files, or cookies for malicious purposes. They could also be sold to third parties and used to target you with ads even more. In the past there have been instances of cookies being hijacked by cybercriminals, so you should be aware of who has the ability to access them.
We suggest clearing cookies and cache regularly, and there is an automatic solution that makes it easy - . This maintenance tool does not only clear your browsers but can also help in fixing some of the damage made to the system after virus infection, like various errors, registry issues, and corrupted files.
Check your browser and PC
- Address:
download-readynow.com
How to remove Download-readynow.com ads
How to stop Download-readynow.com notifications
Do this in every browser you use, and in every profile inside it: each keeps its own list of sites allowed to send notifications.
Nothing has to be uninstalled for the notifications themselves.
Which browser shows the ads?
Step 1: Remove download-readynow.com from Chrome's notification list
Chrome keeps a list of every site you once allowed to send notifications, and
download-readynow.comis on it. Pastechrome://settings/content/notificationsinto the address bar, find download-readynow.com under Allowed to send notifications, open the three-dot menu next to it and pick Remove.Then click Add next to Not allowed to send notifications and type download-readynow.com, so the site cannot ask a second time. Repeat it in every Chrome profile you use on Windows 11 or Windows 10, since each profile has its own list.
Chrome on Windows 11: Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Notifications. Full procedure with screenshots: Stop website notifications and pop-ups
Step 1: Remove download-readynow.com from Edge's notification list
Open Settings and more (the three dots) > Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Site permissions > All permissions > Notifications. Remove
download-readynow.comfrom the Allowed list, then click Add site next to Not allowed to send notifications and enter it there.Edge is built into both Windows 11 and Windows 10, so check it even if you normally use another browser. If the notifications came with the Edge logo, this is the browser that holds the permission.
Edge on Windows 11: Site permissions > All permissions > Notifications. Full procedure with screenshots: Stop website notifications and pop-ups
Step 1: Remove download-readynow.com from Firefox's notification permissions
Open the menu (three lines) > Settings and click Permissions and data in the left list, then Notifications. Select
download-readynow.com, click Remove Website and confirm with Save Changes.In versions older than Firefox 152 the same list sits under Privacy & Security, behind a Settings button next to Notifications. Firefox shows these notifications only while it is running, on Windows 11 and Windows 10 alike.
Firefox on Windows 11: the Notification Permissions window. Full procedure with screenshots: Stop website notifications and pop-ups
Then, whichever browser you use
Step 2: Scan the PC if you downloaded anything from the ads
If you only saw the notifications and clicked nothing, you can stop before this step. If a notification led you to download or run something, delete that file, then scan Windows.
In Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, run a Full scan, then choose Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) and Scan now. The offline scan restarts the PC and takes about 15 minutes on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options. Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan
More removal instructions
For programs installed on the PC and older browsers. Open the one you need.
Remove the extension via browser settings
If you have added the application promoted by Download-readynow.com, you should definitely remove it.
You can do that by going to your browser settings:
MS Edge (Chromium)
- 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.
- 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.
- Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
- Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.
- 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 plugin and click Remove.
- Click Safari > Preferences...
- In the new window, pick Extensions.
- Select the unwanted extension and select Uninstall.
- 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.
Adware can operate in your system unnoticed
As we mentioned before, you could have been redirected to this website by adware, because it can rarely be found in the search results.
Adware is a type of software that monetizes users' activities with different forms of advertising. If you notice pop-ups, banners, and that you get redirected to strange pages randomly, there is a big chance your system might be infected.
Adware is mostly spread on freeware distribution sites. Because the owners of such platforms do not get paid for giving away software for free, they include additional programs in the installers. These can be different kinds of PUAs (potentially unwanted applications), like spyware or hijackers.
Although we previously mentioned that even official web stores cannot always be trusted, they are still the best way to go if you want to install web-based applications. For computer software, try to use official developer websites as much as possible and avoid peer-to-peer file-sharing platforms.
There are also some security measures that you can incorporate when you install programs. Always choose the "Custom" or "Advanced" installation method, read the Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy to find out what the app will be able to do on your system and what data will it collect.
The most important part is to look at the file list and uncheck the boxes next to any files that look suspicious and unneeded.
The removal of PUPs can be tricky, so it is best to avoid them as much as possible. Often they get disguised as handy tools that you would not even suspect. This could be an antivirus suite, system optimizer tool, etc. They can detect most suspicious processes in your machine and eliminate them automatically.
If you want to remove adware manually, you risk deleting the wrong programs because you do not know which one exactly is causing the unwanted behavior. Also, the uninstallation alone may not be enough. You can leave some traces behind (files, registry entries, etc.) which may be capable of renewing the infection. But if you feel confident in your abilities, you can follow our guide for Windows and Mac machines:
To fully remove an unwanted app, you need to access Application Support, LaunchAgents, and LaunchDaemons folders and delete relevant files:
- 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 the uninstallation process is complete and click OK.
