How to remove unwanted ads, pop-ups and malware

Problem

You might have unwanted software or malware installed on your computer if you experience:

  • Pop-up ads and new tabs that won't go away
  • Your Chrome homepage or search engine keeps changing without your permission
  • Unwanted Chrome extensions or toolbars keep coming back
  • Your browsing is hijacked, and redirects to unfamiliar pages or ads
  • Alerts about a virus or an infected device.

Environment

  • Chrome OS devices

Solution

To prevent intrusive or misleading ads, change your site settings.

  1. On your computer, open Chrome.
  2. At the top right, click More > Settings > Privacy and security.
  3. Click Site settings > Additional content settings > Intrusive ads.
  4. Select the option you want as your default setting.
Workaround:
You can disable extensions and test them one by one to disable or discontinue the one with the issue.

Cause

Some extensions may push malware or non-allowed configurations to the Chrome OS devices.