Text Info ads: what it is and how to remove it
Text Info is yet another browser extension you may come across accidentally. Its main purpose is to ensure that the affected users are exposed to all types of advertisements, including pop-ups, banners, coupons, deals, offers, etc.
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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Text Info ads: summary
| Distribution | Software bundling, third-party websites, misleading ads |
|---|---|
| Damage | Installation of potentially unwanted software; redirects can also lead to other malicious websites, resulting in financial losses or personal data disclosure to potentially malicious parties |
| Name | Text Info |
| Type | Adware, potentially unwanted application |
| Symptoms | Increased likelihood of encountering pop-ups, banners, in-text links, and other ads while browsing the web; exposure to phishing material |
| 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 4 more facts
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
|---|---|
| Program | Text Info |
| First seen | 24 May 2022 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
Is Text Info ads dangerous?
From our report of May 2022 · not reviewed since
Text Info is an adware-type application that inserts advertisements to the pages you browse
Text Info is yet another browser extension you may come across accidentally.
Its main purpose is to ensure that the affected users are exposed to all types of advertisements, including pop-ups, banners, coupons, deals, offers, etc. This is one of the main reasons the app is considered adware.
The description of Text Info adware claims that it "provides selected text info of the web page," thus some users may install it intentionally, believing that it might be useful. However, this function is a mere disguise, and the main goal of the app developers is to earn revenue via the pay-per-click advertising scheme.
Besides intrusive ads, the adware may also collect various user data, which may pose a direct risk to user privacy. We always recommend removing all potentially unwanted programs from the system as soon as they are detected. Below we provide a comprehensive guide on how to do that.
From our report of May 2022 · not reviewed since
Why you shouldn't trust adware apps
There are millions of apps available to download, especially when it comes to multiple platforms.
It is often difficult to say which applications are useful and trustworthy, especially if they aren't downloaded from official sources or are less known in general. This is why many users install potentially unwanted programs without knowing about the negative impact it can have on one's browsing quality and even computer security.
Adware and browser hijackers are often advertised as useful apps which can be beneficial due to some type of feature. For example, apps like "BlockAll - block ads" might seem like a good addition to the browser, as its title implies it can block ads effectively. What people don't know is that the app spreads via fake updates and inserts its own advertisements everywhere.
Thus, adware is often deceptive when it comes to disclosing the full extent of what it can and can't do. In some cases, potentially unwanted apps completely fail to fulfill their promises, as we have seen with Fast PDF Reader, YouPDFSearch, BestMapSearch, and many others.
Potentially dangerous ads
Adware operates in a deceptive manner because its developers only care about ad revenue. Unfortunately, using insecure advertising networks is always something that adware was known for, which results in users being exposed to phishing messages, scam websites, or prompts to download other PUPs/malware.
Adware also almost always gathers information about users who have it installed on their systems. Data collection is particularly important because it allows advertisers to benefit from targeted advertising, increasing the likelihood of users purchasing items or subscribing to services more relevant to them. Unfortunately, this increases the risk of data disclosure to unknown parties, as no means of data protection can be failproof.
From our report of May 2022 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Text Info
- For a quicker solution, employ anti-malware
- After PUP elimination, make sure you clean your browsers to prevent data tracking.
- can significantly quicken this process
How Text Info ads got into your browser
From our report of May 2022 · not reviewed since
Adware is a type of potentially unwanted or even dangerous software that spreads in deceptive ways.
This is why so many users might find the Text Info app installed without their permission, and the discovery would be rather a surprise.
- Software bundling is one of the most prominent techniques used by PUP distributors to spread them. Third-party sources that host shareware/freeware are well-known for practicing bundling, so much so that you should expect almost any installer to include optional apps. Always choose Advanced or Custom settings instead of Recommended/Quick ones, remove the ticks from the pre-ticked checkboxes, read the fine print, and never rush through the installation steps.
- Deceptive ads is another popular method of adware distribution. In particular, fake software updates or misleading claims about something missing from the system are especially effective. For example, a fake Flash Player update can often ask users to install PUPs or even malware. In reality, Flash was already discontinued by its developer Adobe a few years ago, and all requests to install or update it are fake. Likewise, other popular app names, such as Google Chrome, are also commonly used in scam schemes like these.
