The Counterflix is classified as an ‘ad-supported’ software (also known as adware). This software is made to make money. It can open annoying pop-up ads within the Google Chrome, Firefox, IE and Microsoft Edge or redirect your web-browser on various ads web-sites. So, if you are seeing lots of unwanted ads sgnied with Counterflix then your computer is infected with adware virus. As a result of the adware infection, your web-browser will be full of advertisements (pop-ups, banners, in-text links, offers to install an unwanted applications) and your PC system will be slower and slower.
The Counterflix adware virus may insert tons of ads directly to the web-sites that you visit, creating a sense that the ads has been added by the creators of the web site. Moreover, a legal advertising links may be replaced on the fake advertisements, that will offer to download and install various unnecessary and malicious applications. Moreover, the adware virus has the ability to collect a huge count of personal information about you (your ip address, what is a web page you are viewing now, what you are looking for on the Internet, which links you are clicking), which can later transfer to third parties.
The adware virus can change the settings of the Google Chrome, Firefox, IE and MS Edge, but often that a harmful software like this can also infect all types of internet browsers by changing their desktop shortcuts. Thus forcing the user each time start the web-browser to see Counterflix unwanted ads.
We strongly suggest that you perform the few simple steps below that will help you to remove Counterflix adware using the standard features of Windows and some proven free applications.
Counterflix removal Windows 10, 8, 7, XP (Instructions)
The virus is a form of malware that you might have difficulty in removing it from your machine. Happily, you have found the effective Counterflix adware removal instructions in this article. Both the manual removal solution and the automatic removal way will be provided below and you can just choose the one that best for you. If you have any questions or need assist then type a comment below. Some of the steps below will require you to close the web-page. So, please read the tutorial carefully, after that bookmark or print it for later reference.
How to manually remove Counterflix virus
Most common adware virus may be uninstalled without any antivirus applications. The manual adware virus removal is article step-by-step tutorial that will teach you how to remove the Counterflix adware.
Delete Counterflix related applications through the Control Panel
First, go to Windows Control Panel and remove suspicious applications, all programs you don’t remember installing. It’s important to pay the most attention to programs you installed just before Counterflix adware appeared on your browser. If you do not know what a program does, look for the answer on the World Wide Web.
Press Windows button , then click Search . Type “Control panel”and press Enter. If you using Windows XP or Windows 7, then press “Start” and select “Control Panel”. It will show the Windows Control Panel as shown on the screen below.
Further, click “Uninstall a program”
It will display a list of all programs installed on your machine. Scroll through the all list, and uninstall any suspicious and unknown software.
Disinfect the internet browser’s shortcuts
Once the adware virus is started, it can also modify the internet browser’s shortcuts, adding an argument such as “http://site.address” into the Target field. Due to this, every time you run the browser, it will open an unwanted web-page.
To clear the internet browser shortcut, right-click to it and select Properties. On the Shortcut tab, locate the Target field. Click inside, you will see a vertical line – arrow pointer, move it (using -> arrow key on your keyboard) to the right as possible. You will see a text such as “http://site.address” which has been added here. You need to delete it.
When the text is removed, click the OK button. You need to clean all shortcuts of all your browsers, as they may be infected too.
Remove Counterflix from Chrome
Use the Reset web browser utility of the Chrome to reset all its settings like start page, newtab and default search engine to original defaults. This is a very useful tool to use, in the case of browser redirects to intrusive ad sites such as Counterflix.
First run the Chrome. Next, press the button in the form of three horizontal stripes (). It will show the main menu. Further, click the option named “Settings”. Another way to open the Google Chrome’s settings – type chrome://settings in the web-browser adress bar and press Enter.
The web-browser will display 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 displayed on the screen below and press the “Reset settings” button.
The Google Chrome will open the confirmation dialog box. You need to confirm your action, press the “Reset” button. The web-browser will run the process of cleaning. After it is finished, the web-browser’s settings including new tab, home page and search engine by default back to the values that have been when the Chrome was first installed on your machine.
Remove Counterflix virus from Microsoft Internet Explorer
The Microsoft Internet Explorer reset is great if your web-browser is hijacked or you have unwanted addo-ons or toolbars on your web-browser, that installed by an malware.
