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  • Active
  • Severity: Medium
  • Adware
  • Windows, Mac
  • Verified · Jun 2020

How to remove FileViewPro

A step-by-step removal guide for affected devices. Follow the verified procedure below — most readers complete it in under 10 minutes.

Julie Splinters · Anti-malware specialist

FileViewPro is a dubious application that is bundled with other potentially unwanted programs

FileViewPro

FileViewPro is an app that allows users access, edit, and share various video, music, photo, and other files – at least that is how it is described by Solvusoft, its developer. Allegedly, the program includes all the necessary elements that would allow users to open file types that Windows would otherwise now. However, FileViewPro is detected by 33 anti-virus engines on VirusTotal as potentially unwanted software.

The suspicious activity of FileViewPro starts with its installer – users can download it from the developer's website, although it is widely distributed on dozens of other file-sharing sites. The app is often bundled with other potentially unwanted programs,[1] such as WinThruster or Ask Toolbar, which are unnecessary and even potentially dangerous additions to any users' computers. Finally, none of the FileViewPro functions are accessible until users purchase its license for $39.95/year.

Note, problems with opening various file types are rarely encountered by users nowadays, as the browsers, along with operating systems are now designed to work without any additional “codecs” or similar tools. Thus, applications like FileViewPro are not only deceptive but also quite useful for users who employ a modern operating system.

Name FileViewPro
Type Potentially unwanted program
Distribution  Software bundles (often bundled with rogue program WinThruster), third-party websites
Developer Solvusoft
Functionality  The app claims to allow users to edit, view, and share various files. However, none of the functionality is unlocked until users pay the yearly subscription of $39.95
Potential risks  During the installation of FileViewPro, users might install other potentially unwanted programs or even malware on their machines. Additionally, they might be tricked into buying a full license and losing money
Termination  Get rid of potentially unwanted programs via the Control Panel or by employing reputable anti-malware program
Recovery  There are hundreds of applications that can allow users to edit pictures and videos – they are either free or posses much better functionality altogether. The app, however, might corrupt some of the system files, which might result in Windows malfunction. If you happen to come across errors or crashes after uninstallation of FileViewPro, scan your computer with FortectIntego to fix virus damage

While it is evident that potentially unwanted programs are not as dangerous as malware, they often use deceptive techniques to show the functionality as “useful” or “needed.” In reality, apps like FileViewPro are designed for novice users who are unaware of many computer functionality-related functions. The goal of the PUP is to make users believe that the app is worth spending the money on. In reality, it is not.

Due to tho these reasons, many anti-virus engines detect the app as potentially unwanted or even malicious. Nevertheless, some users might even refer to it as “FileViewPro malware” or “FileViewPro virus” due to its unexpected arrival on the computer or prompts that ask them to upgrade to the Pro version.

Multiple AV vendors detect the app on Virus Total as follows:[2]

  • Malicious (high Confidence)
  • PUA.FileViewPro
  • Solvusoft StaticBuild Installer (PUA)
  • Win32/Solvusoft.B Potentially Unwanted
  • ADWARE/Solvusoft.Gen
  • W32/Fareit.A
  • ApplicUnwnt@#2ro2zrmidmza4
  • PUA:Win32/Solvusoft, etc.

We highly advise you to remove FileViewPro from your machine and instead choose reputable file editing software. Depending on your needs, you can opt for the built-in Paint or the multi-functional Photoshop – it all depends on what type of file editing you are interested in. Additionally, be warned that downloading “FileViewPro crack” or “FileViewPro keygen” might result in malware infection, such as Trojan, rootkit, or even ransomware.

FileViewPro PUP

FileViewPro removal can be performed manually as per our instructions below or eliminate with anti-virus software that detects the threat. Note that the app (along with other PUPs that might have been installed together) might harm your computer system files. To avoid computer crashes, registry errors, and similar issues, we recommend using FortectIntego.

The infiltration of PUPs can be a direct result of careless freeware installation

Many people enjoy having and using apps for free – there are also thousands of websites that offer freeware/shareware. However, users do not take into consideration that app developers also want/need to monetize. This is when other features come into play – users are offered optional components during the installation (which are often deliberately hidden from sight) of the desired program, the hidden functionality becomes evident only after the installation, unwanted advertisements start flowing users' web browsers, etc.

Therefore, choosing appropriate applications is very important, as some of the adware apps might compromise users' security by exposing them to online threats, show intrusive ads, or trick into paying for services/programs they never wanted in the first place.

Therefore, only rely on apps that do not engage in dubious behavior and are clear and transparent about what app does, what it does not to, is it free with ads/paid, etc. All these elements are important and give the ability for users to choose based on their preferences. The best way to avoid PUPs is to download apps from official sources and avoid third-party sites.

