GameHug is listed as an adware. It gets installed on users computers without them even being aware of that. Even though it’s presented as an useful application that will enhance your everyday life by allowing you to play various online games, it has some major downsides and it’s not worth keeping installed on your computer. If you have noticed advertisements displayed by GameHug, your computer is probably infected and you need to get rid of this malware as soon as possible. You can choose how to do this – manually or automatically. It’s much easier to remove GameHug automatically so if you are not an experienced computer user, we recommend you to chose this option. Download a trustworthy anti-malware program, such as Spyhunter, Malwarebytes or StopZilla. Simply install one of these applications and scan your computer. It will automatically detect and remove the threat for good. It will also protect your computer from similar infections in the future. However, if you feel like you could do it by your own or if you don’t want to download any additional software, just follow our step-by-step GameHug removal guide given below this article and remove infection manually. If you would like to find out more about it, please continue reading this article.
About GameHug
GameHug is a website where you can play tons of online mini games. However, while on most websites of this type you can just do it right away, GameHug will ask you to install their browser add-on. It should enhance your gaming experience and offer you new games every once in a while so you would be the first who hears about a new game. However, this add-on has some major downsides as well. It is listed as an adware not for no reason. Once installed, this add-on will display various advertisements on your web browsers. The application currently includes several basic types of advertising: sponsored links, traditional display advertisements, such as banner ads, “pop-unders” and interstitial ads, coupons, and video targeted ads. The sponsored links may sometimes appear as in-text advertising. Sponsored links may also be displayed in response to keyword searches you enter through Google, Bing and other search engines. Those advertisements appear completely random, from time to time and it’s really annoying. A new window or a tab can be opened on your web browser as well. As you can see, this adware can also corrupt your search results. If you click on one of those infected links your computer can get infected or you can get in some other kind of trouble.
It works as a browser add-on that can be added to all most popular web browsers, such as Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and Internet Explorer. The biggest problem is that it gets sponsored from other websites for displaying their advertisements to you and those sponsors often happens to be various cyber criminals, such as hackers and scammers. So even though those advertisements look really appealing, you should not click on them. If you do so, you will be immediately redirected to other websites that may be owned by cyber criminals, such as hackers and scammers and your computer can get infected or if you attempt to purchase something there you can even get scammed and lose your hard earned money.
Another really unwanted attribute of GameHug is data collection. Once installed this add-on will collect all sorts of information about you, such as your browsing history, search queries, Top visited sites, IP and email addresses or even your geographic location. This information is used for marketing purposes. They adjust their advertisements according to the given information and make them more relevant and interesting to your browsing habits this way, so chances that you will click on one of them rises. And its the main goal of GameHug because they get paid for every click you make on those advertisements. They generate web traffic and collect sales leads. Even though it’s not a dangerous virus that can cause a lot of problems itself, it can lead you to some more severe cyber security problems therefore it needs to be removed as soon as possible. It’s not difficult to indicate if your computer is infected with this adware because those advertisements displayed by GameHug are usually labeled with a slogs “Ads by GameHug” or “Brought to you by GameHug”.
Distributhion methods of GameHug
This application can be installed on computer without user even being aware of it because it travels bundled with other free applications that can be downloaded from the Internet. I.e. when you download and install some PDF generator or media player from a website with a questionable reputation, there is a chance that GameHug will be installed alongside. To avoid this happening, you should avoid downloading software from unreliable sources. However, sometimes you just don’t have any other option. In this case, be really careful during the installation of freebie. Do not rush and read all given information. If you notice that some additional software that you are not aware of is being installed alongside, do not allow this installation to be completed because it can be GameHug or any other malware.If it is too late and your computer is already infected, wait no more and take needed actions to get rid of it. As we have mentioned before, you can do it either manually or automatically.
Manual removal of GameHug ads
How to remove GameHug using Windows Control Panel
Many hijackers and adware like GameHug install some of their components as regular Windows programs as well as additional software. This part of malware can be uninstalled from the Control Panel. To access it, do the following.- Start→Control Panel (older Windows) or press Windows Key→Search and enter Control Panel and then press Enter (Windows 8, Windows 10).
- Choose Uninstall Program (if you don't see it, click in the upper right next to "View by" and select Category).
- Go through the list of programs and select entries related to GameHug . You can click on "Name" or "Installed On" to reorder your programs and make GameHug easier to find.
- Click the Uninstall button. If you're asked if you really want to remove the program, click Yes.
- In many cases anti-malware programs are better at detecting related parasites, thus I recommend installing Spyhunter to identify other programs that might be a part of this infection.
TopRemoving GameHug from Chrome
- Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Google Chrome window. Select “Settings”.
- Click “Extensions” on the left menu bar.
- Go through the extensions list and remove programs you do not need, especially similar to GameHug. Click on the trash bin icon next to GameHug or other add-ons you want to remove.
- Press on the “Remove” button on the Confirmation window.
- If unsure, you can disable them temporarily.
- Restart Chrome.
(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings
If you are still experiencing any issues related to GameHug, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.
- Click on Chrome’s menu button (three horizontal lines) and select Settings.
- Scroll to the end of the page and click on the Reset settings button.
- Click on the Reset button on the confirmation box.
If you cannot reset your browser settings and the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program.
TopRemove malicious extensions from Internet Explorer
- Press on the Gear icon→Manage Add-ons.
- Go through Toolbars and extensions. Remove everything related to GameHug and items you do not know that are made not by Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, Oracle or Adobe.
- Close the Options.
(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings
If you are still experiencing any issues related to GameHug, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.
- Press on the Gear icon->Internet Options.
- Choose the Advanced tab and click on the Reset button.
- Select a “Delete personal settings” checkbox and click on the Reset button.
- Click on the Close button on the confirmation box, then close your browser.
If you cannot reset your browser settings and the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program.
TopRemoving GameHug from Firefox
- Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Mozilla window and select the “Add-ons” icon (or press Ctrl+Shift+A on your keyboard).
- Go through Extensions and Addons list, remove everything GameHug related and items you do not recognise. If you do not know the extension and it is not made by Mozilla, Google, Microsoft, Oracle or Adobe then you probably do not need it.
- Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Mozilla Firefox window. Click on the Help button.
- Choose Troubleshooting Information on the Help menu.
- Click on the Reset Firefox button.
- Click on the Reset Firefox button on the confirmation box. Mozilla Firefox will close and change the settings to default.
Automatic Malware removal tools
(Win)
Note: Spyhunter trial provides detection of parasites and assists in their removal for free. limited trial available, Terms of use, Privacy Policy, Uninstall Instructions,
(Mac)
Note: Combo Cleaner trial provides detection of parasites and assists in their removal for free. limited trial available, Terms of use, Privacy Policy, Uninstall Instructions, Refund Policy ,