Wajam (from WaNetEnhance) is an adware program that injects advertisements onto web pages while browsing the web. When you browse the web while this adware is installed, Wajam will display intrusive and unwanted ads onto web sites that make it difficult to read the content of the site.
What is Wajam?
Wajam is a social search engine that lets users get recommendations from friends by letting them search through public and private data shared on social networking platforms. Its first product is a plug-in or browser extension that uses social networks to increase the relevancy of search results in Google, Yahoo and Bing. Though this may sound like a useful service, the Wajam program can be intrusive and will display ads whether you want them to or not.
When installed, the Wajam browser extension will display advertising banners, pop-up advertisements and in-text ads, stating that they are brought to you by Wajam. The Wajam Ads will have different text under the pop-up: “Powered by Wajam”, “Brought to you by Wajam”, “You’ve received a premium offer from Wajam” or “Ads by Wajam”.
These ads are aimed to promote the installation of additional questionable content including web browser toolbars, optimization utilities and other products, all so the Wajam publisher can generate pay-per-click revenue.
When infected with Wajam the common symptoms include:
- Advertising banners are injected with the web pages that you are visiting.
- Random web page text is turned into hyperlinks.
- Browser popups appear which recommend fake updates or other software.
- Other unwanted adware programs might get installed without the user’s knowledge.
To make matters worse, you will also find that this adware will cause your computer to act more sluggish or for your web browser to freeze.
How did Wajam adware got on my computer?
Wajam is an adware program that is commonly bundled with other free programs 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 Wajam without your knowledge. Most commonly Wajam is bundled within the installers from Cnet, Softonic or other similar custom third-party installers.
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.
How remove the Wajam adware (Virus Removal Guide)
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.
How to remove “Ads by Wajam” adware (Removal Guide)
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.
- STEP 1: Uninstall Wajam from Windows
- STEP 2: Use Malwarebytes to remove the “Ads by Wajam” adware
- STEP 3: Use HitmanPro to scan for malware and unwanted programs
- (Optional) STEP 4: Reset the browser settings to their original defaults
- (Optional) STEP 5: Double-check for malicious programs with Zemana AntiMalware
STEP 1 : Uninstall Wajam from Windows
In this first step, we will try to identify and remove any malicious program that might be installed on your computer.
Windows 10
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Go to “Apps and Features”.
Right-click on the Start
button in the lower-left corner and select “Apps and Features”. This will take you directly to your list of installed programs.
If you can’t find the “Apps and Features” option in the Start menu, click on the Start button, then go to “Settings” > “Apps” -
Find the malicious program and uninstall it.
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 the “Wajam” program, click it, and then click “Uninstall”.
The malicious program may have a different name on your computer. If you cannot find any malicious programs on your PC, you can skip to the next step -
Follow the on-screen prompts to uninstall the program.
You will now see a pop-up window informing you that the program and its related info will be uninstalled. Click on the “Uninstall” button to complete the process (you may also see a pop-up asking if you want to let this program make changes to your computer, hit “Yes” to proceed).
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.
button in the lower-left corner and select “Apps and Features”. This will take you directly to your list of installed programs.
Windows 8
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Go to “Program and Features”.
Right-click on the Start
button in the lower-left corner and select “Programs and Features”. This will take you directly to your list of installed programs.
- 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”.
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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 “Wajam” program, then click to highlight it, then click the “Uninstall” button that appears on the top toolbar.
The malicious program may have a different name on your computer. If you cannot find any malicious programs on your PC, you can skip to the next step -
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.
Windows 7
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Click on Start, then select “Control Panel”.
Start by clicking on the Start
button, then click on “Control Panel”.
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. -
Click on “Uninstall a Program”.
When the “Control Panel” appears, click on “Uninstall a Program” from the Programs category.
-
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 “Wajam” program, then click to highlight it, then click the “Uninstall” button that appears on the top toolbar.
The malicious program may have a different name on your computer. If you cannot find any malicious programs on your PC, you can skip to the next step -
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.
