The AOL Toolbar is a web browser application add-on from AOL Inc. that allows you quick access to your favorite sections of America Online. You can add the AOL toolbar to your Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox browser and use this add-on application to search videos, pictures, audio, etc. without having to move away from your favorite web pages. You can also add additional buttons to this toolbar to access news, weather, radio, and much more.
This article will cover the following topics:
- Why you may want to uninstall AOL Toolbar
- How to uninstall AOL Toolbar from Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox browsers
- Why it is necessary to run a registry scan after you uninstall AOL Toolbar
Why you may want to uninstall AOL toolbar
The AOL Toolbar comes with AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) and is considered malware because, by default, AOL Toolbar is installed on your computer when you install AIM. To prevent AOL Toolbar from installing itself, you need to clear the option to install AOL Toolbar while installing AIM.
You may wish to uninstall this browser add-on if you have installed it out of ignorance in the first place. You may feel the need to uninstall the AOL toolbar when it seems to be slowing down your web browser or interfering with the programs you need to use.
The next section of this article shows you how to uninstall the AOL Toolbar from Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.
Remove the AOL Toolbar From Internet Explorer
Follow the steps listed below to delete the AOL Toolbar from Internet Explorer:
- Open Internet Explorer.
- Next, click the Settings button on the far right of AOL Toolbar, and then select Help.
- Now, select Uninstall Toolbar.
- Restart Internet Explorer to implement the changes.
If you are using a Windows computer, then you can uninstall the AOL Toolbar using either a reliable Windows uninstall tool, such as Perfect Uninstaller, or via the built-in Add or Remove Programs option.
To uninstall the AOL Toolbar with the Add or Remove Programs utility in Windows 7, perform the following steps:
- Click on the Start button, type add or remove programs in the Start Search box, and then press Enter.
- Locate and right-click AOL Toolbar in the list of currently installed programs.
- Select Uninstall.
How to Uninstall AOL Toolbar from Firefox
The steps to uninstall the AOL Toolbar from Firefox are much like those used for Internet Explorer.
- Open Firefox browser.
- Next, click on Settings on the far right of AOL Toolbar and select Uninstall Toolbar.
- Click OK.
- Restart the Firefox browser to complete the uninstall process.
Need for Running a Registry Scan after Uninstalling AOL Toolbar
At times, entries related to uninstalled programs remain in your registry. These left-over entries contribute to the unwarranted growth of your Windows registry and over a period of time may make the registry unstable. That is why it is recommended that you always run a registry scan after you uninstall software from your computer. You may use RegGenie, which is a top-rated Windows registry cleaner, to remove left-over registry entries and to perform other essential registry maintenance tasks.