OneLaunch
OneLaunch is a legitimate software tool designed to improve the functionality of your Desktop by adding new features to it. OneLaunch includes features such as quicker access to your location, weather, bookmarks, news, and more, and it also comes with a custom Chromium-based browser.
The focus of OneLaunch is to let you access different features that Windows already has more quickly, while also adding some new features that weren’t present before on the computer. At first glance, if you are looking to optimize and streamline your working process, this seems like a great tool for the task. It’s also not too taxing on the system, which is an important factor as it doesn’t impact the computer’s performance.
What is OneLaunch?
OneLaunch is an app that streamlines one’s working experience by adding new features to the computer’s Desktop and easing the access to built-in Windows features. However, due to somewhat questionable marketing and bundling practices associated with this app, some users prefer to have it removed.
One such bundling practice that some users may see as problematic is the aforementioned custom browser that, once installed, automatically handles searches made through the OneLaunch dock. The browser itself redirects the user’s searches to a Yahoo landing page, which could include advertised links that can be difficult to discern from regular search result links, and so the user may end up interacting with the ad without wanting it. Though many would not see this as a huge issue, it can still be deemed a somewhat unfair promotional practice. It must be noted, though, that one could easily change the default search engine used by the OneLaunch browser and there are even instructions on how to do it on the OneLaunch site.
Something else that must be noted about OneLaunch is its data-collection policy. While the app’s developers of the app are upfront about the possibility of collecting personal data from the users, and they declare that if such data is collected, it would only be used for lawful purposes, this may not be enough to give some users peace of mind. In the current day and age of frequent data breaches and data leaks, it’s best to limit the number of sites, services, and software that is allowed to collect personal data about you. Of course, if you enjoy OneLaunch and are okay with your data being collected, that is perfectly okay, but just in case you haven’t read the privacy policy of the service, you have now been informed about the possibility of personal data such as credit card numbers, IP address, geolocation, name, phone number, etc. being collected by this software (and used in accordance with the law).
The OneLaunch “malware”
The OneLaunch “malware” is how misinformed users may refer to OneLaunch, especially if the app got installed on their computers without their informed permission. The way the OneLaunch “malware” could get installed without the user’s knowledge is through the practice of file-bundling.
OneLaunch is typically distributed via its official site, but it could also be bundled with other software and get installed alongside it. This is a common practice used by software developers of free apps that helps them reach more users and establish a bigger user-base. While the practice itself is legitimate, it’s often seen as misleading due to the fact that most users don’t pay too much attention to the details of a given installer and don’t check the Advanced/Custom setup settings where it can typically be seen what apps are bundled with the installer.
If you are among those users who have gotten OneLaunch without really wanting it, the most likely reason for this is because you’ve recently installed another program on your PC that had OneLaunch bundled with it.
OneLaunch – should I remove it?
Whether you should remove OneLaunch or not is up to you to decide, as the app has its pros and cons. That said, you should probably uninstall OneLaunch if you have gotten this app without really wanting it, and you don’t find it useful.
How to get rid of OneLaunch?
To get rid of OneLaunch and any other components that may have been installed on your PC alongside it, you need to follow these next steps:
- Run the official uninstaller from OneLaunch.
- Check for remaining unwanted processes, end them, and delete their data.
- Remove OneLaunch items from the Startup list, the Task Scheduler, and the Hosts file.
- Check the Registry for remaining OneLaunch items and delete them to get rid of OneLaunch.
Malware Removal Guide
For those of you who are convinced they cannot remove OneLaunch through legitimate means and believe they are a victim of a malware, try the following:
1. Locate and scan malicious processes in your task manager.
2. Identify in your Control panel any programs installed with the malware, and how to remove them. Search Marquis is a high-profile hijacker that gets installed with a lot of malware.
3. How to clean up and reset your browser to its original settings without the malware returning.
You can find the removal guide here.
For mobile devices refer to these guides instead: Android, iPhone.
4. If none of this works, you can straight up try to download a malware removal program such as SpyHunter (link is to a download page from us).
Great article by a malware apologist. Anyone who has issue with the tone of this writing does not appreciate how beneficial malware apps might be to be installed on your PC without your permission.
Two thumbs up.
Hi please what is this thing that appeared in my desk top it says is one launch.
Hi MERCEDES,
did you go through the Removal guide ?
Hi , I have downloaded one launch but now have the Manuals download page frozen in the centre of my screen. I am typing this message with half of what i type being obscured. could you please helpme to clear the screen. iam not sure if i will be able to read the answer.
Hi DAVID GEORGE TOMPKINS,
First and foremost, don’t leave your phone in such places. Not every person on the internet is with good intentions. You have to restart your computer in Safe Mode and follow the removal link described here .
Onelaunch is malware! I Did not give permission for this junk to be installed on my computer and once it was on there my computer became much slower, nearly unresponsive. Not to mention it altered my search and other behaviors! Then finally this morning a screen came up I could not close saying “Microsoft has detected a virus, Call this 800 number for Microsoft Support” which definately was not Microsoft!
I uninstalled OneLaunch. PLEASE, Now remove that winter picture off my Computer.
Hi Frances Guevara,
are you talking about your Wallpaper?
“OneLaunch is a legitimate software tool”
Any app that reinstalls itself after removal is malware. Any app that downloads exe’s with randomized characters and falsely named exes is malware. Any app that embeds itself in the registry/scheduled tasks to search for and reinstall itself is malware. Onelaunch… is Malware. Period. FYI I have about a dozen users that swear they didnt install this malware and i believe them. We blocked exe’s from running in the user profile and what we noticed was dozens of Onelaunch*.exe’s being downloaded and an attempt at executing. When we blocked all traffic from their domain the downloads stopped. It also appears to me this is being delivered by ad networks. All of our users are remote and we should have a machine back Monday or Tuesday for full analyses. Either way, Onelaunch is Malware.