How to Delete Spyware

Spyware is just one of several types of malware that can interfere with your computer’s performance. The main purpose of spyware is to collect information about you and your Internet surfing habits without your knowledge. While this may not be harmful in itself, spyware can also cause your system to run slower than it should. In some cases, it can also change your computer’s settings or cause one or more components of your system to stop working properly. Because of these problems, deleting spyware on your system is important.

There are two basic ways this can be done.

#1: Delete spyware manually – Sometimes, it’s easy to figure out which installed program on your computer is spyware. If your computer begins running noticeably slower soon after you download a new program, for instance, that’s a good indication you’re dealing with spyware. To fix this, go to the control panel and click on programs to display everything currently installed on your computer. In many cases, you can simply uninstall the spyware and reboot to fix the problem.

#2: Run a scan using an anti-spyware program – Sometimes, spywares is hidden, so it won’t show up in your list of installed programs. In these instances, you need to use a good anti-spywares program. Many experts recommend using a program designed specifically to detect and remove spywares, as general anti-virus software often won’t catch all of these potentially harmful programs. Close your browser and any open programs before you complete a full scan. Delete any spywares found by the program, and then reboot your computer. Run the scan again to make sure all of the potential threats have been removed.

A final note: spywares is often hidden in programs you download from the Internet, so don’t install or run anything you don’t know or trust. A little research and caution can save you problems down the road.