Listentoyou.tube ads: what it is and how to remove it
You might access Listentoyou.tube website when searching for a website that would allow you to download and convert videos from YouTube. Alternatively, you might be redirected here after clicking on a link somewhere else or due to adware running in the background of your device.
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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Listentoyou.tube ads: summary
| Name | Listentoyou.tube |
|---|---|
| Type | Rogue website, adware, ads, redirects |
| Alleged function | Allows for conversion and downloading of YouTube videos |
| Dangers | Installation of potentially unwanted programs or malware, financial losses due to exposure to various phishing sites, personal information leak |
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
| 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
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
|---|---|
| Symptoms | An unknown program in Installed apps |
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Program | Listentoyou.tube |
| First seen | 19 April 2022 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
Is Listentoyou.tube ads dangerous?
From our report of Apr 2022 · not reviewed since
Pirating of content
YouTube is the most popular video platform, which allows users to access a database of all sorts of videos for free, guaranteeing thousands of hours of free content to watch.
Many people use the service to listen to music, watch documentaries or get the latest news via various live channels.
Unfortunately, some users believe that this functionality is not enough, and they opt for accessing illegal third-party websites such as Listentoyou.tube, which allow them to download a particular video after linking its URL in a special "Download" search box.
YouTube and content creators all monetize ads - advertisers receive a massive exposure to large audiences, allowing easy monetization. This is why so much content is free on the platform - advertisements are what pay for it. By downloading this content, users deny the income to the platform and content creators, which makes the activity illegal.
For this reason, there were thousands of similar websites that were shut down, although this does not happen instantaneously and usually takes time. Likewise, creators of such websites can reboot the site under a different name rather quickly and effortlessly.
From our report of Apr 2022 · not reviewed since
How to check the system for infections
As previously mentioned, redirects to suspicious websites might be a sign of adware infections.
Likewise, if you have downloaded any software from misleading ads, you could also be infected.
Your first step should be scanning the system with , , or another powerful anti-malware solution. This would ensure that your system is clean from the most aggressive adware and malware, although some potentially unwanted applications might remain on the device. Therefore, you should check your browsers for unwanted extensions and remove everything you don't recognize.
You can also look for programs installed on the system level - follow these steps (if you are not sure which apps could be dangerous or unwanted, please skip this step, as you might uninstall a useful app by accident):
While moving apps into Trash is how you delete most normal applications, adware tends to create additional files for persistence. Thus, you should look for .plist and other files that could be related to the virus. If you are not sure, skip this step entirely.
To fully remove an unwanted app, you need to access Application Support, LaunchAgents, and LaunchDaemons folders and delete relevant files:
Once you are sure that all the potentially unwanted applications are terminated, you should also make sure you clean your browsers from cookies and other leftover files. If adware was present on the system, these files could remain on your local machine for years if not removed and continue tracking your online activities.
You can do this quickly with the help of - a powerful PC repair and maintenance utility that can also fix any virus damage found on the device. Alternatively, you could proceed with the manual steps below:
MS Edge (Chromium)
MS Edge (legacy)
- 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 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.
- Click on Menu and pick Settings.
- Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
- Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
- Click Clear data.
- Click Menu and pick Options.
- Go to Privacy & Security section.
- Click on Clear Data...
- Select Cookies and Site Data, as well as Cached Web Content, and press Clear.
- Click on Menu and go to Settings.
- Select Privacy and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Under Time range, pick All time.
- Select Clear now.
- Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Privacy & security.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Select everything (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear.
- Click Safari > Clear History...
- From the drop-down menu under Clear, pick all history.
- Confirm with Clear History.
From our report of Apr 2022 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Listentoyou.tube
- Do not interact with the website's ads and redirects, and make sure you check your system for infections
- After removal of adware and other malicious software, you should clean your browsers with to avoid unwanted data tracking
From our report of Apr 2022 · not reviewed since
Listentoyou.tube is a potentially dangerous website that shows malicious ads and redirects to suspicious websites
You might access Listentoyou.tube website when searching for a website that would allow you to download and convert videos from YouTube.
Alternatively, you might be redirected here after clicking on a link somewhere else or due to adware running in the background of your device.
While initially, it may seem like Listentoyou.tube is a useful website, there are several shady aspects you shouldn't ignore. First of all, downloading copyrighted videos from YouTube is illegal and is treated similarly to downloading pirated applications from torrent websites. From a security standpoint, the site also has plenty of dangerous traits you should be aware of - redirects to phishing or similar malicious websites are one of them.
If you have downloaded any software or experienced frequent redirects, you should check your system for adware or other infections - we explain how below.
From our report of Apr 2022 · not reviewed since
Redirects and other risks
While the usage of the Listentoyou.tube website remains a controversial subject, there are plenty of other reasons why you shouldn't engage with it, and it comes down to its security.