First, open the Microsoft Internet Explorer, press ) button. Next, click “Internet Options” as shown on the image below.
In the “Internet Options” screen select the Advanced tab. Next, click Reset button. The IE will show the Reset Internet Explorer settings prompt. Select the “Delete personal settings” check box and press Reset button.
You will now need to restart your PC for the changes to take effect. It will remove Counterflix virus, disable malicious and ad-supported internet browser’s extensions and restore the Microsoft Internet Explorer’s settings such as new tab page, startpage and search engine by default to default state.
Get rid of Counterflix adware virus from Firefox
The Firefox reset will keep your personal information like bookmarks, passwords, web form auto-fill data, recover preferences and security settings, get rid of redirects to intrusive Counterflix page and adware virus.
Start the Firefox and press the menu button (it looks like three stacked lines) at the top right of the web browser screen. Next, click the question-mark icon at the bottom of the drop-down menu. It will open the slide-out menu.
Select the “Troubleshooting information”. If you are unable to access the Help menu, then type “about:support” in your address bar and press Enter. It bring up the “Troubleshooting Information” page as displayed below.
Click the “Refresh Firefox” button at the top right of the Troubleshooting Information page. Select “Refresh Firefox” in the confirmation dialog box. The FF will begin a task to fix your problems that caused by the adware. When, it’s finished, press the “Finish” button.
Remove unwanted Scheduled Tasks
Once installed, the adware virus can add a task in to the Windows Task Scheduler Library. Due to this, every time when you launch your personal computer, it will show Counterflix annoying web-site. So, you need to check the Task Scheduler Library and remove all harmful tasks which have been created by malicious software.
Press Windows and R keys on your keyboard at the same time. It will show a prompt that titled with Run. In the text field, type “taskschd.msc” (without the quotes) and click OK. Task Scheduler window opens. In the left-hand side, click “Task Scheduler Library”, as shown in the following example.
In the middle part you will see a list of installed tasks. Select the first task, its properties will be open just below automatically. Next, click the Actions tab. Necessary to look at the text which is written under Details. Found something such as “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 is a component of the adware, 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 adware. Once is finished, close the Task Scheduler window.
Counterflix virus removal tools
The easiest way to delete Counterflix virus is to use an antimalware program capable of detecting this Counterflix adware that created to reroute your internet browser to various ad web-sites. We suggest try Zemana Anti-malware, Malwarebytes or AdwCleaner which listed below. It has excellent detection rate when it comes to adware, browser hijackers and other PUPs.
Run Zemana Anti-malware to delete Counterflix
We suggest using the Zemana Anti-malware. You can download and install Zemana Anti-malware to scan for ‘ad supported’ software and thereby delete Counterflix adware virus from the Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Internet Explorer and Edge browsers. When installed and updated, the malicious software remover will automatically check and detect all threats present on your system.
Now you can setup and use Zemana Anti Malware to delete Counterflix adware from your computer by following the steps below:
Click the link below to download Zemana Anti Malware (ZAM) setup file named Zemana.AntiMalware.Setup on your machine.
164032 downloads
Author: Zemana Ltd
Category: Security tools
Update: July 16, 2019
Run the install package after it has been downloaded successfully and then follow the prompts to set up this utility on your machine.
During installation you can change some settings, but we recommend you don’t make any changes to default settings.
When setup is finished, this malware removal tool will automatically run and update itself. You will see its main window as displayed in the following example.
Now click the “Scan” button to begin scanning your computer for the Counterflix adware virus that causes multiple undesired advertisements and popups. A scan can take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the number of files on your computer and the speed of your PC. While the program is scanning, you can see how many objects it has identified as threat.
When it has finished scanning, you may check all threats detected on your PC. In order to delete all items, simply click “Next” button.
The Zemana will get rid of Counterflix adware virus which cause unwanted popup advertisements to appear and move threats to the program’s quarantine. After that process is complete, you can be prompted to reboot your computer to make the change take effect.
How to automatically remove Counterflix virus with Malwarebytes
We advise using the Malwarebytes Free. You may download and install Malwarebytes to scan for adware and thereby remove Counterflix adware virus from your internet browsers. When installed and updated, the free malware remover will automatically scan and detect all threats exist on the machine.
