Pcfixertools.info ads: what it is and how to remove it
Pcfixertools.info virus is an adware type of cyber infection which displays ads and randomly redirects users to pcfixertools.info domain against their will. This site promotes Advanced PC Fixer -- a suspicious system optimizer designed for Windows operating systems from Windows XP and up.
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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Do it yourself · free Remove Pcfixertools.info ads yourself 2 steps, about 6 minutes, no software needed.
Pcfixertools.info ads: summary
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
|---|---|
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Name | Pcfixertools.info ads |
| Type | Push-notification spam site |
| Symptoms | Notification spam from a website |
| 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
| Evidence | 6 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
|---|---|
| Domains | pcfixertools.info |
| Ads shown as | Desktop notifications |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge and Firefox |
| Installed on the PC | Nothing; a browser notification permission only |
| First seen | 14 March 2017 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
Is Pcfixertools.info ads dangerous?
From our report of Mar 2017 · not reviewed since
What is the purpose of Pcfixertools.info ads?
Pcfixertools.info virus is an adware type of cyber infection which displays ads and randomly redirects users to pcfixertools.info domain against their will.
This site promotes Advanced PC Fixer -- a suspicious system optimizer designed for Windows operating systems from Windows XP and up. The program also involves in extensive advertising and its ads are no less intrusive than the already mentioned redirects.
The pop-up, ads, banners, video and audio commercials will show up on the websites you visit, slowing down your web browsing and even overlaying the original content of the visited websites. The worst part is that the "Close" buttons next to the Pcfixertools ads rarely work and trying to click them only redirects users to the predetermined websites .
This may be dangerous if the ads promote malicious or fraudulent products or services. A single redirect to such websites can be fatal and lead to some serious malware infection, so it is best not to delay Pcfixertools.info removal if you have already recognized the signs of the infiltration.
Besides, do not forget that you should always use reputable software such as if you want to banish the virus from your computer for good. If you don't have the opportunity to obtain a professional antivirus utility, you can always go for the free anti-malware options or carry out the virus elimination manually, following the steps indicated at the end of this article.
If the annoying and intrusive ads by Pcfixertools.info are not good enough reason for you to start thinking about the virus elimination, other unpleasant features of this malware will definitely give you a strong push towards it. One of the characteristics that define Pcfixertools.info hijack apart from the extensive advertising is its tendency to install suspicious software on the infected computers without authorization from the users.
Indeed, once the malware is on your computer, it will try its best to settle in and prevent removal. To achieve that the virus will supplement your browser with the so-called helper-objects , including various toolbars, add-ons, and extensions which will then automatically roll back any changes that the users attempt to make and will continue to display Pcfixertools.info advertisements against user's will.
Keep in mind that these additional third-party programs may also track your browsing data , learn your computer's location, find out about your interests and display ads based on these findings.
Targeted advertising may be useful when it comes from the legitimate sources, but when it is generated by suspicious parties, they become especially dangerous. If you have already noticed changes on your browser or the visited web pages, remove Pcfixertools.info from your computer and scan it for additional malware using some sophisticated antivirus utility.
From our report of Mar 2017 · not reviewed since
What led this malware to infect your computer?
Pcfixertools.info ads don't appear out of the blue.
There is always a reason they are popping up on your browser, and it often relates to negligent software installation. It turns out that most of the computer users are still unaware on how to install software properly and tend to go through this process feverishly clicking the "Next" button.
The fraudulent software developers then have the chance to deploy their shady products on the victim's computer unnoticed. So, if you are seeing Pcfixertools.info website every time you attempt browsing the web, it might be that you have installed some new software on your computer which came bundled with the virus in disguise. Installation using Advanced settings can prevent undesirable installs.
Check your browser and PC
- Address:
pcfixertools.info
How to remove Pcfixertools.info ads
How to stop Pcfixertools.info ads notifications
Do this in every browser you use, and in every profile inside it: each keeps its own list of sites allowed to send notifications.
Nothing has to be uninstalled for the notifications themselves.
Which browser shows the ads?
Step 1: Remove pcfixertools.info from Chrome's notification list
Open More (the three dots) > Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Notifications, or paste
chrome://settings/content/notificationsinto the address bar.Under Allowed to send notifications, open the menu next to
pcfixertools.infoand choose Remove or Block, and do the same for any other address you do not recognise.Next to Not allowed to send notifications, click Add and enter pcfixertools.info, so the site cannot ask again. The menus are the same in Chrome on Windows 11 and Windows 10, and each Chrome profile keeps its own list.
