YouTube Accelerator Adware
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is YouTube Accelerator?
Created by Goobzo Ltd, the YouTube Accelerator (also known as YouTubeAccelerator) browser add-on claims to enhance the Internet browsing experience by streaming videos from YouTube and other video sites smoothly without annoying buffering and pauses.
While this functionality may seem legitimate, the YouTube Accelerator browser extension is categorized as adware or a potentially unwanted application.
This plug-in does not block ads - in fact, it generates intrusive third party ads ('Ads by YouTube Accelerator') including, for example, banner, text, and pop-up advertisements. Clicking ads displayed by YouTube Accelerator can result in high-risk malware infections.
As well as generating deceptive ads, this bogus browser plug-in tracks users' Internet browsing activity by recording IP addresses, unique identifier numbers, operating systems, browser information, URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries entered, and other software and hardware information.
This unwanted tracking can result in serious privacy issues or identity theft. At time of research, this adware was distributed using deceptive free software 'download clients' that trick Internet users into installing YouTube Accelerator without their consent.
To avoid further damage by poorly-programmed adware, eliminate this potentially unwanted application from your Internet browsers.
YouTube Accelerator is similar to other adware, which infiltrates browsers through freeware downloads. Examples include Media Buzz, Rich Media View, and Atuzi. These browser extensions claim to enhance Internet browsing, however, they merely diminish browser performance and cause intrusive ads.
To avoid installation of these potentially unwanted applications, express caution when downloading and installing free software since, today, most freeware download websites employ deceptive 'download clients' to monetize their free services.
Download clients are small programs that manage the download process and offer additional download of advertised browser plug-ins together with the chosen freeware.
To avoid adware infections, decline installation of any promoted browser extensions. When installing downloaded free programs, choose the 'Advanced' or 'Custom' installation options - this will reveal any 'bundled' adware listed for installation.
Internet users who observe ads generated by YouTube Accelerator should use this removal guide to eliminate this potentially unwanted program from their Internet browsers.
Free software installers used in YouTube Accelerator adware distribution:
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Quick menu:
- What is Youtube Accelerator?
- STEP 1. Uninstall Youtube Accelerator application using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove Youtube Accelerator add-on from Internet Explorer.
- STEP 3. Remove Youtube Accelerator plugin from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove Youtube Accelerator extension from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 5. Remove YouTube Accelerator extension from Safari.
- STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
Youtube Accelerator 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 "YouTube Accelerator", select this entry and click "Uninstall" or "Remove". At time of testing, Youtube Accelerator adware installed together with the "Shopper-Pro", "SensePlus", "iWebar", and "Ge-Force" potentially unwanted programs - to stop intrusive online ads, users should uninstall them.
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted program (which causes YouTube Accelerator ads), scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components or possible malware infections. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
Remove YouTube Accelerator adware from 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 "YouTube Accelerator", select this entry and click "Remove". At time of testing, this potentially unwanted application installed with other adware, and therefore, inspect all installed browser plug-ins and remove any which look suspicious. Note that by default there should be no browser extensions installed on Internet Explorer.
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the youtube accelerator potentially unwanted program, 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: "YouTube Accelerator", select this entry and click the trash can icon. At time of testing, this potentially unwanted application installed with other adware, and therefore, inspect all installed browser plug-ins and remove any which look suspicious. Note that by default there should be no browser extensions installed on Google Chrome.
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the youtube accelerator potentially unwanted program, 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 plugins 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 "YouTube Accelerator". At time of testing, this potentially unwanted application installed with other adware, and therefore, inspect all installed browser plug-ins and remove any which look suspicious. Note that by default there should be no browser extensions installed on Mozilla Firefox.
Optional method:
Computer users who have problems with youtube accelerator potentially unwanted program 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 youtube accelerator potentially unwanted program, 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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