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  • Active
  • Severity: High
  • Stealing programs
  • Windows, Mac
  • Verified · Feb 2018

How to remove Yontoo Pagerage

A step-by-step removal guide for affected devices. Follow the verified procedure below — most readers complete it in under 10 minutes.

Jake Doevan · Computer technology expert

Yontoo – a browser extension that floods browsers with ads

Yontoo (can also be found as Yontoo PageRage) is a browser extension that showed up in 2015. At the moment, its official site claims that it was discontinued and provides its removal instructions. However, if you happen to see this app on your computer, note that its aim is to help users personalize their Facebook layouts by changing the theme, font, color, and similar things.

The main issue related to Yontoo is its additional activity on the system. As a result, this app was included to adware,[1] browser hijacker,[2] and potentially unwanted program (PUP)[3] categories. That's why you can remove Yontoo with the help of various security software.

One of the most important reasons why this application has been included to PUP category is its ability to deliver annoying pop-up advertisements while people are browsing on the Internet. Also, Yontoo can also initiate unwanted redirects to suspicious websites, slow downs and other undesired activities on each of your web browsers. At the moment, it is compatible with Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari web browsers.

Finally, we should warn you about data tracking that is caused by Yontoo right after it hijacks the system and adds itself to each of web browsers. The only thing that sounds like a relief is that this potentially unwanted program has been discontinued and you can remove Yontoo with the help of simple steps.

The image of Yontoo Pagerage virus

Several years ago, this application was actively mentioned in various security forums as “Yontoo virus.” The main reason why it got such name was its ability to infiltrate computers unnoticed. In reality, it had been distributed with the help of bundling technique that allows installing programs (various add-ons and extensions) together with other software.

Once inside the system, this program continued to deliver an excessive amount of online ads on Facebook and other websites. There’s no doubt that unwanted advertisements can be really annoying and prevent users from browsing the Internet normally. However, it is not the end.

Beware that Yontoo ads and similar notifications that show up out of nowhere might also hide various dangers. For example, they might redirect you to malicious websites, infect your computer with ransomware or Trojans.[4] Moreover, Yontoo Privacy Policy also declared other obnoxious features of this application. It seems that it was used to collect non-personal information about users with the help of various tracking technologies,[5] such as cookies, beacons, etc. The purpose of this activity is usually said to be improving services and providing interest-based ads. However, such data can also be sold to suspicious third parties.

All these negative features should motivate you to perform Yontoo removal on your computer. If you still have this add-on installed on your browser, we highly recommend scanning the computer with updated FortectIntego or other reputable anti-spyware to make sure that other unwanted applications haven’t been installed on your device.

Methods used by this browser extension to spread around

Distribution strategies of adware and browser hijackers typically rely on two different methods. First of all, you can be offered users to download this app directly from the official website. The second one allows installing it without users’ knowledge. Thus, the latter method is questionable and caused dissatisfaction for the users.

We already mentioned that this method is called bundling and it allows attaching programs to software packages and infiltrating them to the target system with the help of freeware and shareware. This mechanism is widely used in other PUPs dissemination; thus, you should learn how to install programs correctly in order to avoid them.

So-called viruses and similar apps might get inside the computer while installing programs under Quick or Recommended settings. These setups do not reveal additional downloads and install them by default. In the meanwhile, Advanced or Custom settings show the list of third-party entries that are offered to download. Thus, if you do not rush the installation process of the freeware and avoid clicking the “Next” button, you will protect yourself and your computer.

Removing Yontoo PageRage virus from browsers

You should remove Yontoo PageRage from the Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Safari web browsers just like any other browser extension. Go to the list of add-ons and uninstall it from the list of current applications. However, this application is also installed on your Windows computer. Thus, you need to uninstall it via Add/Remove feature in Windows.

However, sometimes it may fail because it is known that this program drops registry entries and other components on the system that can't be eliminated like that. If you haven't installed this extension manually, you should think about scanning your computer with updated anti-spyware. It will perform automatic Yontoo removal and help you to get rid of all suspicious programs and files related to it.

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

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.

Reset Internet Explorer

Remove dangerous add-ons:

  1. Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top-right corner of the browser
  2. Pick Manage Add-ons.
  3. You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for suspicious plugins. Click on these entries and select Disable.Remove add-ons from Internet Explorer

Change your homepage if it was altered:

  1. Open IE and click on the Gear icon.
  2. Select Internet Options.
  3. In the General tab, delete the Home page address and replace it by your preferred one (for example, Google.com).
  4. Click Apply and then select OK.Reset IE homepage

Delete temporary files:

  1. Press on the Gear icon and select Internet Options.
  2. Under Browsing history, click Delete...
  3. Select relevant fields and press Delete.Clear temporary files from Internet Explorer

Reset Internet Explorer:

  1. Click on Gear icon > Internet options and select Advanced tab.
  2. Select Reset.
  3. In the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset.Reset Internet Explorer

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

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

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

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