How to remove Smileko.pro pop-up ads (Virus Removal Guide)

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Written by: Stelian Pilici

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The Smileko.pro pop-up is a browser-based scam that tries to trick you into subscribing to push notifications so that it can send unwanted advertisements directly to your computer or phone.

Image: Chrome browser is redirected to Smileko.pro
Image: Chrome browser is redirected to Smileko.pro

What is Smileko.pro?

Smileko.pro is a malicious site that displays fake error messages to trick you into subscribing to its browser notifications. This is the fake error message that the Smileko.pro site will display:

Smileko.pro wants to Show notifications
Press Allow to watch the video

As you can imagine, you should not click on the Allow button when you see such messages.
If you click on the “Allow” button, you will start seeing spam pop-ups from Smileko.pro on your computer or phone, even when the browser is closed. The Smileko.pro malicious push notifications are for adult sites, online web games, fake software updates, and unwanted programs. Here are a few examples:

Image: Pop-up ads from Smileko.pro
Image: Pop-up ads from Smileko.pro
Image:Spam Notifications Ads from Smileko.pro
Image: Spam Notifications Ads from Smileko.pro

If you have clicked on the “Allow” button to the Smileko.pro browser notifications, then we will need to delete this permission. To do this, depending on which browser are you seeing the Smileko.pro pop-ups follow the below steps:

Google Chrome

To delete the Smileko.pro permission to send pop-up notifications to Google Chrome, follow the below steps. These steps are for Google Chrome running on Windows and Mac devices.

  1. In the top right corner, click on Chrome’s main menu button, represented by three vertical dots. When the drop-down menu appears, click on “Settings“.
  2. Chrome’s “Settings” menu should now be displayed, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on “Advanced“.
  3. In the Privacy and Security section, click on “Site settings“.
  4. Click on “Notifications“.
  5. Find the Smileko.pro site and click the three vertical dots button next to it, then click on “Remove”.

Firefox

To delete the Smileko.pro permission to send pop-up notifications to your Firefox browser, follow the below steps. These steps are for Mozilla Firefox running on Windows and Mac devices.

  1. In the top right corner, click on Firefox’s main menu button, represented by three horizontal lines. When the drop-down menu appears, select the option labeled “Options”.
  2. Click on “Privacy & Security” on the left side of the window.
  3. Scroll down to the Permissions section and click on the “Settings…” button next to Notifications.
  4. Search for the Smileko.pro site, then click on the drop-down menu and select “Block”.
  5. Click on the “Save Changes” button.

Microsoft Edge

To delete the Smileko.pro permission to send pop-up notifications to your Microsoft Edge browser, follow the below steps.

  1. In the top right corner, click on Microsoft Edge’s main menu button, represented by three horizontal dots. When the drop-down menu appears, select the option labeled Settings.
  2. On the left side of the window, click on “Advanced”.
  3. In the “Website permission” section, click on the “Manage permission“.
  4. Search for Smileko.pro and click the X (Clear) button to remove the site.

Android phone

To delete the Smileko.pro permission to send pop-up notifications to your Android phone, follow the below steps. These steps are for Google Chrome running on Android devices.

  1. On your Android phone, open the Google Chrome app
  2. Tap on Chrome’s main menu button, represented by three vertical dots. When the drop-down menu appears, tap on the option labeled “Settings“.
  3. Chrome’s “Settings” menu should now be displayed, scroll down to the “Advanced” section and tap on “Site Settings“.
  4. In the “Site Settings” menu, tap on “Notifications“.
  5. The “Notifications” options will open and you will be presented with a list with sites that you have “Blocked” and “Allowed” to send you notifications. In the “Allowed” section, scroll through the list until you find the Smileko.pro site, then tap on it, then click the “Clean & Reset” button that appears on the bottom of the window.
  6. A confirmation dialog should now be displayed, detailing the actions that will be taken should you continue on with the reset process. To complete the clean-up process, click on the “Clean & Reset” button.

Why am I seeing the Smileko.pro pop-up ads?

You are seeing the Smileko.pro pop-up ads because you are either infected with adware or another web site is redirecting you to them.

