Gostify ads: what it is and how to remove it

Gostify is advertised as a supposedly useful application that can provide a reliable DNS service. In other words, this program allows you to access country-restricted content from other locations around the world.

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.

Automatic

Get a free scan and check if your PC is infected.

Fortect finds malware, unwanted programs and the Windows damage they leave behind, and repairs it in one pass.

An automatic scan checks installed programs, startup items and browser extensions for anything that came with Gostify.

Remove it nowTo use the full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Fortect. The scan is free.

Do it yourself · free Remove Gostify ads yourself 5 steps, about 15 minutes, no software needed.

Start the steps
Gostify: adware download website
Gostify as our 2021 report showed it.

Gostify ads: summary

DistributionSoftware bundles, third-party websites
NameGostify
TypeAdware
DeveloperEpikai Ltd
OperationInserts ads on all websites that you browse; tracks your online activities
Detection namesNo 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 6 more facts
DamageNot recorded in the old report
SymptomsAn unknown program in Installed apps
EvidenceOne write-up by a security site; details still limited
ProgramGostify
First seen4 June 2021
Facts checked6 October 2026

Is Gostify ads dangerous?

From our report of Jun 2021 · not reviewed since

More from our earlier report on Gostify

  • Uninstall PUPs by following our manual guide or employ antivirus program
  • Don't forget to delete web data and cookies from your browsers - can help you do that efficiently

How Gostify ads got on your PC

From our report of Jun 2021 · not reviewed since

Gostify - an app that promises to unblock geo-restricted content, but also delivers ads

Gostify is advertised as a supposedly useful application that can provide a reliable DNS service.

In other words, this program allows you to access country-restricted content from other locations around the world. This service may be legitimate, however, because this program is free to download, it is monetized through promoting third-party content.

So, essentially, by installing this tool, you are also allowing your browser to become an advertising platform for numerous companies and products. So, do not be surprised if you suddenly start seeing an unusually high number of pop-up ads, banners, and other notifications labeled as "Ads by Gostify" or similar while browsing online.

Also, do not panic if you do not manage to close them. Simply close the browser and run a full system scan with or other anti-malware software to ensure that no other potentially unwanted programs or malware is hiding on your device.

We should also warn you that the content promoted by this adware is unpredictable. You may be offered to download some unknown software, system optimization tools, browser add-ons, or similar suspicious content. Needless to say, you should install any of these on your computer.

If the virus purposefully redirects you to a random site and some unknown download starts automatically, cancel it immediately or close your browser. You do not want any viruses entering your system.

What most of the users also find irritating about this PUP is that it significantly impacts your system's performance. And not in a good way. It slows the computer down, the desired websites take ages to load, while the browser may simply crash in the process. Is your country-unrestricted browsing really worth such sacrifice?

Besides, there are DNS services that do not involve in any of the affiliate advertising, redirects and which improve your browsing experience instead of diminishing it. As you can see, there are numerous reasons to take care of the Gostify removal without even second-thinking it.

Gostify: adware download website
Gostify in our 2021 report.

From our report of Jun 2021 · not reviewed since

Adware distribution techniques

If adware has infiltrated your computer, you might be wondering how you could not notice it.

Think about whether you have recently installed some freeware or shareware applications on your computer? If you did, you might already have the answer. Potentially unwanted programs often come bundled with other programs, so the users rarely have any clue such infiltration ever happened.

To gain more control over what software you are installing on your computer, you should go for the Advanced/Custom setup modes. These modes decompose the installation process into separate parts, allowing you to observe what additional content is being installed on your computer and to cancel the unwanted software manually.

How to remove Gostify ads

How to remove Gostify

Uninstall first, then remove what stays behind, so the ads do not come back after a restart.

  1. Step 1: Uninstall Gostify

    Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps in Windows 11, or Settings > Apps > Apps & features in Windows 10. Sort the list by install date and find Gostify, then choose Uninstall from the three-dot menu next to it (in Windows 10, click the entry and then Uninstall).

    Remove anything else installed on the same day that you do not recognise, because such programs usually arrive together in one installer. If the uninstaller opens a browser page with an offer or a survey, close it: the program is removed either way.

