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Welcome to our Cookies On-Off Extension removal guide. The following instructions will aid you in removing the unwanted software from your PC.
What is Cookies On-Off Extension?
Cookies On-Off Extension is an online advertising tool, belonging to the browser hijacking category. Programs that belong to this category can be downloaded and installed on all of your browsers (such as Chrome, Firefox, Explorer, etc.) without knowing it because they are distributed primarily through software packages or so-called “bundles”. Typically, this suspected spreading method is performed with the help of title managers, PDF crawlers, video streaming software, and similar free programs that are marked as “extra components” in some free software installers. Note that these components can only be denied if you pay special attention to the software’s installation process and cancel the checkboxes that have automatically been marked for you to agree to install them. If you already have Cookies On-Off Extension on your system and it keeps bugging your browsing with constant page redirects, ads, intrusive banners and pop-ups, on this page we have a removal guide, which can help you safely uninstall this browser hijacker and have all of its related messages removed. In case that your browser’s homepage or search engine has also been replaced and doesn’t want to go away, the instructions below will help you permanently uninstall it and restore your favorite browser settings.
What issues may Cookies On-Off Extension cause to your system?
Once your browser has been hijacked by a program like Cookies On-Off Extension, your system may start displaying an abnormal amount of pop-up ads during each and every search session. In addition, this program may begin to monitor your browsing queries, and start collecting information related to your browsing preferences such as searches, most visited sites, the information you enter when you visit these sites, IP address and location of your computer. This information is considered to be personal non-identifying information, but its collection and usage by third parties may result in increased spam disturbance and exposure to more nagging ads. The people who benefit from collecting it are usually marketers, vendors and online advertisers, who try to use this information to target the displayed ads more precisely and to redirect you to sites and offers that correspond to your searches. This way, they can benefit from your clicks and get remunerated for them thanks to methods like Pay-Per-Click or some paid advertisement positioning.
Such activity is generally seen as a common online advertising practice, which, despite being invasive, is not considered harmful to your system. It cannot be accused of some malicious deeds like data corruption, spying, online fraud or theft, which are typical for the normal viruses and harmful threats like Trojan horses, Ransomware and Spyware. Still, if not malicious, the browser hijacker’s behavior may eventually be a source of browsing disturbance for some users. If you think you are one of those users, whose normal web activity has been interrupted by Cookies On-Off Extension or a similar program, having it removed may be the only permanent solution for you. Feel free to use the instructions in the removal guide below in order to identify the right components and safely delete them from your system.
How can you prevent Cookies On-Off Extension from becoming part of your system?
If your web browser redirects you to unknown sites or shows you different pop-up ads during browsing, it means that a browser hacker is hidden in your system. As we have already mentioned in the beginning of this article, such potentially unwanted software is actively spreading through software packages. Luckily, you don’t have to stop using free programs to protect yourself from browser hijackers like Cookies On-Off Extension. To prevent them from getting installed, you should use the following tips:
- When choosing a free program, make sure you have read the privacy policy and the license agreement. If tracking browser behavior, ad content, and similar things are mentioned, you should look for a different software installer.
- If you have the intention to install a new program, make sure that you do not click on the Quick, Basic, or Recommended installation. Select the Manual or Detailed installation instead and customize the installer.
- Be very careful during the installation process and read what is written in each of the windows. If you see a highlighted field that allows changes to the homepage or the default search engine, you need to unmark it. You should also reject suggestions to install unknown browser components, extensions, and plugins.
- Install reliable anti-spyware software and keep it up-to-date. This will help you avoid not only browser hijackers, but also nasty viruses and much more serious infections like Trojans and Ransomware, which may hide deep into the software bundles.
- The source of this guide is howtoremove.guide’s Cookies On-Off Extension guide
SUMMARY:
| Name | Cookies On-Off Extension |
| Type | Adware/Browser Hijacker |
| Danger Level | Medium (nowhere near threats like Ransomware, but still a security risk) |
| Symptoms | Your browser may start to redirect you to unknown sites or show you different pop-up ads during browsing. |
| Distribution Method | Spam messages, software bundles, free installers, torrents, shareware sites, download links from the web. |
Cookies On-Off Extension Removal
I – Safe mode and revealing hidden files
II – Uninstallation
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- Use the Winkey+R keyboard combination, write Control Panel in the search field and hit enter.
- Go to Uninstall a program under Programs.
- Seek the unwanted software, select it and then click on Uninstall
If you are unable to spot Cookies On-Off Extension, search for any unrecognized programs that you do not remember installing on your PC – the unwanted software might disguise itself by going under a different name.
III – Cleaning all your browsers
- Go to your browser’s icon, right-click on it and select Properties.
- Go to the Shortcut tab and in the Target make sure to delete anything written after “.exe”.
- Now, open your browser and follow the instructions below depending on whether you are using Chrome, Mozilla or IE.
- Chrome users:
- Go to your browser’s main menu located in the top-right corner of the screen and select Settings.
- Scroll down, click on Show Advanced Settings and then select Clear browsing data. Just to be sure, tick everything and clear the data.
- Now, in the left pane, go to Extensions and look through all extensions that are integrated within your browser. If you notice any suspicious add-on, disable it and then remove it.
- Firefox users:
- Similarly to Chrome, go to the main menu and select Add-ons and then Extensions.
- Remove any suspicious browser extensions that you may have even if they do not have the name Cookies On-Off Extension on them.
- IE users:
- Go to Tools and select Manage add-ons.
- Click on all add-on types from the left pane and check if there is anything suspicious in the right panel. In case you find anything shade, make sure to remove it.
IV – Removing Shady processes
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- Go to your start menu, type Task Manager in the search field and from the results open View running processes with Task Manager.
- Thoroughly look through all processes. The name Cookies On-Off Extension might not be there, but if you notice any shady looking process that consumes high amounts of memory it might be ran by the unwanted program.
- If you spot the process ran by Cookies On-Off Extension, right-click on it, open its file location and delete everything in there. Then go back to the Task Manager and end the process.
V – DNS check
- In the start menu search box write View Network Connections and open the first result.
- Right-click on the network connection you are using and go to Properties.
- Select Internet Protocol Version (TCP/IPv4) and click on Properties.
- If Obtain DNS server addresses automatically is not checked, check it.
- Go to Advanced and select the DNS If there is anything in the DNS server addresses field, remove it and click OK.
- Click OK on the rest of the opened windows.
