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title, description, keywords, ms.prod, ms.mktglfcycl, ms.sitesec, ms.localizationpriority, ms.author, author, ms.date
| title | description | keywords | ms.prod | ms.mktglfcycl | ms.sitesec | ms.localizationpriority | ms.author | author | ms.date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unwanted software | Learn about how unwanted software changes your default settings without your consent and what you can do to protect yourself. | security, malware | w10 | secure | library | medium | dansimp | dansimp | 08/01/2018 |
Unwanted software
Unwanted software are programs that alter your Windows experience without your consent or control. The altered experience can be in the form of modified browsing experience, lack of control over downloads and installation, misleading messages, or unauthorized changes to Windows settings.
How unwanted software works
Unwanted software can be introduced when a user searches for and downloads applications from the Internet. Some applications are software bundlers, which means that they are packed with other applications. As a result, other programs can be inadvertently installed when the original application is downloaded.
Here are some indications there is unwanted software on your PC:
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There are programs that you did not install and that may be difficult to uninstall
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Browser features or settings have changed, and you can’t view or modify them
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There are excessive messages about your PC’s system health or about files and programs in your PC
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There are ads that cannot be easily closed
Some unwanted behaviors are harder to recognize. Some unwanted software, for example, modify web pages to display specific ads, monitor browsing activities, or remove control of the browser.
Microsoft uses an extensive evaluation criteria to identify unwanted software.
How to protect against unwanted software
To prevent unwanted software infection, download software only from official websites, or from the Microsoft Store. Be wary of downloading software from third-party sites.
Use Microsoft Edge when browsing the Internet. Microsoft Edge includes additional protections that effectively block browser modifiers that can change your browser settings. Microsoft Edge also blocks known websites hosting unwanted software using SmartScreen (also used by Internet Explorer).
Enable Windows Defender AV in Windows 10. It provides real-time protection against threats and detects and removes known unwanted software.
Download Microsoft Security Essentials for real-time protection in Windows 7 or Windows Vista.
For more general tips, see prevent malware infection.
What should I do if my PC is infected?
If you suspect that you have unwanted software your PC, you can submit files for analysis.
Some unwanted software adds uninstallation entries, which means that you can remove them from the PC using Settings.
- Select the Start button
- Go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features.
- Select the app you want to uninstall, then click Uninstall.
If you only recently noticed symptoms of unwanted software infection, consider sorting the apps by install date, and then uninstall the most recent apps that you did not install.
You may also need to remove browser add-ons in your browsers, such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Chrome.
In case threat removal is unsuccessful, read about troubleshooting malware detection and removal problems.