PC Accelerator: what it is and how to remove it

PC Accelerator is a Windows optimization utility developed by Software Marketing Ltd. It has an active download website PC-Accelerator.com, though it has recently been found spreading bundled with other freeware.

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.

Programs like PC Accelerator usually arrive in groups; a free scan lists the companions that are easy to miss.

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 PC Accelerator yourself 4 steps, about 12 minutes, no software needed.

Start the steps
Screenshot of PC Accelerator: malware
PC Accelerator as our 2020 report showed it.

PC Accelerator: summary

DistributionSoftware bundling
NamePC Accelerator
DeveloperSoftware Marketing Ltd
ClassificationPUP
Danger levelLow. It's more irritating and useless than dangerous
Distinctive featuresRegular system scans, pop-up alerts reporting multiple system's problems
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 8 more facts
Detection namesNo Microsoft detection name is known
DamageNot recorded in the old report
TypeSystem optimizer
SymptomsAn unknown program in Installed apps
Evidence4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited
ProgramPC Accelerator
First seen21 October 2020
Facts checked7 October 2026

Is PC Accelerator safe? Why it is flagged

From our report of Oct 2020 · not reviewed since

PC Accelerator is a doubtful Windows optimization tool that can display bogus scan results

PC Accelerator is a Windows optimization utility developed by Software Marketing Ltd.

It has an active download website PC-Accelerator.com, though it has recently been found spreading bundled with other freeware. Due to this founding and some questionable activities that it performs on the system, cybersecurity experts from viruset.no and other reputable security vendors included PC Accelerator to the list of potentially unwanted programs (PUPs).

PC Accelerator virus promises to address Windows errors, eliminate junk files, protect the system from crashes, update drivers automatically, and ensure steady performance. The whole pack of functions is not free of charge.

People can install only a free trial version for free, which will examine the system but won't fix or improve anything. The full version of this app costs €39,95, which would be a proper sum of money for a reliable optimization program. However, PC Accelerator's reliability is highly questionable.

The increasing number of threads where people complain about its performance and ask for help to remove PC Accelerator from Windows 10 and other OS versions prompted experts to test the tool. It has been found that this optimizer performs its tasks as scareware.

If you are not familiar with the term, scareware is a rogue tool, which seeks to trick its users into believing that the system needs serious maintenance and the urge to purchase a license of a tool.

PC Accelerator virus is that kind of app. As soon as its free trial version is installed, it launches its scanner and provides a report. Typically, it lists hundreds or even thousands of files, registry entries, and app as problematic and indicates numerous errors.

Keep in mind that most of the content indicated in the report are the names of randomly chosen system's files. That's a catch used to foist paid version of the optimizer. It will not improve the system in a significant way. However, it will stop the regular system's scanners and exaggerated scan results.

Even if you did not install the PC Accelerator purposely, but it started scanning the system out of nowhere, it's a clear sign that you have recently installed a freeware bundle. This dubious application is currently spreading like a "recommended attachment" or various free apps.

Experts recommend people to remove PC Accelerator virus not because it's malicious. Naming it a virus is not the right term to use because the tool cannot harm the system. All it can do is to take up free space on your PC and pretend to be optimizing the system.

It is possible to remove PC Accelerator in two ways. You can get rid of it manually by following the manual removal tutorial at the end of this article.

Screenshot of PC Accelerator: malware
PC Accelerator in our 2020 report.
Screenshot of PC Accelerator: screenshot
PC Accelerator in our 2020 report.

How PC Accelerator got installed

From our report of Oct 2020 · not reviewed since

The main reason why legitimate apps fall for the international classification of PUPs is distribution via freeware.

Attached as optional downloads and disguised under Quick or Basic installation options, unwanted apps manage to infiltrate the system without being noticed.

This doubtful optimization utility has been revealed spreading by bundling either. Once installed, it initiates the system's scans and urges people to pay for the license. To prevent such and similar installers, you should be cautious when installing free apps. Here's a couple of tips you should keep in mind:

  • Select freeware download source carefully;
  • Initiate research about a freeware before downloading it;
  • Select Advanced or Custom installation option;
  • Read Privacy Policy and License Terms carefully;
  • Check each window disclosed on the installation wizard;
  • Opt out of "recommended downloads" that are pre-checked by default.

How to uninstall PC Accelerator

How to remove PC Accelerator

Uninstall it, then remove what keeps it starting with Windows.

Nothing it flagged needs fixing.

  1. Step 1: Uninstall PC Accelerator

    PC Accelerator 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 PC Accelerator, 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

  2. 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

  3. 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 PC Accelerator, 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

  4. Step 4: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan

    A scan finds the parts of PC Accelerator 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 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

This optimizer is compatible with Windows OS only. It can infiltrate to each of its versions, including Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10, and others. If you did not install this app purposely, but it started scanning the system without authorization, we would recommend removing it without a delay. The guide below will explain how to get rid of PC Accelerator properly:

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.
Reset Internet Explorer

Remove dangerous add-ons:

  1. Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top-right corner of the browser
  2. Pick Manage Add-ons.
  3. You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for suspicious plugins. Click on these entries and select Disable.Remove add-ons from Internet Explorer

Change your homepage if it was altered:

  1. Open IE and click on the Gear icon.
  2. Select Internet Options.
  3. In the General tab, delete the Home page address and replace it by your preferred one (for example, Google.com).
  4. Click Apply and then select OK.Reset IE homepage

Delete temporary files:

  1. Press on the Gear icon and select Internet Options.
  2. Under Browsing history, click Delete...
  3. Select relevant fields and press Delete.Clear temporary files from Internet Explorer

Reset Internet Explorer:

  1. Click on Gear icon > Internet options and select Advanced tab.
  2. Select Reset.
  3. In the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset.Reset Internet Explorer

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 Oct 2020 · not reviewed since

A guide on how to remove PC Accelerator from Windows

PC Accelerator removal can be initiated in a standard way, i.e., via Control Panel.

