“Microsoft Edge Critical ERROR” virus (Removal Guide) - Mar 2018 update
“Microsoft Edge Critical ERROR” virus Removal Guide
What is “Microsoft Edge Critical ERROR” virus?
Microsoft Edge Critical ERROR is a scam, using red screen just to attract its victims

“Microsoft Edge Critical ERROR” is a scam which belongs to cybercriminals[1] and has nothing to do with Microsoft. It is one of Critical Error viruses which have been urging victims to call “Microsoft at toll-free 1-844-734-4622 for immediate support.” Please, do NOT fall for dialing this number because you will be connected to scammers who are seeking to swindle victims' money.
Microsoft Edge Critical ERROR message informs the victim that “there was a dangerous try to get access to personal login & bank information.” The message states that data leak could occur due to Trojan or virus on the system, and that is the reason to get “professional” help immediately. Sadly, the aggressive pop-up simply aims to scare inexperienced computer users and make them react without thinking.
Fraudsters behind the “Microsoft Edge Critical ERROR” scam seek to swindle money from unsuspecting victims and take control of their computers to install malware. Their techniques to swindle money are very basic. Usually, they tell the victim to perform series of commands and see that the system is corrupted.
In reality, they merely command the victim go into Windows Registry or other system settings’ panel and look at entries with names that cause confusion for inexperienced users. Consequently, fraudsters suggest installing anti-malware or anti-spyware product to “fix” these issues. However, they promote overpriced software packs that cost over several hundred US dollars.
Another scenario is to use Microsoft Critical error to trick victims into providing a remote access to their computer via one of legitimate remote access programs, such as TeamViewer or LogMeIn. These programs aren’t viruses, but cybercriminals are using them to gain the access to the target computer and install any kind of malware (ransomware, keylogger or Trojan) on it.[2]
Therefore, we strongly recommend you to remove Microsoft Edge Critical ERROR message as soon as you notice these virus alerts on your browser. Ideally, scan your computer with anti-malware software to identify the cause of these ads. The 2-spyware team suggests using FortectIntego or SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner software for a quick “Microsoft Edge Critical ERROR” removal.

Ways to run into the described error message
Malware that displays deceptive pop-ups usually travels via email, although users can also unknowingly install it alongside illegal software packs or just by installing a software bundle in a rush. To prevent installation of scareware, please follow the tips provided by Udenvirus.dk team[3]:
- When checking your email, bypass messages with attachments or questionable links in them, especially if they were sent by someone you do not know personally.
- Never install licensed software for “free” from file sharing sites. Such software packs and cracks often contain some unwanted additions that belong to malware category.
- Protect your machine from malicious attempts to compromise it with anti-malware software. Do not forget to regularly update it (you should do this with all software installed on your computer).
Remove “Microsoft Edge Critical ERROR” malware
To wipe the malware from your system, use “Microsoft Edge Critical ERROR” removal guidelines provided below. We strongly recommend using anti-malware software to finish the removal. Such deceptive programs are designed to root into the computer system so that the victim could not delete them that easily.
If you are interested in ways to remove “Microsoft Edge Critical ERROR” virus automatically, consider using one of the programs tested by the 2-Spyware team. You can find a list of them below.
You may remove virus damage with a help of FortectIntego. SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner and Malwarebytes are recommended to detect potentially unwanted programs and viruses with all their files and registry entries that are related to them.
Getting rid of “Microsoft Edge Critical ERROR” virus. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
To get rid of the scam from Windows, follow the guide provided below. If it won't help to identify and remove the problem, consider using anti-malware software to delete the malware causing pop-ups from the system.
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Click Start → Control Panel → Programs and Features (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
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If you are Windows 10 / Windows 8 user, then right-click in the lower left corner of the screen. Once Quick Access Menu shows up, select Control Panel and Uninstall a Program.
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Uninstall “Microsoft Edge Critical ERROR” and related programs
Here, look for “Microsoft Edge Critical ERROR” or any other recently installed suspicious programs. -
Uninstall them and click OK to save these changes.
Delete from macOS
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If you are using OS X, click Go button at the top left of the screen and select Applications.
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Wait until you see Applications folder and look for “Microsoft Edge Critical ERROR” or any other suspicious programs on it. Now right click on every of such entries and select Move to Trash.
Remove from Microsoft Edge
To fix Microsoft Edge web browser, make sure you eliminate suspicious browser add-ons. In this case, you should pay attention to their developer, whether you can remember installing them on the system, etc.
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.

Instructions for Chromium-based Edge
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.

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.

Delete from Safari
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Remove dangerous extensions
Open Safari web browser and click on Safari in menu at the top left of the screen. Once you do this, select Preferences.
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Here, select Extensions and look for “Microsoft Edge Critical ERROR” or other suspicious entries. Click on the Uninstall button to get rid each of them.
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Reset Safari
Open Safari browser and click on Safari in menu section at the top left of the screen. Here, select Reset Safari....
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Now you will see a detailed dialog window filled with reset options. All of those options are usually checked, but you can specify which of them you want to reset. Click the Reset button to complete “Microsoft Edge Critical ERROR” removal process.
After uninstalling this potentially unwanted program (PUP) and fixing each of your web browsers, we recommend you to scan your PC system with a reputable anti-spyware. This will help you to get rid of “Microsoft Edge Critical ERROR” registry traces and will also identify related parasites or possible malware infections on your computer. For that you can use our top-rated malware remover: FortectIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes.
How to prevent from getting malware
Choose a proper web browser and improve your safety with a VPN tool
Online spying has got momentum in recent years and people are getting more and more interested in how to protect their privacy online. One of the basic means to add a layer of security – choose the most private and secure web browser. Although web browsers can't grant full privacy protection and security, some of them are much better at sandboxing, HTTPS upgrading, active content blocking, tracking blocking, phishing protection, and similar privacy-oriented features. However, if you want true anonymity, we suggest you employ a powerful Private Internet Access VPN – it can encrypt all the traffic that comes and goes out of your computer, preventing tracking completely.
Lost your files? Use data recovery software
While some files located on any computer are replaceable or useless, others can be extremely valuable. Family photos, work documents, school projects – these are types of files that we don't want to lose. Unfortunately, there are many ways how unexpected data loss can occur: power cuts, Blue Screen of Death errors, hardware failures, crypto-malware attack, or even accidental deletion.
To ensure that all the files remain intact, you should prepare regular data backups. You can choose cloud-based or physical copies you could restore from later in case of a disaster. If your backups were lost as well or you never bothered to prepare any, Data Recovery Pro can be your only hope to retrieve your invaluable files.
- ^ Tech support scams. Microsoft. Windows Defender Security Intelligence.
- ^ Conversation With a Tech Support Scammer. Lenny Zeltser. Information Security in Business.
- ^ Udenvirus. Udenvirus. Malware Removal Guides.