This guide was written to help Windows users remove malware from their devices, so if you’re just looking for a way to block the Smileko.pro redirect on a specific site, then you can use a free browser extension like Adblock.

When it comes to adware, these malicious programs are bundled with other free software that you download off of the Internet. Unfortunately, some free downloads do not adequately disclose that other software will also be installed and you may find that you have installed adware without your knowledge. Once a malicious program is installed, whenever you will browse the Internet, unwanted advertisements from Smileko.pro will pop-up.

Here are a few typical signs that you have adware on your system:

  • Advertisements appear in places they shouldn’t be.
  • Your web browser’s homepage has mysteriously changed without your permission.
  • Web pages that you typically visit are not displaying properly.
  • Website links redirect to sites different from what you expected.
  • Browser popups appear which recommend fake updates or other software.
  • Other unwanted programs might get installed without your knowledge.

You should always pay attention when installing software because often, a software installer includes optional installs. Be very careful what you agree to install.
Always opt for the custom installation and deselect anything that is not familiar, especially optional software that you never wanted to download and install in the first place. It goes without saying that you should not install software that you don’t trust.

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

How to remove Smileko.pro pop-up ads (Virus Removal Guide)

This malware removal guide may appear overwhelming due to the number of steps and numerous programs that are being used. We have only written it this way to provide clear, detailed, and easy to understand instructions that anyone can use to remove malware for free.
Please perform all the steps in the correct order. If you have any questions or doubt at any point, STOP and ask for our assistance.
The below instructions are for Windows users, however, we also have an Android Guide and a Mac Guide which should help clean up your device.
To remove the Smileko.pro pop-up ads, follow these steps:

STEP 1: Uninstall the malicious programs from Windows

In this first step, we will try to identify and remove any malicious program that might be installed on your computer.

  1. Go to “Programs and Features”.

    Windows 10

    1. On the Start Windows Start button menu, type Control Panel in the search box and select “Control Panel” from the results.
      Go to the Control Panel
    2. When the “Control Panel” window opens click on the “Uninstall a program” option under the “Programs” category.
      Click on Uninstall a Program option - Windows 10

    Windows 8

    Right-click on the Start Windows Start button button in the lower-left corner and select “Programs and Features”. This will take you directly to your list of installed programs.

    Right click on Start and select Programs and Features - Windows 8.1 Help

    • If you can’t find the Programs and Features in the Start menu, type “programs and features” into the search bar at the bottom of the Start window, then click the “Programs and Features” result.
    • If you don’t have a Start button, you are likely running Windows 8 instead of Windows 8.1. Press the Windows key + X to open the menu instead and select “Programs and Features”.

    Windows 7

    1. Click on Start, then select “Control Panel”.Start by clicking on the Start Windows Start button button, then click on “Control Panel”.
      Click on the Windows Start button and select Control Panel - Windows 7 Help

      If you don’t see “Control Panel” here, type control panel into the search bar at the bottom of the Start window, then click the “Control Panel” result.
    2. When the “Control Panel” appears, click on “Uninstall a Program” from the Programs category.
      Select Uninstall a program from Control Panel menu Windows 7 Help

  2. Find the malicious program and uninstall it.

    The “Programs and Features” screen will be displayed with a list of all the programs installed on your PC. Scroll through the list until you find the malicious program, then click to highlight it, then click the “Uninstall” button that appears on the top toolbar.

    Look out for any suspicious program that could be behind all the drama – anything you don’t remember downloading or that doesn’t sound like a genuine program.

    Here are some known malicious programs: PDFPoof, BatBitRst, MessengerNow, SearchAd, MyPrintableCoupons, Reading Cursors, ProMediaConverter, PDFOnline-express, See Scenic Elf, Clickware, Easy Speedtest, or WebDiscover.

    The malicious program may have a different name on your computer. If you cannot find any malicious programs on your computer, you can continue with STEP 2.

    Uninstall malicious programs from Windows

  3. Follow the on-screen prompts to uninstall the program.

    In the next message box, confirm the uninstall process by clicking on Yes, then follow the prompts to uninstall the program.

