Mekiroki ads: what it is and how to remove it
Mekiroki is a treacherous website developed to trick internet users into accepting its notifications. It does that by showing various misleading prompts.
Facts checked October 7, 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.
If Mekiroki keeps coming back after uninstalling, a scan can find what reinstalls it.
Do it yourself · free Remove Mekiroki ads yourself 3 steps, about 9 minutes, no software needed.
Start the steps
Mekiroki ads: summary
| Distribution | Fake Flash Player updates, deceptive ads, software bundles |
|---|---|
| Damage | PUP and malware infections, financial losses, privacy issues, identity theft |
| name | Mekiroki |
| Type | PUP, adware, redirect virus |
| IP address | 54.197.148.150 |
| Purpose | Generate traffic for affiliated sites by showing deceptive ads and causing redirects |
| 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 7 more facts
| Symptoms | Ads in the top-right or bottom-right corner of the desktop or directly on your cell phone or tablet screen. Visibly slower device performance, sudden redirects to unknown portals |
|---|---|
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
| Name | Mekiroki |
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Program | Mekiroki |
| First seen | 30 March 2021 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
Is Mekiroki ads dangerous?
From our report of Mar 2021 · not reviewed since
Mekiroki – a push notification portal that's alerts are deceptive ads
Mekiroki is a treacherous website developed to trick internet users into accepting its notifications.
It does that by showing various misleading prompts. If you press the Allow button, you will start seeing ads in the form of notifications directly on your desktop or screen. Thus please refrain from doing that.
Otherwise, Mekiroki ads will start popping up. They are deceptive. The shown content doesn't match the affiliated sites, meaning an ad for an amazing deal on a new computer could redirect you to a sponsored site with potentially unwanted programs, other push notification viruses, etc.
The worse thing about these ads is that they can't be closed. Clicking the "X" button on their corners either does nothing or opens a tab with a sponsored page. You should only visit websites that you want, not the ones you are forced to. You'll find out how to remove cyber threats currently infecting your device, their risks, and spreading techniques by reading this article.
In most cases, Mekiroki redirect is caused by an adware infestation. Although it is deemed a potentially unwanted program (PUP), it can cause a lot of trouble. In fact, it could even become a gateway to hazardous malware infections, such as ransomware, Trojans, etc.
The same can happen when Mekiroki virus is on your device. It can open new tabs of any of its affiliated sites with ill intentions by showing you deceptive ads and by causing sudden redirects. The ads might be customized specially for you to make them irresistible. But as soon as you push one, you might end up on portals with:
As mentioned before, you could be made into visiting these sites through sudden redirects when new browser windows are launched with any of the advertised content on-demand. Thus having Mekiroki or any other cyber infection on your device might pose real dangers to both of you.
If you've clicked the Allow button when redirected to this shady portal, you need to remove Mekiroki notifications from your browser. You can do that with our free guides at the bottom of this article.
And lastly, you have to take care of the overall health of your device after Mekiroki removal. According to cybersecurity experts, the best tool to automatically get rid of tracking cookies and repair various system irregularities is the time-proven system diagnostics tool.
- malware,
- gambling,
- various scams,
- porn,
- PUPs, etc.
From our report of Mar 2021 · not reviewed since
Please don't believe shady sites stating that you need to update your Flash Player
Lots of people don't know that Adobe has discontinued support for their Flash Player on December 31, 2020.
And cybercriminals are exploiting this unawareness by spreading their vile creations via the fake Flash Player installers or updates.
Deceptive ads or misleading prompts to download and install Flash Player could contain either a potentially unwanted program, such as adware, browser hijacker, etc., or severe malware, including keyloggers, ransomware, Trojans, and others.
These prompts could be shown on legit sites that were hacked, so please remember that the Flash Player service is discontinued. If you see such an ad or a prompt, please close the tab immediately, clean your browsing history, and never visit that page again.
From our report of Mar 2021 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Mekiroki
- Dependable anti-malware software should be on every device that's regularly used on the internet.
- It will block shady portals and prevent you from installing any PUPs or camouflaged malware
- Infections modify Registry keys and values, which may result in BSoDs, severe lag, crashing, etc.
- Resolve all system-related issues by scanning your device with a time-proven system diagnostics tool
How to remove Mekiroki ads
How to stop the Mekiroki redirects
Work in this order and test a few links after each step, so you know which one was the cause.
Step 1: Check the browser's extensions
Redirects on sites that normally behave mean something in the browser is sending you there. In Chrome open
chrome://extensions, in Edgeedge://extensions, in Firefox the menu > Extensions and themes.Remove every extension you do not remember adding, especially new tab, search, coupon, PDF or video downloader add-ons. The extension pages look the same on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Chrome on Windows 11: More > Extensions > Manage extensions. Full procedure with screenshots: Remove a browser extension
Step 2: Reset the browser if the redirects continue
If the unwanted pages still open after the extensions are gone, put the browser's settings back to their defaults. 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 site permissions, the start page and the search engine are reset.
Redirects that survive a reset in every browser point to a program installed in Windows 11 or Windows 10, so uninstall anything you do not recognise in Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
Chrome on Windows 11: Settings > Reset settings. Full procedure with screenshots: Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine
Step 3: 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
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:
- Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel (Windows XP users should click on Add/Remove Programs).
