HDWallpaper Adware

What is HDWallpaper?

HDWallpaper is a deceptive application that supposedly provides users with access to a large collection of desktop wallpapers. Initially, this functionality may appear legitimate and useful, however, HDWallpaper usually infiltrates systems without users' permission.

Furthermore, it tracks Internet browsing activity and displays intrusive online advertisements. For these reasons, HDWallpaper is categorized as a potentially unwanted program (PUP) and adware.

Following successful infiltration, HDWallpaper monitors Internet browsing activity by gathering various information that might be personally identifiable including IP addresses, website URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries. The recorded data is shared with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) who misuse private data to generate revenue.

This can lead to serious privacy issues. Furthermore, HDWallpaper employs a 'virtual layer' to generate various intrusive online advertisements. This enables placement of third party graphical content on any site.

Therefore, displayed ads often conceal underlying content of users' visited websites, thereby significantly diminishing the web browsing experience. In addition, these ads can redirect to malicious websites - even accidental clicks can result in high-risk adware or malware infections. For these reasons, we strongly advise you to uninstall HDWallpaper adware immediately.

The Internet is full of adware-type applications similar to HDWallpaper including PDFDEFAULT, ProxyGate, and Windows Range Manager - these just some examples from a long list. Note that adware-type apps offer 'valuable functions', however, these applications provide no significant value for regular users.

The purpose of adware is only to generate revenue for the developers. These apps merely generate intrusive online advertisements, collect personal data, and often cause unwanted browser redirects.

How did HDWallpaper install on my computer?

This adware has an official download website, however, developers also distribute HDWallpaper using a deceptive marketing method called "bundling" - stealth installation of potentially unwanted programs with regular software/apps. Developers know that many users do not express enough caution during the download/installation processes.

Aware of this, developers intentionally hide potentially unwanted programs such as HDWallpaper within the "Custom" or "Advanced" settings. Skipping this section often leads to inadvertent installation of bogus programs, exposing the system to risk of various infections and compromising their privacy.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

There are two simple steps you should take to prevent this situation. Firstly, closely analyze each step of the download/installation processes using the "Custom" or "Advanced" settings. Furthermore, decline offers to download/install additional apps and cancel those already included.

Deceptive free software installers distributing HDWallpaper adware:

HDWallpaper installation setup:

Screenshot of HDWallpaper application:

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Quick menu:

• What is HDWallpaper?
• STEP 1. Uninstall HDWallpaper application using Control Panel.
• STEP 2. Remove HDWallpaper adware from Internet Explorer.
• STEP 3. Remove HDWallpaper ads from Google Chrome.
• STEP 4. Remove 'Ads by HDWallpaper' from Mozilla Firefox.
• STEP 5. Remove HDWallpaper extension from Safari.
• STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.

HDWallpaper adware removal:

Windows 11 users:

Right-click on the Start icon, select Apps and Features. In the opened window search for the application you want to uninstall, after locating it, click on the three vertical dots and select Uninstall.

Windows 10 users:

Right-click in the lower left corner of the screen, in the Quick Access Menu select Control Panel. In the opened window choose Programs and Features.

Windows 7 users:

Click Start (Windows Logo at the bottom left corner of your desktop), choose Control Panel. Locate Programs and click Uninstall a program.

macOS (OSX) users:

Click Finder, in the opened screen select Applications. Drag the app from the Applications folder to the Trash (located in your Dock), then right click the Trash icon and select Empty Trash.

In the uninstall programs window, look for "HDWallpaper", select this entry and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

After uninstalling the potentially unwanted program that causes HDWallpaper ads, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components or possible malware infections. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.

Remove HDWallpaper adware from Internet browsers:

At time of research, HDWallpaper did not install its browser plug-ins on Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, or Mozilla Firefox, however, it was bundled with other adware. Therefore, you are advised to remove all potentially unwanted browser add-ons from your Internet browsers.

Video showing how to remove potentially unwanted browser add-ons:

Remove malicious add-ons from Internet Explorer:

Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Manage Add-ons". Look for any recently-installed suspicious browser extensions, select these entries and click "Remove".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the ads by hdwallpaper, reset your Internet Explorer settings to default.

Windows XP users: Click Start, click Run, in the opened window type inetcpl.cpl In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.

Windows Vista and Windows 7 users: Click the Windows logo, in the start search box type inetcpl.cpl and click enter. In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.

Windows 8 users: Open Internet Explorer and click the gear icon. Select Internet Options.

In the opened window, select the Advanced tab.

Click the Reset button.

Confirm that you wish to reset Internet Explorer settings to default by clicking the Reset button.

Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Tools" and click "Extensions". Locate all recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons, select these entries and click the trash can icon.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the ads by hdwallpaper, reset your Google Chrome browser settings. Click the Chrome menu icon  (at the top right corner of Google Chrome) and select Settings. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen. Click the Advanced… link.

After scrolling to the bottom of the screen, click the Reset (Restore settings to their original defaults) button.

In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Google Chrome settings to default by clicking the Reset button.

Remove malicious plug-ins from Mozilla Firefox:

Click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons". Click "Extensions", in the opened window, remove all recently-installed suspicious browser plug-ins.

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with ads by hdwallpaper removal can reset their Mozilla Firefox settings.

Open Mozilla Firefox, at the top right corner of the main window, click the Firefox menu, in the opened menu, click Help.

Select Troubleshooting Information.

In the opened window, click the Refresh Firefox button.

In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Mozilla Firefox settings to default by clicking the Refresh Firefox button.

Remove malicious extensions from Safari:

Make sure your Safari browser is active, click Safari menu, and select Preferences....

In the opened window click Extensions, locate any recently installed suspicious extension, select it and click Uninstall.

Optional method:

Make sure your Safari browser is active and click on Safari menu. From the drop down menu select Clear History and Website Data...

In the opened window select all history and click the Clear History button.

Remove malicious extensions from Microsoft Edge:

Click the Edge menu icon  (at the upper-right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Extensions". Locate all recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons and click "Remove" below their names.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the ads by hdwallpaper, reset your Microsoft Edge browser settings. Click the Edge menu icon  (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge) and select Settings.

In the opened settings menu select Reset settings.

Select Restore settings to their default values. In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Microsoft Edge settings to default by clicking the Reset button.

• If this did not help, follow these alternative instructions explaining how to reset the Microsoft Edge browser.

Summary:

Commonly, adware or potentially unwanted applications infiltrate Internet browsers through free software downloads. Note that the safest source for downloading free software is via developers' websites only. To avoid installation of adware, be very attentive when downloading and installing free software. When installing previously-downloaded free programs, choose the custom or advanced installation options – this step will reveal any potentially unwanted applications listed for installation together with your chosen free program.

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