If you want to download an app that is only available from a third-party file-hosting site, security experts[3] recommend taking the following into consideration:

  • Check online reviews before installing anything
  • Make sure the installer is signed
  • During the installation, opt for Advanced/Custom settings
  • Get rid of all pre-ticked boxes
  • Watch out for deceptive deals/offers
  • Make sure the necessary documents are provided (ToS/Privacy Policy)

FileViewPro bundles WinThruster

Get rid of FileViewPro either manually or automatically

There should not be any problems with FileViewPro removal – simply access the installed program list on your computer and uninstall the entry in question (we provide detailed instructions below). However, the problems might start arising if multiple PUPs reside on your computer – some of them might not be present on the list or lack the uninstaller executable.

Thus, you can use powerful anti-malware software to remove FileViewPro, along with all the other unwanted programs and malware that might be installed on your computer without your approval. Simply download the security program of your choice and perform a full system scan. Additionally, if other potentially unwanted programs were detected on your device, we also recommend resetting all the installed browsers, such as Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, MS Edge, Mozilla Firefox, etc.

Uninstall from Windows

Uninstall from Windows 10/8:

  1. Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
  2. Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 10/8

Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:

  1. Click on Windows Start > Control Panel (Windows XP users should click on Add/Remove Programs).
  2. In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 7/XP

Remove the unwanted program:

  1. In the Programs and Features window, look for any recently installed suspicious entries, select them, and click Uninstall.
  2. If User Account Control appears, click Yes to confirm, then complete the removal.Uninstall the unwanted program from Windows

Delete from macOS

Remove the unwanted application:

  1. From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
  2. In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).Uninstall from Mac

Delete leftover files and folders:

  1. Select Go > Go to Folder.
  2. Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
  3. Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.Delete leftover files from Mac
  4. Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.

Reset Internet Explorer

Remove dangerous add-ons:

  1. Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top-right corner of the browser
  2. Pick Manage Add-ons.
  3. You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for suspicious plugins. Click on these entries and select Disable.Remove add-ons from Internet Explorer

Change your homepage if it was altered:

  1. Open IE and click on the Gear icon.
  2. Select Internet Options.
  3. In the General tab, delete the Home page address and replace it by your preferred one (for example, Google.com).
  4. Click Apply and then select OK.Reset IE homepage

Delete temporary files:

  1. Press on the Gear icon and select Internet Options.
  2. Under Browsing history, click Delete...
  3. Select relevant fields and press Delete.Clear temporary files from Internet Explorer

Reset Internet Explorer:

  1. Click on Gear icon > Internet options and select Advanced tab.
  2. Select Reset.
  3. In the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset.Reset Internet Explorer

Remove from Microsoft Edge

Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:

  1. Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
  2. From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
  3. Click Remove.Remove extensions from Edge

Clear cookies and other browser data:

  1. Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
  2. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  3. 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.Clear Edge browsing data

Restore new tab and homepage settings:

  1. Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
  2. Then find On startup section.
  3. Click Remove next to any suspicious startup page.

Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:

  1. Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
  2. Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
  3. Select Details tab.
  4. 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.Reset MS Edge

Instructions for Chromium-based Edge

Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):

  1. Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
  2. Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chromium Edge

Clear cache and site data:

  1. Click on Menu and go to Settings.
  2. Select Privacy, search and services.
  3. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  4. Under Time range, pick All time.
  5. Select Clear now.Clear browser data from Chroum Edge

Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. On the left side, pick Reset settings.
  3. Select Restore settings to their default values.
  4. Confirm with Reset.
  5. This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.Reset Chromium Edge

Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
  2. Select Add-ons.
  3. In here, select the unwanted extension and click Remove.Remove extensions from Firefox

Reset the homepage:

  1. Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
  2. Choose Settings.
  3. Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.

Clear cookies and site data:

  1. Click Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Go to Privacy & Security section.
  3. Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
  4. Click on Clear Data...
  5. Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.Clear cookies and site data from Firefox

Reset Mozilla Firefox

If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
  2. Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.Reset Firefox 1
  3. Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
  4. Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.Reset Firefox 2

Remove from Google Chrome

Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

  1. Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
  2. In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all suspicious extensions related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chrome

Clear cache and web data from Chrome:

  1. Click on Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
  3. Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
  4. Click Clear data.Clear cache and web data from Chrome

Change your homepage:

  1. Click menu and choose Settings.
  2. Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
  3. 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:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
  3. Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
  4. Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
  5. Confirm with Reset settings.Reset Chrome 2

Delete from Safari

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Safari, click Safari in the menu at the top-left of the screen, and select Preferences.
  2. Go to the Extensions tab, look for any suspicious entries, and click Uninstall to remove them.Remove extensions from Safari

Clear history and website data:

  1. Click Safari in the menu and pick Clear History.
  2. Set Clear to all history and confirm with Clear History.Clear history from Safari

Reset Safari:

  1. Click Safari in the menu and select Preferences > Advanced.
  2. Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
  3. From the menu bar, click Develop and select Empty Caches.Reset Safari

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