How to Remove Amazon Assistant aa.hta? Is It a Virus?
The Amazon Assistant aa.hta is basically an application that can hijack the web browser, where it has been executed. This app can alter the default search engine and the homepage of any browser available in the market like Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome to name a few.
Along with the changes in the normal functionality of the browser, this application can redirect you to plenty of questionable websites and links.
You can get these types of programs if a software bundle is downloaded from an unreliable source or website. These potentially unwanted files are intentionally hidden, so that when you install the software, then a PUP file like “aa.hta” can also get into the computer.
However, most people think of this application as a virus, but it is not so. This type of application only hijacks the browser and forcefully shows advertisements to you. They do not harm your computer in any manner but can ruin the browsing experience severely. Therefore, it will be really good for you to delete this application.
What is Amazon Assistant?
Amazon Assistant is a personal assistant that helps you enhance the shopping experience on the Amazon website. You can get this personal assistant as an extension for the web browser, which can provide information about the current deals and offers on various products that are on sale in Amazon. Along with that, you can also compare the prices of a product that different sellers are selling and can watch the progress of your current order.
How to Remove Amazon Assistant aa.hta?
Get multiple methods here to get rid of the Amazon Assistant application from the computer different web browsers.
1. Clear the Amazon Assistant process from Task Manager
If the Amazon Assistant process is running within the Task Manager, then there is a chance for you to encounter some unreliable websites. Now the best answer to get a resolution to this issue, you can delete the Amazon Assistant process. To do that, follow the steps below.
- Hit the following three keys ‘Ctrl + Alt + Delete’ together. This will open a new screen, which shows five options.
- Now, out of those five options, choose the ‘Open Task Manager’ option. As soon as you click on that option, then a new window having the name ‘Task Manager’ will come up.
- Inside that new window, choose the ‘Details’ tab. Under this tab, you will get a list full of all the currently active processes.
- Now, among those active processes, scroll down until you get the one having the name ‘AmazonAssistant’ and right-click on it.
- Next, choose the ‘Open File Location’ option. Once the folder where the Amazon Assistant file is present opens, next, go to the Task Manager and end all the processes in relation to the assistant.
- At last, clear all the contents within the Amazon Assistant folder and check if this problem appears or not when you open the web browser that was infected.
2. Delete the Amazon Assistant from Windows
You will get steps here on how to clear the Amazon Assistant from Windows OS.
- First, press on the combination of ‘Windows + S’ keys together to open a default search section.
- Inside that section, type in the following text “control panel”. Then, from the search section that appears, choose the ‘Control Panel’ option.
- As soon as you do that, then a new Control Panel window will show up. In that window click on the ‘Programs’ option.
- Now, a new page will come up, within it, select the ‘Programs and Features’ option. This will open a new page with a list of all the installed applications.
- From that list, locate the Amazon Assistant application then go to the section before the ‘Name’ column and click the ‘Uninstall’ button. Next, follow the on-screen instructions that appear on the Uninstaller window and hit the ‘Uninstall’ button.
- Finally, restart the computer and see if this issue is still there or not.
3. Remove Amazon Assistant Path from the Web Browser Shortcuts
Sometimes, a malicious URL from the PUP like Amazon Assistant aa.hta can still be present within the shortcuts of the various web browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, etc. The solution to completely remove everything relative to PUP applications like Amazon Assistant aa.hta, clear the malicious URL. Here, the removal process is given for Google Chrome. But, you can follow these steps also for Firefox and Internet Explorer as well.
- First, go to the Desktop, then locate and choose the ‘Google Chrome’ shortcut icon.
- After that, right-click on the chosen icon and then find and select the ‘Properties’ option.
- As you click on that option, then a new ‘Properties’ dialog box for that specific browser will come up.
- Inside that dialog box, select the ‘Shortcut’ tab. Under that tab, go to the ‘Target’ field.
- Next, within that field, clear any malicious URL in relation to the Amazon Assistant after the executable file.
- Finally, tap on both the buttons ‘Apply’ and ‘OK’ respectively.
4. Get Rid of some keys in Windows Registry
Here, get steps to delete some keys within the Windows Registry.
- First, press both the ‘Windows + R’ keys together. This will open a new dialog box having the name ‘Run’ will come up.
- Within that dialog box, beside the ‘Open:’ label type in the text “regedit” on the empty area and then click on the ‘OK’ button.
- As soon as you do that, then a new ‘Registry Editor’ window will come up. Now, press both the keys ‘Ctrl + F’ and then enter the name ‘Amazon Assistant’
- At last, remove all the entries that come up on the Registry Editor.
5. Remove any fields from the DNS Tab
In order to get rid of any fields from the DNS tab within the TCP/IP Settings, follow the steps below.
- First, go to the right side of the taskbar and then right-click on the ‘Network’ icon. Next, from the popup menu choose the ‘Open Network and Sharing Center’ option.
- Once you click on that option, next, a new window having the name ‘Network and Sharing Center’ will open up. Inside that window, navigate to the left pane and tap on the ‘Change adapter settings’ link.
- As soon as you click on that link, then a new page will come up with the name ‘Network Connections’. Within that page, locate an active network adapter and right-click on the same.
- After that, from the popup menu that appears, select the ‘Properties’ option. This action will launch a new ‘Properties’ dialog box specific to the active network adapter.
- In that dialog box, select the ‘Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPV4)’ option and then click on the ‘Properties’ button. This will open another dialog box having the name ‘Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) Properties’.
- On the new dialog box, go to the General tab. Under that tab, go to the bottom and click on the ‘’Advanced’ button.
- Now, a third dialog box will appear with the name ‘Advanced TCP/IP Settings’. Within this dialog box, click on the ‘DNS’ tab.
- Next, if there are any addresses present within the field “DNS server addresses, in order of use”, then select all of them and click on the ‘Remove’ button.
- Lastly, close all the dialog boxes and windows that are open and restart the computer.