LightsOut

The Internet is full of useless applications that furrow the eyebrows of many users. However, some like unnecessary bells and whistles, so they install applications, such as LightsOut. Little do they know that this application is actually adware. For this reason, we want to spread the message about this unreliable program and encourage users from all around the world to remove it. LightsOut is promoted as a program that allows you to darken your browser’s white background color while you watch videos on YouTube. This function does not seem necessary to most users so no one really bothered to make one. In any case, this particular application does not work. Regardless of the browser you are using, LightsOut will not “dim the lights” like its advertising campaign claims.

LightsOut has been created by a company known as Interactive Media, LLC. Its physical mail address is located at Houston, Texas. However, that does not mean that the developer’s office is actually located there. The developed can be based anywhere. For all we know, the company can based in a basement somewhere. Jokes aside, this developer means business, when it comes to advertising. We have previously encountered similar applications, such as Disturbicons, Finance Alert, and Celebrity Alert Ads that act similarly to this program. LightsOut is mainly distributed using its dedicated website at Lightsoutmode.com. But we think that it will be bundled with other malicious software in the near future. In some cases, while installing this program you will be offered to install some kind of a search toolbar that might be unreliable. You can decline this offer and we very much encourage doing so.

If you installed LightsOut thinking that it will dim the white background color of Youtube.com, then you are in for an unpleasant surprise. There is no way you can activate this function even if you wanted to, because it does not have a graphical user interface function. It does not have browser extension as well. We have found, however, that it runs as a background process. This process is randomly named, so you will have to look for suspiciously named processes that seem out of place. In any case, there is no reason to search for its process, since you can remove it via Control Panel. It is as simple as that. However, before we move on to its removal, we must spare some time to talk about what it actually does.

It will render annoying ads in the form of pop-ups, pop-unders, banners, in-texts, interstitial ads, and so on. The advertisements are obviously supplied by third parties and the developers shed all responsibility associated with them and for good reason. We have a hunch that the advertisements may be unreliable and likely to promote possibly malicious software, such as adware and browser hijackers. Furthermore, we know that LightsOut is set to collect information about you. It collects all kinds of information, but it boils down to browsing history, since it is the most relevant. This information is used to customize the ads and tailor them to unique users and increase revenue.

So if you downloaded LightsOut with thinking that it will provide you the function its advertisement campaign claims to provide, then you are in for a unpleasant surprise. This program will not do so. However, it will present you with third-party content of unreliable nature and gather information about for advertising purposes. So we suggest that you remove LightsOut ASAP.

Remove LightsOut from the OS

Windows XP

1. Open the Start menu located at the bottom left side of the screen.
2. Click Control Panel and select Add or Remove Programs.
3. Locate LightsOut and click Remove.

Windows 7 and Windows Vista

1. Click Start located at the bottom left side of the screen.
2. Select Control Panel and click Uninstall a program.
3. Locate the application and click Uninstall.

Windows 8 and Windows 8.1

1. Click the bottom left Windows logo to open the Start Screen.
2. Type Uninstall in the search box and then go to Settings.
3. Click Uninstall a program in the search results.
4. Locate the program.
5. Click Uninstall.

Windows 10

1. Right-click on the Windows Start menu logo.
2. Select Programs and Features.
3. Locate LightsOut and right-click on it.
4. Click the Uninstall button.