Remove Trojans - how it works

Once you've caught a trojan, removing it isn't always that easy. We'll show you how to get rid of the trojan. Free malware scanners, which also take care of the removal, help you with this.

Step 1: Remove Trojan completely from Windows

• If you have just caught the trojan, in some cases it is worthwhile to disconnect from the Internet. Trojans can therefore not receive any further instructions via the Internet.
• However, download the free Malwarebytes Anti-Malware virus scanner beforehand. This is extremely reliable both for the detection and removal of viruses. Do a thorough scan and remove any finds.
• If the software is not found, the scan can also help with a second tool. Also try it with Dr. Web CureIt and the Spyware Terminator. Do not run the checks at the same time, otherwise the processes will take a long time. Especially with newer Trojans it happens that a malware tool does not yet know and can identify the Trojan.

Step 2: Safe Mode and System Restore

• If the trojan is still not found or removed, run the scan in safe mode. Only the most necessary services are loaded by Windows, so that the Trojan usually remains deactivated and can therefore be removed. Here you will find instructions from Windows 8 and Windows 7 and older.
• If removal does not work in safe mode, try a system restore. Choose as early as possible when the trojan was definitely not on your PC. You can find instructions in this practical tip.

Step 3: completely reinstall Windows

• If all of this does not help, you usually only have to reinstall Windows. All data is deleted, including the Trojan.
• Back up all the data you need beforehand in an online storage such as Dropbox or on an external device such as a USB stick or an external hard drive.
• We show you how to completely reinstall Windows in the following instructions for Windows 7 and Windows 8/10.

In the next practical tip, we will show you how to check individual files online for viruses.