    Full procedure with screenshots: Uninstall a program or app in Windows On uGetFix

  2. Step 2: Remove it from startup

    Whatever Gostify installed usually starts with Windows. Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc, go to Startup apps in Windows 11 or the Startup tab in Windows 10, and disable what you do not know, starting with entries that have an empty Publisher column.

    Open file location on the right-click menu shows the file, which helps you decide and tells you what to delete later. Disabling is safe: if something you need stops working, switch it back on.

    Full procedure with screenshots: Stop apps from opening at startup On uGetFix

  3. Step 3: Delete the folders left behind

    What the uninstaller leaves behind is usually in the user folders. Open File Explorer, switch on View > Show > Hidden items (in Windows 10 View > Hidden items), and go through %LocalAppData%, %AppData%, %ProgramData% and the two Program Files folders.

    Sort by Date modified and delete folders that appeared together with the problem and belong to no program you use. Folders with random names that hold .exe, .dll, .js or .ps1 files are the strongest sign.

    Full procedure with screenshots: Remove what malware leaves behind in Windows

  4. Step 4: Reset the browser

    Finish the browser part with a reset, which puts the search engine, start page, new tab page and site permissions back to their defaults and switches extensions off. Chrome: Settings > Reset settings > Restore settings to their original defaults.

    Edge: Settings > Reset settings. Firefox: Help > More troubleshooting information > Refresh Firefox, which also removes its extensions. Your bookmarks and saved passwords are kept, and the menus are the same on Windows 11 and Windows 10.

    Chrome Settings page with the Reset settings section open
    Chrome on Windows 11: Settings > Reset settings.

    Full procedure with screenshots: Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine

  5. Step 5: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan

    Open Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, run a Full scan and remove everything it finds. Then select Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) and click Scan now: the PC restarts and scans before Windows loads, which finds files that hide while Windows runs.

    Save your work first, because the offline scan takes about 15 minutes. Both scans are built into Windows 11 and Windows 10, and a second scanner from another vendor is a useful extra opinion.

    Windows Security Scan options with Microsoft Defender Antivirus offline scan selected
    Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options.

    Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan

Instructions for each browser and system

The detailed steps for every browser and system this guide covers. Open the one you use.

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
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
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
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
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.

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.

From our report of Jun 2021 · not reviewed since

Suggestions on the "Ads by Ghostify" removal

Nothing is more annoying than the never-ending ads popping up here and there, overlaying the original content of the visited websites, and pushing products you are completely not interested in.

Unfortunately, this is exactly what the users are complaining about after installing the app on their computers. Do we even need to mention that a full Gostify removal is a necessary step towards a healthy computer?

If you are well aware of all the inconveniences and dangers a potentially unwanted program can bring on your computer, you are probably looking for quick ways to remove adware from the system. To help you with that, we have prepared manual virus removal instructions provided at the end of this article. Although, we suggest opting for automatic virus elimination instead.

Questions about Gostify ads

What is Gostify and why is it on my PC?

Gostify is a program that was installed on the PC, most likely together with something else you downloaded. Free software sites and many installers add extra programs on setup pages with pre-ticked boxes, so the extra install looks like your choice even though nobody read the page.

Check the install date in Settings, Apps, Installed apps: the program you installed that day is the probable carrier. If you do not need Gostify, uninstall it. If it belongs to your hardware or to a program you use, search its exact name and publisher first, because drivers and their tools can have unfamiliar names.

Gostify will not uninstall. What can I do?

First restart the PC and try again, because the program may have been running and locked its own files. If the uninstaller is missing or fails, start Windows in Safe Mode, where most third-party programs do not start, and remove Gostify from Installed apps there.

If it still refuses, delete its startup entry and its scheduled task, restart, and try once more. A program that actively prevents removal is behaving like malware, so finish with a Microsoft Defender offline scan. Avoid third-party uninstallers offered on search ads; several of them are unwanted programs themselves.

Is uninstalling Gostify enough?

Often, but not always. Uninstalling Gostify through Settings > Apps > Installed apps removes the main part. Ad-supported programs, however, frequently arrive together with others from the same installer, and some leave a scheduled task or a browser extension behind.

