Smartads-feed.com: what it is and how to remove it
Smartads-feed.com is one of countless push notification phishing websites that users may stumble upon while browsing with popular browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Microsoft Edge. Although most people don't recall the site by name, they associate it with the frequent, unsolicited pop-up ads that suddenly disrupt their screens.
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.
Clicked a notification from smartads-feed.com and installed something? A free scan checks programs and browsers in one pass.
Do it yourself · free Remove Smartads-feed.com yourself 2 steps, about 6 minutes, no software needed.
Smartads-feed.com: summary
| Distribution | The website can begin to show ads at any point after the "Allow" button within the notification prompt is clicked |
|---|---|
| Damage | Push notifications may include incorrect information and links to dangerous websites. If you click the ad, your system might be infected with malware, your identity might be stolen, or you could lose money |
| Name | Smartads-feed.com |
| Type | Push notifications, pop-ups, ads, scam |
| Symptoms | Pop-ups show up on a regular basis on the screen – these ads often include inappropriate, scam, phishing, or other similar content |
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
| 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 | One write-up by a security site; details still limited |
|---|---|
| Domains | smartads-feed.com |
| Ads shown as | Desktop notifications |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge and Firefox |
| Installed on the PC | Nothing; a browser notification permission only |
| First seen | 2 December 2024 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
Is Smartads-feed.com dangerous?
From our report of Dec 2024 · not reviewed since
Smartads-feed.com push notifications may lead you to malicious websites
Smartads-feed.com is one of countless push notification phishing websites that users may stumble upon while browsing with popular browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Microsoft Edge.
Although most people don't recall the site by name, they associate it with the frequent, unsolicited pop-up ads that suddenly disrupt their screens.
The advertisements displayed often leave users puzzled, as they seem out of place or unexpected. What many don't realize is that they may have unintentionally allowed push notifications from the site after falling for deceptive messages. These messages typically promise exclusive deals or pose as routine verification steps, tricking users into granting permissions.
It's strongly advised to avoid interacting with ads from Smartads-feed.com, as they can redirect you to harmful websites. These sites may request sensitive information, push other scams, lead to the installation of dubious software, or even result in financial loss from unnecessary services. To resolve the issue quickly, refer to the detailed removal steps provided below.
From our report of Dec 2024 · not reviewed since
Adware or other unwanted apps could be related to push notification scam sites
Users can often be redirected to phishing websites without realizing it, typically after clicking on certain links.
Sites distributing illegal content, such as torrents or pirated software, are a frequent source of such redirections. In some cases, users don't even need to click- automatic redirects may occur due to malicious scripts embedded in the websites they visit.
Another potential cause of these unwanted redirects is adware or other potentially unwanted programs (PUPs). These can operate silently in the background, causing redirects and other issues. This often happens when adware is unknowingly installed while downloading freeware or other software from less reliable third-party websites.
Make sure the application is updated to its latest version to include the most recent malware definitions before scanning your system. Once malware is removed, it's a good idea to run to clear cookies, trackers, and other remnants from your browsers. This tool can also address any damage the infection might have caused to system files.
From our report of Dec 2024 · not reviewed since
Scam engineering explained
Online scammers are increasingly employing advanced psychological tactics to trick even cautious individuals into falling for their schemes.
By exploiting human tendencies such as curiosity, trust, or a lack of technical understanding, these fraudsters craft convincing scenarios that lure users into their traps.
When users land on Smartads-feed.com, they are often met with confusing prompts urging them to click an "Allow" button. These prompts are cleverly worded to appeal to various users and may include messages like:
Many unsuspecting users, misinterpreting these requests as legitimate, end up clicking "Allow" and are redirected to questionable websites with no connection to the promised content. Initially, this action seems harmless, and users may dismiss the incident altogether.
Unfortunately, this simple mistake triggers a flood of intrusive ads from Smartads-feed.com. These pop-ups not only interrupt daily browsing activities but can also expose users to potential security risks.
The issue, however, is manageable. By adjusting browser settings to block notifications from specific sites, users can put an end to these disruptions and restore a safer online environment.
- Press "Allow" bot verify, that you are not robot
- Click Allow to watch the video
- If you are 18+, click Allow
- Click "Allow" to win a prize and get it in our shop!
