Fixit Trojan: what it is and how to remove it
Fixit is a dangerous Trojan horse that can appear on your computer out of nowhere. Typically, these sneaky cyber threats enter computers via phishing emails, cleverly engineered by cybercriminals.
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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Fixit Trojan: summary
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
|---|---|
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Name | Fixit Trojan |
| Type | Loader |
| Symptoms | An unknown process in Task Manager |
| 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 4 more facts
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
|---|---|
| File names | FixIt.exe |
| First seen | 3 July 2018 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
What Fixit Trojan does on an infected PC
From our report of Jul 2018 · not reviewed since
Avoid malware by being careful online
Malware is a sneaky piece of software, capable of making significant changes on your machine to serve a particular purpose to cybercriminals.
Of course, the best practice would be never to get infected with viruses. However, in practice, it does happen to many people, especially those who least expect it. Although there are no 100% safe-proof methods, you can drastically decrease chances of infection by knowing how malware spreads.
The most prevalent trojan horses' distribution tactic is by using spam emails. These malicious messages contain attachments which carry the payload. In other cases, hackers might include links to malicious websites that automatically download and install malware. Therefore, you need to be wary when it comes to emails that come from questionable sources.
Make sure you never open emails that are suspicious, and always check the "From" address, as it is the easiest way to catch a phishing email. Additionally, email providers often flag suspicious messages as spam. Make sure you don't ignore those warnings.
In addition to avoiding questionable emails, you should also make sure that your system is secured with anti-virus software that uses real-time protection feature. Additionally, stay away from porn, gambling, file-sharing and other third-party websites.
From our report of Jul 2018 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Fixit Trojan
- All versions of Windows and Android
- Installation of additional malware, personal details exposure
- Rarely any symptoms are present, although the virus can cause increased CPU usage, system crashes, and similar
- Spam emails, malicious websites, repacked installers, illegal or cracked software, etc.
- Use reputable security software - or
What Fixit Trojan can steal or download
From our report of Jul 2018 · not reviewed since
Fixit is a dangerous Trojan horse that can appear on your computer out of nowhere.
Typically, these sneaky cyber threats enter computers via phishing emails, cleverly engineered by cybercriminals. Systems that are not protected by security software are especially vulnerable and have a higher chance of infection. The malware is capable of modifying system parameters, reading and transferring personal information to hackers and may even engage in downloading and installing other viruses, such as ransomware.
Trojans are well known to replicate, replace or duplicate existing executable files. Therefore, a legitimate process FixIt.exe, ran by legitimate software TODO by Accer, may be a part of the malicious file.
Therefore, if you have the software installed, security experts recommend to scan your machine with or and remove Fixit virus if it is detected. You should be especially concerned if several processes are running in the Task Manager. If the
The primary purpose of hackers is to obtain access to your device. For that, they employ spam bots which distribute malicious payload via the malicious email attachments or hyperlinks. Once installed, Fixit trojan modifies specific system settings, such as Windows registry. This allows the virus to ensure it is booted with every system launch.
As soon as modifications are complete, Fixit malware begins its malicious activity. Unfortunately, Trojans rarely show any signs or symptoms, resulting in a prolonged operation of the virus on the device. This can lead to severe consequences, such as sensitive data disclose to bad actors, as well as hardware wear and tear or even malfunction.
In some cases, Fixit Trojan might display the following signs:
Additionally, malware could inject other threats, such as banking trojans, crypto-miners, keyloggers, and other dangerous viruses. Thus, we suggest you not delay Fixit Trojan removal. Don't forget that manual elimination will not be successful, and you need to use the security tool.
- Increased operation of CPU or GPU, or both;
- Frequent BSoDs;
- Software crashes or malfunctions;
- Occasional advertisement displayed via redirects or pop-up windows;
- Overall slow performance of the PC.
How to check the PC for Fixit Trojan
- File:
FixIt.exe
How to remove Fixit Trojan
A loader's job is to install other malware, so treat the PC as infected with more than one program until the scans are clean.
Step 1: Check where FixIt.exe runs from and stop it
In Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) find
FixIt.exeon Processes, right-click it and choose Open file location before ending anything.Windows' own files live in
C:\Windows\System32; the same name in%AppData%, %Temp% or C:\Users\Public is an impostor. If the folder is wrong, right-click the process again, choose End task and delete the file.If it starts again within seconds, a task or another process restarts it, so run the scan step in Safe Mode. Task Manager works the same in Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Full procedure with screenshots: Close a frozen app (Task Manager, Force Quit) On uGetFix
Step 2: Delete scheduled tasks that bring it back
Programs like Fixit Trojan add a scheduled task so they return after an uninstall or reopen a page at every sign-in. Start Task Scheduler, open Task Scheduler Library and sort by Last Run Time to see what ran recently.
On the Actions tab, a program in a user folder, a script or a web address is a warning sign; right-click such a task and choose Delete.
