RegGenie is a bogus PC optimization software that might be installed without your knowledge

RegGenie is a potentially unwanted program (PUP) that is presented as a registry cleaner and PC optimization tool.[1] On the official website, it offers to optimize computer’s screen and fix computer errors. However, security experts warn about its questionable functionality.
The so-called RegGenie virus might infiltrate the system in a software bundle.[2] As soon as it gets inside, it typically modifies the system and starts showing ads. If you noticed RegGenie's reports about hundreds of different registry errors, we recommend ignoring such alerts because they seek to create a need for its licensed version.
Therefore, RegGenie works as a scareware[3] that wants to trick users into buying the paid version of the program by showing fake scan results. However, we can assure that this tool is not worth spending any cent.
After testing RegGenie on our computers, we discovered that this program detects unimportant registry errors that can hardly help people to make their machines run faster. Of course, after “scanning” computer, this program reports about a long list of PC-related issues that can be only fixed after purchasing the license.
No matter how trustworthy RegGenie ads look, beware that they are set only to push the user into purchasing the fake licensed version of this questionable program. Please, do NOT do that because this is a straight way to identity theft[4] and similar issues that can be initiated after revealing credit card information, full name, and other sensitive data.
Additionally, RegGenie malware is reported of triggering redirects to promotional websites and displaying ads on each website user visits. What is more, instead of improving computer’s performance, it may even slow down its work.
Therefore, you should not keep this program installed on your PC. If it has started showing you misleading pop-up warnings that are reporting about tens of different issues, you should remove RegGenie with the help of FortectIntego or another anti-malware.
All major security programs identify this cyber under the name of PUA.RegGenie. Thus, you shouldn’t encounter any difficulties with automatic RegGenie removal.

Questionable PC optimization program might be installed without your permission
Nevertheless, the program has an official website RegGenie.com and is available on various free file-sharing sites; it still might end up on the computers without user’s knowledge.
RegGenie is mostly spread on the Internet just like any other potentially unwanted program. If you want to avoid it, try to ignore these advertisements that offer checking computers for free. Typically, once you click on such alert, you can easily agree to download the trial version of PC optimization software.
However, this program might also be promoted in software packages, so it might sneak inside the system during the installation of freeware or shareware. Security researchers from No Virus[5] report that majority of computer users fail with installation and unintentionally download PUPs.
To avoid installation of questionable security or computer repair programs, you should use Advanced/Custom instead of Quick/Recommended settings and remove ticks for all pre-selected third-party applications.
Uninstall RegGenie from the computer
If you want to remove RegGenie from your computer, you should waste no time and follow these steps:
- Click Start -> Control Panel -> Programs (or Add/Remove Programs) -> Uninstall a Program.
- Here, look for RegGenie and other unknown entries, and select “Uninstall.”
- Click OK to save the changes.
If these instructions failed to help you to get rid of this program and haven't eliminated its annoying alerts from your browsing routine, you should think about automatic RegGenie removal.
Uninstall from Windows
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.

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.
Reset Internet Explorer
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.

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.

Instructions for Chromium-based Edge
Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):
- Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
- Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.

Clear cache and site data:
- Click on Menu and go to Settings.
- Select Privacy, search and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Under Time range, pick All time.
- Select Clear now.

Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- On the left side, pick Reset settings.
- Select Restore settings to their default values.
- Confirm with Reset.
- This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.

Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
Remove dangerous extensions:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
- Select Add-ons.
- In here, select the unwanted extension and click Remove.

Reset the homepage:
- Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
- Choose Settings.
- Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.
Clear cookies and site data:
- Click Menu and pick Settings.
- Go to Privacy & Security section.
- Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
- Click on Clear Data...
- Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.

Reset Mozilla Firefox
If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
- Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.

- Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
- Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.

Remove from Google Chrome
Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
- Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
- In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all suspicious extensions related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.

Clear cache and web data from Chrome:
- Click on Menu and pick Settings.
- Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
- Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
- Click Clear data.

Change your homepage:
- Click menu and choose Settings.
- Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
- Click on Open a specific or set of pages and click on three dots to find the Remove option.
Reset Google Chrome:
If the previous methods did not help you, reset Google Chrome to eliminate all the unwanted components:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
- Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
- Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
- Confirm with Reset settings.

Delete from Safari
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.

Did this guide help?
Be the first to comment