- Browser verification in progress - click the button "Allow" to access
From our report of Dec 2024 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Smartads-feed.com
- Push notifications from any website can be disabled through browser settings.
- Running a system scan with can also guarantee its security
Check your browser and PC
- Address:
smartads-feed.com
How to remove Smartads-feed.com
How to stop Smartads-feed.com 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 smartads-feed.com from Chrome's notification list
Chrome keeps a list of every site you once allowed to send notifications, and
smartads-feed.comis on it. Pastechrome://settings/content/notificationsinto the address bar, find smartads-feed.com under Allowed to send notifications, open the three-dot menu next to it and pick Remove.Then click Add next to Not allowed to send notifications and type smartads-feed.com, so the site cannot ask a second time. Repeat it in every Chrome profile you use on Windows 11 or Windows 10, since each profile has its own list.
Chrome on Windows 11: Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Notifications. Full procedure with screenshots: Stop website notifications and pop-ups
Step 1: Remove smartads-feed.com from Edge's notification list
Open Settings and more (the three dots) > Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Site permissions > All permissions > Notifications. Remove
smartads-feed.comfrom the Allowed list, then click Add site next to Not allowed to send notifications and enter it there.Edge is built into both Windows 11 and Windows 10, so check it even if you normally use another browser. If the notifications came with the Edge logo, this is the browser that holds the permission.
Edge on Windows 11: Site permissions > All permissions > Notifications. Full procedure with screenshots: Stop website notifications and pop-ups
Step 1: Remove smartads-feed.com from Firefox's notification permissions
Open the menu (three lines) > Settings and click Permissions and data in the left list, then Notifications. Select
smartads-feed.com, click Remove Website and confirm with Save Changes.In versions older than Firefox 152 the same list sits under Privacy & Security, behind a Settings button next to Notifications. Firefox shows these notifications only while it is running, on Windows 11 and Windows 10 alike.
Firefox on Windows 11: the Notification Permissions window. Full procedure with screenshots: Stop website notifications and pop-ups
Then, whichever browser you use
Step 2: Scan the PC if you downloaded anything from the ads
If you only saw the notifications and clicked nothing, you can stop before this step. If a notification led you to download or run something, delete that file, then scan Windows.
In Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, run a Full scan, then choose Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) and Scan now. The offline scan restarts the PC and takes about 15 minutes on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
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.
Remove Smartads-feed.com ads
Push notifications are a widely used feature across many websites, yet they remain a source of confusion for many users.
This uncertainty often stems from a lack of prior interaction with them. When unexpected pop-ups suddenly appear, people commonly assume their computer has been infected with malware, which is an understandable conclusion.
In reality, push notifications are not linked to adware or other malicious software. They are displayed only when a user has granted a website permission to send them through a notification request.
As a result, conventional methods of virus removal will not resolve the issue of Smartads-feed.com ads. To stop these intrusive pop-ups, you must access your browser settings and block the URL responsible for sending them. This will prevent further delivery of unwanted ads and malicious links.
Google Chrome (desktop)
Google Chrome (Android)
MS Edge (Chromium)
- Open the Google Chrome browser and go to Menu > Settings.
- Locate the Privacy and security section and pick Site Settings > Notifications.
- Look at the Allow section and look for a suspicious URL.
- Click the three vertical dots next to it and pick Block. This should remove unwanted notifications from Google Chrome.
- Open Google Chrome and tap on Settings (three vertical dots).
- Select Notifications.
- Locate the unwanted URL and toggle the button to the left (Off setting).
- Open Mozilla Firefox and go to Menu > Options.
- Click on Privacy & Security section.
- Under Permissions, you should be able to see Notifications. Click the Settings button next to it.
- In the Settings – Notification Permissions window, click on the drop-down menu by the URL in question.
- Select Block and then click on Save Changes. This should remove unwanted notifications from Mozilla Firefox.
- Open Microsoft Edge, and go to Settings.
- Select Site permissions.
- Go to Notifications on the right.
- Under Allow, you will find the unwanted entry.
- Click on More actions and select Block.
- Click on Safari > Preferences...
- Go to the Websites tab and, under General, select Notifications.
- Select the web address in question, click the drop-down menu and select Deny.
- Open Internet Explorer, and click on the Gear icon at the top-right of the window.
- Select Internet options and go to the Privacy tab.
