Some users have been unable to uninstall Chromium from their PC using the conventional ways. While this tin certainly be an installation glitch, this particular issue is most likely caused past a fake Chromium package – malware that is frequently bundled with freeware or shareware available on some download sites.

This article is meant as an informative guide to aid users uninstall both the clean version of Chromium and the malware-infected one.

What is Chromium?

Chromium is a legitimate open-source browser project originally created past Google which forms the ground of Google Chrome. Chromium seems almost identical with Google Chrome, but the latest has an impressive list of improved featured over its open source counterpart.

Because it's open source, the source code of Chromium tin exist downloaded past anyone interested, modified and and then re-compiled into a working web browser. As you tin imagine, this can pose a serious security chance with unsuspecting users.

Keep in mind that most Chromium builds are portable and volition not require you to install them. However, there are certain Chromium-derived projects that distribute it via installers. Even more than, a clean Chromium build volition non start automatically at startup and is not bundled with other software.

Potential security run a risk posed by Chromium

At its core, Chromium is harmless by itself and should not be regarded as a security business concern. Still, given the fact that its open source, some malware creators use Chromium to create malware-infected versions and trick users into installing them on their PCs.

The main purpose of infected Chromium installations is to pump your PC total of adware, redirect yous to certain links, track your online behavior and convince you to download additional infected software.

The good news is, malware-infected Chromium versions are quite easy to place if you know where to wait. Hither'south a list of some of the problems you might experience if yous are dealing with a malware infected Chromium browser:

  • Your computer suddenly has the Chromium browser even if you didn't manually installed it on your organization – This occurs considering the malware is frequently bundled with other software and will install automatically.
  • Your default browser is changed to Chromium without your permission.
  • Chromium isn't listed in Control Panel > Programs and Features and tin can't be uninstalled conventionally.
  • The default search engine is replaced with a shady search provider automatically.
  • Yous become abiding redirects, pop-ups and new tabs while browsing.
  • You start experiencing extremely low get-go-ups and your PC runs increasingly irksome.
  • Every once in a while, you get ad pop-ups and notifications that cannot be blocked. They frequently prompt you to download additional software (which is besides malware).

If your PC is having some of the symptoms higher up, yous're probably dealing with an infected Chromium version. Ignoring an infection such as this is not advisable since information technology can cause huge problems along the manner. Here's a listing of Chromium-based browsers that are known to engage in malware activities:

  • BoBrowser
  • Chedot
  • eFast
  • BrowseAir
  • MyBrowser
  • Olcinium
  • Palikan
  • Tortuga
  • Qword
  • WebDiscover Browser

Annotation: Keep in heed that this is just a shortlist with obscure Chromium-based browsers that are arranged with malware. On height of this list, there'due south a whole lot of Chromium clones that await and behave exactly the same as the real Chromium (same icon, same name, same menus).

Identify if your Chromium Browser is Malware

If you're currently unable to uninstall Chromium, it's important to identify if you're dealing with a malware-infected version or the make clean Chromium. A quick way to decide this is to pop up Chore Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and see whether you have multiple instances of the Chromium browser in your Processes tab.

Note: Multiple Chromium processes that use Loftier CPU resources are a articulate sign of a malware infection. If you have multiple Chromium instances, there's a loftier risk that you lot're dealing with a malware infection – in this case, the first two methods and starting time straight with Method 3. Proceed in mind that this particular scenario can also be encountered with Chrome (where you have multiple Chrome processes).

In the event that y'all only encounter one Chromium process (with little resource usage), you might not be dealing with a malware infection – in this case, outset with the first method and follow the rest in order until you lot encounter a fix that manages to remove Chromium from your PC.

Below you take a collection of methods that accept successfully helped users to uninstall Chromium from their systems. If you didn't see multiple Chromium processes in Chore Manager, follow each method in order until you find a fix that is constructive in your situation.

Steps to Forcefully Uninstall Chromium

one. Uninstall from Control Panel and Delete AppData folder

There take been some reports where users were unable to install the clean version of Chromium. Some users accept reported that Chromium was notwithstanding loaded at startup despite existence uninstalled from Programs and Features. Every bit it turns out, this is really a known glitch and has nothing to do with a malware infection. In this instance, the solution would be to find the Chromium folder in the AppData folder and delete it manually.

Follow the steps downwardly below to remove the legitimate version of Chromium:

Notation: Skip the showtime ii steps if you already uninstalled Chromium from Programs and Features.

  1. Press Windows fundamental + R to open a Run window. Blazon "appwiz.cpl" and hit Enter to open Programs and Features.
  2. Scroll down through the Programs and Features list, right-click on Chromium and cull Uninstall. Follow the on-screen prompts to remove information technology from your reckoner.
    Notation: Reboot your computer and encounter whether you're still seeing traces of Chromium. If yous're nevertheless seeing a Chromium icon in your System Tray, continue with the side by side steps.
  3. Open up a File Explorer window and navigate to C (Windows Drive) > Users > "Your Personal Folder" > AppData > Local.
    Note: If you're not able to locate the AppData folder, it'southward probably because you have hidden folders disabled by default. In this case, open a Run window (Windows central + R), type "command.exe folders" and hit Enter to open Binder Options. So, go to the View tab and select Show hidden files, folders and drives under Hidden files and folders. Hitting Apply to confirm the changes.
  4. In AppData, locate the Chromium binder and delete it completely – make sure to clean your Recycle Bin after deleting information technology from AppData.
    Note:     If you lot got the "Folder in use" mistake while trying to delete the AppData folder, make sure that Chromium is completely closed. Check your Arrangement Tray for a Chromium icon – if you lot see the Chromium icon, right-click on it and cull Leave, then try to delete the Chromium folder again.