Chrome on Windows 11: Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Notifications. Full procedure with screenshots: Stop website notifications and pop-ups
Instructions for Google Chrome
Remove from Google Chrome
Google Chrome is one of the most frequent victims of Pcfixertools.info. Thus, we have prepared instructions that will help you to get rid of the virus safely.
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.
Step 1: Remove pcfixertools.info from Edge's notification list
Edge stores its own permission list, separate from Chrome's, and it is often the browser behind these pop-ups on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Site permissions > All permissions > Notifications, or paste
edge://settings/content/notifications. Removepcfixertools.infofrom Allowed, then add it under Not allowed to send notifications. Notifications that show the Edge logo come from this list.
Edge on Windows 11: Site permissions > All permissions > Notifications. Full procedure with screenshots: Stop website notifications and pop-ups
Instructions for Microsoft Edge
Remove from Microsoft Edge
Pcfixertools.info can be banished from Microsoft Edge quite simply. It will require a bit of your time though. Check out the steps below to learn about the elimination steps.
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.
Step 1: Remove pcfixertools.info from Firefox's notification permissions
In Firefox the permission sits in Settings > Permissions and data > Notifications (in older versions Privacy & Security > Notifications > Settings). Select
pcfixertools.infoin the list, click Remove Website, and confirm with Save Changes.Firefox only shows these notifications while it is open, so if they stopped after closing Firefox, this is the browser to clean. The steps are the same on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Firefox on Windows 11: the Notification Permissions window. Full procedure with screenshots: Stop website notifications and pop-ups
Instructions for Mozilla Firefox
Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
The best technique to get rid of Pcfixertools.info is to clean the browser from all of its components. To do that properly, follow the instructions below.
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.
Our tested steps are for Windows 11 and 10. For Safari (Mac), use the instructions below.
Instructions for Safari (Mac)
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.
Then, whichever browser you use
Step 2: Scan the PC if you downloaded anything from the ads
Most people who only saw the notifications can skip this step. If a notification or the page it opened made you download or run a file, delete the file and run a full scan, then a Microsoft Defender Offline scan.
In Windows 11 and Windows 10 open Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, select Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) and click Scan now. The PC restarts and the scan takes about 15 minutes, so save your work first.
Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options. Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan
More removal instructions
For programs installed on the PC and older browsers. Open the one you need.
Pcfixertools.info removal methods
The good thing about the Pcfixertools.info virus is that it is an ad-based program and most adware are easy to eliminate from the infected devices.
You can even do it manually. You will have to dedicate some time to investigate your computer looking for the malicious components and remove them. Of course, you can cut the time needed for Pcfixertools.info removal quite significantly by using automatic anti-malware utilities to execute a thorough system scan. If you still wish to remove Pcfixertools.info manually, do not hesitate to use the instructions provided below the article
Uninstall from Windows
If you want to remove Pcfixertools.info manually, please read the following the instructions very carefully.
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.
Reset Internet Explorer
To exterminate last bits of Pcfixertools.info from your computer, you should clean your browser from the virus-related helper-objects and reset your browser
Remove dangerous add-ons:
- Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top-right corner of the browser
- Pick Manage Add-ons.
- You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for suspicious plugins. Click on these entries and select Disable.
Change your homepage if it was altered:
- Open IE and click on the Gear icon.
- Select Internet Options.
- In the General tab, delete the Home page address and replace it by your preferred one (for example, Google.com).
- Click Apply and then select OK.
Delete temporary files:
- Press on the Gear icon and select Internet Options.
- Under Browsing history, click Delete...
- Select relevant fields and press Delete.
Reset Internet Explorer:
- Click on Gear icon > Internet options and select Advanced tab.
- Select Reset.
- In the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset.
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While this is highly unlikely, advertisers and tech companies are constantly tracking you online. The first step to privacy should be a secure browser that focuses on tracker reduction to a minimum.
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While regular data backups are the only secure method to recover your files after a ransomware attack, tools such as can also be effective and restore at least some of your lost data.
Questions about Pcfixertools.info ads
Why do I get notifications from pcfixertools.info when the browser is closed?