- In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.
Remove the unwanted program:
- In the Programs and Features window, look for any recently installed suspicious entries, select them, and click Uninstall.
- If User Account Control appears, click Yes to confirm, then complete the removal.
Remove from Google Chrome
Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
- 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 suspicious extensions related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and web data from Chrome:
- 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.
Change your homepage:
- Click menu and choose Settings.
- Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
- 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:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
- Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
- Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
- Confirm with Reset settings.
Remove from Microsoft Edge
Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:
- 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 Remove.
Clear cookies and other browser data:
- Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- 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.
Restore new tab and homepage settings:
- Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
- Then find On startup section.
- Click Remove next to any suspicious startup page.
Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:
- Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
- Select Details tab.
- 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.
Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):
- Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
- Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and site data:
- Click on Menu and go to Settings.
- Select Privacy, search and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Under Time range, pick All time.
- Select Clear now.
Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- On the left side, pick Reset settings.
- Select Restore settings to their default values.
- Confirm with Reset.
- This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.
Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
Remove dangerous extensions:
- 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 extension and click Remove.
Reset the homepage:
- Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
- Choose Settings.
- Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.
Clear cookies and site data:
- Click Menu and pick Settings.
- Go to Privacy & Security section.
- Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
- Click on Clear Data...
- Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.
Reset Mozilla Firefox
If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
- Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.
- Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
- Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.
Delete from Safari
Remove dangerous extensions:
- Open Safari, click Safari in the menu at the top-left of the screen, and select Preferences.
- Go to the Extensions tab, look for any suspicious entries, and click Uninstall to remove them.
Clear history and website data:
- Click Safari in the menu and pick Clear History.
- Set Clear to all history and confirm with Clear History.
Reset Safari:
- Click Safari in the menu and select Preferences > Advanced.
- Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
- From the menu bar, click Develop and select Empty Caches.
Delete from macOS
Remove the unwanted application:
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).
Delete leftover files and folders:
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
- Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.
- Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.
Uninstall from Android
Uninstall unwanted programs from Android device:
- Go to Settings -> Apps/Applications.
- Expand the full list of the installed apps.
- Scroll through the list and tap on a suspicious application once.
- Tap on it and select Uninstall.
- If the Uninstall option is unavailable, the app may require additional permissions to be revoked first.
- Reboot the device.
Clear storage and cache for Google Chrome or other apps::
- Go to Settings > Apps/Applications.
- Expand the full list of the installed apps.
- Tap on Chrome and select Storage & cache.
- Clear storage and clear cache of the app.
If you are seeing ads on top of other apps but are not sure what is causing it, perform the following steps:
- Go to Apps/Applications.
- Select Special App access.
- Tap on Display over other apps.
- Eliminate apps with these access rights enabled.
Stop browser notifications
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.
From our report of Mar 2021 · not reviewed since
Remove Mekiroki ads within minutes with our free guidelines
Push notifications are great for receiving the latest sports updates, breaking news, awesome deals, and alike.
But they have to be accepted only from legitimate sources. Mekiroki virus will not bring anything useful. It will diminish the performance of your device and may cause additional infections.
Therefore, you must remove Mekiroki as soon as possible. The easiest way to do that is by scanning your device in question with a robust anti-malware tool. Such software should always be up-to-date to prevent the latest infections from spreading to your device.
That will stop the annoying ads.
Questions about Mekiroki ads
Can I safely uninstall Mekiroki?
If you did not install Mekiroki yourself and it is not part of your hardware or a program you rely on, yes. Uninstalling an unwanted program does not harm Windows. Before you do, search the exact name and publisher to be sure it is not a driver tool, a printer utility or a game launcher with an odd name.
Then remove it from Settings, Apps, Installed apps. Ignore any offers or warnings in its uninstaller about losing protection or performance. Afterwards check Startup apps and your browsers for leftovers, and restart once to confirm that it does not reinstall itself.
How do I stop programs like Mekiroki from being installed again?
Most unwanted programs arrive through installers, so the fix is in how you install software. Download programs from their official sites or the Microsoft Store, not from download portals or ads above search results. During setup, choose Custom or Advanced installation and untick every extra offer, including browsers, toolbars and optimizers.
Decline update prompts that appear inside other programs unless you know them. In Windows Security, turn on reputation-based protection and potentially unwanted app blocking. These steps would most likely have stopped Mekiroki before it reached the app list.
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 Mekiroki?
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.
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.
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.
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 redirect domain and clearing cookies is usually enough.
What is Mekiroki?
Mekiroki is a treacherous website developed to trick internet users into accepting its notifications. It does that by showing various misleading prompts. Damage: PUP and malware infections, financial losses, privacy issues, identity theft.
The summary table at the top of this guide lists the type, the detection names, the symptoms and the damage of Mekiroki. Reading it first helps you decide whether your computer shows the same signs. The removal plan below it works in order, from the safest step to the more thorough ones.
Will Fortect remove Mekiroki?
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 Mekiroki, 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
- Howtogeek: Everything You Need To Know About the Blue Screen of Death (read October 7, 2026)
- Adobe: Adobe Flash Player EOL General Information Page (read October 7, 2026)
- Google Chrome Help: Use notifications to get alerts (no longer online) (read October 7, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 7, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 7, 2026)