Windowsdetector.com ads: what it is and how to remove it
When you use your address bar to type in the URL of the webpage you want to visit, the outcome is always what you expect it to be. However, when using the search engine, the top results do not always match what you expect due to ads that could be shown at the very top; likewise, less secure websites might include links to places that you might not expect.
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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Windowsdetector.com ads: summary
| Distribution | Software bundles, third-party websites, ads |
|---|---|
| Damage | Installation of other potentially unwanted software or malware, personal information disclosure to cybercriminals, financial losses due to scams, etc. |
| Name | Windowsdetector.com |
| Type | Scam, redirect, adware |
| Symptoms | Redirects to suspicious websites that accommodate commercial or scam content; fake messages that offer to download malicious software; ads plague every visited website; unknown extension or program installed on the system |
| 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 7 more facts
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
|---|---|
| Domains | windowsdetector.com |
| Ads shown as | Desktop notifications |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge and Firefox |
| Installed on the PC | Nothing; a browser notification permission only |
| First seen | 13 January 2022 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
Is Windowsdetector.com ads dangerous?
From our report of Jan 2022 · not reviewed since
Windowsdetector.com misleadingly tells people their systems might be infected
When you use your address bar to type in the URL of the webpage you want to visit, the outcome is always what you expect it to be.
However, when using the search engine, the top results do not always match what you expect due to ads that could be shown at the very top; likewise, less secure websites might include links to places that you might not expect.
Windowsdetector.com is a scam site that you might encounter in the latter scenario when you click links on websites that are less protected, e.g., torrents, gambling, illegal video streaming, etc. Once users arrive at it, they are usually surprised by unexpected warning messages and alerts - this is one of the more commonly-used social engineering tactics that help online scams be successful.
According to the message, users have visited an illegal website, and the PC is at risk of being infected. Then they are offered to click the "Scan" button, which is meant to work as an antivirus scan, and check the system. If they proceed, they are then told that their systems are infected and that they need to remove these infections with an alleged security app.
The goal here is to make people unsure about their system status regarding security and download the offered application. Offered software can be anything, even malware, so please do not install anything you are suggested.
In addition to the fake alerts, the website also asks users to enable notifications, which should be avoided. Those who click the "Allow" button within the prompt might start receiving push notifications from it at any time, and the contents would be less than desirable.
Scams, fake messages, misleading statements, and much more. If you have been affected by this issue, you will find the solution at the bottom of this article.
Scammers use logos and other attributes that are meant to be familiar to visitors.
When using well-known company names, crooks ensure that some people would not recognize the deception and believe whatever is said to them. Windowsdetector.com starts by briefly showing a message about the alleged potential danger:
Under this premise, users are already being frightened about the consequences of visiting "illegal websites." The page then automatically loads a fake scan that would remind that one of the security software. However, the loading bars and "detections" are all fake, and users are finally shown the following:
Then visitors are asked to download and install an alleged security tool that would remove the infections.
If you have been tricked by the Windowsdetector.com scam, you should immediately check your system for infections. Likewise, in case you have allowed notifications accidentally, we will provide instructions on how to remove them as well.
From our report of Jan 2022 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Windowsdetector.com
- Do not listen to Windowsdetector.com alerts as they are all fake, even if it looks like it is coming from a legitimate provider such as Norton.
- You should not interact with the contents shown by a scam website and instead, check your system for adware or malware infections with security software
- You should remove caches and other web data after the elimination of PUPs to prevent data tracking with the repair and maintenance tool.
- You can also repair damaged system components with it
- There have been plenty of fake websites that are trying to impersonate popular security vendors such as Norton or McAfee - Mydesktopdefence.com, Bluelight-mc2.club, and Redlight-mc2.club are just a few examples why have already been discussed in our articles.
- Security Alert You've visited illegal infected website You visited unsafe site with illegal content Your PC is at risk of being infected by viruses To continue browsing safely - perform and antivirus scan
- Your PC is infected with 5 viruses!
- ACTION REQUIRED Your McAfee Subscription Has Expired!
- Renew now to keep your PC protected.
- If your PC is unprotected, it is at risk for viruses and other malware.
- Without a doubt, this step would result in computer infection, as it is not Norton or McAfee that users would install but some potentially unwanted program or even malware.
