Pup.optional.ask: what it is and how to remove it
Pup.optional.ask is a term that is used by multiple security vendors to mark all the potentially unwanted programs that were developed by Ask Media Group (Ask.com). Browser hijacker usually enters machines after the installation of free software from third-party sources as an optional component that is cleverly hidden within the main program installer.
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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Pup.optional.ask: summary
| Name | Pup.optional.ask |
|---|---|
| Type | Browser-hijacking tool |
| Homepage and new tab set to | Ask.com |
| Developer | Ask Media Group or IAC Publishing, LLC in Europe |
| Related | Search App by Ask v2 |
| Aim | To hijack web browsers and use them for revenue-gaining purposes |
| 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 11 more facts
| Activities | Modifying browsers, producing advertising content, causing redirects to odd pages, tracking non-personal information |
|---|---|
| Promotion | You might accidentally encounter the browser hijacker and its products provided in bundles of software or on unprotected web sources |
| Manual termination | Check for instructing lines at the end of this article |
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Symptoms | An unknown program in Installed apps |
| Evidence | 6 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Program | Pup.optional.ask |
| First seen | 23 August 2019 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
Is Pup.optional.ask safe? Why it is flagged
What readers reported about Pup.optional.ask
How to remove PUP.Optional.MySearchDial from Chrome?. How do I remove PUP.Optional.MySearchDial from Chrome. I use Win 10.
I receive many ads and recently detected PUP.Optional.InstallCore. I receive many ads when browsing the Internet and recently detected PUP.Optional.InstallCore operating on my PC. Can it be the cause of these annoying ads?
PUP.Optional.InstallCore ads all over my browser!. Help me to switch off those pop-ups!! I'm sick of them already!
How to delete PUP.Optional.Yontoo virus?. Hello. I'm having difficulties in removing the malware. I scanned the system with my antivirus program, but nothing was found. Pop-ups with Yontoo sign still keep emerging. Any ideas?
From the comments under our earlier guide; names and contact details removed.
From our report of Aug 2019 · not reviewed since
Pup.optional.ask is a potentially unwanted application that is involuntary installed as an optional component
Pup.optional.ask is a term that is used by multiple security vendors to mark all the potentially unwanted programs that were developed by Ask Media Group (Ask.com).
Browser hijacker usually enters machines after the installation of free software from third-party sources as an optional component that is cleverly hidden within the main program installer. For that reason, users rarely notice how Pup.optional.ask hijack occurs.
After the installation, Pup.optional.ask sets the new tab URL, the homepage and the search engine of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, or another browser to Ask.com.
Besides the apparent modification to the start page, Pup.optional.ask also shows numerous sponsored links at the top of the search results, redirects to affiliated sites, tracks users' web browser activities and sometimes even hides its presence to stay on the system as long as possible.
While at first, it may seem like PUP.Optional.ASK.A is just a nuisance, you should not ignore its presence as the unwanted program will greatly influence the sites that you visit and might even lead you to hacked or malicious websites filled with malware.
Pup.optional.ask, released by Ask Media Group can bring lost of unwanted changes together with the modified search engine. Some of these activities relate to redirecting to third-party websites which might appear to be infected with other PUPs and malware. This can cause indirect damage to the computer system and software.
Additionally, once Pup.optional.ask virus places the new search engine on your web browser such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, or Safari, the third-party application will supposedly plant cookies in your browser application for browsing-data tracking purposes:
Even though the browser hijacker claims that data is tracked only for important improvements, this appears to be false. Mostly, information that is collected by Pup.optional.ask and similar programs is passed on to other parties or used for generating beneficial-looking offers and provoking users to provide a bigger number of clicks on particular ads.
Note that Pup.optional.ask will not bring you anything satisfying even though it might try to trick you by providing fast access to popular networks such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and so on. However, keep in mind that the other part of unwanted activities is usually kept in secret and appears only after the installation of the browser hijacker.
Pup.optional.ask removal is a necessary task to complete if you want to refresh, optimize, and regain proper operating with your web browser. This process can be completed by scanning the computer system with or similar software. Once bogus entries are found, you will be able to properly clean the entire machine and get rid of the PUP entirely.
