Total System Care ads: what it is and how to remove it

Total System Care is presented as a utility tool that can speed up the PC, fix errors, free disk space, stabilize programs, clean registry entries, etc. The software is compatible with various versions of Windows and was developed in 2013 by Canada-based firm SafeBytes Software Inc.

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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Total System Care: scareware adware
Total System Care as our 2021 report showed it.

Total System Care ads: summary

Detection namesNo Microsoft detection name is known
DistributionNot recorded in the old report
DamageNot recorded in the old report
NameTotal System Care
TypeAdware extension
SymptomsAn 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
Evidence4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited
ProgramTotal System Care
First seen13 August 2021
Facts checked7 October 2026

Is Total System Care ads dangerous?

From our report of Aug 2021 · not reviewed since

Total System Care is the application considered a scam because it comes bundled and has no alleged features

Total System Care is presented as a utility tool that can speed up the PC, fix errors, free disk space, stabilize programs, clean registry entries, etc. The software is compatible with various versions of Windows and was developed in 2013 by Canada-based firm SafeBytes Software Inc.

Some users may think that this application is useful as it can fix multiple PC issues. However, security experts consider it a potentially unwanted program that injects users' machines via software bundling.

TotalSystemCare has precisely the same flaw as much other scareware programs - they try to make users purchase the licensed version to gain profit. It would be all good if the "issues" found were real.

However, it is not the case - developers seek to confuse users by flashing various warnings about such insignificant things as cookies or temporary files. This program displays exaggerated alerts that can hardly reveal the real PC's situation and make your computer run faster.

Instead, this app may actually damage your machine. It offers to clear registry entries - tiny database files which hold the configuration settings inside.

Many security experts (and even Microsoft themselves) agree that tampering with these files might damage system files permanently and the only solution would be to reinstall Windows - and we are sure you don't want to do that. Therefore, we suggest you remove Total System Care virus from your machine ASAP - don't let it damage your system.

Unfortunately, many users who are not familiar with system files and the operation of the operating system fall for this trick. It is not surprising, as the scareware infiltrates machines without users' noticing and instantaneously starts performing a system scan.

As we already mentioned, it finds many bogus issues, and, according to the program, the only way to fix them is by purchasing the licensed version, which costs $29.99USD semi-annually. It is a subscription-based product; thus, users who forget to cancel it will be charged 6-monthly automatically.

The worst part is that the users enter their sensitive information when they purchase Total System Care. Thus, such data as name, address, email, and even credit card details may be exposed to questionable third parties. Therefore, never enter payment information, as it may lead to stolen money or even identity fraud.

Finally, even if you pay for the full version, the scareware will not leave you alone. It will keep performing scans and offer to install other dubious applications, or display advertisements directly from your Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, or another browser.

To conclude, if you found that the questionable application is performing scans on your system and finds multiple issues, hurry up with Total System Care removal. You can get rid of it by uninstalling it manually, as well as using reputable anti-malware software (security specialists recommend or ) that will make sure that no traces to PUP are left.

Total System Care: scareware adware
Total System Care in our 2021 report.
Total System Care: adware virus
Total System Care in our 2021 report.

From our report of Aug 2021 · not reviewed since

Installation of scammy applications happen without your knowledge

The system optimizer can be downloaded from its official website or other sites that are used for promoting questionable applications.

However, you should think twice before downloading this program on your computer because causes many adverse effects to your system.

Additionally, the PUP usually infiltrates machines without permission - using the software bundling technique. This method is often used by freeware developers and unwanted software authors, as both gain benefit from that. Thus, it is in the biggest interest of software creators to make users install third-party apps, which are often completely useless or even harmful.

That's why you should always monitor the installation process, even if it is the legitimate one, as many reputable firms are contracted with PUP developers. For example, Adobe Flash updates continuously try to infect users' computers with various toolbars and add-ons.

Therefore, when installing free programs, always select Custom or Advanced installation settings. This way, you will be able to see the full list of the about-to-be-installed applications, in addition to the desired one. Then, remove all the tick-marks next to components and only then finalize the installation.

Total System Care: scareware virus
Total System Care in our 2021 report.

