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Contents Introduction... 3 Installation & Uninstallation... 4 Ad-Aware Web Companion Installation... 4 Ad-Aware Web Companion Uninstallation... 7 Product Information... 8 Ad-Aware Web Companion features... 8 Languages... 8 System Requirements... 8 Operating System... 8 Browser... 8 Copyright... 9 System Tray Icon... 9 Update Ad-Aware Web Companion...10 Automatic update...10 Manual update...10 User Interface...12 Web Protection...12 Browser Homepage...13 Default Search Engine...14 Settings...15 Run at System Startup...15 Language s...16 Report a Problem...16 Feedback/Suggestions...17 Theme...18 About...19 Notifications...20 Social media icons...21 Update failed error message...21 Error messages...22 2
Introduction Enhance your favorite free antivirus program with the very best web protection available today. The absolute best protection against malicious websites. Ad-Aware Web Companion is powered by Lavasoft Malware URL Blocker (MUB), a real-time URL filtering technology. Lavasoft MUB's superfast URL lookup checks in real-time the accessed URLs against the most complete and constantly updated database of malicious websites available today, and blocks them before they can do any harm. Ad-Aware Web Companion will offer the same security features as Ad-Aware Security Toolbar in a much more discrete manner outside the browser. No more toolbars or extensions, just a lightweight security application that will offer the same powerful in-line protection against malicious URLs and web-based threats. 3
Installation & Uninstallation Ad-Aware Web Companion Installation To install Ad-Aware Web Companion follow the steps below. Step 1: To start the installation, locate and click the link to download the file. Step 2: When prompted, save the installer. Step 3: Once the download is complete, go to the download path and double click the installation file to launch the Ad-Aware Web Companion installer. Step 4: Follow the prompts within the installer to complete the installation of Ad-Aware Web Companion. 1. Select the installation path as well as the language and click 'Start Install'. We highly recommend that you read the 'End-User License Agreement' and the 'Privacy Policy' before clicking the 'Start Install' button. 4
2. Select your 'Browser Home Page' and your 'Default Search Engine' and click 'Next'. The Browser Home Page and Default Search Engine can also be changed once Ad-Aware Web Companion is installed. 5
3. At the end of the installation process a pop-up will appear, you will have a checkbox that is not checked. We recommend checking the box to assist us in gathering data on potentially unwanted programs by anonymously sending your computers information. By checking the checkbox Ad-Aware Web Companion will start to gather your computers information anonymously. This information is only sent once. 4. Once the installation is complete your browser will launch to the Ad-Aware Web Companion page where you can take a tour of the software. You are now ready to start using Ad-Aware Web Companion. 6
Ad-Aware Web Companion Uninstallation To uninstall Ad-Aware Web Companion please follow the steps below. Step 1: Click the 'Start' menu Step 2: Click on the 'Control Panel' Step 3: look for 'Add/Remove programs' (Win XP) or 'Programs and Features' (Win Vista, 7, 8 & 8.1) Step 4: Locate Ad-Aware Web Companion, right click and select 'uninstall'. The uninstall wizard will launch, a pop-up will appear asking if you would like Ad-Aware Web Companion to restore your browser homepage and search engine settings to the setting you had before installing Ad-Aware Web Companion. If this is the case you will need to 'check' the checkboxes before clicking 'remove' to complete the uninstallation of Ad-Aware Web Companion. 7
Product Information Ad-Aware Web Companion features Web Protection (warns you when you are about to visit a malicious website or dangerous URL) Browser Home Page Settings (allows you to set which home page loads on your browser s startups) Default Search Engine Set (allows you to set which search engine is used when searching from your browser s address bar) Languages English French German Italian Japanese Portuguese Russian Simplified Chinese Spanish Turkish System Requirements Operating System Microsoft Windows 8 / 8.1 (32 & 64 bit), Microsoft Windows 7 (SP1) (32 & 64 bit), Vista (SP2) (32 & 64 bit), Microsoft Windows XP SP3 (32 bit), Microsoft Windows XP SP2 (64 bit) Browser Chrome 35 & higher Firefox 30 & higher IE (version 7, 8, 9, 10 & 11) 8
Copyright Lavasoft LLC. 2014 All Rights Reserved, The makers of Ad-Aware Free antivirus protection. System Tray Icon You can always open Web Companion by clicking the icon located in the Systems Tray. The System Tray is located at the bottom right hand side of your screen right next to the clock. 9
