ProntoApp ads: what it is and how to remove it
ProntoApp is an adware app published by an unknown developer and is designed for all versions of Mac operating systems. The potentially unwanted program might be installed along with freeware/shareware applications from third-party sites, or when users get tricked by an attractive online app, as well as a fake Flash update.
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.
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ProntoApp ads: summary
| Name | ProntoApp |
|---|---|
| Type | Adware, Mac virus, PUP |
| Infection means | Users typically get infected with the PUP during the installation of third-party apps like File Converter. This technique is referred to as software bundling – optional components are deliberately hidden from sight and are installed along with the desired app |
| Symptoms | Web browser settings changed; a new extension attached to all web browsers; increased number of ads during web browsing sessions; sponsored links in the search results; difficulties in removing unwanted applications along with ProntoApp |
| Dangers | The unwanted application can lead users to insecure sites where they might download and install other PUPs or even malware; scam sites might trick users into paying fake tech support fees; personal data might be collected by unwanted parties or even cybercriminals on insecure sites |
| Termination | Refer to our manual elimination instructions below. Also, a scan with reputable anti-malware is highly recommended |
| 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
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
|---|---|
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Program | ProntoApp |
| First seen | 12 November 2019 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
Is ProntoApp ads dangerous?
From our report of Nov 2019 · not reviewed since
Be careful when installing applications from third-party sites
There is a reason why many security experts advise users staying away from third-party sites when it comes to new software installs.
Apple uses sophisticated scanners and other checks before allowing an application into the App Store (although even the tech giant might sometimes fail to detect malicious apps, as 17 of them were recently removed after security firm detected shady practices of adware). Unfortunately, third-parties do not have the resources and the need to perform such broad checks before apps are placed on the site.
When you try to install an app from a third-party site, GateKeeper will detect the unofficial origin and ask your credentials to allow the installation - this stops many unwanted apps from entering without permission. The problem is that users are tricked into agreeing to install those applications and enter the credentials nonetheless.
When installing apps from third-parties, make sure you take precautionary measures. Most importantly, you should never rush the process, opt for Advanced/Custom settings, check each of the installation steps carefully, and decline all promotional offers on the way.
From our report of Nov 2019 · not reviewed since
ProntoApp is a potentially unwanted application designed to perform malicious activities on macOS computers
ProntoApp is an adware app published by an unknown developer and is designed for all versions of Mac operating systems.
The potentially unwanted program might be installed along with freeware/shareware applications from third-party sites, or when users get tricked by an attractive online app, as well as a fake Flash update. Due to these reasons, users are rarely aware that ProntoApp got installed on their systems - at least, not straight away.
As soon as ProntoApp establishes on the macOS, it immediately performs several changes to Google Chrome, Safari or another browser: users will notice that their homepage has been changed to Bing, Smart Search, or similar, and they are forced to browse via a hijacked search engine (in most of the cases, ProntoApp extension is installed).
Due to this, the search results victims see are not organic, although this allows the developers to monetize on clicks made. Besides, the adware will also insert scams, fake updates, pop-ups, deals, banners, offers, coupons, and other intrusive and possibly malicious content when browsing the internet.
However, typical hijacking activities are not the main problem with ProntoApp, as it also engages in numerous actions that are more related to malware rather than adware - it can read sensitive information users insert on all sites (such as credit card details) and is also equipped with persistence mechanisms that usually prevent an easy ProntoApp removal from the infected machines.
Besides modifying web browser settings, ProntoApp adware also attaches an extension to it. This helps the app to gather various information about users for targeted advertisement campaigns. The collected data might include:
ProntoApp application is not the only one that has been infecting Mac users in recent months. It is highly likely that it is a work of the same developer as ProductEvent, CoordinatorPlus, IdeaShared, and many others. All of the programs use the same magnifying glass icon with a green background and are not signed by any developer.
In other words, ProntoApp is a re-skinned version of the same application, just named differently - this is a common trait of shady programs that are spread around the web by using deceptive means in order to gain quick revenue from infected users.
In fact, ProntoApp is so intrusive and persistent, that many users attributed it "ProntoApp virus" or "ProntoApp malware" term. While it is not entirely true (this app seems to be an aggressive type of adware), users have every right to be concerned, as unwanted changes to the installed web browsers, redirects, pop-up ads, slowdown of macOS, and other symptoms are something that nobody should deal with.
