Remove unwanted ads, pop-ups & malware - Computer (2025)

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.

Manually remove malicious programs on your Mac

1. On your computer, open Chrome.
2. At the top right, selectMore Settings.
3. SelectReset settings Restore settings to their original defaults Reset settings.

If you reset your browser settings, you have to turn some extensions on. To turn extensions on, at the top right, select More Extensions Manage extensions. Only turn on extensions you trust.

If the steps above don't work, go to the Chrome Help Forum.

Tip: If you’re a website owner, learn how to resolve malware or unwanted software issues related to your downloads.

Learn what to look for when you have malware on your computer and how to stay safe online.

Three tips for spotting malware (1:42)

For this same video with audio descriptions, go to Three tips for spotting malware.

• Beware of sites that may cause you to download unwanted software. For example, if you win a contest or get copyrighted content at no charge.
• Beware of encrypted archives, like .zip files with a password required, that may bypass antivirus detection scans.
• Beware of warnings about viruses or infected devices, especially if you haven’t recently used a virus scanner.
• Avoid insecure connections when you visit sites and don’t download files from sites that don’t start with HTTPS. Learn how to check if a site's connection is secure.
• Pay attention to Safe Browsing download warnings. To avoid antivirus detections, malicious actors may ask you to turn off or ignore warnings.
• If a popup about a program update or download seems suspicious, don't click on it. Instead, go to the program's official website to download it.