Check your browser and PC
- Address:
windowsdetector.com
How to remove Windowsdetector.com ads
How to stop Windowsdetector.com 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 windowsdetector.com from Chrome's notification list
Open More (the three dots) > Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Notifications, or paste
chrome://settings/content/notificationsinto the address bar.Under Allowed to send notifications, open the menu next to
windowsdetector.comand choose Remove or Block, and do the same for any other address you do not recognise.Next to Not allowed to send notifications, click Add and enter windowsdetector.com, so the site cannot ask again. The menus are the same in Chrome on Windows 11 and Windows 10, and each Chrome profile keeps its own list.
Chrome on Windows 11: Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Notifications. Full procedure with screenshots: Stop website notifications and pop-ups
Step 1: Remove windowsdetector.com from Edge's notification list
Edge stores its own permission list, separate from Chrome's, and it is often the browser behind these pop-ups on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Site permissions > All permissions > Notifications, or paste
edge://settings/content/notifications. Removewindowsdetector.comfrom Allowed, then add it under Not allowed to send notifications. Notifications that show the Edge logo come from this list.
Edge on Windows 11: Site permissions > All permissions > Notifications. Full procedure with screenshots: Stop website notifications and pop-ups
Step 1: Remove windowsdetector.com from Firefox's notification permissions
In Firefox the permission sits in Settings > Permissions and data > Notifications (in older versions Privacy & Security > Notifications > Settings). Select
windowsdetector.comin the list, click Remove Website, and confirm with Save Changes.Firefox only shows these notifications while it is open, so if they stopped after closing Firefox, this is the browser to clean. The steps are the same on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Firefox on Windows 11: the Notification Permissions window. Full procedure with screenshots: Stop website notifications and pop-ups
Then, whichever browser you use
Step 2: Scan the PC if you downloaded anything from the ads
Most people who only saw the notifications can skip this step. If a notification or the page it opened made you download or run a file, delete the file and run a full scan, then a Microsoft Defender Offline scan.
In Windows 11 and Windows 10 open Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, select Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) and click Scan now. The PC restarts and the scan takes about 15 minutes, so save your work first.
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.
1. Find and remove adware from your device
Knowing more about scam techniques and tricks that scammers use to trick people online is a very important part of staying secure online.
However, another aspect is to make sure that the system is not affected by adware, as it is more likely to cause users to encounter unwanted or even dangerous material online.
In other words, those who are exposed to pop-ups, deals, offers, in-text links, and other commercial content while browsing the web are likely to be affected by it. Additionally, those who have been tricked by the scam and installed the offered "removal software" are affected by the same or even worse problem.
Since adware comes in a variety of shapes, the severity and the impact on the system differ. Then, you can check your browsers for unwanted extensions - you can find them in the small section to the right of the URL bar or by accessing browser settings.
Next, you should check whether there are apps installed on the system level:
While moving apps into Trash is how you delete most normal applications, adware tends to create additional files for persistence. Thus, you should look for .plist and other files that could be related to the virus. If you are not sure, skip this step entirely.
To fully remove an unwanted app, you need to access Application Support, LaunchAgents, and LaunchDaemons folders and delete relevant files:
Once you have removed unwanted browser extensions, programs, and malware from your device, you should also clean your web browsers carefully. Cookies are often used to track users' online behavior so that ads could be more targeted. This and other data is commonly shared or sold to other parties, which can't guarantee its security.
Thus, after PUP removal, you should delete web data and other leftover files from your browsers. This job can be done much easier with software like , which can also fix any damage that could have been caused to your system files while the malware was active.
MS Edge (Chromium)
- Enter Control Panel into Windows search box and hit Enter or click on the search result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
- From the list, find the entry of the suspicious program.
- Right-click on the application and select Uninstall.
- If User Account Control shows up, click Yes.
- Wait till uninstallation process is complete and click OK.
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for all related entries.
- Click on the app and drag it to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash)
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and click Go or press Enter.
- In the Application Support folder, look for any dubious entries and then delete them.
- Now enter /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders the same way and terminate all the related .plist files.
- Click the 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.
2. Get rid of Windowsdetector.com push notifications
If you have enabled push notifications from the site, you might start receiving annoying pop-ups on your desktop from time to time.
Malicious websites tend to abuse this feature a lot as long as users accept the offer, so you might be spammed with notifications constantly.
Warning: You should never click on links that these pop-ups show and never believe what they say.
Note that if you come across similar issues with different websites, you can use this guide to remove push notifications from those as well.
