How To Remove ALL Viruses from Your PC [2023 Updated]

If your computer slows down, your screen is inundated with annoying ads, your browser settings change, or there’s a weird increase in your system’s Internet activity, then you may have malware installed on your computer. This guide teaches you how to remove all types of Malware for free by following easy step-by-step instructions.

What is Malware?

Malware is a term that encompasses any software that is designed to harm or exploit a computer system. This can include viruses, worms, trojans, ransomware, and other types of malicious software. Hackers may use malware for a variety of purposes, such as extracting personal information or passwords, stealing money, or preventing users from accessing their devices.

There are several different types of malware, each with its own characteristics and methods of operation. Trojan horses, for example, are a type of malware that pretends to be something useful or helpful while causing harm or stealing data. Worms, on the other hand, are capable of replicating themselves and spreading from one system to another, often dropping other malware in the process. Spyware is a type of malware that is difficult to detect and can collect information about your browsing habits or personal information. Ransomware is a type of malware that prevents users from accessing their systems or files until a ransom is paid. Rootkits are software that allows for the stealthy presence of unauthorized functionality in a system, while adware is a program that displays advertisements to users.

Is my Windows computer infected with malware?

It can be challenging to determine whether your computer has been compromised by malware, as cybercriminals often go to great lengths to conceal their code and hide their activities on infected systems. However, there are some signs that may indicate your computer has been compromised. These can include error messages when trying to access certain websites, unresponsive or freezing web browsers, changes to your default homepage, blocked access to security-related websites, redirects to unexpected pages, excessive pop-up messages, unfamiliar toolbars appearing in your web browser, slower than usual computer performance, unexpected freezes or unresponsiveness, new desktop icons that you do not recognize, unexplained restarts, unusual error messages, and inability to access certain system tools such as the Control Panel, Task Manager, Registry Editor, or Command Prompt.
It’s worth noting that some of these symptoms may also be caused by hardware issues or system instability, rather than malware.

To check your Windows computer for malware and remove it for free, please use the guide below.

How To Remove ALL Viruses from Windows

• STEP 1: Use Rkill to terminate malicious processes
• STEP 2: Uninstall malicious programs from your computer
• STEP 3: Remove malicious browser policies from Windows
• STEP 4: Remove malicious files and folders from Windows
• STEP 5: Reset your browser settings to their defaults
• STEP 6: Use Malwarebytes to remove trojans and browser hijackers
• STEP 7: Use HitmanPro to scan your computer for rootkits and other malware
• STEP 8: Use AdwCleaner to remove adware and malicious browser policies

STEP 1: Use Rkill to terminate malicious processes

In this first step, we will download and run Rkill to terminate malicious processes that may be running on your computer.

RKill is a program that was developed at BleepingComputer.com that attempts to terminate known malware processes so that your normal security software can then run and clean your computer of infections. When RKill runs it will kill malware processes and then removes incorrect executable associations and fixes policies that stop us from using certain tools.

1. Download Rkill.

   You can download RKill to your computer from the below link. When at the download page, click on the Download Now button labeled iExplore.exe. We are downloading a renamed version of Rkill (iExplore.exe) because some malware will not allow processes to run unless they have a certain filename.

   

   RKILL DOWNLOAD LINK
   (The above link will open a new page from where you can download Rkill)

2. Run RKill.

   After downloading, double-click the iExplore.exe icon to kill malicious processes. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.
   The program may take some time to search for and end various malware programs.

   

   When it is finished, the black window will close automatically and a log file will open. Do not restart your computer. Proceed to the next step in this guide.

STEP 2: Uninstall malicious programs from your computer

In this second step, we will manually check if any unknown or malicious programs are installed on the computer. Sometimes adware and browser hijackers can have a usable Uninstall entry that can be used to remove them.

Now that the malicious programs have been removed from your computer, we can proceed with the next step in this guide.

STEP 3: Remove malicious browser policies from Windows

In this third step, we will use the Command Prompt as Administrator and run the below commands to remove the malicious policies were set by malware.

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.

   To open the Command Prompt as an administrator in Windows, type “cmd” in the search bar and then right-click on the Command Prompt result and select “Run as administrator” as shown in the image below.
   
   A User Account Control (UAC) prompt will appear asking for permission to allow the program to run. Click “Yes”.

2. Run commands to remove malicious policies from Windows

   You will now be presented with a black screen called the ‘Administrator: Command Prompt’. On this screen, you can enter commands by typing them in and then pressing the Enter key on your keyboard.

   

   Type the following commands, pressing Enter after each one:

   • Type RD /S /Q “%WinDir%\System32\GroupPolicyUsers” and press the Enter key on your keyboard.
   • Type RD /S /Q “%WinDir%\System32\GroupPolicy” and press the Enter key on your keyboard.
   • Type gpupdate /force and press the Enter key on your keyboard.

   After entering each of the commands, your screen should look similar to the image below.
   