Tasks with names copying Google, Edge or Windows updaters but pointing to an odd folder are typical. The tool looks the same in Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Windows 11: Task Scheduler Library, the task selected, the Actions tab shows the file it runs. Full procedure with screenshots: Remove what malware leaves behind in Windows
Step 3: 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 4: 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 Fixit Trojan, its publisher or created on the day the problem started.Delete those folders, and check
C:\Program FilesandC:\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 5: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan
A scan finds the parts of Fixit Trojan 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
Step 6: Change passwords from another device and sign out other sessions
Fixit Trojan can copy saved passwords, cookies and session tokens and send them out in seconds, so cleaning the PC does not undo the theft.
Change your passwords on a device that was never infected, starting with the e-mail account, since every other reset goes through it. On each account, end all other sessions and check the recovery e-mail, phone number and forwarding rules.
Then turn on two-step verification. Sign in on the Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC again only after the offline scan is clean.
Full procedure with screenshots: Turn on two-step verification / secure a hacked account
Instructions for each browser and system
The detailed steps for every browser and system this guide covers. Open the one you use.
Manual removal using Safe Mode
Important! →
Manual removal guide might be too complicated for regular computer users. It requires advanced IT knowledge to be performed correctly (if vital system files are removed or damaged, it might result in full Windows compromise), and it also might take hours to complete. Therefore, we highly advise using the automatic method provided above instead.
Step 1. Access Safe Mode with Networking
Manual malware removal should be best performed in the Safe Mode environment.
Windows 7 / Vista / XP
- Click Start > Shutdown > Restart > OK.
- When your computer becomes active, start pressing F8 button (if that does not work, try F2, F12, Del, etc. - it all depends on your motherboard model) multiple times until you see the Advanced Boot Options window.
- Select Safe Mode with Networking from the list.
Windows 10 / Windows 8
- Right-click on Start button and select Settings.
- Scroll down to pick Update & Security.
- On the left side of the window, pick Recovery.
- Now scroll down to find Advanced Startup section.
- Click Restart now.
- Select Troubleshoot.
- Go to Advanced options.
- Select Startup Settings.
- Press Restart.
- Now press 5 or click 5) Enable Safe Mode with Networking.
Step 2. Shut down suspicious processes
Windows Task Manager is a useful tool that shows all the processes running in the background. If malware is running a process, you need to shut it down:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open Windows Task Manager.
- Click on More details.
- Scroll down to Background processes section, and look for anything suspicious.
- Right-click and select Open file location.
- Go back to the process, right-click and pick End Task.
- Delete the contents of the malicious folder.
Step 3. Check program Startup
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open Windows Task Manager.
- Go to Startup tab.
- Right-click on the suspicious program and pick Disable.
Step 4. Delete virus files
Malware-related files can be found in various places within your computer. Here are instructions that could help you find them:
- Type in Disk Cleanup in Windows search and press Enter.
- Select the drive you want to clean (C: is your main drive by default and is likely to be the one that has malicious files in).
- Scroll through the Files to delete list and select the following:
Temporary Internet Files
Downloads
Recycle Bin
Temporary files - Pick Clean up system files.
- You can also look for other malicious files hidden in the following folders (type these entries in Windows Search and press Enter):
%AppData%
%LocalAppData%
%ProgramData%
%WinDir%
After you are finished, reboot the PC in normal mode.
From our report of Jul 2018 · not reviewed since
Use security software to get rid of Fixit Trojan
Fixit removal should not be attempted without using , , or another reliable anti-malware program.
Trojans are well known for their ability to avoid detection by disabling security software. Thus, you should enter Safe Mode with Networking (as explained below) and perform full system scan from there.
Beware that you should not struggle to remove Fixit virus manually. The code of such malicious program is hugely complicated, and manual elimination should only be left for professional IT experts.
[GI=method-1]To eliminate Fixit Trojan from Windows, enter Safe Mode with Networking the following way (not that this step is not needed it security software works properly in normal mode):
[GI=method-2]Delete the virus using System Restore
After removal: passwords, accounts and prevention
Your passwords after Fixit Trojan
Removing Fixit Trojan does not undo what it may already have sent out while the PC showed an unfamiliar process called FixIt.exe in Task Manager.
Treat saved browser passwords and logged-in sessions on this PC as known to the attacker.
From another device, change the e-mail password first and end all its sessions. Then do the same for the bank, PayPal, Microsoft, Google and Apple accounts. Stolen session cookies keep working after a password change until you sign out everywhere.
Move crypto to a new wallet created on a clean device. A step-by-step order for every kind of account is in our guide to account security after an infection.
Protect your privacy - employ a VPN
There are several ways how to make your online time more private - you can access an incognito tab.
However, there is no secret that even in this mode, you are tracked for advertising purposes. There is a way to add an extra layer of protection and create a completely anonymous web browsing practice with the help of VPN. This software reroutes traffic through different servers, thus leaving your IP address and geolocation in disguise.
Besides, it is based on a strict no-log policy, meaning that no data will be recorded, leaked, and available for both first and third parties. The combination of a secure web browser and VPN will let you browse the Internet without a feeling of being spied or targeted by criminals.