STEP 2: Use Malwarebytes to remove the “Ads by Wajam” adware
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.
The first time you install Malwarebytes, you’re given a free 14-day trial of the premium edition, which includes preventative tools like real-time scanning and specific protection from ransomware. After two weeks, it automatically reverts to the basic free version that will detect and clean up malware infections only when you run a scan. It is important to note that Malwarebytes will run alongside antivirus software without conflicts.
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Download Malwarebytes.
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) -
Double-click on the Malwarebytes setup file.
When Malwarebytes has finished downloading, double-click on the mb3-setup-consumer-x.x.x.xxxx.exe file to install Malwarebytes on your PC. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.
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 installation.
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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. To install Malwarebytes on your PC, click on the “Agree and Install” button.
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Click on “Scan Now”.
Once installed, Malwarebytes will automatically start and update the antivirus database. To perform a system scan, click on the “Scan Now” button.
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Wait for the Malwarebytes scan to complete.
Malwarebytes will now start scanning 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.
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Click on “Quarantine Selected”.
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 Selected” button.
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Reboot your 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.
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 day trial to enable the clean up.
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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) -
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.
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. -
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
When the process is complete, you can close HitmanPro and continue with the rest of the instructions.
HITMANPRO DOWNLOAD LINK
(Optional) STEP 4: Reset the browser settings to their original defaults
If your PC is being redirected to the Ads by Wajam site, 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
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Click on the three dots at the top right and click “Settings”.
Click on Chrome’s main menu button, represented by three dots at the top right corner. Now click on the menu option labeled Settings as shown by the arrow in the picture below, which will open the basic settings screen.
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At the bottom, 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 (as seen in the below example).
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Under the section “Reset,” click “Reset”.
Chrome’s advanced settings should now be displayed. Scroll down until the “Reset and clean up” section is visible, as shown in the example below. Next, click on the “Reset settings to their original defaults” button.
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Confirm by clicking “Reset”.
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.
Mozilla Firefox
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Go to the “Help” menu.
Click on Firefox’s main menu button, represented by three horizontal lines. When the drop-down menu appears, select the option labeled “Help“.
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Click “Troubleshooting Information”.
From the Help menu, click on “Troubleshooting Information“.
If you’re unable to access the “Help” menu, type about:support in your address bar to bring up the Troubleshooting information page. -
Click on “Refresh Firefox”
Click the “Refresh Firefox” button in the upper-right corner of the “Troubleshooting Information” page.
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Confirm.
To continue, click on the “Refresh Firefox” button in the new confirmation window that opens.
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Click on “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 the “Finish“.
Internet Explorer
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Go to “Internet Options”.
Open Internet Explorer, click on the gear icon in the upper right part of your browser, then select “Internet Options“.
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Select the “Advanced” tab, then click “Reset”
In the “Internet Options” dialog box, select the “Advanced” tab, then click on the “Reset” button.
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Click on “Reset”.
In the “Reset Internet Explorer settings” section, select the “Delete personal settings” check box, then click on “Reset” button.
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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.
Microsoft Edge
-
Go to “Apps and Features”.
Right-click on the Start
button in the lower-left corner and select “Apps and Features“. This will take you directly to your list of installed programs.
-
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.
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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.
(OPTIONAL) STEP 5: Double-check for malicious programs with Zemana AntiMalware Free
Zemana AntiMalware is a free popular on-demand antivirus 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 Zemana AntiMalware to users who still have malware related issues or just want make sure their PC is 100% clean.
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Download Zemana AntiMalware.
You can download Zemana AntiMalware Free by clicking the link below.
ZEMANA ANTIMALWARE DOWNLOAD LINK
(The above link will open a new web page from where you can download Zemana AntiMalware) -
Double-click on the setup file.
Double-click on the file named “Zemana.AntiMalware.Setup.exe” to start the installation of Zemana AntiMalware. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.
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.
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Install Zemana AntiMalware Free.
Click on the “Next” button to install Zemana AntiMalware on your PC. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the install process.