    Make sure to read all of the prompts carefully, because some malicious programs try to sneak things in hoping that you won’t read closely.

If you are having issues while trying to uninstall a program, you can use Revo Uninstaller Free to completely remove an unwanted program from your computer.

STEP 2: Use Malwarebytes Free to remove Smileko.pro adware

Malwarebytes Free 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.
It is important to note that Malwarebytes Free will run alongside antivirus software without conflicts.

  1. Download Malwarebytes Free.

    You can download Malwarebytes by clicking the link below.

    MALWAREBYTES 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.

    Double-click on MBSetup installer to install Malwarebytes
    You may be presented with an 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.
    Windows asking for permission to run the Malwarebytes installer

  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 on what type of computer are you installing this program, click either Personal Computer or Work Computer.
    Malwarebytes setup: Click on Personal Computer step 1

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

    When your Malwarebytes installation completes, the program opens to the Welcome to Malwarebytes screen. Click the “Get started” button.

  4. Select “Use Malwarebytes Free”.

    After installing Malwarebytes, you’ll be prompted to select between the Free and the Premium version. The Malwarebytes Premium edition includes preventative tools like real-time scanning and ransomware protection, however, we will use the Free version to clean up the computer.
    Click on “Use Malwarebytes Free“.
    Click on Use Malwarebytes Free to continue with the install

  5. Click on “Scan”.

    To scan your computer with Malwarebytes, click on the “Scan” button. Malwarebytes will automatically update the antivirus database and start scanning your computer for malware.
    Click on Scan button

  6. Wait for the Malwarebytes scan to complete.

    Malwarebytes will scan your computer for adware 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.
    Malwarebytes scanning for malicious programs

  7. Click on “Quarantine”.

    When the scan has completed, you will be presented with a screen showing the malware infections that Malwarebytes has detected. To remove the malicious programs that Malwarebytes has found, click on the “Quarantine” button.
    Review the malicious programs and click on Quarantine to remove Smileko.pro

  8. 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.
    Malwarebytes requesting to restart computer to complete the Smileko.pro removal process
    When the malware removal process is complete, you can close Malwarebytes and continue with the rest of the instructions.

STEP 3: Use HitmanPro to scan for malware and unwanted programs

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 their 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 actually no limit in 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 PC. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.
    Double-click on the HitmanPro setup file - Help Guide
    You may be presented with an 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.
    Windows asking for permissions to run the HitmanPro setup file - Help Guide

  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.

    Click Next to install HitmanPro

    HitmanPro final installer screen

  4. Wait for the HitmanPro scan to complete.

    HitmanPro will now begin to scan your computer for malicious programs. This process will take a few minutes.
    HitmanPro while scanning for malware - Help Guide

  5. Click on “Next”.

    When HitmanPro has finished the scan, it will display a list of all the malware that the program has found. Click on the “Next” button to remove the malicious programs.
    HitmanPro scan summary. Click Next to remove Smileko.pro pop-up ads

  6. Click on “Activate free license”.

    Click on the “Activate free license” button to begin the free 30 days trial and remove all the malicious files from your PC.
    Activate the free HitmanPro license keyEnter your email to complete the HitmanPro activation - Help Guide
    When the process is complete, you can close HitmanPro and continue with the rest of the instructions.

STEP 4: Double-check for malicious programs with AdwCleaner

AdwCleaner is a free popular on-demand scanner which can detect and remove malware that even the most well-known anti-virus and anti-malware applications fail to find.
While the Malwarebytes and HitmanPro scans are more than enough, we’re recommending AdwCleaner to users who still have malware related issues or just want to make sure their computer is 100% clean.