No backups? No problem. Use a data recovery tool
If you wonder how data loss can occur, you should not look any further for answers - human errors, malware attacks, hardware failures, power cuts, natural disasters, or even simple negligence.
In some cases, lost files are extremely important, and many straight out panic when such an unfortunate course of events happen. Due to this, you should always ensure that you prepare proper data backups on a regular basis.
If you were caught by surprise and did not have any backups to restore your files from, not everything is lost. is one of the leading file recovery solutions you can find on the market - it is likely to restore even lost emails or data located on an external device.
Questions about Fixit Trojan
Is FixIt.exe a virus?
The name FixIt.exe is not enough to say. Malware often uses technical-sounding names, and harmless updaters often use odd ones. Check three things:
- the folder the file runs from
- the Digital Signatures tab in its properties
- the program that starts it (Startup apps, Task Scheduler or services)
A signed file from a company whose product you use is almost certainly fine. An unsigned file in a user folder that no installed program explains should be removed, and the PC scanned with Microsoft Defender in offline mode.
Can I end FixIt.exe in Task Manager?
Ending an unknown process is safe in the sense that Windows will warn you before you close anything critical, and a restart brings back whatever Windows needs. Ending FixIt.exe will not remove it, though: if a task or startup entry launches it, it returns at the next sign-in.
Use ending the process as a test. If something important stops working, it belonged to a program you use. If nothing changes and it comes back by itself, find and disable its starter, delete the file and scan the PC.
I found AnyDesk or ScreenConnect that I did not install. Is that Fixit Trojan?
Not necessarily Fixit Trojan, but it is a warning sign. These are legitimate remote support tools, and criminals use them as ready-made backdoors, especially after tech support scams or fake invoice calls.
If you did not install it and no one you trust set it up, uninstall it, change passwords from a clean device and check your bank account. If someone connected to your PC through it, follow the steps for remote access trojans and consider a Windows reset. Installed apps sorted by date shows when it appeared.
Do I need to reinstall Windows to get rid of Fixit Trojan?
Usually not. A thorough clean-up is enough when the offline scan finds nothing afterwards and you do not see an unfamiliar process called FixIt.exe in Task Manager again. A reset is the safer choice if an attacker had remote control, if security tools were switched off, or if detections come back after every clean-up.
Windows 11 can reset itself without a USB stick under Settings > System > Recovery > Reset this PC. Copy documents and photos out first and scan the copies. A reset does not change passwords or undo stolen data, so the account steps still apply.
How dangerous is Fixit Trojan?
Treat it as serious until proven otherwise. The visible sign is an unfamiliar process called FixIt.exe in Task Manager, and programs that behave this way often have more abilities than they show:
- copying passwords
- downloading other malware
- giving remote access
Its family is not known yet, so nobody can say which of these it uses. The good news is that the response is the same in every case and takes about an hour:
- cut the network
- remove the startup entry
- run an offline scan
- change passwords from a clean device
If someone had remote control, a full reset is safer.
Is Fixit Trojan a known trojan?
Not as a documented family, at least not yet. What is known is the visible sign, an unfamiliar process called FixIt.exe in Task Manager, which matches a hidden program working for someone else.
New threats are often seen by victims weeks before researchers publish anything about them. Treat Fixit Trojan as you would any trojan:
- remove what starts it
- run an offline scan
- change passwords from another device
If a scan reports a detection name, keep it; it usually reveals the family and whether it is known to download other malware. We update this guide when an analysis appears.
Should I check my other computers too?
Yes, it takes little time and removes doubt. Fixit Trojan itself usually stays on one PC, but the download that carried it may have been copied to other computers, shared drives may hold the same installer, and an attacker who had access could have tried saved passwords on other devices.
Run a full scan on every Windows PC in the home or office, check shared folders for the original download, and change Wi-Fi and router passwords if they were stored on the infected machine.
My antivirus was on. How did a trojan get past it?
Antivirus programs see a file only when it is written or run, and criminals test each new build against popular scanners before release. Detection catches up within hours or days, which is often after the first victims ran it.
Archives with passwords, installers that fetch the malware later, and scripts run through PowerShell make the job harder. That is why behaviour such as downloading cracks or pasting commands matters more than any setting. Keep Windows and Defender updated, and turn on Reputation-based protection in App & browser control.
Should I report Fixit Trojan?
Report it if you lost money, if accounts were taken over, if you are a business, or if the trojan came through a scam call. A police or national cybercrime report gives you a reference number for your bank and insurer and helps link cases.
You do not need to report a trojan that antivirus blocked before it ran. Before reporting, write down the dates, the detection name, file names and any messages or transactions linked to the attack; screenshots of antivirus alerts are useful evidence. The country list is in the report section above.
Will Fortect remove Fixit Trojan?
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 Fixit Trojan, 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
- CSO: What is ransomware? How it works and how to remove it (read October 6, 2026)
- LesVirus: LesVirus (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)
- Microsoft Learn: How Microsoft names malware (read October 6, 2026)