When you reach the “Select Additional Tasks” screen, you need to opt-out the “Enable Real Time Protection” option, then click on the “Next” button.
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Click on “Scan”.
When Zemana AntiMalware will start, click on the “Scan” button to perform a system scan.
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Wait for the Zemana AntiMalware scan to complete.
Zemana AntiMalware will now scan your PC for malicious files. This process can take a few minutes.
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Click on “Next”.
When Zemana AntiMalware has finished it will display a list of all the malware that the program found. Click on the “Next” button to remove the malicious files from your computer.
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Restart your PC.
When the malware removal process is complete, Zemana AntiMalware may need to restart your computer. Click on the “Reebot” button to reset your PC.
ZEMANA ANTIMALWARE DOWNLOAD LINK
Your computer should now be free of the “Ads by Wajam” adware. If you are still experiencing problems while trying to remove the Wajam adware from your PC, please do one of the following:
- Run a system scan with Emsisoft Emergency Kit
- Ask for help in our Malware Removal Assistance for Windows forum.
with step 2 , wajam is completely remove. thanks a lot bro
Can you please run a scan with AdwCleaner: https://toolslib.net/downloads/viewdownload/1-adwcleaner/
Done with step 2, and no virus detected, but I still can’t delete wajam on control panel.
what should I do.?!
Hello Jerry,
You can try an Adblocker: https://adblockplus.org/
Wajam is not my problem but instead it is adchoices I think from Google. Any suggestions?
Hello,
Please go ahead with the next step.
Thanks a lot….:)
Thank you so much, what a relief, I could uninstall wajam.
THANK YOU !!!!!!!!
Thank you! Now my pc is back to normal
Thankss a TON
Thanks a LOT
Thanks a LOT guys… :)
I got mine from either BitTorrent or skydaz
Hi, thank you very much. :) The PC has been fixed.
Hello Gerez,
Lets try to fix your PC:
1.Please download ZOEK by Smeenk and save it to your desktop (preferred version is the *.exe one) from here: hijackthis. nl/smeenk/
2. Right-click on Zoek icon and select “Run as Administrator” to start the tool.
Wait patiently until the main console will appear, it may take a minute or two.
3. In the main box please paste in the following script (between the lines):
—————————————————–
createsrpoint;
autoclean;
emptyalltemp;
ipconfig /flushdns;b
——————————————————-
4.Make sure that Scan All Users option is checked.
5. Push Run Script and wait patiently. The scan may take a couple of minutes.
When this program will finish the clean-up it will ask you to restart your computer.
If the issues persist please start a scan in our Malware Removal Assistance forum: https://malwaretips.com/forums/malware-removal-assistance.10/
Wow, what a sticky POS is this Wajam.
. I would recommend that anyone who is experiencing the curse of this virus – and it is a virus – skip all the prelims (control panel uninstall, browser setting changes, etc) , and go straight to the deeper cleaners – ALL OF WHICH ARE FREE – #1 Adware right thru to #4 Zemana.
The fixes here might also salvage your sanity.
The fixes here took an hour or so, but WAJAM took years off my life. Not to mention the greedy c’suckers who offered one phony fix after the other, along with their costly subscriptions.
The biggest joke of all is Wajams uninstaller on their website. The only thing it probably does is stick more cookies on your system, and further f**k up your browser
THANK YOU THANK YOU MALWARETIPS!
awesome man !!!
Funnily enough, I also got mine from BitTorrent – seems like BitTorrent is becoming less safe lately.
I can’t believe it! It REALLY did work. People, please try until at least Step 4. Don’t give up halfway at Step 2 because this Wajam virus (whatever the source is, I think I got it from BitTorrent) gets into a deep part of your computer, like registry keys. For me, it worked at Step 4, and I don’t see any advertisements from Internet Explorer Edge and Google Chrome. Big thanks to MalwareTips!
thank you for you tips. but my laptop still infected after installing sony vegas pro keygen from HKG.
Thanks for your tips. I just ended at step 2 and now ads from Wajam are gone from my firefox, especially from Youtube Search.