- 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)
- 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.
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 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, can also help to recover at least some portion of your data after data-locking virus infection or general cyber infection.
Questions about Download-readynow.com ads
How do I stop notifications from download-readynow.com?
Remove its permission in the browser. The bottom line of each notification names the browser, so open that browser's notification settings and look under Allowed. Remove download-readynow.com and any other site you do not recognise.
In Chrome and Edge this is under the site settings for notifications; in Firefox it is under Settings, Permissions and data, Notifications. Do this in every browser profile, because each one keeps its own list.
Restart the browser and wait a few minutes. If a message still arrives, read its bottom line again: the sending address can differ from the site you remember, and that is the entry still left in the list.
The download-readynow.com notification said my PC is infected. Is it true?
No. Notifications from download-readynow.com are adverts written to look like system messages. A website cannot scan your files, so it has no way to know whether your PC is infected; it shows the same warning to everyone who allowed its notifications. Real Windows Security messages name Windows Security in the bottom line, not a browser and a website.
If you want to be sure, open Windows Security from the Start menu and run a quick scan there. Then remove download-readynow.com from the browser's notification settings so the fake warnings stop arriving. Do not call any number or buy anything the notification or its page suggests.
Why does Download-readynow.com show me ads?
Because that is its whole purpose. Download-readynow.com is a push-notification spam site, and its operators are paid for every ad it displays and every click it gets. In this case the ads take the form of desktop notifications.
They are chosen by ad networks that accept almost any advertiser, which is why so many look like warnings or prizes. The ads are not a sign that your PC is broken or infected with something worse; they are a sign that something on it, or in the browser, has permission to advertise. Removing that permission or program stops them.
Is download-readynow.com safe to visit?
No. The site download-readynow.com exists to push visitors towards ads, and the pages it leads to include fake virus warnings, fake updates, prize scams and notification prompts. Visiting it once does not infect an up-to-date PC, but anything you click or download there is a gamble.
Do not enter personal details, do not allow notifications and do not call phone numbers it shows. If it opens by itself, close the tab and check the browser's extensions and notification permissions. Blocking the single domain helps little, because the operators register new names regularly.
Which browser is sending the download-readynow.com notifications?
Each notification shows the name of the browser and the site in its small print. In the cases we saw, the messages from download-readynow.com came through Chrome, Edge and Firefox. Permissions are stored per browser and per profile, so removing the site in one browser does not affect another.
If you use several Chrome or Edge profiles, check each one. If you sync the browser with an account, remove the permission while signed in, otherwise another computer may still hold it and keep receiving the same messages.
How do I know the ads come from Download-readynow.com?
Look for notifications from download-readynow.com. That is the trace Download-readynow.com leaves, and it shows up as desktop notifications. Ads that appear on every site, including ones that never carried ads before, point to something on your PC or in the browser rather than to the sites themselves.
A quick test is a private window, where extensions are off by default: if the ads disappear there, an extension is responsible. If they appear even with the browser closed, the source is a notification permission or a program in Windows.
Will Focus or Do not disturb stop the notifications?
Only for as long as it is on. Do not disturb in Windows 11 holds back notifications from all apps, including browsers, and releases them to the notification centre later. The site still has permission and the messages still arrive.
Use the browser's notification settings to remove the site instead: once its permission is gone, it cannot send anything, whatever Windows is set to. Keep Do not disturb for what it is meant for, such as meetings, presentations and quiet hours.
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.
Why didn't my antivirus catch Download-readynow.com?
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.
Will Fortect remove Download-readynow.com?
No program removes Download-readynow.com itself, because there is nothing on the PC to remove: the notifications come through a permission saved in the browser, and only the browser's settings take it away, as the steps above show.
What Fortect can do is check the rest of Windows. Its free scan looks for malware, unwanted programs and damaged system files, which is useful if you clicked the ads, downloaded something from the pages they opened, or are not sure what else changed on the PC.
If the scan finds nothing and the notifications stopped after you removed the permission, this problem is solved. Use Microsoft Defender as a second opinion whenever you have downloaded files from pages like these.
Sources
- Malwarebytes: Adware (read October 6, 2026)
- Kaspersky: What are Cookies? (read October 6, 2026)
- Wikipedia: Freeware (read October 6, 2026)
- HowToGeek: PUPs Explained: What is a "Potentially Unwanted Program"? (read October 6, 2026)
- Google Chrome Help: Use notifications to get alerts (no longer online) (read October 6, 2026)