Google Chrome (Android)
MS Edge (Chromium)
- Open Google Chrome browser and go to Menu > Settings.
- Locate the Privacy and security section and pick Site Settings > Notifications.
- Look at the Allow section and look for a suspicious URL.
- Click the three vertical dots next to it and pick Block. This should remove unwanted notifications from Google Chrome.
- Open Google Chrome and tap on Settings (three vertical dots).
- Select Notifications.
- Locate the unwanted URL and toggle the button to the left (Off setting).
- Open Mozilla Firefox and go to Menu > Options.
- Click on Privacy & Security section.
- Under Permissions, you should be able to see Notifications. Click the Settings button next to it.
- In the Settings – Notification Permissions window, click on the drop-down menu by the URL in question.
- Select Block and then click on Save Changes. This should remove unwanted notifications from Mozilla Firefox.
- Open Microsoft Edge, and go to Settings.
- Select Site permissions.
- Go to Notifications on the right.
- Under Allow, you will find the unwanted entry.
- Click on More actions and select Block.
- Click on Safari > Preferences...
- Go to the Websites tab and, under General, select Notifications.
- Select the web address in question, click the drop-down menu and select Deny.
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.
Questions about Windowsdetector.com ads
How do I stop notifications from windowsdetector.com?
Remove its permission in the browser. The bottom line of each notification names the browser, so open that browser's notification settings and look under Allowed. Remove windowsdetector.com and any other site you do not recognise.
In Chrome and Edge this is under the site settings for notifications; in Firefox it is under Settings, Permissions and data, Notifications. Do this in every browser profile, because each one keeps its own list.
Restart the browser and wait a few minutes. If a message still arrives, read its bottom line again: the sending address can differ from the site you remember, and that is the entry still left in the list.
Did a notification from windowsdetector.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 windowsdetector.com from the browser's allowed notifications so the messages stop.
What is Windowsdetector.com?
Windowsdetector.com is a push-notification spam site, a kind of adware. It earns money by showing desktop notifications, and each view, click or redirect pays whoever runs it. It is not something people usually choose; it arrives through a free download, a fake button or a misleading prompt.
Windowsdetector.com does not encrypt files or take control of Windows, but its ads are sold to anyone, including scam operators, so they can lead to fake virus warnings and unwanted downloads. The steps in this guide remove it from Windows and from each browser.
Why does windowsdetector.com keep showing up?
There are two possible reasons. If it appears as desktop notifications, a browser on this PC was given permission to receive them from windowsdetector.com, usually through a misleading prompt. That permission stays until you remove it in the browser's site settings.
If it appears as tabs or redirects, an ad on a site you visit is opening it, or an extension or program on the PC is. Test a private window: if windowsdetector.com never appears there, an extension is the likely cause. The plan above covers each case.
Do I have to change settings in every browser?
Only in the browsers that allowed windowsdetector.com, but checking all of them takes a minute and is worth it. We saw the notifications in Chrome, Edge and Firefox. Chrome and Edge keep their notification lists under site settings, and Firefox under Privacy & Security > Permissions.
Remove windowsdetector.com and any other unfamiliar site from each list, then turn off new notification requests if you do not need them. Remember that every browser profile has its own list, so a second profile can keep the messages coming after you clean the first.
Are the pop-ups I see really from Windowsdetector.com?
Compare them with the details in the table above. Windowsdetector.com produces desktop notifications, and the clearest sign of it is notifications from windowsdetector.com. Other adware looks similar, so check the name of the sending site at the bottom of a notification, the address in the tab that opened, or the newest entries on the extensions page.
If those match, this guide fits. If you see a different name, the same kind of steps apply, but remove the item you actually find rather than guessing.
Can I turn off the pop-ups in Windows settings instead?
You can hide them, but that is not the fix. In Windows 11, Settings > System > Notifications lets you switch off notifications for a whole browser, which silences the spam together with every useful notification from that browser.
The site keeps its permission and can still send messages when you switch them back on. It is better to remove the specific site in the browser's own notification settings and block new requests. That stops the messages at the source and leaves the rest of your notifications working.
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.
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.
Will Fortect remove Windowsdetector.com?
No program removes Windowsdetector.com 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
- Imperva: Social Engineering (read October 6, 2026)
- CSOonline: What is adware? How it works and how to protect against it (read October 6, 2026)
- Wikipedia: HTTP cookie (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)