After uninstalling, sort the list of installed apps by date and look at what else appeared that day, check Task Manager > Startup apps, and open the extension page in every browser. A Microsoft Defender full scan at the end catches leftover files.

Did Gostify collect my data?

Adware typically collects what it needs to choose ads:

  • the sites you visit
  • search terms
  • approximate location
  • browser and system details

Extensions with permission to read and change data on all websites can technically see everything on those pages, including forms. That is a privacy problem rather than proof of theft.

If you typed card details or passwords while it was active, changing the most important passwords is a reasonable precaution. Clearing cookies after removal ends the tracking sessions it may have started.

I let a "support technician" from an ad connect to my PC. What should I do?

Act quickly but calmly. Disconnect the PC from the internet first, so the connection ends. Uninstall the remote access tool they asked you to install and check Installed apps for anything else added during the call.

Run a Microsoft Defender full scan and offline scan. From another device, change your e-mail and banking passwords and sign out of all sessions.

If you paid by card, bank transfer or gift card, contact your bank or the card issuer immediately, and report the scam to the police. Do not answer if they call back.

My scan found nothing, but the ads continue. Why?

Because the source may not be a file a scanner looks for. Browser notifications are a permission stored in the browser, and many adware extensions are not flagged because they come from an official store.

Some ad-supported programs are only reported if you enable detection of potentially unwanted apps. So a clean scan does not mean the job is done. Check each browser's notification permissions and extension list by hand, and turn on Potentially unwanted app blocking in Windows Security before scanning again.

Why is my browser so slow since the ads started?

Each page now does extra work. An adware extension reads the page, decides where to put ads, loads them from ad servers and reports your visit, and that happens on every tab. Ad-supported programs add their own background activity.

Removing the extension or program usually makes the browser fast again at once. If it stays slow, open the browser's own task manager with Shift+Esc in Chrome or Edge and look for extensions using a lot of memory or processor time.

Can an adware pop-up infect my PC just by appearing?

No. A pop-up, a notification or a new tab is only a web page or a message. It cannot run programs on Windows by itself, provided the browser and Windows are up to date. Infection needs a step from you:

  • running a downloaded file
  • installing an extension
  • giving a stranger remote access

That is why scam pages work so hard to make you click. Close such pages with the tab's X or by closing the browser, not with buttons inside the page, which may start a download.

Will Fortect remove Gostify?

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 Gostify, 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

  1. Google Chrome Help: Use notifications to get alerts (no longer online) (read October 6, 2026)
  2. FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 6, 2026)
  3. Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 6, 2026)
  4. Microsoft Learn: How Microsoft names malware (read October 6, 2026)

More removal guides

Remove Scam Likely streamer calls and texts on iPhone and Android: what it means and what to do

"Scam Likely streamer" is what people search after a phone call or text flagged Scam Likely mentions a streamer, a streaming sponsorship or a streaming prize. The label is a carrier warning, not a virus: do not...ADHigh riskUgnius Kiguolis ·

Remove Scam Likely on iPhone and Android: what the call label means and how to stop the calls

Scam Likely is a warning label that your phone carrier puts on an incoming call when it suspects the call is a scam. It is not a virus and not an app on your iPhone or Android phone, so there is nothing to removeADMedium riskUgnius Kiguolis ·

Remove iPhone-fix.com

iPhone-fix.com - an adware virus that changes calendars on iPhone devices by adding hyperlinks to questionable sources iPhone-fix.com is a PUP that installs on iPhone mobile phones and modifiesAdwareMedium riskGabriel E. Hall ·

Remove GSpace Discover

GSpace Discover is the application that can take advantage of the computer processes GSpace Discover adware can control online traffic and randomly show pop-up ads, banners, and cause reroutes toAdwareMedium riskOlivia Morelli ·

Questions and experiences: Gostify ads

Still seeing it, or found something we did not cover? Ask here: members and our editors answer. Reading is open; writing needs a free account.

0 comments

…

5,595 members already hereReading, writing, commenting and voting. 0 verified · 320 joined this year