However, if you are thinking that you will be capable to remove Pup.optional.ask on your own, there is such possibility. We have provided some step-by-step guidelines at the end of this article that should help you to clean infected browser applications and get rid of dubious content from your Windows or Mac operating system.
From our report of Aug 2019 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Pup.optional.ask
- Scan the system with a tool such as and continue with the elimination by using automatical software also
- Users have been complaining of Malwarebytes finding several entries belonging to Pup.optional.ask in their Internet Explorer and other browser apps.
- According to information provided by Malwarebytes Labs, this suspicious component most commonly comes in bundles with Oracle's Java downloads.
- We use performance/analytics cookies to analyze how the Sites are accessed, used, or is performing in order to provide you with a better user experience and to maintain, operate and continually improve the Sites.
How to uninstall Pup.optional.ask
How to remove Pup.optional.ask
Uninstall it, then set your own browser and search engine back, because it changes both.
Step 1: Uninstall Pup.optional.ask
Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps in Windows 11, or Settings > Apps > Apps & features in Windows 10. Sort the list by install date and find Pup.optional.ask, then choose Uninstall from the three-dot menu next to it (in Windows 10, click the entry and then Uninstall).
Remove anything else installed on the same day that you do not recognise, because such programs usually arrive together in one installer. If the uninstaller opens a browser page with an offer or a survey, close it: the program is removed either way.
Full procedure with screenshots: Uninstall a program or app in Windows On uGetFix
Step 2: Remove it from startup
Whatever Pup.optional.ask installed usually starts with Windows. Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc, go to Startup apps in Windows 11 or the Startup tab in Windows 10, and disable what you do not know, starting with entries that have an empty Publisher column.
Open file location on the right-click menu shows the file, which helps you decide and tells you what to delete later. Disabling is safe: if something you need stops working, switch it back on.
Full procedure with screenshots: Stop apps from opening at startup On uGetFix
Step 3: Delete the folders left behind
What the uninstaller leaves behind is usually in the user folders. Open File Explorer, switch on View > Show > Hidden items (in Windows 10 View > Hidden items), and go through
%LocalAppData%,%AppData%, %ProgramData% and the two Program Files folders.Sort by Date modified and delete folders that appeared together with the problem and belong to no program you use. Folders with random names that hold
.exe,.dll, .js or .ps1 files are the strongest sign.Full procedure with screenshots: Remove what malware leaves behind in Windows
Step 4: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan
Open Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, run a Full scan and remove everything it finds. Then select Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) and click Scan now: the PC restarts and scans before Windows loads, which finds files that hide while Windows runs.
Save your work first, because the offline scan takes about 15 minutes. Both scans are built into Windows 11 and Windows 10, and a second scanner from another vendor is a useful extra opinion.
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
If some browser-hijacking signs have appeared on your Windows computer, there might be rogue components lurking on the system. Find these objects and terminate them with the help of the following instructions:
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
Google Chrome should also be fully cleaned and optimized if some browser-hijacking symptoms occurred while using this web browser app. Carry out the following tasks to get rid of rogue content:
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)
If Mozilla Firefox has been showing you some signs of browser-hijacking activity lately, it is about time to clean and refresh it. This can easily be done by following the below-provided instructions:
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
You can clean your Mac OS X machine from questionable-looking content manually if you are likely to. This process can be easily accomplished by taking a look at the following guiding steps:
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.
Reset Internet Explorer
Erase all bogus extensions, plug-ins, and add-ons from Internet Explorer if you want to get rid of the browser-hijacking activity for good. You can carry out such task with the help of these guidelines:
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.
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 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
- 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, can be your only hope to retrieve your invaluable files.
From our report of Aug 2019 · not reviewed since
Browser hijacker prevention measures
According to computer experts from Virusai.lt, if a browser-hijacking application has been bothering you lately, you supposedly have taken some careless actions that related to the installation of this PUP.
Users usually use unsecured downloading sources from which bogus software has big chances of reaching the targeted computer system.
However, this is not the only way how browser hijackers and similar tools enter the targeted computer system. These third-party products can also be promoted on secondary websites that are filled with bogus links an ads. The best ways to avoid secret infiltration of browser-hijacking apps and other PUPs are these ones:
- Installation of reputable antimalware software. If you buy a reliable security product for protecting your machine or device, it will throw you alerts when something suspicious is going on and prevent threats from infiltrating the PC.
