How to uninstall the AVG Security Toolbar

Martin Brinkmann
Sep 7, 2012
Antivirus, Tutorials
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13

AVG Technologies AVG Security Toolbar is included in the company's latest range of security software, as a standalone application, and as a third party offer included in the installer of software such as TuneUp Ztilities, SlimCleaner or PowerIso. Yesterday's release of AVG Antivirus Free 2013 included the AVG Security Toolbar as an offer, and if you did not select custom installation, you'd end up with the toolbar in Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.

So what's the purpose of the toolbar? It ships with a link scanner that displays security information about websites. This is similar to what Web of Trust does. The toolbar itself offers search, weather information, a link to a speedtest and other features that are not really related to security.

Deactivate the AVG Security Toolbar

The toolbar is installed from outside the web browser, which comes with the issue that you can't uninstall the toolbar from within the browser. What you can do however is disable the toolbar in the browser which blocks it from being loaded during browser start or use.

avg security toolbar

Firefox

Load about:addons in the browser's address bar and locate the AVG SiteSafety plugin under plugins here. Click on disable to turn it off in the browser. The button should turn to enable, which you can click on to turn the toolbar on again in the browser.

avg sitesafety plugin

Internet Explorer

To disable the AVG Security Toolbar in Internet Explorer, right-click the toolbar in the browser and uncheck the AVg Security Toolbar option of the context menu.

disable avg toolbar

Uninstall the AVG Security Toolbar

Uninstallation of the toolbar depends largely on how it has been installed on the operating system. If you have installed it as a standalone program or as part of another software installation, you can remove the toolbar using the uninstall a program control panel applet of the operating system.

uninstall avg security toolbar

If you have installed the AVG Security Toolbar as part of another AVG product, you can remove it running the installer again and selecting to add or remove features when it comes up. just uncheck the toolbar here and click next to remove the toolbar from the system.

remove avg security toolbar

Please note that the option to remove individual features from the installation is not displayed if you run the uninstaller.

I'd recommend to close all browser windows before you run the uninstaller to make sure everything can be properly removed from the system without leftovers.

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Comments

  1. Ray said on December 29, 2013 at 3:13 am
    Reply

    I removed all instances of vprot.exe from my registry and startup (run). I then removed everything under “C:\Program Files (x86)\AVG Secure Search”. Then I edited the properties of the “AVG Secure Search” directory, removing inheritance and leaving my account as having the only access and finally, I denied my accounts right to traverse folder/execute file. After a several reboots for good measure, I am having no problem.

    Since the directory exists, AVG can’t create it and the system has no rights to the one that exists, so whatever process keeps reinstalling it, is shutdown cold.

  2. GORDON said on December 6, 2013 at 8:58 am
    Reply

    AVG CRAP can be easily removed with FILE UNLOCKER, COMPLETELY REMOVED! After
    removing AVG CRAP, restore IE by downloading Microsofts IE repair software. PRESTO – NO
    MORE AVG BULLSHIT or lame Indian tech support asking for payment to remove their own
    garbage. AVG installs if you download winzip7 from softpedia, and system information wizard from other download sites.

  3. Bumpyfunk said on May 7, 2013 at 4:22 pm
    Reply

    All I have left on my pc is AVG secure search. When I try the normal Uninstall page of Control Panel, it just hangs and I end up having to restart. The longest we have left it is 4 hours. I have also tried Revo, as another forum swears by it. Same problem.

    Even the AVG site gives you both the Unistall option (that doesn’t work) and the Add Ons option (I use Firefox). Neither work at all.

    Whatever I do, it just hangs. I cant get rid of it. Please help.

  4. Robert Ballesteros said on March 7, 2013 at 11:16 pm
    Reply

    “So what’s the purpose of the toolbar? It ships with a link scanner that displays security information about websites. This is similar to what Web of Trust does. The toolbar itself offers search, weather information, a link to a speedtest and other features that are not really related to security.” Relevant security information about known/unknown websites; a SMALL matter you omitted. Similar to Web of Trust but not the same; another omission In math terms no equal. No, these features are not related to security but are securely offered. Correct me on the last point if I am wrong. I will ask AVG as I conclude with our conversation. “Martin Brinkmann… He is passionate about all things tech and knows the Internet and computers like the back of his hand.” Yea, sure. And at my age I am just to believe it “because I read it on the Internet.” What? Did you write this yourself, Martin? Not ALL of us fall for the same old lame lines. Superior products come from Germany as do Sweden. AVG will tell anyone, for free, how to uninstall their free product line. How would I know? I asked them! Oh, but pardon me. My day and age has passed; you “blogger’s” know everything know adays. Asking a company is tantamount to stupid these days for you young people. I would suppose you consider all the times AVG Safe Search and Surf Shield saved a computer one time as to all the other useless apps out there that freeze a computer to be the main danger to the computer. And we are talking computers, Mr Brinkmann, as a cell phone is a computer with the ability to make a call. Verses a true mobile phone back in my day. Well, you have better things to blog about than an old man like me. In the end, sir, the problem IS the end user and not a company who builds free products for those who know not how to employ them. Try writing about the ineptitude of the end-user. After all if everyone knew their computers OS and how to…… Well, safe to say, Mr. Brinkmann, your work shall never end.

  5. Neal said on January 24, 2013 at 8:35 pm
    Reply

    I cannot seem to block AVG security search toolbar from reinstalling. Whether I use windows uninstall or Revo, I get “Could not uninstall at this time try again later. Revo does show all the files it thinks are related to AVG secure search toolbar, which are scattered throughout my drive, and I select all and delete. The next day I get a new task-bar pop up asking to activate, I decline, but look in the programs and there is AVG secure search listed again!!! I tried in Chrome to block any cookies from AVG, [*.]avg.com, Blocked, under privacy setting. Any thoughts. I also have Symantec endpoint protection but it has no clue this is going on. Any ideas?

  6. SRW said on January 23, 2013 at 8:44 pm
    Reply

    The sitesafety plugin is spyware which cannot be removed from your browser EVER. I have uninstalled the toolbar, and made the error if saying “Yes, keep sitesafety for secure web searches” which means FOREVER. I have deleted all files pointing to AVG, because they will no longer uninstall through control panel add/remove. “Could not uninstall at this time try again later” I don’t want to DISABLE it I want it GONE. But it keeps regenerating. AVG Secure Search directory keeps coming back to life in my Programs Folder, even though I removed everything called AVG in document and settings profiles for administrator, all users, myself, default users, it keeps coming back. It keeps UPDATING with Firefox’s update plugin option, so I am unable to auto update my other VALID plugins due to that one being auto updated and reinstalling everything too. NEVER USE AVG for anything, THEY refuse to help remove it too. They say it is something I must have done. YES, I made the mistake of clicking “Yes, keep avg secure search while removing the toolbar” I have read elsewhere that this IS THE KILLER DECISION. It makes removing secure search impossible.

  7. john said on January 2, 2013 at 8:07 pm
    Reply

    if anyone actually took the time to read through their earnings statement would understand the importance of the toolbar, it’s a cash cow, and can’t blame them for pushing it to uninformed users.
    it’s not a company to bet on when it’s driven mostly by short term revenue rather than innovation…

  8. Patrick said on November 14, 2012 at 11:26 am
    Reply

    Hi! You can also find detailed instructions here: http://www.avg.com/ww-en/secure-search-uninstall I hope it helps. Thanks.

  9. b003 said on September 11, 2012 at 4:37 am
    Reply

    I had GOM player slip this in on an update.

  10. Jakim said on September 7, 2012 at 12:02 pm
    Reply

    Other way: don’t install that crappy AV!

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