SnapMyScreen Toolbar: what it is and how to remove it
While some users immediately notice something suspicious about this app and refer to it as "SnapMyScreen Toolbar virus", others take it for granted, treat it like a typical toolbar and use it for Internet search and other activities. You cannot judge either of these groups, though.
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.
An automatic scan checks installed programs, startup items and browser extensions for anything that came with SnapMyScreen Toolbar.
Do it yourself · free Remove SnapMyScreen Toolbar yourself 4 steps, about 12 minutes, no software needed.
Start the steps
SnapMyScreen Toolbar: summary
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
|---|---|
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Name | SnapMyScreen Toolbar |
| Type | System optimizer |
| Symptoms | An unknown program in Installed apps |
| 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 4 more facts
| Evidence | 6 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
|---|---|
| Program | SnapMyScreen Toolbar |
| First seen | 4 April 2017 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
Is SnapMyScreen Toolbar safe? Why it is flagged
From our report of Apr 2017 · not reviewed since
Can you benefit from SnapMyScreen Toolbar?
While some users immediately notice something suspicious about this app and refer to it as "SnapMyScreen Toolbar virus", others take it for granted, treat it like a typical toolbar and use it for Internet search and other activities. You cannot judge either of these groups, though.
Snap My Screen is compatible with all Windows-supported web browsers (Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, etc.) and is presented as a valuable tool that can be used for capturing PC's screen when needed and may fulfill some of its promised functionalities.
However, after testing this program on our computers, we have arrived at a conclusion that it can be easily labeled as "PUP" that may try to redirect you to its affiliate websites and generate advertising revenue for its creators.
The SnapMyScreen redirect is usually executed by showing people altered search results or injecting various commercial notifications into the visited websites which may become extremely intrusive when trying to find regular information online. Of course, these advertisements look very convincing and offer good deals, so there is no surprise why there are so many people who have been tricked by SnapMyScreen ads.
There is one positive aspect of these ads, though: you can immediately see that your computer has been infected and take steps towards SnapMyScreen removal. Software like may come in handy when carrying out the elimination, but you may also use manual removal tutorial we have provided just below the article.
However, ads by SnapMyScreen are not even the main problem related to this toolbar.
It may be used for recording their search queries, mostly visited websites, time spent on each of those sites, data that is entered, etc. No matter that the collected data is non-personally identifiable, you should never let other people (unknown third parties) collect and store any information about you because it may be used for suspicious activities.
To stay safe, prevent redirects to suspicious websites and stay away from random pop-up notifications. If the virus has already affected your web browsers, you shouldn't wait any longer. From your computer.

From our report of Apr 2017 · not reviewed since
How do PUPs enter computers?
Just like any other suspicious application, SnapMyScreen is distributed using fair and not so honest methods.
If you want to prevent unexpected appearance PUPs on your computer, you have to realize that there are lots of free applications that are involved in the distribution of such programs as adware and other PUPs.
So, if you fail to monitor their installation process and don't check what optional components they contain, you can easily be tricked into downloading such programs as SnapMyScreen. Also, you may let them change your PC's parameters and initiate various activities that should never be allowed.
Fortunately, you can do something when trying to avoid such infiltrators. First of all, you can check every free program before downloading it to your computer. For that read End user's license agreement, Privacy Policy and similar sources of information. If you find something suspicious, you should look for another free application.
In addition, make sure you select Custom or Advanced installation method. It will help you to understand what "optional" components your free program has. It there is something mentioned about browser add-ons, plugins, extensions, etc., you should opt out of them. Otherwise, you may start noticing SnapMyScreen redirects during your searches and similar inconveniences.
These mentions fully fulfill each of the requirements of FTC.
How to uninstall SnapMyScreen Toolbar
How to remove SnapMyScreen Toolbar
Uninstall it, then remove what keeps it starting with Windows.
Nothing it flagged needs fixing.
Step 1: Uninstall SnapMyScreen Toolbar
Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps in Windows 11, or Settings > Apps > Apps & features in Windows 10. Sort the list by install date and find SnapMyScreen Toolbar, 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 SnapMyScreen Toolbar 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
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
To remove SnapMyScreen from your computer completely, you should reset your browser. But do not forget to delete suspicious add-ons and extensions from Chrome as well!
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)
Mozilla Firefox is one of the browsers that support SnapMyScreen. If you want to get rid of this undesirable program or myway.com search engine that it may potentially assign as your default homepage, please reset your browser.
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
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.

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 Apr 2017 · not reviewed since
Remove SnapMyScreen Toolbar from the system
If you have installed SnapMyScreen Toolbar on your computer voluntarily, there is nothing bad about it and you can keep it.
However, you should keep in mind that it may start showing you unfair search results and lead you to other inconveniences. If it showed up on your PC without your approval, you should follow these steps: Uninstall programs that are related to SnapMyScreen from your computer:
- Click Start → Control Panel → Uninstall a Program.
- When in the Add/Remove Programs/Uninstall a Program, look for SnapMyScreen and other programs that are unknown to you.
- Click "Uninstall" and then OK to save the changes. Reset your web browser. The toolbar is currently active on Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome browsers. In the tutorial below, we will explain how to reset them properly.
Questions about SnapMyScreen Toolbar
Is SnapMyScreen Toolbar a virus?
Most programs that appear the way SnapMyScreen Toolbar 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.
How do I stop programs like SnapMyScreen Toolbar 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 SnapMyScreen Toolbar before it reached the app list.
Can I use SnapMyScreen Toolbar 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 SnapMyScreen Toolbar keeps pushing payments or offers, it is not worth the trouble.
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 SnapMyScreen Toolbar 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.
SnapMyScreen Toolbar 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 snapMyScreen Toolbar 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.
How do I know if I need SnapMyScreen Toolbar?
Ask three questions. Did you install it on purpose? Have you ever opened it?
Does anything you use depend on it? If the answers are no, you do not need it. The sign that brought you here, snapMyScreen Toolbar in the list of installed apps, suggests it arrived without a clear choice.
Programs bundled with free software rarely do anything their host program needs. Uninstall it, restart, and see whether anything you rely on stops working. If nothing does, which is the usual outcome, you can forget about it.
How long does removing SnapMyScreen Toolbar take?
Usually ten to twenty minutes. Uninstalling takes a minute; checking the Startup list, Task Scheduler and the browsers takes the rest. A full scan in Windows Security can add half an hour on a large drive, but you can keep using the PC while it runs.
Restart at the end and watch for snapMyScreen Toolbar in the list of installed apps. If it is gone after a day of normal use, you are finished. If it returns, plan for an offline scan, which restarts the PC and takes around fifteen minutes.
Should I call SnapMyScreen Toolbar 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, snapMyScreen Toolbar 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.
Why does my antivirus call SnapMyScreen Toolbar a PUA or PUP?
These labels mean potentially unwanted application or program. They are used for software that is legal but uses deceptive distribution, aggressive ads, misleading claims or a hard removal. Microsoft's PUA categories include advertising software, bundlers, download managers, torrent clients, marketing software and miners.
A PUA detection is a warning, not proof of infection, and you decide whether to keep SnapMyScreen Toolbar. Other vendors use their own labels for the same idea, such as PUP.Optional or not-a-virus. Read more in our guide to potentially unwanted programs.
Will Fortect remove SnapMyScreen Toolbar?
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 SnapMyScreen Toolbar, 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
- KasperskyLab: What is adware? (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)