  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_7.x.x.exe” to start AdwCleaner. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.
    AdwCleaner Setup File
    You may be presented with a User Account Control dialog asking you if you want to run this file. If this happens, you should click “Yes” to continue with the installation.
    AdwCleaner and Windows User Account Control Pop-up

  3. Click on “Scan Now”.

    When AdwCleaner will start, click on the “Scan Now” button to perform a system scan.
    AdwCleaner Scan Now button

  4. Wait for the AdwCleaner scan to complete.

    AdwCleaner will now scan your PC for malicious files. This process can take a few minutes.
    AdwCleaner Scanning for Smileko.pro virus

  5. Click on “Clean & Repair”.

    When AdwCleaner has finished it will display a list of all the malware that the program found. Click on the “Clean & Repair” button to remove the malicious files from your computer.
    Click Clean to remove Smileko.pro

  6. Click on “Clean & Restart Now”

    When the malware removal process is complete, AdwCleaner may need to restart your device. Click on the “Clean & Restart Now” button to finish the removal process.
    Click Clean & Restart Now to remove Smileko.pro virus
    When the process is complete, you can close Adwcleaner and continue with the rest of the instructions.

STEP 5: Reset the browser settings to remove Smileko.pro pop-up ads

If your computer is still being redirected to the Smileko.pro pop-ups, we will need to reset the web browser settings to their original defaults. This step should be performed only if your issues have not been solved by the previous steps.

Google Chrome

Resetting your browser settings will reset the unwanted changes caused by installing other programs. However, your saved bookmarks and passwords will not be cleared or changed.
To reset Google Chrome and remove the Smileko.pro pop-up ads, follow these steps:

  1. Click the menu icon, then click on “Settings”.

    Click on Chrome’s menu button, represented by three horizontal lines. When the drop-down menu appears, select the option labeled “Settings“.
    Click on the Chrome menu button then on the Settings

  2. Click “Advanced”.

    Chrome’s “Settings” should now be displayed in a new tab or window, depending on your configuration. Next, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the “Advanced” link.
    Click on the Advanced link

  3. Click “Reset settings to their original defaults”.

    Scroll down until the “Reset and clean up” section is visible, as shown in the example below. Click on “Reset settings to their original defaults“.
    Click on Reset settings to their original defaults

  4. Click “Reset Settings”.

    A confirmation dialog should now be displayed, detailing the components that will be restored to their default state should you continue on with the reset process. To complete the restoration process, click on the “Reset Settings” button.
    Click on Reset Settings to restore Google Chrome to its default settings link

Mozilla Firefox

The reset feature fixes many issues by restoring Firefox to its factory default state while saving your essential information like bookmarks, passwords, web form auto-fill information, browsing history and open tabs.
To reset Firefox and remove the Smileko.pro pop-up ads, follow these steps:

  1. Click the menu icon, then click on “Help”.

    Click on Firefox’s main menu button, represented by three horizontal lines. When the drop-down menu appears, select the option labeled “Help“.
    Click on the Firefox Menu button then select Help button

  2. Click “Troubleshooting Information”.

    From the Help menu, click on “Troubleshooting Information“.
    Click on Troubleshooting Information button

  3. Click on “Refresh Firefox”

    Click the “Refresh Firefox” button in the upper-right corner of the “Troubleshooting Information” page.
    Click on the Refresh Firefox button

  4. Confirm.

    To continue, click on the “Refresh Firefox” button in the new confirmation window that opens.
    Click again on Refresh Firefox

  5. Click “Finish”.

    Firefox will close itself and will revert to its default settings. When it’s done, a window will list the information that was imported. Click on “Finish“.

    Your old Firefox profile will be placed on your desktop in a folder named “Old Firefox Data“. If the reset didn’t fix your problem you can restore some of the information not saved by copying files to the new profile that was created. If you don’t need this folder any longer, you should delete it as it contains sensitive information.

Microsoft Edge

To reset Microsoft Edge and remove the Smileko.pro pop-up ads, follow these steps:

If you’re using the new Microsoft Edge based on the Chromium framework, you can enter edge://settings/resetProfileSettings into the address bar to go directly to the “Reset Settings” dialog box. Click on “Reset Settings” to restore the browser settings

  1. Go to “Apps and Features”.

    Right-click on the Start Windows Start button button in the lower-left corner and select “Apps and Features“. This will take you directly to your list of installed programs.
    Go to Apps and Features in Windows 10

