Combofix is a freeware application designed for advanced users to scan and manually remove malware and spyware from your computer running Windows XP 32-bit, or Windows Vista, 7 and 8, 32-bit and 64-bit. Video tutorial available.

Combofix is a freeware application designed for advanced users to scan and manually remove malware and spyware from your computer running Windows XP 32-bit, or Windows Vista, 7 and 8, 32-bit and 64-bit. Video tutorial available.

All operating systems after Windows Windows 8 are not supported in normal or safe mode. You will get an error and not be able to run it. Windows Defender may detect it as a trojan and remove it.

Before running Combofix, you will want to pause or close all running apps on your computer, especially any anti-spyware, anti-malware, and anti-virus protection. Combofix is a portable application, so you only need to double click on Combofix.exe to start the application. It will then create a registry backup and system restore point and begin scanning automatically. It will run 50 plus scans and let you know it completed.

It will create a log file in the location that you ran Combofix.exe which can be read to diagnose any potential problems.

Combofix is a last resort after you have exhausted trying removal with your anti-virus or a program like Malwarebytes because there is no reversing what it does. Once you start running Combofix, there's no user input required; you're just along for the ride.

The creators of Combofix recommend that beginners and intermediate consider using ADWCleaner, and that's good advice, so please consider that. ADWCleaner is now owned by MalwareBytes and runs on Windows 10 all the way back to Windows XP, and it has an easy to use interface. We also have a video tutorial embedded on the ADWCleaner download page as well.

Because of this, Combofix should be run only by advanced users or IT professionals, however, if you were asked by one to run it, here's a video on how to do so:

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