Now that the malicious policies were removed, in the next step, we will reset your browser settings to their defaults.

STEP 4: Remove malicious files and folders from Windows

In this fourth step, we will manually search and remove malicious scheduled tasks and folders on your computer.

1. Delete malicious scheduled tasks.

   This infection may create a malicious scheduled task in the Task Scheduler to ensure that it is automatically reinstalled every 5 minutes after it has been deleted. This task may run at regular intervals to ensure that the infection persists on your system.

   1. Search for “Task Scheduler” in the windows search as shown below.You can also open the Task Scheduler app by pressing the Windows + R buttons and then type “taskschd.msc” and press Enter.
   2. In the Task Scheduler window, navigate to the Task Scheduler Library on the left side of the screen.
   3. Locate the malicious scheduled task in the list of tasks. It may have a randomly generated name (eg. Chrome_Policy, Chrome_Bookmarks, Chrome_Folder) or may be identified as a suspicious or unknown task. Right-click on the malicious task and select “Delete” from the menu.

2. Delete malicious files located in AppData\Roaming folder

   We will now delete the malicious file that is located in the AppData\Roaming folder.

   1. Search for “Run” in the windows search as shown below, or press the Windows + R button to open the Run app.
   2. In the run app text box, enter “%AppData%” and click OK. Windows will directly open up the Roaming folder which is inside the AppData folder.

       

      

   3. In the AppData\Roaming folder, search and delete any unknown folders with names like Markets, Energy, Bloom, and Travel (note that the actual name on your computer may be different, but you should look for programs with similar naming conventions).

3. Delete malicious files located in AppData\Local folder

   Next, we will delete the malicious folders that are located in the AppData\Local folder and the malicious Chrome browser extensions.

   1. Search for “Run” in the windows search as shown below, or press the Windows + R button to open the Run app.
   2. In the run app text box, enter “%localappdata%” and click OK. Windows will directly open up the AppData\Local folder which is inside the AppData folder.

      

   3. In the AppData\Local directory, search and delete the WindowsApp and ServiceApp folders.
      Next, find the Google folder and go to Google > Chrome > User Data > Default (or Profile) > Extensions. Find the malicious extension folder within the Extensions folder and delete it. It may have a randomly generated name or may be identified as a suspicious or unknown extension.

       

      

Now that we have manually removed the malicious tasks and folders from your computer, we can continue with the next step.

STEP 5: Reset your browser settings to their defaults

In this step, we will remove spam notifications,  malicious extensions, and change to default any settings that might have been changed by malware.
Please note that this method will remove all extensions, toolbars, and other customizations but will leave your bookmarks and favorites intact. For each browser that you have installed on your computer, please click on the browsers tab below and follow the displayed steps to reset that browser.

STEP 6: Use Malwarebytes to remove trojans and browser hijackers

In this step, we will install and run a scan with Malwarebytes Free to remove any infections, adware, or potentially unwanted programs that may be present on your computer.

Malwarebytes is one of the most popular and most used anti-malware software for Windows, and for good reasons. It is able to destroy many types of malware that other software tends to miss, without costing you absolutely nothing. When it comes to cleaning up an infected device, Malwarebytes has always been free and we recommend it as an essential tool in the fight against malware.

1. Download Malwarebytes for Windows.

   You can download Malwarebytes by clicking the link below.

   

   MALWAREBYTES FOR WINDOWS DOWNLOAD LINK
   (The above link will open a new page from where you can download Malwarebytes)

2. Double-click on the Malwarebytes setup file.

   When Malwarebytes has finished downloading, double-click on the MBSetup file to install Malwarebytes on your computer. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.

   

   You may be presented with a User Account Control pop-up asking if you want to allow Malwarebytes to make changes to your device. If this happens, you should click “Yes” to continue with the Malwarebytes installation.

   

3. Follow the on-screen prompts to install Malwarebytes.

   When the Malwarebytes installation begins, you will see the Malwarebytes setup wizard which will guide you through the installation process. The Malwarebytes installer will first ask you what type of computer are you installing this program on, click either Personal Computer or Work Computer.
   

   On the next screen, click “Install” to install Malwarebytes on your computer.

   

   When your Malwarebytes installation completes, the program opens the Welcome to Malwarebytes screen.

4. Click on “Scan”.

   Malwarebytes is now installed on your computer, to start a scan click on the “Scan” button. Malwarebytes will automatically update the antivirus database and start scanning your computer for malicious programs.

   

5. Wait for the Malwarebytes scan to complete.

   Malwarebytes will now scan your computer for browser hijackers and other malicious programs. This process can take a few minutes, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check on the status of the scan to see when it is finished.

   

6. Click on “Quarantine”.

   When the Malwarebytes scan is finished scanning it will show a screen that displays any malware, adware, or potentially unwanted programs that it has detected. To remove the adware and other malicious programs that Malwarebytes has found, click on the “Quarantine” button.

