Vidsquare ads: what it is and how to remove it
Vidsquare is reported as an intrusive adware program that has been appearing while playing GTA 5 and other games on Steam. People find the incoming notifications quite annoying as they tend to flood them constantly when starting any type of web browser app.
Facts checked October 6, 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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Vidsquare ads: summary
| Distribution | PUPs come bundled with other freeware or from unsecured networks that carry infectious hyperlinks and ads, they camouflage as fake flash player updates, etc. |
|---|---|
| Name | Vidsquare |
| Type | Potentially unwanted program |
| Sub-type | Adware app |
| Similar to | This adware program has been found similar to another PUP known as VidSqaure |
| Appearance | Users reports claim that this questionable product has started producing annoying notifications while trying to play games on Steam |
| 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 11 more facts
| Processes/apps | The adware program might bring other PUPs such as Analee, Gratia to the system and injects bogus processes such as lmbvstrsvc or igfxmtc (32 bit) into the Windows Task Manager |
|---|---|
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Symptoms | Notification spam from a website |
| Evidence | 8 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Domains | download.com |
| Ads shown as | Desktop notifications |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge and Firefox |
| Installed on the PC | Nothing; a browser notification permission only |
| First seen | 27 November 2019 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
Is Vidsquare ads dangerous?
From our report of Nov 2019 · not reviewed since
Vidsquare virus - adware that drops unwanted notifications while launching GTA 5 via Steam
Vidsquare is reported as an intrusive adware program that has been appearing while playing GTA 5 and other games on Steam.
People find the incoming notifications quite annoying as they tend to flood them constantly when starting any type of web browser app. Additionally, it appears that Vidsquare virus brings some type of PUPs named Analee and Gratia that creates windows in the Task Manager section and starts delivering sponsored adverts.
Nevertheless, the same user reports that even after the elimination of this adware, his browser still struggles to operate properly and bogus processes such as lmbvstrsvc or igfxmtc (32 bit) remain running in the Task Manager and hardly discoverable by antivirus software.
Seeing Vidsquare ads is the sign that your computer has been infected with adware . This wicked application belongs to the huge group of the potentially unwanted programs that spread bundled with freeware and after infiltration starts flooding the browsers with intrusive and aggressive online advertisements.
It seems that the adware is closely related to VidSqaure ads; however, there are many other programs like this. Talking about Vidsquare malware, it has a few unique features. First, it is capable of modifying Windows DNS settings to place ads on each website you visit. Second, it integrates a suspicious toolbar above Google search results.
The line of shortcuts to popular sites, such as Facebook, Amazon or YouTube, is labeled as "RocketTab powered by Vidsquare." Here we want to stress out that Rocket Tab is known as a browser hijacker, so the collaboration with these developers makes this adware even shadier. Furthermore, adware displays an excessive amount of pop-ups, in-text ads, banners, and other possible types of online ads.
The reason why we want to encourage you to start Vidsquare removal immediately is that some of these ads might lead to potentially dangerous websites. The problem with all adware programs is that they generate fake and often dangerous ads. They might be malware-laden and include ransomware infection or Trojans. Therefore, no matter how great ads by Vidsquare might seem, you cannot rely on them.
Vidsquare might also relate to frequent browser slowdowns and even crashes if kept on a particular computer system for a longer time period. The intrusive ads and redirects can start overusing the energy resources such as the CPU's power too. If this happens, you might find your central processor overheating and your entire machine struggling to perform basic activities.
Furthermore, Vidsquare virus might inject questionable Registry keys and Task Manager processes to launch itself every time the computer system is turned on, avoid antivirus detection or just simply execute other potentially unwanted programs, including adware apps, browser hijackers, and similar ones.
All of these activities can be avoided if you tend to remove Vidsquare from your computer system and clean web browsers from browser helper objects. Use reliable antimalware software or the manual step-by-step guidelines that are added to the end of this article for a full cleanup process. Also, do not forget to check all browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Explorer, Safari, and Edge.
Keep in mind that Vidsquare might perform some modifications to your web browser apps. The adware might affect one, two, or multiple browsers on your computer system. Unwanted changes are spotted on the main page and new tab URL sections. Also, the PUP might bring tracking objects such as cookies, beacons, and pixels for spying on your browsing sessions and providing you with targeted ads.
Once Vidsquare virus has been removed from your computer and you are no longer experiencing unwanted advertising/redirecting, it is time to check for possibly-compromised entries and files in your computer system.
From our report of Nov 2019 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Vidsquare
- If you want to stop the annoying advertising and redirecting, you have to get rid of the adware first.