From our report of Aug 2021 · not reviewed since

More from our earlier report on Total System Care

  • Damaging system files, exposing sensitive data to unknown sources
  • Software bundling, the official website, additional promotional content
  • The proper system tool like can help fix related issues and registry entries

How to remove Total System Care ads

How to remove the Total System Care extension

Do the browser steps in every browser and profile on the PC, then check Windows for the program that installed the extension.

  1. Step 1: Remove extensions you did not add

    Total System Care often works through an extension, so go through the extension list of each browser:

    • chrome://extensions
    • edge://extensions
    • Extensions and themes in Firefox

    Switch suspicious extensions off one at a time and reload the page where the problem shows, then remove the one that stops it, and any other you did not add.

    Remember the other browsers and profiles on the PC. If Remove is missing or greyed out, a policy forces the extension, which the policy step deals with. Windows 11 and Windows 10 show the same pages.

    Chrome menu with Extensions and Manage extensions highlighted
    Chrome on Windows 11: More > Extensions > Manage extensions.

    Full procedure with screenshots: Remove a browser extension

  2. Step 2: Uninstall Total System Care

    Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps in Windows 11, or Settings > Apps > Apps & features in Windows 10.

    Sort the list by install date and find Total System Care, 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

  3. Step 3: Reset the browser

    Finish the browser part with a reset, which puts the search engine, start page, new tab page and site permissions back to their defaults and switches extensions off. Chrome: Settings > Reset settings > Restore settings to their original defaults.

    Edge: Settings > Reset settings. Firefox: Help > More troubleshooting information > Refresh Firefox, which also removes its extensions. Your bookmarks and saved passwords are kept, and the menus are the same on Windows 11 and Windows 10.

    Chrome Settings page with the Reset settings section open
    Chrome on Windows 11: Settings > Reset settings.

    Full procedure with screenshots: Reset a browser and fix a hijacked search engine

  4. 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 Security Scan options with Microsoft Defender Antivirus offline scan selected
    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:

  1. Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
  2. Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 10/8

Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:

  1. Click on Windows Start > Control Panel (Windows XP users should click on Add/Remove Programs).
  2. In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 7/XP

Remove the unwanted program:

  1. In the Programs and Features window, look for any recently installed suspicious entries, select them, and click Uninstall.
  2. If User Account Control appears, click Yes to confirm, then complete the removal.Uninstall the unwanted program from Windows
Remove from Google Chrome

Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

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

Clear cache and web data from Chrome:

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

Change your homepage:

  1. Click menu and choose Settings.
  2. Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
  3. 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:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
  3. Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
  4. Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
  5. Confirm with Reset settings.Reset Chrome 2
Remove from Microsoft Edge

Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:

  1. Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
  2. From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
  3. Click Remove.Remove extensions from Edge

Clear cookies and other browser data:

  1. Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
  2. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  3. 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.Clear Edge browsing data

Restore new tab and homepage settings:

  1. Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
  2. Then find On startup section.
  3. Click Remove next to any suspicious startup page.

Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:

  1. Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
  2. Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
  3. Select Details tab.
  4. 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.Reset MS Edge
Instructions for Chromium-based Edge

Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):

  1. Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
  2. Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chromium Edge

Clear cache and site data:

  1. Click on Menu and go to Settings.
  2. Select Privacy, search and services.
  3. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  4. Under Time range, pick All time.
  5. Select Clear now.Clear browser data from Chroum Edge

Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. On the left side, pick Reset settings.
  3. Select Restore settings to their default values.
  4. Confirm with Reset.
  5. This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.Reset Chromium Edge
Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)

Remove dangerous extensions:

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

Reset the homepage:

  1. Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
  2. Choose Settings.
  3. Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.

Clear cookies and site data:

  1. Click Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Go to Privacy & Security section.
  3. Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
  4. Click on Clear Data...
  5. Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.Clear cookies and site data from Firefox

Reset Mozilla Firefox

If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
  2. Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.Reset Firefox 1
  3. Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
  4. Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.Reset Firefox 2
Delete from Safari

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Safari, click Safari in the menu at the top-left of the screen, and select Preferences.
  2. Go to the Extensions tab, look for any suspicious entries, and click Uninstall to remove them.Remove extensions from Safari

Clear history and website data:

  1. Click Safari in the menu and pick Clear History.
  2. Set Clear to all history and confirm with Clear History.Clear history from Safari

Reset Safari:

  1. Click Safari in the menu and select Preferences > Advanced.
  2. Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
  3. From the menu bar, click Develop and select Empty Caches.Reset Safari
Delete from macOS

Remove the unwanted application:

  1. From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
  2. In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).Uninstall from Mac

Delete leftover files and folders:

  1. Select Go > Go to Folder.
  2. Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
  3. Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.Delete leftover files from Mac
  4. Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.

