Windows 8.1 Free Scan ads. How to remove? (Uninstall guide)
What is “Windows 8.1 Free Scan”?
“Windows 8.1 Free Scan” is a misleading pop-up notification, which may show up to you during your browsing. It can equally show up on Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and other web browser because it is caused by a browser add-on, which is compatible with each of web browsers. Because of its suspicious activity, this program has already been included to adware and potentially unwanted program categories. No matter that such programs are not considered viruses, they may cause lots of pop-up ads. The main reason why you are constantly seeing “Windows 8.1 Free Scan” ads is an intention to trick you into downloading other suspicious programs to your computer. Beware that you may be tricked into downloading adwares, browser hijackers or other potentially unwanted programs. Once they are installed on the system, they initiate other pop-up ads, redirects, slow downs and similar issues. If you don't want to end up on malicious website, you should stay away from “Windows 8.1 Free Scan” virus. If it has already been annoying you for a while, we think that it is a right moment to check your computer with the reputable anti-spyware. First of all, it will help you to get rid of a fear that can be initiated by this misleading alert. Secondly, it will help you to detect and remove all questionable applications, including Windows 8.1 Free Scan-related adwares, browser hijackers and other potentially unwanted programs. For that we highly recommend using Reimage or other trustworthy application.
How can “Windows 8.1 Free Scan” hijack my computer?
There are lots of methods that are used for spreading such questionable applications as adwares, browser hijackers and other PUPs. In most of the cases, they are promoted using freeware and shareware, so please be very careful when downloading them to your PC system. We can't say that you should stop using these programs. What we want to say is that you need to start monitoring installation of the freeware. For that you should start reading End User's License Agreement, Privacy Policy and other sources of information. In addition, make sure you opt for Custom or Advanced installation option for getting ability to see what browser add-ons, extensions, plugins and toolbars are spread in a bundle. After seeing an offer to install any of these or similar components, you should uncheck it or look for another freeware: PCKeeper, New Player, HostSecurePlugin, CloudScout, Storm Watch, Media Player, Browsers_Apps_Pro, Save Pass, HQualityPro-1.6, Sm23mS, Salus, Network System Driver, SS8 and CinemaP-1.9c. If you know that you have recently installed any of these applications, you should get rid of it because it may cause not only misleading pop-up ads that redirect people to predetermined websites. Beware that such programs may also start tracking PC users and collecting various information, such as search terms, mostly visited websites, data that is entered on each of these websites, time that is spent, etc. If you want to avoid the loss of such information, you should use a guide that is given below.
How to remove “Windows 8.1 Free Scan” virus?
If Windows 8.1 Free Scan alerts have been bothering you, you should ignore them. In addition, you should get rid of related adwares that may be hiding deep inside the system and trying to trick you into downloading more adwares to it. The easiest way to do that is to run a full system scan with one of these programs that are given below. If you want to fix this issue manually, you should get rid of these applications: PCKeeper, New Player, HostSecurePlugin, CloudScout, Storm Watch, Media Player, Browsers_Apps_Pro, Save Pass, HQualityPro-1.6, Sm23mS, Salus, Network System Driver, SS8 and CinemaP-1.9c. For that you can use a guide below:
You can remove virus damage automatically with a help of one of these programs: Reimage, Malwarebytes MalwarebytesCombo Cleaner, Plumbytes Anti-MalwareMalwarebytes Malwarebytes. We recommend these applications because they detect potentially unwanted programs and viruses with all their files and registry entries that are related to them.

To remove Windows 8.1 Free Scan ads, follow these steps:
Uninstall Windows 8.1 Free Scan from Windows systems
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Click Start → Control Panel → Programs and Features (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
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If you are Windows 10 / Windows 8 user, then right-click in the lower left corner of the screen. Once Quick Access Menu shows up, select Control Panel and Uninstall a Program.
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Uninstall Windows 8.1 Free Scan and related programs
Here, look for Windows 8.1 Free Scan or any other recently installed suspicious programs. -
Uninstall them and click OK to save these changes.
Eliminate Windows 8.1 Free Scan from Mac OS X system
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If you are using OS X, click Go button at the top left of the screen and select Applications.
