Recently, many users have been complaining about strange pop-ups that appear in the bottom-right of their screens. The pop-ups might look like software ads, subscription renewal prompts, or even be disguised as malware warnings, but in all cases, they appear seemingly out of the blue and the reason for them isn’t immediately clear. I am here to tell you that, in 9 out of 10 cases, it’s some kind of adware installed in the system.
A recent example is a rogue app called ToastForm. It’s a type of adware, similar to Kotalq App and Tisiqo App, that installs through file bundles or even comes preinstalled in some computers and its main goal is to spam you with such pop-up ads that try to sell you something or redirect you to some obscure page.
OFFER
Aside from the sheer annoyance caused by the ToastForm ads, those could actually be potentially dangerous to your system and virtual security because the pages they redirect to may not always be safe. Many users fall victim to online scams or get more malware downloaded onto their computers because they mistakenly trust content displayed by adware.
That is why, if you currently have ToastForm in your system and it’s spamming you with ads, I strongly recommend you get rid of it with the help of the guide I’ve prepared for you below.
ToastForm Removal Tutorial
So, ToastForm is malware that some users might be able to get rid of quickly using simple steps. If those don’t work, don’t sweat it – more advanced methods are available. Just tackle the easier stuff first, and if it’s still around, you’ll be ready for the heavy lifting.
Quick Steps to Remove ToastForm
- 1.1Hit the Start Menu, type “Apps & Features”, and press Enter. This pulls up a full list of everything installed on your computer.
- 1.2To make things easier, sort this list by installation date – malware usually shows up as one of the most recent additions.
- 1.3Go through the list carefully. Do you see something weird? Maybe an unfamiliar app with a generic name or an odd-looking icon? If it doesn’t ring a bell, it’s worth investigating.
- 1.4If something seems suspicious, select it and uninstall it. Trust your gut.
- 1.5But don’t stop there. Head over to C:\Program Files and C:\Program Files (x86), find the folder where that program was installed, and manually delete any leftovers. Some malware hides extra files to bring itself back to life.
Now, restart your computer and see if ToastForm is gone. If it’s still lurking, don’t stress – we’ve got more tools to take care of it.
SUMMARY:
Important! Read Before Continuing
Some of the steps shown in the advanced ToastForm removal guide below may seem a bit complex to inexperienced users. If you are having problems with the completion of some of them, know you can always choose to get SpyHunter 5 and use it to remove the malware quickly and safely.
How to Remove the ToastForm Ads
If those quick steps didn’t do the trick and you are still getting annoying ToastForm ads, it’s time to dig deeper. To start, you’ll need to make hidden files visible and get ready to delete those protected ToastForm files. These steps are crucial to really clean up the system and get rid of the malware for good.
1. ToastForm Removal Preparatory Steps
- 1.1
To reveal hidden files, open File Explorer, go to the View tab, then click Options (or Folder Options in some versions). In the new window, navigate to View again and enable “Show hidden files, folders, and drives”. Click Apply and OK. - 1.2Malware loves to protect itself, so you’ll need a tool called LockHunter – a free program that force-deletes locked files. Download and install it now because you’re going to need it later.
Video walkthrough for this step:
Delete the ToastForm Virus Files
ToastForm hides files in specific places to keep itself alive. You’ll need to hunt down these files and remove them. Go through the usual directories carefully and get rid of anything that seems even a little shady. This is essential to make sure the malware stays gone.
2. How to Delete ToastForm Files
- 2.1Open File Explorer and go to these locations:
C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Roaming
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
Take your time and inspect these folders carefully. Do you see files with random names? Weird icons? Anything that looks out of place? Delete anything that seems shady. - 2.2
Time to clear out your Temp folder:
Navigate to C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Local\Temp
Select everything (Ctrl + A) and delete it.
Don’t worry – this won’t break anything. This folder is just a dumping ground for temporary files, and malware loves hiding in here. - 2.3Now, check C:\Program Files and C:\Program Files (x86). Most things here are legit, but malware can blend in. If something doesn’t look right, do a quick search. If it turns out to be malicious, delete it.
- 2.4If a file refuses to go quietly, right-click it, choose “What’s locking it?” in LockHunter, and force-delete it.
How to Delete Persistent Files with Lock Hunter
Remove ToastForm Malware Tasks From the Task Scheduler
ToastForm isn’t just hiding in files but has also likely created automated tasks to allow it to reinstall itself in case it you remove it. These tasks need to be tracked down and deleted. Open up your task scheduler and get rid of anything that seems like it’s connected to the malware. Don’t let it come back.
3. How to Remove ToastForm Entries From the Task Scheduler
- 3.1
Open the Start Menu, type Task Scheduler, and press Enter. Once inside, navigate to Task Scheduler Library. - 3.2Go through each task one by one. Under the “Actions” tab, check if a task is running a suspicious .exe file or script. If you find one, write down its location and delete the task.
- 3.3Now, go to the file location you noted down and delete that file too.
Video walkthrough for this step:
Get Rid of ToastForm Ads Through the System Registry
This malware often messes with your Registry to stay in control. To get rid of the ToastForm ads completely, you’ll need to search for and delete all the related entries. But be careful—if you delete the wrong thing, you could break your system. If you’re unsure, let SpyHunter do the work for you.
4. How to Remove ToastForm Items From the Registry
- 4.1Open the Start Menu, type regedit, and run it as Administrator.
- 4.2Press Ctrl + F, type ToastForm, and search. If you find anything connected to the malware, delete it. After each deletion, search again to make sure there’s nothing left.
- 4.3
Manually check these registry locations: - 4.4If any of these locations contain references to ToastForm, delete the associated values in the right panel, but don’t delete the registry keys themselves (left panel).
Video walkthrough for this step:
Remove ToastForm Browser Policies
ToastForm might have messed with your browser settings, locking your homepage or search engine. If you see “Managed by your organization”, that’s a dead giveaway. The malware’s set up some policies that need to be removed so you can regain control of your browser and reset things to normal.
5. How to Remove Rogue ToastForm Policies
- 5.1
Open the Start Menu, type Edit Group Policy, and open the first result. Now, go to:
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates - 5.2
Right-click the Administrative Templates folder, select Add/Remove, and clear the list. - 5.3If you’re using Chrome, download Chrome Policy Remover, run it as an administrator, and let it reset everything.
- 5.4If Windows warns you about the Policy Remover tool, just click “More Info” > “Run Anyway” – it’s safe, so no worries.
Video walkthrough for this step:
Manual Group Policy Removal
Automatic Group Policy Removal
Uninstall ToastForm From Your Browser
After you’ve wiped those ToastForm policies, you need to undo the changes it made to your browser settings. Go through your settings and fix up your homepage, search engine, and any other settings the malware messed with. Check everything, so you’re back to your preferred setup without any interference.
6. How to Remove ToastForm From Your Browser
- 6.1Remove suspicious extensions – Open your browser’s Extensions page and uninstall anything unfamiliar.
- 6.2
Clear browsing data – Head over to Privacy and Security settings, choose All Time, and delete everything except your saved passwords. - 6.3
Review Site Settings – Revoke permissions for any shady websites. - 6.4
Check search engine settings – Reset your search engine to something you trust. Also, go to Manage Search Engines and remove any sketchy URLs. - 6.5Lastly, check the On Startup and Appearance settings. Make sure there aren’t any suspicious or unknown URLs there.
Video walkthrough for this step:
Chrome
Microsoft Edge
Mozilla Firefox
Complete ToastForm Virus Removal video
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