Update Ad-Aware Web Companion There are two ways you can update Ad-Aware Web Companion, automatic update or manual. If you would like to update through the automatic update message, this can be done by clicking the pop-up over the System Tray Icon. If you missed the pop-up message once you close Ad-Aware Web Companion and open it back up, the pop-up will appear again. You can also update Ad-Aware Web Companion manually through the app itself. Automatic update To update Ad-Aware Web Companion through the Update message. You will have to click the pop-up that appears when there is a new update available, this is located above the System Tray Icon. Click the pop-up and follow the instructions on screen. Manual update To update Ad-Aware Web Companion manually, follow the steps below: Step 1: Open Ad-Aware Web Companion Step 2: Click the gear icon (located at the top right) 10
Step 3: Click on 'About' Step 4: Click 'Check now' to check if there is an update for Ad-Aware Web Companion. 11
User Interface Web Protection The Web Protection feature protects you from visiting malicious websites or dangerous URL's. You must turn the slider to 'on' to ensure that you are fully protected 12
Browser Homepage Browser Homepage will set the homepage that loads at the startup of your browser. By clicking the 'settings' link located to the right, a new window will slide out from the left hand side of the Ad-Aware Web Companion user interface. Here you will see what your 'Current Homepage' is set too. You can set up a 'Custom Homepage' by clicking on the 'Add custom homepage' link or you can chose from the 'Popular Homepages' we have provided. You can also revert the changes made to set back your Homepage to the settings you had before you installed Ad-Aware Web Companion. 13
Default Search Engine Default Search Engine will set the search engine of your choice. By clicking the 'Settings' link located on the right, a new window will slide out from the left hand side of the Ad-Aware Web Companion user interface. Here you will see what your 'Current Search Engine' is set to. You can select from the list to choose what search engine is used when searching from your browser. 14
Settings To access the settings panel please click on the settings icon located at the top right. Run at System Startup There are two ways to have your Ad-Aware Web Companion set. You can either run the application manually by starting the app every time you would like to use it, or you can check the checkbox 'run at System Startup'. We recommend that you check the Run at System Startup box. 15
Language s To change the language of Web Companion you can do so by clicking on the drop down and picking your language of choice. Report a Problem If you encounter a bug within Ad-Aware Web Companion you can report a problem from this link. 16
Feedback/Suggestions By clicking on the Feedback/Suggestions link it will open your browser and launch the Ad-Aware Web Companion Feedback page. Here you will be asked to provide your first and last name with a valid email and your feedback/suggestions. Your feedback is very important to us to assist with improving Ad-Aware Web Companion. 17
Theme You can set the Theme of Web Companion from 'Light' to 'Dark', this will change the look and feel of Ad-Aware Web Companion to suit your personal preference. Light Web Companion is already set to the Light theme. Dark To set Web Companion to the Dark theme please follow these steps: Step 1: Open Ad-Aware Web Companion Step 2: Click on the Settings option. The Settings option is located at the top right hand side of the screen click the gear icon to access Ad-Aware Web Companion Settings. 18
Step 3: Click on the radio button located next to the word dark, the theme will change automatically. About In the 'About' section you can do the following: Check for Updates Check the Version Number - The Release Date, Release notes (Ad-Aware Web Companion version logs) and The Application Publisher. 19
Notifications By clicking on the Notifications feature on the homepage of Ad-Aware Web Companion will launch your browser. All new notifications will be listed in the 'News' section. You can remove these notifications by clicking on 'clear'. In the 'Archives' tab is a copy of all the notification you had in your 'News' tab. These cannot be deleted, they can be referenced at any time. If you have cleared all the notifications in the 'News' tab, and there are no new notifications this is what you will see when you click on that feature. 20
Social media icons Located on the User Interface is a Facebook, Twitter and Google+ icons. When you hoover over the icons you can either Share on your personal page or visit our company page to 'Like', become a 'Lavasoft Follower' or become part of our 'Google+ Circle'. Update failed error message If you receive the 'Update Failed' error message, please ensure that your internet is connected and try again. If the issue persists after verifying that there was no drop in your internet connection with your ISP provider, please email us at mailto:webcompanion@lavasoft.com for further assistance. 21
Error messages If you receive an error message that Web Companion cannot remove a potentially unwanted program, revert a home page or browser setting please refer to our FAQ or help section for father assistance. Support: http://www.lavasoftsupport.com/index.php?/forum/191-ad-aware-web-companion/ Help: http://www.webcompanion.com/help 22