- In the Pop-up Blocker section, click on Settings.
- Locate the web address in question under Allowed sites and pick Remove.
Do not let government spy on you
The government has many issues in regards to tracking users' data and spying on citizens, so you should take this into consideration and learn more about shady information gathering practices.
Avoid any unwanted government tracking or spying by going totally anonymous on the internet.
You can choose a different location when you go online and access any material you want without particular content restrictions. You can easily enjoy internet connection without any risks of being hacked by using VPN.
Control the information that can be accessed by government any other unwanted party and surf online without being spied on. Even if you are not involved in illegal activities or trust your selection of services, platforms, be suspicious for your own security and take precautionary measures by using the VPN service.
Backup files for the later use, in case of the malware attack
Computer users can suffer from data losses due to cyber infections or their own faulty doings.
Ransomware can encrypt and hold files hostage, while unforeseen power cuts might cause a loss of important documents. If you have proper up-to-date backups, you can easily recover after such an incident and get back to work. It is also equally important to update backups on a regular basis so that the newest information remains intact - you can set this process to be performed automatically.
When you have the previous version of every important document or project you can avoid frustration and breakdowns. It comes in handy when malware strikes out of nowhere. Use for the data restoration process.
Questions about Smartads-feed.com
Why do I get notifications from smartads-feed.com 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 smartads-feed.com 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 smartads-feed.com 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 smartads-feed.com 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 smartads-feed.com from the browser's allowed notifications so the messages stop.
Why does Smartads-feed.com show me ads?
Because that is its whole purpose. Smartads-feed.com is a push-notification spam site, and its operators are paid for every ad it displays and every click it gets. In this case the ads take the form of desktop notifications.
They are chosen by ad networks that accept almost any advertiser, which is why so many look like warnings or prizes. The ads are not a sign that your PC is broken or infected with something worse; they are a sign that something on it, or in the browser, has permission to advertise. Removing that permission or program stops them.
Is smartads-feed.com safe to visit?
No. The site smartads-feed.com exists to push visitors towards ads, and the pages it leads to include fake virus warnings, fake updates, prize scams and notification prompts. Visiting it once does not infect an up-to-date PC, but anything you click or download there is a gamble.
Do not enter personal details, do not allow notifications and do not call phone numbers it shows. If it opens by itself, close the tab and check the browser's extensions and notification permissions. Blocking the single domain helps little, because the operators register new names regularly.
Which browser is sending the smartads-feed.com notifications?
Each notification shows the name of the browser and the site in its small print. In the cases we saw, the messages from smartads-feed.com came through Chrome, Edge and Firefox. Permissions are stored per browser and per profile, so removing the site in one browser does not affect another.
If you use several Chrome or Edge profiles, check each one. If you sync the browser with an account, remove the permission while signed in, otherwise another computer may still hold it and keep receiving the same messages.
How do I know the ads come from Smartads-feed.com?
Look for notifications from smartads-feed.com. That is the trace Smartads-feed.com leaves, and it shows up as desktop notifications. Ads that appear on every site, including ones that never carried ads before, point to something on your PC or in the browser rather than to the sites themselves.
A quick test is a private window, where extensions are off by default: if the ads disappear there, an extension is responsible. If they appear even with the browser closed, the source is a notification permission or a program in Windows.
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.
Will Focus or Do not disturb stop the notifications?
Only for as long as it is on. Do not disturb in Windows 11 holds back notifications from all apps, including browsers, and releases them to the notification centre later. The site still has permission and the messages still arrive.
Use the browser's notification settings to remove the site instead: once its permission is gone, it cannot send anything, whatever Windows is set to. Keep Do not disturb for what it is meant for, such as meetings, presentations and quiet hours.
Did clicking Allow install anything on my PC?
No. Allowing notifications stores a permission in the browser and nothing else. No file is downloaded and no program is added to Windows, which is also why antivirus scans find nothing. The risk comes later, from the notifications themselves: they lead to scam pages, fake updates and phishing forms.
Remove the permission in each browser where you allowed it. If you clicked a notification and downloaded something afterwards, delete that file and run a Microsoft Defender full scan and offline scan.
Will Fortect remove Smartads-feed.com?
No program removes Smartads-feed.com 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
- 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)
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 7, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: How Microsoft names malware (read October 7, 2026)