Remove adware that plays audio ads through your speakers

This step-by-step guide to removing adware that plays audio ads through your speakers explains how to silence Windows and Mac computers without damaging legitimate browser profiles or personal files. The unwanted sound may be background music, a spoken advertisement, or repeated audio notifications that begin without an obvious video.

Audio advertisements can originate from a browser extension, a rogue notification, an installed program, or a compromised startup setting. Some components also redirect searches, change the homepage, or open advertising pages. Cleaning only the visible browser symptom may leave the underlying source active.

Windows laptops and Macs are both familiar in the Australian market, so the culprit may be an Edge or Chrome extension, a Safari extension, or a bundled Windows installer. Shared computers in Sydney cafés, Melbourne libraries and Brisbane community centres can make strange sounds seem like part of the venue, although persistent advertising audio still warrants attention.

Before deleting anything, record when the sound starts, which browsers and applications are open, and whether it continues after every browser is closed. Avoid random “adware removal” utilities, registry cleaners and pop-ups that appear while searching for the problem, as some contain additional unwanted software. Keep important documents backed up before making major system changes.

Identify the source of the sound

Start by separating browser playback from a background program. Open a private, guest or InPrivate window that does not allow extensions to run, then play an ordinary video to confirm that the speakers work normally. If the intrusive sound disappears, an extension, website permission or browser notification is the likely cause. If it continues, close every browser and listen again.

Use Task Manager on Windows or Activity Monitor on macOS to note unfamiliar processes when the audio begins. Do not terminate protected operating-system processes or delete files simply because their names look unusual. A newly installed application with a generic name, repeated advertising activity or a process that disappears while being watched deserves closer inspection. The site’s general malware guidance provides useful context for distinguishing intrusive software from normal system activity.

Clean browser extensions and site permissions

In Chrome, open chrome://extensions; in Edge, visit edge://extensions; and in Safari, open Settings and select Extensions. Remove items installed recently, those from unfamiliar publishers, and those requesting access to all websites, downloads, browsing history or audio. Extensions allowed to operate in private windows deserve particular attention. Never open a link displayed by the unwanted advertisement itself.

Next, review notification and sound permissions for every website. In Chrome and Edge, check Site settings under Privacy and security, then review Notifications, Pop-ups and redirects and other site access. Safari users can inspect the Notifications section under Websites in Settings. Revoke access for sites that produce audio without permission. Reset the homepage, search engine and new-tab page if they have changed, and reset browser settings to their defaults when a persistent extension has modified them.

Remove unwanted apps and startup entries

Open Installed Apps or Apps and features on Windows, or Applications and the Mac App Store on macOS, and uninstall anything associated with the advertising behaviour. Use an application’s own uninstaller where available. Then check Startup apps in Task Manager, scheduled tasks in Task Scheduler, Login Items under macOS System Settings, and relevant LaunchAgents entries. Remove only items positively linked to the culprit, since legitimate background tools may use similar locations.

Inspect browser shortcuts as well, particularly if the homepage or search provider keeps changing. A shortcut target containing an unfamiliar URL or command can redirect the browser even after ordinary settings are restored. Do not edit unfamiliar registry values without reliable documentation. The site’s current security news documents campaigns that use fake system alerts and bundled installers to spread unwanted software, providing useful context when identifying a questionable download.

Run a full security check

Update Windows, macOS and the affected browser before scanning. On Windows, run a Microsoft Defender full scan and then use Microsoft Defender Offline scan under Scan options; the offline scan restarts the computer and checks outside normal operating conditions. macOS has no equivalent built-in offline scanner, so use one reputable, actively maintained security tool rather than several competing programs. A scan cannot guarantee that every advertising extension will be labelled as malware, which is why manual removal still matters.

If the sound starts with the computer, inspect startup behaviour in Windows Safe Mode or macOS Safe Mode before launching normal applications. Disconnecting the network during this inspection can prevent further downloads or communication while the unwanted component is active. Keep suspicious files out of ordinary backups and retain their names for identification. Australian users who suspect account compromise or data theft can report it through the Australian Signals Directorate’s ReportCyber service, which provides national guidance and reporting channels.

Verify the cleanup and prevent recurrence

Reboot after removing the identified items and test ordinary audio, private browsing and computer startup in sequence. Confirm that notifications remain disabled for unwanted sites, the homepage and search engine are unchanged, and no unfamiliar applications reappear. If credentials were entered into an advertising page, change the affected password from a trusted device, enable multi-factor authentication and review active sessions. Install software only from official stores or verified publisher websites, and read requested browser permissions before accepting them.

Australian consumers also have privacy and consumer-protection avenues when unwanted software captures information or uses deceptive installers. Under the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles, covered organisations must be transparent about how they handle personal information. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner can explain when a privacy complaint is appropriate, while ACCC Scamwatch provides guidance on fake cleanup tools and fraudulent advertising.

Check	Windows	Mac	What a clean result looks like
Browser playback	Edge or Chrome extensions and site permissions	Safari extensions and website notifications	No sound during normal, private or guest browsing
Security scan	Defender full scan followed by Offline scan	Updated macOS and one trusted scanner	No detections and no recurring advertising activity
Startup behaviour	Startup apps, Task Scheduler and browser shortcuts	Login Items, LaunchAgents and browser settings	Only known programs start, and homepage settings remain intact
Browser integrity	Reset homepage, search and notification settings	Remove unknown extensions and notification access	No redirects, pop-ups or forced advertising pages

After a successful cleanup, the speakers remain silent until an authorised media file plays, browser settings stay unchanged and startup activity contains no unfamiliar entries. These checks confirm that the advertising component has been removed rather than merely hidden.