Remove YTDownloader (Virus Removal Guide)

YTDownloader is an adware program that delivers intrusive pop-ups, banners, redirects, and other intrusive commercial content

YTDownloader virus

YTDownloader (also known as YTDownloader and Converter) is a potentially unwanted application that can be downloaded on its official website, although some users might notice it installed on their machines without permission. The latter occurs due to deceptive distribution practices that the developers Goobzo Ltd use, e.g., suspicious ads, software bundles, and other methods.

YTDownloader is presented as a useful program that can help users download, convert, and watch YouTube videos at any time. While this functionality may seem useful, it is important to note that the app is also considered to be adware^[1] by many security vendors, as they flag it as Adware.Agent.YCX, Adware.Generic, PUA:Win32/YTDVideoDownload, PUP.Optional.YouTubeDownloader, etc.^[2] Adware specializes in tracking users' online activities and delivering pop-ups, deals, offers, coupons, discounts, and other intrusive ads.

Name	YTDownloader
Type	Adware
Developer	Goobzo Ltd
Distribution	The app can be downloaded from its official website, although it can also be spread via software bundle packages or deceptive ads
Symptoms	Intrusive advertisements show up on Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, and other web browsers; redirects lead to potentially dangerous websites; random text on websites is turned into hyperlinks; other unwanted apps installed on the system
Elimination	You can remove YTDownloader adware from your system by following our guide below or by scanning computer with anti-malware software
Further checks	We recommend using Fortect Intego for computer problem elimination after malware/adware is terminated from the machine

No matter that this program seems like a great application that can help you to find your favorite music files, YTDownloader may also cause unwanted system changes that may lead you to several problems. The most obvious issue that it may cause on your web browsers (this application may affect each of web browsers, including Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and other web browsers) is its commercial pop-up ads, in-text links, banner ads and similar commercial content, which may appear during your browsing.

These YTDownloader ads usually contain commercial information, such as discounts, coupons, price comparisons, and similar deals. While some of them may be useful, be very careful with them because some popups may be lined to suspicious sites. The developer of this adware is sponsored by third parties for the delivery of sponsored ads on people's web browsers. However, third-party content is not monitored or filtered, thus any of the pop-ups may expose you to malware-laden sites.

Usually, people download this adware via freeware bundles. Right after the download, the application starts running ytdownloader.exe within the task manager and protects this file from being manually disabled. That's the main executable, which is responsible for a smooth run of the YTDownloader virus.

Cybersecurity experts recommend people to remove YTDownloader because of its tracking of browsing history and sharing the harvested data with third parties. The app injects tracking cookies and web beacons into the default web browser and harvests non-personal information that can subsequently be used for statistics and personalized advertising campaigns.

YTDownloader malware

YTDownloader's ability to appear on computers without asking appropriate permission has already made Dieviren.de^[3] security experts and their colleagues include this program to potentially unwanted programs category. Therefore, if you have started seeing ads brought by this application, experts recommend initiating a complete YTDownloader removal using a proper anti-malware program.

Besides, if you cannot stop the ads and other unwanted content, we recommend resetting all the web browser settings as per instructions provided below. In case your machine starts crashing or experiencing other stability issues, we recommend fixing it with unique repair software Fortect Intego.

Downloading music and other licensed content is not recommended

YTDownloader is a tool that is advertised as a video downloader, i.e., users can look for a particular video and download it on their machines. While there is nothing wrong with the technology, downloading copyrighted material is illegal (there is a reason why there is no “Download” button within the YouTube platform itself).

Therefore, we highly advise you to avoid using YouTube downloading apps such as YTDownloader, Qdownloader, Flvto, Youtubemp4.to, and many others. Not only do these apps allow enraging illegal practices by letting YouTube video downloads but also track you online, insert intrusive ads, and redirect to potentially malicious websites.

Potentially Unwanted Apps are installed as additional freeware features

As we have mentioned, this PUP can be downloaded from the Internet just like any other program. However, it may also get installed on the machine as an optional component of other software without asking for the user's permission.

In fact, adware-type programs and similar applications are actively promoted as optional components of such programs as download managers, PDF creators, video streaming software, and similar freeware. These programs are often filled with various optional components, which once installed turn out to be adware.

YTDownloader PUP

That's why we highly recommend you start monitoring the installation of the freeware. You should start selecting Custom or Advanced installation of the freeware. After doing so, uncheck all check marks that allow installation of toolbars, browser add-ons, and so on.

Unwanted third-party applications are aiming at spinning the circle of advertising revenue. For that, they can modify the PC's system and then start displaying various pop-ups and monitoring browsing activities. Unfortunately, the worst thing is that advertising material is not only intrusive but can also contain links to phishing sites or scams.

Main facts about YTDownloader virus

This program is capable of spreading in a bundle with other software;
YTDownloader has the ability to change computer's settings according to its needs;
It causes commercial pop-up ads and third-party advertisements seeking to redirect people to required websites;
An application can track its victims and collect non-personally identifiable information;
Users can fail when trying to uninstall YTDownloader from their computers.

Fixing the computer requires a complete YTDownloader removal

If you have accidentally downloaded YTDownloader adware, we recommend uninstalling it because it clutters your computer and diminishes web browsing experience. Intrusive ads are not the only downfall of the app, as it also engages in online user activity tracking, which can potentially compromise one's privacy.

For the east YTDownloader removal, run a full system scan with a professional anti-virus program. It should easily detect PUPs on the system and eliminated all the suspicious files. Before performing a full system scan, ensure that the app is fully updated.

YTDownloader ads

If you prefer a manual solution, you can remove YTDownloader virus by following detailed, step-by-step instructions below. To eliminate browser tracers that the app might leave, you can also reset the installed web browsers (although this step is optional).

Uninstall from Windows

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.

Delete from macOS

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.

Reset Internet Explorer

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.

Remove from Microsoft Edge

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.

Instructions for Chromium-based Edge

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.

Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)

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.

Remove from Google Chrome

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.

Delete from Safari

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.

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 Private Internet Access Private Internet Access 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 Data Recovery Pro for the data restoration process.

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6 comments

Walt May 11, 2014

Your instructions say to use the uninstaller to remove YTDownloader, however, this virus protects itself from uninstall. The windows 8 uninstaller will not remove YTDownloader!
How do we remove this thing from my windows 8 computer????
Jerry May 28, 2014

This doesnt work on windows 8 Please HELP?
Susan Popkes July 2, 2014

This virus protects itself from uninstall.. Help
Kristin July 11, 2014

I have tried installing McAfee, Spyhunter, Kapersky, and Malwarebytes and they all say the signature is corrupt. When I continue with the install, it eventually says the software will not work with my PC (windows 8)
Kristin July 11, 2014

I have tried installing McAfee, Spyhunter, Kapersky, and Malwarebytes and they all say the signature is corrupt. When I continue with the install, it eventually says the software will not work with my PC (windows 8)
Cat January 13, 2016

have used YTD on my Mac for several years and have never noticed any things like the article suggests.
Could it be that YTD HAS A THING FOR PCs? Jus sayin

How to remove YTDownloader

YTDownloader is an adware program that delivers intrusive pop-ups, banners, redirects, and other intrusive commercial content

Downloading music and other licensed content is not recommended

Potentially Unwanted Apps are installed as additional freeware features

Main facts about YTDownloader virus