Now that you removed the Chromium's AppData folder, reboot your reckoner and see if y'all managed to uninstall it completely. If you're still seeing traces of Chromium, go on with Method ii.

2. Employ an uninstaller software

Considering Chromium comes in a lot of unlike shapes and sizes, some packages might accept bugs that will prevent the software from uninstalling successfully. If the first method was not constructive, let's come across if a specialized removal tool can do the play a trick on.

At that place are a lot of powerful uninstallers out there, then feel free to utilise whichever you lot feel more comfortable with. We happened to use iOBit Uninstaller because it was already installed. You can also use CCleaner or Revo to achieve the aforementioned purpose.

If you're having trouble using a specialized tool to uninstall Chromium, here'due south a quick guide to doing it with iOBit Uninstaller:

  1. Download and installiOBit Uninstaller from the official link (here).Be certain to check Custom Installation and prevent whatsoever bundled software from installing to your PC.
  2. Open up iOBit Uninstaller,click on All Programs in the left-mitt panel, then detect Chromium in the right-hand panel. And so, click the recycle bin icon associated with the Chromium entry.
  3. Check the box next to Automatically remove rest files, then hit the Uninstall button.

Once the software is uninstalled, reboot your organisation and encounter whether this removed any signs of Chromium.

If you're still seeing signs of Chromium (Arrangement Tray icon or processes in Task Manager), yous're probably dealing with a malware infection. In this case, follow the methods below to remove it from your computer.

3. Remove the Chromium Malware manually

Chromium-derivated malware is known to accept regenerative properties. Every bit some users have pointed out, the virus has the chapters of re-infecting your PC if not removed properly the commencement fourth dimension. The virus is known to be quite heavy on your organization resources, and so expect your overall PC operation to get worse and worse over time if you leave the malware infection unattended.

If the previous two methods have been ineffective in removing Chromium (or you discovered multiple Chromium processes in Task Manager), information technology's clear that you're dealing with a malware infection.

Fortunately, there is a fashion of removing the malware permanently from your reckoner. Do and so by post-obit the total instructions below:

Note: Keep in mind that depending on the malware you're struggling with, the verbal name of the folders might exist different, but the procedure is exactly the same.

  1. Open Chore Managing director (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), go to the Processes tab and locate the Chromium processes. Then, right-click on whatsoever of them and choose Open File Location.
  2. Past at present, yous should take gained entry to the malware's location. But before you remove the malware folder, we'll need to close every Chromium process. If you don't practise it, it volition say that the files are in apply and you won't exist allowed to delete the malware. With this in mind, close every Chromium process (Right-click > Finish Task) in Job manager and quickly move down to the next step.
    Note:These processes will automatically re-open over time, so do the steps equally quickly every bit possible.
  3. In one case every Chromium process is closed, return to the malware location folder and delete the main executable (Explore.exe). The executable hosts the vast majority of data related to the malware – deleting information technology should prevent new processes from spawning once again.
    Note: If right-click > Delete doesn't work, manually drag the file to your Recycle Bin.
  4. Once the executable is removed, delete the residue of files from the Explore binder. Once all the files are removed, hit the Up arrow and delete the Explore binder as a whole.
    Note: You can't delete the binder as a whole unless you remove its contents first.
  5. Next, delete the leftover Information folder and motility upwards in the folder hierarchy to Local.
  6. Finally, delete the Games Bot folder from Local.
  7. Brand sure to empty the contents of your Recycle Bin and reboot your organisation. Your system should restart without whatsoever traces of the Chromium malware.

Even if this method has been constructive, delight follow through with the final method to ensure that you lot remove every trace of the malware.

four. Remove Malware left overs

As mentioned in a higher place, this particular virus has regenerative properties. If not removed entirely, it has the ways to re-download the missing files and keep at it. Fifty-fifty more, if you had it for a while, it might have infected other processes as well.

To ensure that we remove every trace of information technology, let'southward do an anti-malware scan to remove every last trace of the malware. This item Chromium-derived malware is known to leave behind registry entries that tin leave to successful browser hijacks. You can use a number of tools to get this job done, just we recommend Malwarebytes because it's a free, accommodating solution.

Follow the guide below to remove any trace of the Chromium Malware:

  1. Download & install Malwarebytes from the official link (here).
  2. Open up Malwarebytes and click Browse from the left-most panel. Then select Threat Scan and hit the Beginning Scan button.
  3. Look until the scan is complete, information technology might accept a couple of hours, depending on your organization.
  4. Once it's complete, see if information technology removed any registry entries or browser related files by clicking on View Identified Threats.So, make sure all threats are selected and hitting the Quarantine Selected push button.
  5. Regardless of the outcome, reboot your organization one last time. At the side by side startup, at that place should not exist whatsoever trace of the Chromium malware.