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Wait until you see Applications folder and look for Windows 8.1 Free Scan or any other suspicious programs on it. Now right click on every of such entries and select Move to Trash.
Remove Windows 8.1 Free Scan from Internet Explorer (IE)
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Remove dangerous add-ons
Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top right corner of the browser and choose Manage Add-ons. -
You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for Windows 8.1 Free Scan and other suspicious plugins. Disable these entries by clicking Disable:
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Change your homepage if it was altered by virus:
Click on the gear icon (menu) on the top right corner of the browser and select Internet Options. Stay in General tab. -
Here, remove malicious URL and enter preferable domain name. Click Apply to save changes.
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Reset Internet Explorer
Click on the gear icon (menu) again and select Internet options. Go to Advanced tab. - Here, select Reset.
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When in the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset again to complete Windows 8.1 Free Scan removal.
Erase Windows 8.1 Free Scan ads from Microsoft Edge
Reset Microsoft Edge settings (Method 1):
- Launch Microsoft Edge app and click More (three dots at the top right corner of the screen).
- Click Settings to open more options.
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Once Settings window shows up, click Choose what to clear button under Clear browsing data option.
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Here, select all what you want to remove and click Clear.
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Now you should right-click on the Start button (Windows logo). Here, select Task Manager.
- When in Processes tab, search for Microsoft Edge.
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Right-click on it and choose Go to details option. If can’t see Go to details option, click More details and repeat previous steps.
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When Details tab shows up, find every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right click on each of them and select End Task to end these entries.
Resetting Microsoft Edge browser (Method 2):
If Method 1 failed to help you, you need to use an advanced Edge reset method.
- Note: you need to backup your data before using this method.
- Find this folder on your computer:
C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe.
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Select every entry which is saved on it and right click with your mouse. Then Delete option.
- Click the Start button (Windows logo) and type in window power in Search my stuff line.
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Right-click the Windows PowerShell entry and choose Run as administrator.
- Once Administrator: Windows PowerShell window shows up, paste this command line after PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> and press Enter:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register $($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml -Verbose}
Once these steps are finished, Windows 8.1 Free Scan should be removed from your Microsoft Edge browser.
WindowsMac OS XInternet ExplorerMicrosoft EdgeFirefoxGoogle ChromeSafariGet rid of Windows 8.1 Free Scan from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
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Remove dangerous extensions
Open Mozilla Firefox, click on the menu icon (top right corner) and select Add-ons → Extensions. -
Here, select Windows 8.1 Free Scan and other questionable plugins. Click Remove to delete these entries.
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Reset Mozilla Firefox
Click on the Firefox menu on the top left and click on the question mark. Here, choose Troubleshooting Information. -
Now you will see Reset Firefox to its default state message with Reset Firefox button. Click this button for several times and complete Windows 8.1 Free Scan removal.
Delete Windows 8.1 Free Scan from Google Chrome
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Delete malicious plugins
Open Google Chrome, click on the menu icon (top right corner) and select Tools → Extensions. -
Here, select Windows 8.1 Free Scan and other malicious plugins and select trash icon to delete these entries.
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Click on menu icon again and choose Settings → Manage Search engines under the Search section.
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When in Search Engines..., remove malicious search sites. You should leave only Google or your preferred domain name.
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Reset Google Chrome
Click on menu icon on the top right of your Google Chrome and select Settings. -
Scroll down to the end of the page and click on Reset browser settings.
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Click Reset to confirm this action and complete Windows 8.1 Free Scan removal.
Uninstall Windows 8.1 Free Scan from Safari
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Remove dangerous extensions
Open Safari web browser and click on Safari in menu at the top left of the screen. Once you do this, select Preferences. -
Here, select Extensions and look for Windows 8.1 Free Scan or other suspicious entries. Click on the Uninstall button to get rid each of them.
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Reset Safari
Open Safari browser and click on Safari in menu section at the top left of the screen. Here, select Reset Safari.... -
Now you will see a detailed dialog window filled with reset options. All of those options are usually checked, but you can specify which of them you want to reset. Click the Reset button to complete Windows 8.1 Free Scan removal process.