Every time, when you surf the Internet with your browser the Wait a second pop-up ads keeps annoying you? It’s possible that your PC system is infected with ‘ad-supported’ software (also known as adware) that can end up on your system in various ways. In many cases is when you download and install free applications and forget to uncheck the box for the optional applications installation. Do not panic because we have got the solution. Here’s a tutorial on how to delete unwanted Wait a second pop-ups from the Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox and Microsoft Edge and other internet browsers.
The ‘ad supported’ software is not a virus, but the virus behaves similarly. As a rootkit hides in the system, alters web browser settings and blocks them from changing. Also the adware can install additional web-browser extensions and modules that will inject ads within the Google Chrome, Firefox, MS Edge and Internet Explorer’s screen. Moreover, the ‘ad supported’ software may install web browser hijacker that once started, will modify the browser’s home page and search engine. And finally, the adware can collect a wide variety of personal information such as what web-pages you are opening, what you are looking for the Internet and so on. This information, in the future, may be transferred to third parties.
Table of contents
- What is Wait a second
- Remove Wait a second
- How to remove “Wait a second” pop-up ads without any software
- Uninstall adware and other PUPs through the MS Windows Control Panel
- Clean up the web-browsers shortcuts that have been hijacked by ‘ad supported’ software
- Remove Wait a second from FF by resetting browser settings
- Remove Wait a second pop up advertisements from Microsoft Internet Explorer
- Remove Wait a second ads from Google Chrome
- Delete unwanted Scheduled Tasks
- Scan your computer and get rid of Wait a second pop up ads with free utilities
- How to remove “Wait a second” pop-up ads without any software
- How to stop Wait a second redirect
- How did Wait a second popup ads get on your computer
- Finish words
The malicious applications from the ad-supported software family that modifies the settings of web-browsers usually affects only the Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox and Microsoft Edge. However, possible situations, when any other browsers will be affected too. The ad-supported software may change the Target property of a browser’s shortcut, so every time you start the browser, instead of your home page, you will see the undesired Wait a second ads.
So, obviously, you need to remove the adware as soon as possible. Use the free steps below. This guide will help you clean your system of adware and thereby delete the Wait a second annoying advertisements.
Remove Wait a second
In the guidance below, we will try to cover the Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer and MS Edge and provide general help to remove Wait a second pop-up ads. You may find some minor differences in your MS Windows install. No matter, you should be okay if you follow the steps outlined below: uninstall all suspicious and unknown programs, reset internet browsers settings, fix web browsers shortcuts, remove harmful scheduled tasks, use free malware removal tools. Read it once, after doing so, please print this page as you may need to exit your internet browser or reboot your system.
How to remove “Wait a second” pop-up ads without any software
If you perform exactly the few simple steps below you should be able to delete the Wait a second redirect from the FF, Chrome, IE and Microsoft Edge internet browsers.
Uninstall adware and other PUPs through the MS Windows Control Panel
First, go to MS Windows Control Panel and uninstall suspicious programs, all programs you don’t remember installing. It’s important to pay the most attention to applications you installed just before Wait a second pop-up ads appeared on your internet browser. If you don’t know what a program does, look for the answer on the Internet.
Windows 8, 8.1, 10
First, press Windows button , then press Search . Type ‘Control panel’and press Enter as shown in the figure below.
Once the ‘Control Panel’ opens, press the ‘Uninstall a program’ link under Programs category like below.
You will see the ‘Uninstall a program’ panel as shown on the image below.
Very carefully look around the entire list of programs installed on your system. Most likely, one or more of them are responsible for the appearance of pop up ads and web-browser redirect to the annoying Wait a second web page. If you have many programs installed, you can help simplify the search of malicious programs by sort the list by date of installation. Once you have found a suspicious, unwanted or unused application, right click to it, after that press ‘Uninstall’.
Windows XP, Vista, 7
First, press ‘Start’ button and select ‘Control Panel’ at right panel like below.
After the Windows ‘Control Panel’ opens, you need to click ‘Uninstall a program’ under ‘Programs’ as shown below.
You will see a list of applications installed on your system. We recommend to sort the list by date of installation to quickly find the programs that were installed last. Most likely they responsibility for the appearance of pop-up ads and web browser redirect. If you are in doubt, you can always check the program by doing a search for her name in Google, Yahoo or Bing. After the program which you need to delete is found, simply click on its name, and then click ‘Uninstall’ as shown on the image below.
Clean up the web-browsers shortcuts that have been hijacked by ‘ad supported’ software
Once installed, this adware may add an argument such as “http://site.address” into the Target property of the desktop shortcut for the Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox and Edge. Due to this, every time you run the browser, it will open an undesired ad page.
Right click on the shortcut of infected browser as shown below.
Select the “Properties” option and it’ll open a shortcut’s properties. Next, press the “Shortcut” tab and then delete the “http://site.address” string from Target field as shown in the figure below.