How to remove Text Info ads
How to remove the Text Info 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 Text Info
Text Info 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 Text Info, 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 Text Info 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
Protect your privacy - employ a VPN
There are several ways how to make your online time more private - you can access an incognito tab.
However, there is no secret that even in this mode, you are tracked for advertising purposes. There is a way to add an extra layer of protection and create a completely anonymous web browsing practice with the help of VPN. This software reroutes traffic through different servers, thus leaving your IP address and geolocation in disguise.
Besides, it is based on a strict no-log policy, meaning that no data will be recorded, leaked, and available for both first and third parties. The combination of a secure web browser and VPN will let you browse the Internet without a feeling of being spied or targeted by criminals.
No backups? No problem. Use a data recovery tool
If you wonder how data loss can occur, you should not look any further for answers - human errors, malware attacks, hardware failures, power cuts, natural disasters, or even simple negligence.
In some cases, lost files are extremely important, and many straight out panic when such an unfortunate course of events happen. Due to this, you should always ensure that you prepare proper data backups on a regular basis.
If you were caught by surprise and did not have any backups to restore your files from, not everything is lost. is one of the leading file recovery solutions you can find on the market - it is likely to restore even lost emails or data located on an external device.
From our report of May 2022 · not reviewed since
Text Info adware removal
There are plenty of reasons to remove potentially unwanted software from your device - it can increase your privacy and increase the quality of browsing without having to deal with intrusive and potentially dangerous ads. In order to get rid of the Text Info virus, you have to access browser settings and delete the relevant extension:
Likewise, removing cookies and other web data from the browser is highly recommended, as it can prevent further data tracking by third parties. You can either use to quickly do this or proceed with the manual steps below.
- 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 the suspicious plugins that might be related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.
- 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 unwanted plugin and click Remove.
- Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
- Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.
- Click Safari > Preferences...
- In the new window, pick Extensions.
- Select the unwanted extension and select Uninstall.
- 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.
- Click Menu and pick Options.
- Go to Privacy & Security section.
- Click on Clear Data...
- Select Cookies and Site Data, as well as Cached Web Content and press Clear.
- Click on Menu and go to Settings.
- Select Privacy and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Under Time range, pick All time.
- Select Clear now.
- Click Safari > Clear History...
- From the drop-down menu under Clear, pick all history.
- Confirm with Clear History.
Questions about Text Info ads
Can I safely uninstall Text Info?
If you did not install Text Info yourself and it is not part of your hardware or a program you rely on, yes. Uninstalling an unwanted program does not harm Windows. Before you do, search the exact name and publisher to be sure it is not a driver tool, a printer utility or a game launcher with an odd name.
Then remove it from Settings, Apps, Installed apps. Ignore any offers or warnings in its uninstaller about losing protection or performance. Afterwards check Startup apps and your browsers for leftovers, and restart once to confirm that it does not reinstall itself.
Text Info came back after I uninstalled it. Why?
Something else is reinstalling it. Common causes are a second program from the same publisher, a scheduled task that downloads it again, or a browser extension that keeps prompting for it. Sort Installed apps by install date and uninstall each entry from the same day that you did not choose.
Then open Task Scheduler and look in the Task Scheduler Library for tasks with updater-style names that you do not recognise. Check Startup apps in Task Manager too. If Text Info still returns, start Windows in Safe Mode, uninstall it there and run a Microsoft Defender offline scan, which looks for loaders that ordinary scans can miss.
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.
Why didn't my antivirus catch Text Info?
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.
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.
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.
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.
What is Text Info?
Text Info is yet another browser extension you may come across accidentally.
Its main purpose is to ensure that the affected users are exposed to all types of advertisements, including pop-ups, banners, coupons, deals, offers, etc. Damage: Installation of potentially unwanted software; redirects can also lead to other malicious websites, resulting in financial losses or personal data disclosure to potentially malicious parties.
The summary table at the top of this guide lists the type, the detection names, the symptoms and the damage of Text Info.
Will Fortect remove Text Info?
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 Text Info, 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
- Wikipedia: Pay-per-click (read October 7, 2026)
- TAU: Commercial software, adware, and consumer privacy (read October 7, 2026)
- Kaspersky: What are Cookies? (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)