Besides showing ads to infected users, ProntoApp is also dangerous due to its redirection tendencies. Adware is known to sometimes direct users to scam or fake update sites, where they are prompted to download other potentially unwanted programs or call fake technicians for an alleged fix - a few examples of popular scams include "Your system is infected with 3 viruses," "Immediate action required," and many others.
If you encounter difficulties during the process, you should also scan your Mac with anti-virus software. Additionally, you should also reset your browsers and employ if you want to make sure that your computer is in its best shape after the infection.
- IP address;
- Version of the OS and the installed applications;
- Internet Server Provider;
- Websites visited;
- Links and ads clicked;
- Bookmarks added, etc.
From our report of Nov 2019 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on ProntoApp
- In case your Mac is struggling (lagging, crashing, showing errors) after the infection, you can use as a remedy for these symptoms and make it run well again
How to remove ProntoApp ads
How to remove the ProntoApp extension
Do the browser steps in every browser and profile on the PC, then check Windows for the program that installed the extension.
Step 1: Remove extensions you did not add
In Chrome open
chrome://extensions, in Edgeedge://extensions, and in Firefox the menu > Extensions and themes.Remove every extension you do not remember adding, especially search, new tab, coupon, PDF, weather or video downloader add-ons. Check every browser and every profile, because each keeps its own list.
If an extension has no Remove button or comes back, a browser policy holds it (see "Managed by your organization" in the procedure below). The pages are 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: Uninstall ProntoApp
ProntoApp 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 ProntoApp, 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 3: 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 4: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan
A scan finds the parts of ProntoApp 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
Instructions for each browser and system
The detailed steps for every browser and system this guide covers. Open the one you use.
Remove from Google Chrome
If you do not reset Chrome, you might see ads and redirects due to the PUP again:
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 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
If you are unable to remove the unwanted extension from Safari, reset it as explained below:
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
To get rid of ProntoApp on macOS, you should find it and put it to Trash:
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.
Stream videos without limitations, no matter where you are
There are multiple parties that could find out almost anything about you by checking your online activity.
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.
Even if you employ a secure browser, you will not be able to access websites that are restricted due to local government laws or other reasons. In other words, you may not be able to stream Disney+ or US-based Netflix in some countries. To bypass these restrictions, you can employ a powerful VPN, which provides dedicated servers for torrenting and streaming, not slowing you down in the process.
Data backups are important - recover your lost files
Ransomware is one of the biggest threats to personal data.
Once it is executed on a machine, it launches a sophisticated encryption algorithm that locks all your files, although it does not destroy them. The most common misconception is that anti-malware software can return files to their previous states. This is not true, however, and data remains locked after the malicious payload is deleted.
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.
From our report of Nov 2019 · not reviewed since
Uninstall ProntoApp along with all other PUPs that might have entered the system without your approval
When it comes to ProntoApp adware, it is one of those more aggressive and deceptive types that nobody knows the origins of.
If anything, it reminds more of malware that seeks to monetize on users' ruined web browsing experiences - it also puts their safety at risk. It is also not surprising, considering the nature of the app, that many might be struggling when trying to perform ProntoApp removal.
We suggest you first try to remove ProntoApp manually by finding all its components on macOS and deleting them. Here's what you should look for:
The problem is, however, that the ProntoApp virus often comes along with other unwanted software, which might be difficult to find. Additionally, we highly advise you reset Google Chrome, Safari, and Mozilla Firefox in order to prevent the unwanted activities of coming back.
- ~/Library/LaunchAgents/pronto.notification.plist
- ~/Library/LaunchAgents/pronto.update.plist
- ~/Library/Application Support/ProntoApp/ProntoApp.app/Contents/MacOS/ProntoApp
Questions about ProntoApp ads
What is ProntoApp and why is it on my PC?
ProntoApp 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 ProntoApp, 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.
How do I stop programs like ProntoApp 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 ProntoApp before it reached the app list.
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.
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.
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 adware extension and clearing cookies is usually enough.
Why didn't my antivirus catch ProntoApp?
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.
Is ProntoApp a virus?
Not in the strict sense: ProntoApp is unwanted software, classed here as an adware extension, not a self-copying virus. Security programs often label such software as adware, a potentially unwanted program or a browser hijacker.
It still needs removal, because it changes browser settings, shows ads and can lead you to unsafe pages. The larger risk is clicking an ad that leads to a fake update or scam page.
Will Fortect remove ProntoApp?
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 ProntoApp, 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
- How-To Geek: PUPs Explained: What is a "Potentially Unwanted Program"? (read October 7, 2026)
- Wikipedia: Targeted advertising (read October 7, 2026)
- Dieviren: Dieviren (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)