Then press OK to save changes. Repeat the step for all web-browsers that are rerouted to the Wait a second annoying web page.
Remove Wait a second from FF by resetting browser settings
If your Firefox web-browser is redirected to Wait a second without your permission or an unknown search provider displays results for your search, then it may be time to perform the browser reset.
First, start the Mozilla Firefox. Next, click the button in the form of three horizontal stripes (). It will show the drop-down menu. Next, click the Help button ().
In the Help menu click the “Troubleshooting Information”. In the upper-right corner of the “Troubleshooting Information” page click on “Refresh Firefox” button as on the image below.
Confirm your action, click the “Refresh Firefox”.
Remove Wait a second pop up advertisements from Microsoft Internet Explorer
The Microsoft Internet Explorer reset is great if your internet browser is hijacked or you have unwanted addo-ons or toolbars on your browser, which installed by an malicious software.
First, open the IE, click ) button. Next, press “Internet Options” as shown on the image below.
In the “Internet Options” screen select the Advanced tab. Next, click Reset button. The Internet Explorer will display the Reset Internet Explorer settings prompt. Select the “Delete personal settings” check box and press Reset button.
You will now need to reboot your personal computer for the changes to take effect. It will remove Wait a second pop-ups, disable malicious and ad-supported internet browser’s extensions and restore the IE’s settings like startpage, new tab and search provider by default to default state.
Remove Wait a second ads from Google Chrome
Like other modern browsers, the Google Chrome has the ability to reset the settings to their default values and thereby restore the web-browser’s settings like start page, newtab and default search provider that have been modified by the adware that causes a large amount of unwanted Wait a second pop up ads.
First run the Chrome. Next, press the button in the form of three horizontal stripes (). It will display the main menu. Further, click the option named “Settings”. Another way to show the Chrome’s settings – type chrome://settings in the web browser adress bar and press Enter.
The web browser will show the settings screen. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the “Show advanced settings” link. Now scroll down until the “Reset settings” section is visible, as shown on the image below and click the “Reset settings” button.
The Chrome will display the confirmation prompt. You need to confirm your action, press the “Reset” button. The web-browser will run the task of cleaning. When it is done, the browser’s settings including homepage, new tab page and search provider by default back to the values that have been when the Google Chrome was first installed on your PC system.
Delete unwanted Scheduled Tasks
If the undesired Wait a second site opens automatically on Windows startup or at equal time intervals, then you need to check the Task Scheduler Library and get rid of all the tasks which have been created by unwanted software.
Press Windows and R keys on your keyboard at the same time. It will display a dialog box which titled with Run. In the text field, type “taskschd.msc” (without the quotes) and press OK. Task Scheduler window opens. In the left-hand side, click “Task Scheduler Library”, as shown on the screen below.
In the middle part you will see a list of installed tasks. Select the first task, its properties will be display just below automatically. Next, press the Actions tab. Necessary to look at the text which is written under Details. Found something like “explorer.exe http://site.address” or “chrome.exe http://site.address” or “firefox.exe http://site.address”, then you need get rid of this task. If you are not sure that executes the task, then google it. If it’s a component of the unwanted applications, then this task also should be removed.
Further click on it with the right mouse button and select Delete as shown in the figure below.
Repeat this step, if you have found a few tasks that have been created by unwanted applications. Once is finished, close the Task Scheduler window.
Scan your computer and get rid of Wait a second pop up ads with free utilities
There are not many good free anti malware applications with high detection ratio. The effectiveness of malicious software removal utilities depends on various factors, mostly on how often their virus/malware signatures DB are updated in order to effectively detect modern malicious software, ad supported software, browser hijackers and other PUPs. We suggest to run several programs, not just one. These programs that listed below will help you delete all components of the adware from your disk and Windows registry and thereby remove Wait a second pop up advertisements.
Run Zemana Anti-malware to remove Wait a second
You can get rid of Wait a second redirect automatically with a help of Zemana Anti-malware. We suggest this malicious software removal tool because it may easily remove hijacker infections, PUPs, adware which reroutes your browser to Wait a second web-site with all their components such as folders, files and registry entries.
- Download Zemana anti malware (ZAM) from the link below.
Zemana AntiMalware
164032 downloads
Author: Zemana Ltd
Category: Security tools
Update: July 16, 2019
- When the downloading process is finished, close all programs and windows on your PC system. Open a file location. Double-click on the icon that’s named Zemana.AntiMalware.Setup.
- Further, click Next button and follow the prompts.
- Once install is finished, press the “Scan” button for scanning your computer for the ad supported software that causes multiple annoying ads and pop-ups. This procedure can take quite a while, so please be patient. While the utility is scanning, you can see number of objects and files has already scanned.
- As the scanning ends, it’ll display you the results. All detected items will be marked. You can get rid of them all by simply click “Next”. Once that process is done, you can be prompted to restart your computer.
