This is only relevant if you use AVG but with some versions, as of today, it’ll pop up a window saying “AVG recommended product upgrade”. If you didn’t know, you might thing it’s like the updates it does automatically – something you need. But this one isn’t.
If you click on Next when it appears, you’ll get a screen like this:
(Click on the picture to see it a bit bigger – click the back button to get back here again).
If you click on Next it’ll install the “AVG toolbar” to your web browser – and if you leave the box on the left ticked it’ll also set your search provider to Yahoo, instead of Google, Microsoft or whoever you use.
Now it won’t harm your PC in any way, but in my opinion this “upgrade” is pretty much pointless. It just clutters up your browser with another toolbar that you’ll probably never use.
If you’re wondering why they’re doing it I’m 99% sure they’ll be paid by Yahoo for getting more people to use Yahoo to search instead of Google. It’s one more reason why I’m gradually moving from recommending AVG to recommending Microsoft Security Essentials as free anti-virus software, even though the AVG protection itself is very good.
Anyway, if you get this window pop up, I’d recommend choosing “Cancel”.
Tim
I did land myself as Tim describes with Yahoo etc -don’t want it.How do I get rid of it without in any unsubscribing to AVG?Jo
Don’t worry – it’s not too tricky!
First make sure you don’t have any programs open and click on the start button in the bottom left of the screen and then go into “control panel”. Click on Add/remove programs and you’ll be given a list of programs installed on your PC (chances are there’ll be LOTS!)
Scroll down until you get to AVG Toolbar – it should be in alphabetical order but it’s just possible it’ll be listed under S for Security Toolbar instead of A for AVG toolbar.
Click on it, then click on remove – it might check you really do want to, so just click on yes or OK – it should then go ahead and get rid of it for you.
I’d recommend restarting the PC before you use it for anything else, just so Windows properly realises the program is gone.
Tim