  2. Find Microsoft Edge, then select “Advanced Options”.

    The “App and Features” screen will be displayed with a list of all the programs installed on your PC. Scroll through the list until you find “Microsoft Edge”, click it, and then click on the “Advanced options” link.
    Microsoft Edge Advanced Options

  3. Click on “Reset”.

    The “Advanced Options” screen will now be displayed. Scroll down until the “Reset” section is visible, as shown in the example below. Next, click on the “Reset” button.
    Microsoft Edge Reset Settings

Internet Explorer

You can reset Internet Explorer settings to return them to the state they were in when Internet Explorer was first installed on your computer.
To reset Internet Explorer and remove the Smileko.pro pop-up ads, follow these steps:

  1. Go to “Internet Options”.

    Open Internet Explorer, click on the gear icon in the upper right part of your browser, then select “Internet Options“.

  2. Select the “Advanced” tab, then click “Reset”

    In the “Internet Options” dialog box, select the “Advanced” tab, then click on the “Reset” button.

  3. Click on “Reset”.

    In the “Reset Internet Explorer settings” section, select the “Delete personal settings” checkbox, then click on the “Reset” button.

  4. Click on “Close”.

    When Internet Explorer has completed its task, click on the “Close” button in the confirmation dialogue box.
    You will now  need to close your browser, and then you can open Internet Explorer again.

Your computer should now be free of the Smileko.pro malicious program. If your current antivirus allowed this malicious program on your computer, you may want to consider purchasing the full-featured version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 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:

How to Stay Safe Online

Here are 10 basic security tips to help you avoid malware and protect your device:

  1. Use a good antivirus and keep it up-to-date.

    Shield Guide

    It's essential to use a good quality antivirus and keep it up-to-date to stay ahead of the latest cyber threats. We are huge fans of Malwarebytes Premium and use it on all of our devices, including Windows and Mac computers as well as our mobile devices. Malwarebytes sits beside your traditional antivirus, filling in any gaps in its defenses, and providing extra protection against sneakier security threats.

  2. Keep software and operating systems up-to-date.

    updates-guide

    Keep your operating system and apps up to date. Whenever an update is released for your device, download and install it right away. These updates often include security fixes, vulnerability patches, and other necessary maintenance.

  3. Be careful when installing programs and apps.

    install guide

    Pay close attention to installation screens and license agreements when installing software. Custom or advanced installation options will often disclose any third-party software that is also being installed. Take great care in every stage of the process and make sure you know what it is you're agreeing to before you click "Next."

  4. Install an ad blocker.

    Ad Blocker

    Use a browser-based content blocker, like AdGuard. Content blockers help stop malicious ads, Trojans, phishing, and other undesirable content that an antivirus product alone may not stop.

  5. Be careful what you download.

    Trojan Horse

    A top goal of cybercriminals is to trick you into downloading malware—programs or apps that carry malware or try to steal information. This malware can be disguised as an app: anything from a popular game to something that checks traffic or the weather.

  6. Be alert for people trying to trick you.

    warning sign

    Whether it's your email, phone, messenger, or other applications, always be alert and on guard for someone trying to trick you into clicking on links or replying to messages. Remember that it's easy to spoof phone numbers, so a familiar name or number doesn't make messages more trustworthy.

  7. Back up your data.

    backup sign

    Back up your data frequently and check that your backup data can be restored. You can do this manually on an external HDD/USB stick, or automatically using backup software. This is also the best way to counter ransomware. Never connect the backup drive to a computer if you suspect that the computer is infected with malware.

  8. Choose strong passwords.

    lock sign

    Use strong and unique passwords for each of your accounts. Avoid using personal information or easily guessable words in your passwords. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on your accounts whenever possible.

  9. Be careful where you click.

    cursor sign

    Be cautious when clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown sources. These could potentially contain malware or phishing scams.

  10. Don't use pirated software.

    Shady Guide

    Avoid using Peer-to-Peer (P2P) file-sharing programs, keygens, cracks, and other pirated software that can often compromise your data, privacy, or both.

To avoid potential dangers on the internet, it's important to follow these 10 basic safety rules. By doing so, you can protect yourself from many of the unpleasant surprises that can arise when using the web.

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