Usually, it provides an official uninstaller, so launching it should be enough to uninstall the PUP completely.

However, if it was installed by bundling, it might not be the only PUP installed on your PC in a stealthy manner.

If this app has been installed along with a bunch of other apps that corrupted your web browser, you can use the following instructions explaining how to restore the previous browser's settings.

Questions about PC Accelerator

Is PC Accelerator a virus?

Most programs that appear the way PC Accelerator did are not viruses in the strict sense. They are potentially unwanted programs:

  • real software that arrives bundled with other downloads and then shows offers
  • changes browser settings
  • starts with Windows

Some are harmless, some are annoying and a few carry adware. What makes it worth removing is that you did not choose it.

Uninstall it from Installed apps and check the startup list and the browsers for anything added the same day. If it refuses to uninstall or returns after a restart, treat it as more serious and run a Microsoft Defender offline scan.

PC Accelerator 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 PC Accelerator 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.

How do I remove PC Accelerator completely?

Work in three steps. First uninstall it from Settings > Apps > Installed apps, together with anything installed on the same day. Second, remove what restarts it: unknown entries under Settings > Apps > Startup and tasks in Task Scheduler with matching names.

Third, clean the browsers: extensions you did not add and changed search settings. Restart and watch for PC Accelerator in the list of installed apps; if it does not come back within a day, the removal is complete.

If it does, run a Microsoft Defender offline scan, which works before Windows starts and finds helpers that hide while the PC runs.

Is PC Accelerator why my PC is slow?

It can be one reason. Programs of this kind often start with Windows, run updaters in the background and keep a process open all the time.

The sign reported, PC Accelerator in the list of installed apps, means at least one such program is active. Open Task Manager, sort by CPU, memory and network, and see whether PC Accelerator or a related process is near the top.

If it is, removing it will help. If not, the slowdown has another cause, but removing a program you never chose is still worth doing. A restart after removal shows the difference best.

Is my privacy at risk because of PC Accelerator?

A little, not dramatically. Unwanted programs tend to report what you install, which sites you visit or how you use the program back to their publisher. That data is sold or used for ads.

The sign people noticed, PC Accelerator in the list of installed apps, is consistent with such a program, and nothing reported suggests access to your files, camera or passwords.

Remove it, delete its leftovers and clear the browser data if it touched the browser. From then on, keep Potentially unwanted app blocking switched on in Windows Security, which stops many of these programs before they install.

Why does PC Accelerator reinstall itself?

Programs like PC Accelerator are often installed with an updater or a companion app whose job is to keep them present. When you uninstall the main program, the helper downloads it again at the next scheduled run or restart.

Find the helper by sorting Installed apps by date and by checking Task Scheduler and Services for entries with the same name or publisher. Remove them all, then delete leftover folders. Turning on Potentially unwanted app blocking in Windows Security also stops many reinstall attempts.

Should I call PC Accelerator malware?

Most security vendors would call it a potentially unwanted program rather than malware. The difference is intent and consent:

  • malware hides and harms
  • while unwanted programs are installed with a click someone barely noticed
  • then do more than expected

The sign reported here, PC Accelerator in the list of installed apps, is typical of the second group. In practice the label matters less than the result.

Whatever it is called, a program you did not choose should go, and the place it came from should be checked for other programs. Microsoft Defender can block this class of software if you switch on Potentially unwanted app blocking in Windows Security.

How do I stop programs like PC Accelerator from installing?

Turn on Potentially unwanted app blocking in Windows Security > App & browser control > Reputation-based protection settings, with both Block apps and Block downloads checked. Download programs from the developer's own site or the Microsoft Store, choose Custom in installers and untick extra offers, and treat large download buttons on file sites as ads.

Apps from the Microsoft Store are checked by Microsoft and uninstall cleanly. Keep real-time protection on, so that bundled offers flagged as unwanted are stopped before they install.

Is PC Accelerator safe to keep?

It is not dangerous in the way malware is: it does not steal passwords or encrypt files. It can still cost money through subscriptions, show ads that lead to scam pages, collect usage data and slow the start of Windows. If you installed PC Accelerator on purpose and find it useful, you can keep it:

  • turn off start with Windows
  • offers and data sharing in its settings
  • choose Custom during updates

If you do not know where it came from, remove it, together with anything installed on the same day.

Will Fortect remove PC Accelerator?

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 PC Accelerator, 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

More removal guides

Questions and experiences: PC Accelerator

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

…

5,606 members already hereReading, writing, commenting and voting. 0 verified · 331 joined this year