- Keeping a fair distance from unprotected sources. You should be aware of networks such as piracy, gambling, gaming, and porn-watching ones. These pages lack required security, so they should not be visited at all.
- Opting for the right downloading/installing option. If you have chosen the Quick/Recommended installation mode, no wonder that you have been receiving PUPs secretly. Deselect this configuration and opt for the Custom/Advanced one.
From our report of Aug 2019 · not reviewed since
The elimination steps for Pup.optional.ask on browsers and OS
Pup.optional.ask virus is a term given to this component that changes the default search engine to Ask.com.
You might find this type of activity very unpleasant and unexpected. If this tool starts causing you trouble such as redirecting, advertising, providing misleading search results, you should get rid of it automatically or manually.
The easiest and safest way to remove Pup.optional.ask is by using reliable antivirus security software. You can pick a tool from our suggested list or download any program from your own likings. Once installed, the tool will perform a full system scan, detect the infection source, and help you to terminate the potentially unwanted program.
However, if you are likely to, you can perform the Pup.optional.ask removal process by using manual guiding steps. There are some instructions placed at the end of this article. You will find guidelines for Windows, Mac OS X, and web browsers such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, and Microsoft Edge.
Questions about Pup.optional.ask
Is Pup.optional.ask a virus?
Most programs that appear the way Pup.optional.ask 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.
Pup.optional.ask 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 Pup.optional.ask 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.
Can Windows block unwanted programs automatically?
Yes, with one setting. Windows Security has Potentially unwanted app blocking under App & browser control > Reputation-based protection settings. Block apps stops flagged programs from installing, and Block downloads works in Microsoft Edge.
On some PCs this was not switched on, which is how programs like Pup.optional.ask got through. It does not catch everything, so read installer screens, choose Custom setup and decline offers. Removing free tools you no longer use also helps, because their updates are a common route for new bundles.
Is my privacy at risk because of Pup.optional.ask?
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, pup.optional.ask 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.
Should I call Pup.optional.ask 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, pup.optional.ask 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.
Pup.optional.ask has no uninstall option. What now?
Some unwanted programs leave no entry in Installed apps on purpose. Find the program's files instead:
- open Task Manager while pup.optional.ask in the list of installed apps is visible
- right-click the process
- choose Open file location
End the process, then look in that folder for an uninstall file. If there is none, delete the folder after checking that it holds nothing you need.
Before deleting, remove the startup entry and any scheduled task that points to it, otherwise it may be recreated. A restart and a full scan in Windows Security finish the job and catch files stored elsewhere.
Is Pup.optional.ask 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, pup.optional.ask 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 Pup.optional.ask 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.
Can I use Pup.optional.ask safely?
Yes, if you installed it on purpose and control its settings. Download it only from the publisher's own site, never through a bundle or a portal. After installing, disable automatic start, offers and telemetry, and check that it did not change your search engine or add extensions.
Watch for renewals if you bought a licence, and turn on PUA blocking in Windows Security so that anything it tries to add during updates is stopped. If Pup.optional.ask keeps pushing payments or offers, it is not worth the trouble.
Do I need special software to remove Pup.optional.ask?
No. Windows has everything needed:
- Installed apps for the uninstall
- the Startup list and Task Scheduler for what restarts it
- Windows Security for a scan afterwards
The steps in this guide take about fifteen minutes. A dedicated tool is a convenience when you would rather not check each place yourself or when the program keeps coming back.
Whatever you use, finish by confirming that pup.optional.ask in the list of installed apps is gone after a restart, and avoid downloading removal tools from pages that promote them through scary warnings.
Will Fortect remove Pup.optional.ask?
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 Pup.optional.ask, 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
- Search Security: PUP (potentially unwanted program) (read October 6, 2026)
- Wikipedia: Ask.com (read October 6, 2026)
- Avast Forums: PUP.Optional.ASK (read October 6, 2026)
- Malwarebytes Labs: PUP.Optional.Ask (read October 6, 2026)
- Virusai: Virusai (read October 6, 2026)