Insta Share Ads

What is Insta Share?

Created by Interesting Solutions, Insta Share is a rogue browser add-on claiming to provide a feature to allow users to share various content with friends and family. Although this may seem a useful and legitimate browser extension, be aware that it is considered to be adware or a potentially unwanted program (PUP).

This rogue browser add-on employs a deceptive software marketing method called 'bundling' to install on Internet browsers (Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Google Chrome) without users' consent.

Bundling allows developers to stealthily distribute their applications together with other software, and therefore, most users install Insta Share inadvertently with other software downloaded from freeware download websites. After successfully infiltration, Insta Share tracks users' Internet browsing activity and generates intrusive online ads.

The list of advertisement types generated by Insta Share include banner, text, pop-up/under, interstitial, and in-text ads. It is highly probable that clicking on any of these advertisements will cause high-risk adware or malware infections.

Furthermore, Insta Share continually monitors users' Internet browsing activity by collecting various software and hardware information including operating system and browser types, device identifiers, list of installed applications, geographic locations, Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, browser history, URLs visited, pages viewed, time spent and activity on these pages, cookies, and other similar details that could be personally identifiable.

This behavior may result in serious privacy issues or identity theft, and therefore, you are strongly advised to eliminate Insta Share from your Internet browsers.

Insta Share is similar to other potentially unwanted programs that use bundling as an installation method. For example: Thug Tracker, Lights Off, PicRec, and Zombie Invasion. These browser extensions provide little or no value for the user, since their main purpose is to generate revenue by the display of intrusive online advertisements.

Research shows that Insta Share is mostly distributed via small programs called 'download managers' on freeware download websites such as soft32.com, download.com, softonic.com, etc. Download managers are used by these websites as free service monetization tools, since they offer installation of advertised '100% virus-free' browser add-ons together with the chosen free software.

Thus, reckless download and installation of freeware often risks system infection with adware or malware. This situation can be prevented by closely inspecting each step of the free software download procedure and clicking 'Decline' if installation of any additional programs is offered.

Furthermore, software downloaded from the Internet should always be installed using the 'Advanced' or 'Custom' options - this will reveal any bundled applications listed for installation and allow you to opt-out.

If your system is already infected with Insta Share, and you observe intrusive online ads while browsing the Internet, read the following removal guide to uninstall this adware from your Internet browsers.

Deceptive free software installer used in Insta Share adware distribution:

Insta Share adware generating intrusive online ads ('Ad by Insta Share'):

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Quick menu:

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

Insta Share 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 "InstaShare", select this entry and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

After uninstalling the potentially unwanted program (which causes Insta Share ads), scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components or possible malware infections. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.

Remove Insta Share 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 "Insta Share", select this entry and click "Remove". Note that Insta Share ads can be caused by other adware. In the Manage Add-ons window, remove all suspicious browser add-ons.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the insta share adware, 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 on "Extensions". Locate: "Insta Share", select this entry and click the trash can icon. Note that Insta Share ads can be caused by other adware. In the "extensions" window of Google Chrome, remove all suspicious browser extensions.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the insta share adware, 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 on "Extensions", in the opened window remove "Insta Share". Note that Insta Share ads can be generated by other adware. In the "Add-ons Manager" window, remove all suspicious browser add-ons.

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with insta share adware 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 insta share adware, 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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