- Download Malwarebytes (MBAM) on your Microsoft Windows Desktop from the following link.
Malwarebytes Anti-malware
326384 downloads
Author: Malwarebytes
Category: Security tools
Update: April 15, 2020
- After the downloading process is complete, close all software and windows on your computer. Open a folder in which you saved it. Double-click on the icon that’s named mb3-setup.
- Further, press Next button and follow the prompts.
- Once install is complete, click the “Scan Now” button It’ll scan through the whole computer for the Counterflix adware that causes browsers to open annoying popup advertisements. A scan may take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the number of files on your computer and the speed of your system.
- After the scanning is done, you may check all threats detected on your computer. All detected threats will be marked. You can delete them all by simply press “Quarantine Selected”. Once the cleaning process is done, you can be prompted to restart your personal computer.
The following video offers a guide on how to remove hijacker infections, ‘ad supported’ software and other malicious software with Malwarebytes.
Remove Counterflix and malicious extensions with AdwCleaner
If MalwareBytes anti-malware or Zemana antimalware cannot remove this virus, then we recommends to run the AdwCleaner. AdwCleaner is a free removal tool for browser hijacker infections, potentially unwanted software, toolbars and Counterflix adware virus that causes undesired pop-up advertisements.
Download AdwCleaner from the following link and save it directly to your MS Windows Desktop.
225260 downloads
Version: 8.4.1
Author: Xplode, MalwareBytes
Category: Security tools
Update: October 5, 2024
After downloading is finished, open the directory in which you saved it. You will see an icon like below.
Double click the AdwCleaner desktop icon. Once the utility is started, you will see a screen as shown below.
Further, press “Scan” button . This will begin scanning the whole machine to find out Counterflix adware virus that developed to reroute your web-browser to various ad web pages. This task can take quite a while, so please be patient. When the system scan is complete, you will be opened the list of all found threats on your personal computer as shown on the screen below.
Review the scan results and then click “Clean” button. It will open a dialog box as displayed below.
You need to press “OK”. After that process is complete, the AdwCleaner may ask you to reboot your computer. When your machine is started, you will see an AdwCleaner log.
These steps are shown in detail in the following video guide.
How to stop unwanted ads
We suggest to install an ad-blocker program which can stop all unwanted ads and block other unwanted web-sites. The ad blocking tool like AdGuard is a program which basically removes advertising from the World Wide Web and stops access to malicious pages. Moreover, security experts says that using ad blocker applications is necessary to stay safe when surfing the Net.
- Download AdGuard program by clicking on the link below.
Adguard download
26627 downloads
Version: 6.4
Author: © Adguard
Category: Security tools
Update: November 15, 2018
- After the download is finished, launch the downloaded file. You will see the “Setup Wizard” program window. Follow the prompts.
- After the installation is complete, press “Skip” to close the installation program and use the default settings, or click “Get Started” to see an quick tutorial which will assist 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 run your computer, AdGuard will launch automatically and stop ads, as well as other harmful or misleading web pages. For an overview of all the features of the program, or to change its settings you can simply double-click on the icon named AdGuard, which can be found on your desktop.
Method of Counterflix virus intrusion into your personal computer
The adware spreads together with some free software. So always read carefully the installation screens, disclaimers, ‘Terms of Use’ and ‘Software license’ appearing during the install procedure. Additionally pay attention for additional applications that are being installed along with the main program. Ensure that you unchecked all of them! Also, run an ad blocking program that will help to stop malicious, misleading, illegitimate or untrustworthy web pages.
To sum up
Now your PC system should be free of the Counterflix adware virus that causes lots of unwanted advertisements. Remove AdwCleaner. We suggest that you keep Zemana Anti-malware (to periodically scan your machine for new malware, browser hijackers and ‘ad supported’ software) and AdGuard (to help you block intrusive pop up ads and malicious sites). Moreover, to prevent ad supported software, please stay clear of unknown and third party applications, make sure that your antivirus program, turn on the option to find PUPs (potentially unwanted programs).
If you need more help with Counterflix related issues, go to our Spyware/Malware removal forum.
When i visited my website Nigerian School News, i thought somebody gain access to my admin dashboard to inject those malware ads, not knowing its a virus from my computer. Thanks your tips works perfectly, am free from it now.