Playthru Player Adware

What is Playthru Player?

The Playthru Player application supposedly allows users to play online videos directly from the desktop without using Internet browsers - "The PlayThru Player is based on one simple but brilliant idea: an enjoyable online video viewing experience – without the browser! The PlayThru Player offers seamless online video viewing directly on your desktop while working, browsing the Web or gaming."

Initially, this functionality may seem legitimate and useful, however, Playthru Player is categorized as adware and a potentially unwanted program (PUP). This deceptive application usually infiltrates systems without users' permission. Furthermore, it generates various online advertisements and tracks Internet browsing activity.

To display advertisements, Playthru Player employs a virtual layer, which allows placement of third party graphical content on any visited website. At time of research, Playthru Player generated display, banner, coupon, and other similar ads. Its Privacy Policy states that the types of delivered advertisements might change at any time.

In fact, the displayed ads diminish the Internet browsing experience by concealing underlying content. They may also redirect to rogue sites containing infectious content, and therefore, there is a high probability that clicking them will result in further computer infections.

Playthru player collects various types of software and hardware information such as Internet Protocol (IP) addresses (to determine geographic locations), CPU type, operating system, etc.

Some of the collected data might contain personally identifiable details, and thus, having Playthru Player installed on your system can lead to privacy issues. For these reasons, you are strongly advised to uninstall this adware.

Playthru Player Privacy Policy regarding online advertising:

PlayThruPlayer may include additional advertisements in the future, including, without limitation: Placing display ads, banners, or coupons into web pages or displaying over parts of such web pages that advertisements would not otherwise appear on the underlying website; or Convert words on pages you view into hyperlinks that are linked to advertisements.

Note that Playthru Player is a regular adware-type application, and thus, very similar to hundreds of other applications of the same type. For example, SkyeMoji, SmartSaver, App Lid, and Twinkle Star also claim to be legitimate and will improve the Internet browsing experience in various ways.

These claims are merely attempts to give the impression of useful software. Neither Playthru Player, nor any of these other adware-type apps, deliver the promised functionality. They are developed to generate revenue by displaying advertisements and collecting various user/system data.

How did Playthru Player install on my computer?

Although Playthru Player has an official download website, it is often distributed as a 'bundle' together with other (mostly free) software. Bundling is used to conceal third party applications within the 'Custom' or 'Advanced' settings, and since most users do not pay enough attention during the download and installation processes, this method is extremely effective.

Many users are unaware that the developers intentionally hide bogus applications such as Playthru Player. Therefore, by rushing the download/installation procedures and skipping most of the steps, they inadvertently install potentially unwanted programs.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

This situation can avoided by taking a number of simple steps. Never rush the download or installation procedures. Closely follow each step and decline all offers to download or install third party software.

Furthermore, these processes should be performed using the 'Custom' or 'Advanced' options, rather than 'Quick' or 'Typical' - this will reveal any bundled software listed for installation and allow you to cancel them.

Screenshot of Playthru Player application:

Deceptive free software installers used to distributed Playthru Player adware:

Playthru Player adware installer set-up:

Playthru Player generating intrusive pop-up ads (marked as 'Ads by Playthru Player'):

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Quick menu:

• What is Playthru Player?
• STEP 1. Uninstall Playthru Player application using Control Panel.
• STEP 2. Remove Playthru Player adware from Internet Explorer.
• STEP 3. Remove Playthru Player ads from Google Chrome.
• STEP 4. Remove 'Ads by Playthru Player' from Mozilla Firefox.
• STEP 5. Remove Playthru Player extension from Safari.
• STEP 6. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.

Playthru Player adware removal:

Windows 11 users:

Right-click on the Start icon, select Apps and Features. In the opened window search for the application you want to uninstall, after locating it, click on the three vertical dots and select Uninstall.

Windows 10 users:

Right-click in the lower left corner of the screen, in the Quick Access Menu select Control Panel. In the opened window choose Programs and Features.

Windows 7 users:

Click Start (Windows Logo at the bottom left corner of your desktop), choose Control Panel. Locate Programs and click Uninstall a program.

macOS (OSX) users:

Click Finder, in the opened screen select Applications. Drag the app from the Applications folder to the Trash (located in your Dock), then right click the Trash icon and select Empty Trash.

In the uninstall programs window, look for "Playthru Player", select this entry and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

After uninstalling the potentially unwanted program that causes Playthru Player ads, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components or possible malware infections. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.

Remove Playthru Player adware from Internet browsers:

At time of research, Playthru Player did not install its browser plug-ins on Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, or Mozilla Firefox, however, it was bundled with other adware. Therefore, you are advised to remove all potentially unwanted browser add-ons from your Internet browsers.

Video showing how to remove potentially unwanted browser add-ons:

Remove malicious add-ons from Internet Explorer:

Click the "gear" icon (at the top right corner of Internet Explorer), select "Manage Add-ons". Look for any recently-installed suspicious browser extensions, select these entries and click "Remove".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the playthru player ads, reset your Internet Explorer settings to default.

Windows XP users: Click Start, click Run, in the opened window type inetcpl.cpl In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.

Windows Vista and Windows 7 users: Click the Windows logo, in the start search box type inetcpl.cpl and click enter. In the opened window click the Advanced tab, then click Reset.

Windows 8 users: Open Internet Explorer and click the gear icon. Select Internet Options.

In the opened window, select the Advanced tab.

Click the Reset button.

Confirm that you wish to reset Internet Explorer settings to default by clicking the Reset button.

Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Tools" and click "Extensions". Locate all recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons, select these entries and click the trash can icon.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the playthru player ads, reset your Google Chrome browser settings. Click the Chrome menu icon  (at the top right corner of Google Chrome) and select Settings. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen. Click the Advanced… link.

After scrolling to the bottom of the screen, click the Reset (Restore settings to their original defaults) button.

In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Google Chrome settings to default by clicking the Reset button.

Remove malicious plug-ins from Mozilla Firefox:

Click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons". Click on "Extensions", in the opened window, remove all recently-installed suspicious browser plug-ins.

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with playthru player ads removal can reset their Mozilla Firefox settings.

Open Mozilla Firefox, at the top right corner of the main window, click the Firefox menu, in the opened menu, click Help.

Select Troubleshooting Information.

In the opened window, click the Refresh Firefox button.

In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Mozilla Firefox settings to default by clicking the Refresh Firefox button.

Remove malicious extensions from Safari:

Make sure your Safari browser is active, click Safari menu, and select Preferences....

In the opened window click Extensions, locate any recently installed suspicious extension, select it and click Uninstall.

Optional method:

Make sure your Safari browser is active and click on Safari menu. From the drop down menu select Clear History and Website Data...

In the opened window select all history and click the Clear History button.

Remove malicious extensions from Microsoft Edge:

Click the Edge menu icon  (at the upper-right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Extensions". Locate all recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons and click "Remove" below their names.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the playthru player ads, reset your Microsoft Edge browser settings. Click the Edge menu icon  (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge) and select Settings.

In the opened settings menu select Reset settings.

Select Restore settings to their default values. In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Microsoft Edge settings to default by clicking the Reset button.

• If this did not help, follow these alternative instructions explaining how to reset the Microsoft Edge browser.

Summary:

Commonly, adware or potentially unwanted applications infiltrate Internet browsers through free software downloads. Note that the safest source for downloading free software is via developers' websites only. To avoid installation of adware, be very attentive when downloading and installing free software. When installing previously-downloaded free programs, choose the custom or advanced installation options – this step will reveal any potentially unwanted applications listed for installation together with your chosen free program.

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