   

7. Restart computer.

   Malwarebytes will now remove all the malicious files and registry keys that it has found. To complete the malware removal process, Malwarebytes may ask you to restart your computer.
   
   

STEP 7: Use HitmanPro to scan your computer for rootkits and other malware

In this next step, we will scan the computer with HitmanPro to ensure that no other malicious programs are installed on your device.

HitmanPro is a second-opinion scanner that takes a unique cloud-based approach to malware scanning. HitmanPro scans the behavior of active files and also files in locations where malware normally resides for suspicious activity. If it finds a suspicious file that’s not already known, HitmanPro sends it to its clouds to be scanned by two of the best antivirus engines today, which are Bitdefender and Kaspersky.

Although HitmanPro is shareware and costs $24.95 for 1 year on 1 PC, there is no limit on scanning. The limitation only kicks in when there is a need to remove or quarantine detected malware by HitmanPro on your system and by then, you can activate the one-time 30-days trial to enable the cleanup.

1. Download HitmanPro.

   You can download HitmanPro by clicking the link below.

   HITMANPRO DOWNLOAD LINK
   (The above link will open a new web page from where you can download HitmanPro)

2. Install HitmanPro.

   When HitmanPro has finished downloading, double-click on “hitmanpro.exe” (for 32-bit versions of Windows) or “hitmanpro_x64.exe” (for 64-bit versions of Windows) to install this program on your computer. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.

   

   You may be presented with a User Account Control pop-up asking if you want to allow HitmanPro to make changes to your device. If this happens, you should click “Yes” to continue with the installation.

   

3. Follow the on-screen prompts.

   When HitmanPro starts you will be presented with the start screen as shown below. Click on the “Next” button to perform a system scan.

   

   

4. Wait for the HitmanPro scan to complete.

   HitmanPro will now begin to scan your computer for malicious programs.
   

5. Click on “Next”.

   When HitmanPro has finished the scan, it will display a list of all the malware that it has found. Click on the “Next” button to have HitmanPro remove the detected items.

   

6. Click on “Activate free license”.

   HitmanPro may now require to activate the free 30-days trial to remove the malicious files. To do this, click on the “Activate free license” button to begin the free 30 days trial and remove all the malicious files from your computer.
   

   When the malware removal process is complete, it will display a screen that shows the status of the various programs that were removed. At this screen, you should click on the Next button and then if prompted you should click on the Reboot button. If HitmanPro does not prompt you to reboot, please just click on the Close button.

STEP 8: Use AdwCleaner to remove adware and malicious browser policies

In this final step, we will download and install AdwCleaner to remove the malicious browser policies that were set by browser hijackers on your computer and delete malicious browser extensions.

AdwCleaner is a free popular on-demand scanner that can detect and remove malware that even the most well-known anti-virus and anti-malware applications fail to find. This on-demand scanner includes a lot of tools that can be used to fix the side effects of adware. browser hijackers and other malware.

1. Download AdwCleaner.

   You can download AdwCleaner by clicking the link below.

   

   ADWCLEANER DOWNLOAD LINK
   (The above link will open a new web page from where you can download AdwCleaner)

2. Double-click on the setup file.

   Double-click on the file named “adwcleaner_x.x.x.exe” to start AdwCleaner. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.
   

   AdwCleaner program will now open and you will be presented with the program’s license agreement. After you read it, click on the I agree button if you wish to continue. If Windows prompts you as to whether or not you wish to run AdwCleaner, please allow it to run.

   

3. Enable “Reset Chrome policies” to remove malicious browser policies.

   When AdwCleaner starts, on the left side of the window, click on “Settings” and then enable “Reset Chrome policies“.

   

4. Click on the “Scan” button.

   On the left side of the AdwCleaner window, click on “Dashboard” and then click “Scan” to perform a computer scan.

   

5. Wait for the AdwCleaner scan to finish.

   AdwCleaner will now scan your computer for malware. This process can take a few minutes.

   

6. Click on “Quarantine” to remove malware.

   When the AdwCleaner scan is completed it will display all of the items it has found. Click on the “Quarantine” button to remove the malicious programs from your computer.

   

7. Click on “Continue” to remove the malicious programs.

   AdwCleaner will now prompt you to save any open files or data as the program will need to close any open programs before it starts to clean. Click on the “Continue” button to finish the removal process.
   

   AdwCleaner will now delete all detected malware from your computer. When the malware removal process is complete, you may be asked to restart your computer.

You computer should now be free of adware, browser hijackers, Trojans, and other malware.

If your current antivirus allowed this malicious program on your computer, you may want to consider purchasing Malwarebytes Premium to protect against these types of threats in the future.
If you are still having problems with your computer after completing these instructions, then please follow one of the steps:

• Run a computer scan with ESET Online Scanner
• Ask for help in our Windows Malware Removal Help & Support forum.