Chrome and Edge can keep a small part running in the background so that sites can deliver notifications, and Windows shows them in its notification area. That is why messages from pcfixertools.info keep arriving with no browser window open.
The permission to send them was granted when someone clicked Allow on a prompt from that site, often disguised as a robot check or a video player. Closing the browser does not remove it; only the notification settings do.
Remove pcfixertools.info from the allowed sites and the background messages stop. You can also stop the browser from running in the background in its system settings, but the permission is the real fix.
Did a notification from pcfixertools.info infect my computer?
A notification cannot infect a PC. It is a short text with a link that the browser displays. Clicking it opens a page, and a page cannot install anything unless you agree to a download and run the file.
So the answer depends on what you did after clicking. Looked and closed: you are fine. Downloaded but did not open: delete the file.
Opened a downloaded file: uninstall what it added and scan the PC. Typed card or login details: contact the bank and change the password. In every case, remove pcfixertools.info from the browser's allowed notifications so the messages stop.
What is Pcfixertools.info ads?
Pcfixertools.info ads is a push-notification spam site, a kind of adware. It earns money by showing desktop notifications, and each view, click or redirect pays whoever runs it. It is not something people usually choose; it arrives through a free download, a fake button or a misleading prompt.
Pcfixertools.info ads does not encrypt files or take control of Windows, but its ads are sold to anyone, including scam operators, so they can lead to fake virus warnings and unwanted downloads. The steps in this guide remove it from Windows and from each browser.
Why does pcfixertools.info keep showing up?
There are two possible reasons. If it appears as desktop notifications, a browser on this PC was given permission to receive them from pcfixertools.info, usually through a misleading prompt. That permission stays until you remove it in the browser's site settings.
If it appears as tabs or redirects, an ad on a site you visit is opening it, or an extension or program on the PC is. Test a private window: if pcfixertools.info never appears there, an extension is the likely cause. The plan above covers each case.
Do I have to change settings in every browser?
Only in the browsers that allowed pcfixertools.info, but checking all of them takes a minute and is worth it. We saw the notifications in Chrome, Edge and Firefox. Chrome and Edge keep their notification lists under site settings, and Firefox under Privacy & Security > Permissions.
Remove pcfixertools.info and any other unfamiliar site from each list, then turn off new notification requests if you do not need them. Remember that every browser profile has its own list, so a second profile can keep the messages coming after you clean the first.
Are the pop-ups I see really from Pcfixertools.info ads?
Compare them with the details in the table above. Pcfixertools.info ads produces desktop notifications, and the clearest sign of it is notifications from pcfixertools.info. Other adware looks similar, so check the name of the sending site at the bottom of a notification, the address in the tab that opened, or the newest entries on the extensions page.
If those match, this guide fits. If you see a different name, the same kind of steps apply, but remove the item you actually find rather than guessing.
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.
Can I turn off the pop-ups in Windows settings instead?
You can hide them, but that is not the fix. In Windows 11, Settings > System > Notifications lets you switch off notifications for a whole browser, which silences the spam together with every useful notification from that browser.
The site keeps its permission and can still send messages when you switch them back on. It is better to remove the specific site in the browser's own notification settings and block new requests. That stops the messages at the source and leaves the rest of your notifications working.
Is it safe to click Block or Allow on a notification prompt?
Clicking Block is safe; it only tells the browser not to show notifications from that site. Clicking Allow is not dangerous to your files either, but it gives the site a channel to your desktop that spam sites abuse at once.
The prompt itself is part of the browser, so you can trust its buttons. What you cannot trust is the text on the page around it. If a page explains why you must click Allow, choose Block or close the tab.
Will Fortect remove Pcfixertools.info ads?
No program removes Pcfixertools.info ads itself, because there is nothing on the PC to remove: the notifications come through a permission saved in the browser, and only the browser's settings take it away, as the steps above show.
What Fortect can do is check the rest of Windows. Its free scan looks for malware, unwanted programs and damaged system files, which is useful if you clicked the ads, downloaded something from the pages they opened, or are not sure what else changed on the PC.
If the scan finds nothing and the notifications stopped after you removed the permission, this problem is solved. Use Microsoft Defender as a second opinion whenever you have downloaded files from pages like these.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Program optimization (read October 6, 2026)
- Wikipedia: Fake close buttons explained (read October 6, 2026)
- TrendMicro: Browser helper object (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)