The website is loaded with booby-trapped links and scripts, which can trigger a redirect to another website at any time.
During our tests, we encountered plenty of websites that can't be considered secure at all. Here are a few examples:
If you have downloaded some type of software from the site or frequently see redirects/ads while browsing the web, you should check your device for adware and other infections.
- Push notification scams ask users to press the "Allow" button in a deceptive manner. Visitors are promised 18+ content, a free video, or are simply asked to confirm they are not robots. By obliging, users would automatically allow such websites to deliver intrusive ads directly to desktops.
- Gambling, online gaming, and X-rated websites were frequently used upon clicking buttons on empty spaces on the site. Interacting with these sites is not recommended.
- Pop-ups might show up upon using the site. These can include requests to download suspicious games, promote fake hookups, or claim that you have won an expensive item/gift card. Do not interact with these ads, as you might be tricked into providing your personal data or spending money on useless services.
How to remove Listentoyou.tube ads
Uninstall first, then remove what stays behind, so the ads do not come back after a restart.
Step 1: Uninstall Listentoyou.tube
Listentoyou.tube is removed like any other program, from the list of installed apps. In Windows 11 that is Settings > Apps > Installed apps, in Windows 10 Settings > Apps > Apps & features, and in both you can also use Control Panel > Programs and Features.
Select Listentoyou.tube, click Uninstall and follow the uninstaller to the end. Then look at the entries just above and below it when the list is sorted by date: bundled programs install at the same minute.
Full procedure with screenshots: Uninstall a program or app in Windows On uGetFix
Step 2: 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 3: 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 Listentoyou.tube, its publisher or created on the day the problem started. Delete those folders, and check C:\Program Files and C:\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 4: Reset the browser
A reset removes what the steps above could miss:
- changed start pages
- site permissions
- hidden settings
In Chrome open Settings > Reset settings > Restore settings to their original defaults; in Edge Settings > Reset settings; in Firefox Help > More troubleshooting information > Refresh Firefox.
Tip: Bookmarks and saved passwords stay, while extensions are turned off and the search engine and start page return to the defaults.
Reset every browser on the PC, including Edge, which Windows 11 and Windows 10 always have.
Chrome on Windows 11: Settings > Reset settings. Full procedure with screenshots: Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine
Step 5: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan
A scan finds the parts of Listentoyou.tube 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
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 Listentoyou.tube ads
What is Listentoyou.tube and why is it on my PC?
Listentoyou.tube 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 Listentoyou.tube, 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.
Listentoyou.tube 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 Listentoyou.tube 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.
Listentoyou.tube has no uninstaller. What now?
Some adware does not register itself properly, or its uninstaller only opens a web page. First try Settings > Apps > Installed apps and the older Control Panel > Programs and Features; one may list it when the other does not.
If neither works, disable its entry in Task Manager > Startup apps, restart, and run a Microsoft Defender full scan and offline scan, which remove known adware files. Then, if anything is left, delete the folder it ran from, which you can find by right-clicking the process in Task Manager and choosing Open file location.
Why didn't my antivirus catch Listentoyou.tube?
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.
Can adware slow down my PC?
Yes. Adware runs in the background, loads ad scripts, opens extra tabs and contacts its servers, all of which use processor time, memory and bandwidth. Ad-heavy extensions also slow down every page, because they inspect and change it before you see it.
The effect is strongest on older PCs and when several adware programs arrived together. After removal, restart the PC and check Task Manager for anything still using a lot of resources that you do not recognise. Speed usually returns to normal once the ads stop.
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.
Does adware steal passwords?
Ordinary adware is built to show ads, not to steal logins, and most of it never touches saved passwords. The line is blurry, though. Extensions that can read every page could capture what you type, and adware ads sometimes lead to phishing pages that ask for passwords directly.
If you entered credentials on a page reached through an ad, change that password from a clean device and turn on two-step verification. Otherwise, removing ad-supported program and clearing cookies is usually enough.
I clicked on one of the ads. Am I infected?
Probably not. Clicking an ad usually only opens a page, and a page cannot install programs on an up-to-date Windows PC without your help.
You are at risk only if you then downloaded and ran a file, allowed notifications, entered card or login details, or called a phone number shown on the page. Delete any download and run a full and offline scan.
Change passwords you typed, from a clean device. Call your bank if you gave card details. If you called a number or allowed remote access, see the next question.
Will Fortect remove Listentoyou.tube?
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 Listentoyou.tube, 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
- Wikipedia: Phishing (read October 6, 2026)
- Trend Micro: [Scam Alert] Browser Notification Scams (read October 6, 2026)
- Google Chrome Help: Use notifications to get alerts (no longer online) (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)