DnsIO Removal Guide

Do you know what DnsIO is?

DnsIO claims to be “designed to protect and improve your online experience”, but our researchers have found otherwise. In reality, this application exhibits traits that not only question its reliability, but also make it rather suspicious. We would like to share these with you so that you can see and decide for yourself if removing DnsIO is the best solution when it comes to your virtual security. This application has been categorized as a PUP, i.e., a potentially unwanted program. That means that it is not a dangerous infection, such as a Trojan horse would be, but it might still expose you to potentially unsafe third-party content. If you did not download this PUP on purpose, it is also possible that it brought a few infections on-board. If you want to be in control of your virtual “kingdom,” you need to know what kind of threats are hiding on your computer. If you do not have up-to-date security software installed, you can also apply a free online malware scanner to see more clearly the condition of your operating system.

There are mainly two ways for DnsIO to land on your computer. You can either download it from its official website at dnsio.net or you can download a bundled version from a freeware website. In the case of this PUP, however, one is worse than the other regarding reliability. The official website is a real disappointment and an eye-opener at the same time. Although we do not think that too many users would land on that site on purpose, you need to know that the website actually promotes another software. In fact, if you do your research, you realize that this other software, LookSafe, is a clone of DnsIO – or the other way around. All in all, that should scare you right away from wanting this application on your PC. If you already have it, maybe you should consider deleting it. However, this is just the beginning.DnsIO Removal GuideDnsIO screenshot
Scroll down for full removal instructions

As we have mentioned, DnsIO can also infiltrate your system in a freeware bundle. When it comes in a bundle, however, it may be packed with malware infections. If you are not careful during the installation, you may easily allow adware apps and browser hijackers to land on your computer. If that happens, you will definitely notice the consequences. Your browser home page and search engine settings may change without your consent, and annoying pop-ups and other types of ads may start to fill your screen. If that is the case, you had better delete DnsIO and all the infections that may have come with it.

Once DnsIO is installed on your computer, it makes changes to your DNS server settings without your permission, which allow this PUP to show third-party advertisements in all your browsers, including Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Google Chrome. It also changes the home page and search engine settings, but not in Chrome. These should be just enough for you to make the right decision about this suspicious software.

If you also believe that removing DnsIO is the best for you to do, we will share now the solution with you. It is definitely not the easiest task to make this PUP go away, but, if you use our guide below and follow the steps carefully, you can do it in a few minutes. What you need to do is restore your DNS settings and reset the affected browsers. Remember that there could be other infections still on-board and they definitely have to be dealt with, too. We recommend the use of a reputable malware removal tool to take off this burden off your shoulders.

Remove DnsIO from Windows

Windows XP

  1. Click Start and go to Control Panel.
  2. Double-click Network Connections.
  3. Right-click on the Local Area Connection and select Properties.
  4. Click on Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).
  5. Click Properties.
  6. Select the Obtain an IP address automatically and Obtain DNS server address automatically radio buttons.
  7. Click OK.

Windows Vista

  1. Click the Windows button on the Taskbar and select Control Panel.
  2. Open Network and Internet and select Network and Sharing Center.
  3. Access Manage network connections and right-click on your network.
  4. Choose Properties and click the Networking tab.
  5. Click on Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)/Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6).
  6. Press Properties.
  7. Select Obtain an IP address automatically and Obtain DNS server address automatically radio buttons.
  8. Click OK.

Windows 7/Windows 8/Windows 8.1/Windows 10

  1. Tap Win+R and enter Control Panel. Press OK.
  2. Under Network and Internet, select View network status and tasks.
  3. Choose Change adapter settings and identify your network. Right-click on it and select Properties.
  4. On the General tab, click on Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)/Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6).
  5. Click Properties.
  6. Select the Obtain an IP address automatically and Obtain DNS server address automatically radio buttons.
  7. Click OK.

Remove DnsIO from browsers

Mozilla Firefox

  1. Tap Alt+H and select Troubleshooting Information.
  2. Click Refresh Firefox and click Refresh Firefox again in the pop-up.
  3. Click Finish.

Internet Explorer

  1. Tap Alt+T and go to Internet Options.
  2. Choose the Advanced tab and press Reset.
  3. Tick the Delete personal settings checkbox and press Reset.
  4. Press Close.

In non-techie terms:

DnsIO is a questionable program that poses as a security application, yet it may actually pose a threat to your system’s security. This potentially unwanted program makes certain changes to your system settings that enable it to display third-party advertisements in all the major browsers. These ads might hold potential dangers; clicking on them might redirect you to unreliable websites. This application can also come with malware infections that can put your system at more risk. We recommend removing DnsIO, if you want to keep your PC secure.