- If you have found that the adware has compromised some system files on your affected computer system, you can try repairing them with software such as
How Vidsquare ads got into your browser
From our report of Nov 2019 · not reviewed since
Most of the time, adware programs and similar PUAs come together with bundles of regular software.
However, this is more likely to happen if you download your products and services from websites such as download.com, softonic.com, cnet.com, and similar sources.
Also, the installation mode plays a big role here too. If you have chosen the Quick/Recommended downloading settings, you are very likely to receive PUPs unnoticed. To fix this issue, you should change the configuration to Advanced or Custom where you will be the one in control of your downloads.
Continuously, ad-supported applications can get delivered via third-party sources that include infectious hyperlinks and adverts. Be aware of websites that come flagged as insecure to proceed with. Also, always make sure that your antivirus protection is one while browsing the Internet.
Another way for adware to end up on your computer system is through fake flash player updates. Sometimes the developers might try to camouflage their apps by providing them as rogue player upgrades. Once doubting if to update a specific app, go to its official page and check all of the recent update releases.
Check your browser and PC
- Address:
download.com
How to remove Vidsquare ads
How to stop Vidsquare 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 download.com from Chrome's notification list
Chrome keeps a list of every site you once allowed to send notifications, and
download.comis on it. Pastechrome://settings/content/notificationsinto the address bar, find download.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 download.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
Instructions for Google Chrome
Remove from Google Chrome
To eliminate all adware traces from Google Chrome, you have to complete the instructions that are displayed for you here
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.
Step 1: Remove download.com from Edge's notification list
Open Settings and more (the three dots) > Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Site permissions > All permissions > Notifications. Remove
download.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
Instructions for Microsoft Edge
Remove from Microsoft Edge
To ensure that Microsoft Edge is able to operate properly after the adware's appearance, carry out all the steps that are described here
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.
Step 1: Remove download.com from Firefox's notification permissions
Open the menu (three lines) > Settings and click Permissions and data in the left list, then Notifications. Select
download.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
Instructions for Mozilla Firefox
Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
To delete suspicious components from your Mozilla Firefox web browser and reverse the app back to its primary position, perform all of the steps as displayed below
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.
Our tested steps are for Windows 11 and 10. For Safari (Mac), use the instructions below.
Instructions for Safari (Mac)
Delete from Safari
To get rid of unpleasant content from Safari and bring the browser back to its previous state, complete all of these steps as required in the instructing guide
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
To eliminate suspicious programs and files from your macOS machine, take a look at the below-provided guidelines and carry out all of the steps as required
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.
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.
Get rid of Vidsquare ads from your browser
If you want to get rid of the annoying advertising and redirecting that has been caused by the adware, you should remove Vidsquare from your affected computer system first.
Depending on what type of OS you are using, you have to find the app's residence location and eliminate it from there with all of the additional products that might have been brought during the PUP infiltration process.
There are two ways to succeed in the Vidsquare removal process. The automatical technique requires downloading software that will eliminate the PUP and also a tool for system repair in case the adware had managed to compromise some system files.
Also, you can try deleting the adware on your own by using our below-provided guidelines that are suitable for both Windows and macOS and also web browsers such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, and Microsoft Edge.
Uninstall from Windows
To clean your Windows computer from potentially unwanted content properly, you have to carry out all of the steps that are described below
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.
Reset Internet Explorer
To erase browser helper objects such as extensions, plug-ins, and add-ons from your Internet Explorer web browser, complete all of the steps below
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.
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.
Questions about Vidsquare ads
download.com keeps sending notifications. Is it a virus?
No. Notifications from download.com come from a permission stored in the browser, not from a program installed in Windows. Someone clicked Allow on a prompt from that site, usually without realising what it meant, and the site now sends ads through the browser's notification system.
Antivirus scans often find nothing because there is nothing to find on the disk. Removing download.com from the browser's list of allowed sites stops the messages for good. A scan is still useful if you clicked a notification and downloaded or ran something from the page it opened, because those downloads can be unwanted programs.
Did a notification from download.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 download.com from the browser's allowed notifications so the messages stop.
Why does Vidsquare show me ads?
Because that is its whole purpose. Vidsquare 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 download.com safe to visit?
No. The site download.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 download.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 download.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 Vidsquare?
Look for notifications from download.com. That is the trace Vidsquare 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.
Why didn't my antivirus catch Vidsquare?
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.
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.
Will Fortect remove Vidsquare?
No program removes Vidsquare 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
- Steam Community: Ads on start scren???!?? (read October 6, 2026)
- Wikipedia: Microsoft DNS (read October 6, 2026)
- Heimdall Security: What is Ransomware and 15 Easy Steps To Keep Your System Protected (read October 6, 2026)
- Google Chrome Help: Use notifications to get alerts (no longer online) (read October 6, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 6, 2026)