Get rid of Wait a second popups with Malwarebytes
We recommend using the Malwarebytes Free. You may download and install Malwarebytes to scan for adware and thereby get rid of Wait a second pop ups from your web browsers. When installed and updated, the free malware remover will automatically scan and detect all threats exist on the machine.
Download Malwarebytes Free by clicking on the link below.
326384 downloads
Author: Malwarebytes
Category: Security tools
Update: April 15, 2020
Once the download is done, run it and follow the prompts. Once installed, the Malwarebytes will try to update itself and when this process is finished, click the “Scan Now” button to perform a system scan with this utility for the adware that redirects your internet browser to undesired Wait a second web-page. Depending on your computer, the scan may take anywhere from a few minutes to close to an hour. While the tool is checking, you can see number of objects and files has already scanned. Review the scan results and then click “Quarantine Selected” button.
The Malwarebytes is a free program that you can use to remove all detected folders, files, services, registry entries and so on. To learn more about this malicious software removal tool, we suggest you to read and follow the guidance or the video guide below.
Scan your PC and remove Wait a second ads with AdwCleaner
AdwCleaner is a free removal tool that may be downloaded and run to delete ‘ad supported’ software that causes lots of undesired Wait a second pop up ads, hijackers, malicious software, potentially unwanted programs, toolbars and other threats from your PC. You may run this tool to find threats even if you have an antivirus or any other security program.
- Download AdwCleaner by clicking on the link below.
AdwCleaner download
225259 downloads
Version: 8.4.1
Author: Xplode, MalwareBytes
Category: Security tools
Update: October 5, 2024
- After the download is finished, double click the AdwCleaner icon. Once this tool is opened, click “Scan” button to perform a system scan with this tool for the adware which cause undesired Wait a second pop-up ads to appear. This procedure may take quite a while, so please be patient. During the scan it will detect all threats present on your machine.
- After it has completed scanning, you’ll be shown the list of all detected items on your PC. All found threats will be marked. You can get rid of them all by simply click “Clean” button. It will show a prompt, press “OK”.
These few simple steps are shown in detail in the following video guide.
How to stop Wait a second redirect
By installing an adblocker application like AdbGuard, you are able to block “Wait a second” pop-ups, autoplaying video ads and get rid of a ton of distracting and unwanted ads on pages.
Download AdGuard application by clicking on the following link.
26627 downloads
Version: 6.4
Author: © Adguard
Category: Security tools
Update: November 15, 2018
Once the downloading process is complete, start the downloaded file. You will see the “Setup Wizard” screen as shown in the figure below.
Follow the prompts. After the installation is complete, you will see a window as shown on the image below.
You can click “Skip” to close the install application and use the default settings, or click “Get Started” button to see an quick tutorial which will help you get to know AdGuard better.
In most cases, the default settings are enough and you do not need to change anything. Each time, when you start your computer, AdGuard will start automatically and block popup advertisements, “Wait a second” redirect, as well as other harmful or misleading web sites. For an overview of all the features of the application, or to change its settings you can simply double-click on the AdGuard icon, which is located on your desktop.
How did Wait a second popup ads get on your computer
Most commonly, the ‘ad supported’ software gets onto personal computer by being attached to the installers from a free hosting and file sharing pages. So, install a free software is a a good chance that you will find a bundled adware. If you don’t know how to avoid it, then use a simple trick. During the installation, select the Custom or Advanced setup option. Next, click ‘Decline’ button and clear all checkboxes on offers that ask you to install third-party applications. Moreover, please carefully read Term of use and User agreement before installing any applications or otherwise you can end up with another unwanted program on your PC system such as this adware that causes multiple unwanted ads and pop-ups.
Finish words
After completing the step-by-step instructions shown above, your PC system should be clean from malware, browser hijackers and adware. The Google Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Microsoft Internet Explorer will no longer display Wait a second annoying page when you browse the World Wide Web. Unfortunately, if the steps does not help you, then you have caught a new ‘ad supported’ software, and then the best way – ask for help.
- Download HijackThis from the link below and save it to your Desktop.
HijackThis download
4691 downloads
Version: 2.0.5
Author: OpenSource
Category: Security tools
Update: November 7, 2015
- Double-click on the HijackThis icon. Next click “Do a system scan only” button.
- After it completes the scan, the scan button will read “Save log”, press it. Save this log to your desktop.
- Create a Myantispyware account here. Once you’ve registered, check your e-mail for a confirmation link, and confirm your account. After that, login.
- Copy and paste the contents of the HijackThis log into your post. If you are posting for the first time, please start a new thread by using the “New Topic” button in the Spyware Removal forum. When posting your HJT log, try to give us some details about your problems, so we can try to help you more accurately.
- Wait for one of our trained “Security Team” or Site Administrator to provide you with knowledgeable assistance tailored to your problem with the intrusive Wait a second pop-up advertisements.