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.

From our report of Aug 2021 · not reviewed since

Take steps to improve the security and remove the Total System Care intruder

We highly recommend you remove Total System Care from the system, especially if you have no idea where this program came from.

You can perform the elimination in two different ways, or combine them both:

  • Automatic option- simply download and install anti-malware software;
  • Manual threat removal is just as effective as an automatic one. However, do not forget the incorrect procedure will fail to eliminate the potentially unwanted program. Additionally, this method will not protect you from unwanted programs or malware infections in the future.

Questions about Total System Care ads

What is Total System Care and why is it on my PC?

Total System Care is a program that was installed on the PC, most likely together with something else you downloaded. Free software sites and many installers add extra programs on setup pages with pre-ticked boxes, so the extra install looks like your choice even though nobody read the page.

Check the install date in Settings, Apps, Installed apps: the program you installed that day is the probable carrier. If you do not need Total System Care, uninstall it. If it belongs to your hardware or to a program you use, search its exact name and publisher first, because drivers and their tools can have unfamiliar names.

Total System Care 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 Total System Care 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.

I let a "support technician" from an ad connect to my PC. What should I do?

Act quickly but calmly. Disconnect the PC from the internet first, so the connection ends. Uninstall the remote access tool they asked you to install and check Installed apps for anything else added during the call.

Run a Microsoft Defender full scan and offline scan. From another device, change your e-mail and banking passwords and sign out of all sessions.

If you paid by card, bank transfer or gift card, contact your bank or the card issuer immediately, and report the scam to the police. Do not answer if they call back.

Why is my browser so slow since the ads started?

Each page now does extra work. An adware extension reads the page, decides where to put ads, loads them from ad servers and reports your visit, and that happens on every tab. Ad-supported programs add their own background activity.

Removing the extension or program usually makes the browser fast again at once. If it stays slow, open the browser's own task manager with Shift+Esc in Chrome or Edge and look for extensions using a lot of memory or processor time.

My scan found nothing, but the ads continue. Why?

Because the source may not be a file a scanner looks for. Browser notifications are a permission stored in the browser, and many adware extensions are not flagged because they come from an official store.

Some ad-supported programs are only reported if you enable detection of potentially unwanted apps. So a clean scan does not mean the job is done. Check each browser's notification permissions and extension list by hand, and turn on Potentially unwanted app blocking in Windows Security before scanning again.

Did Total System Care collect my data?

Adware typically collects what it needs to choose ads:

  • the sites you visit
  • search terms
  • approximate location
  • browser and system details

Extensions with permission to read and change data on all websites can technically see everything on those pages, including forms. That is a privacy problem rather than proof of theft.

If you typed card details or passwords while it was active, changing the most important passwords is a reasonable precaution. Clearing cookies after removal ends the tracking sessions it may have started.

Can an adware pop-up infect my PC just by appearing?

No. A pop-up, a notification or a new tab is only a web page or a message. It cannot run programs on Windows by itself, provided the browser and Windows are up to date. Infection needs a step from you:

  • running a downloaded file
  • installing an extension
  • giving a stranger remote access

That is why scam pages work so hard to make you click. Close such pages with the tab's X or by closing the browser, not with buttons inside the page, which may start a download.

Do I need to reset my browser after removing Total System Care?

A reset is a good last step, because it undoes settings that the program changed. A reset restores the home page, new tab page and default search engine, and turns off extensions.

It does not delete your bookmarks or saved passwords in the main browsers. Add back only the extensions you trust, one at a time.

Will Fortect remove Total System Care?

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 Total System Care, 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

  1. SenzaVirus: SenzaVirus (read October 7, 2026)
  2. Wikipedia: Potentially unwanted program (read October 7, 2026)
  3. WhatIs: Scareware (read October 7, 2026)
  4. Google Chrome Help: Use notifications to get alerts (no longer online) (read October 7, 2026)
  5. FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 7, 2026)

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