Windows guide
How to spot fake download buttons and bundled adware
Download sites are full of ads dressed up as download buttons. Learn the signs, and what to check before you run any installer.
By the Softvault team ·
Fake download buttons are ads designed to look like the real thing. Clicking one usually leads to a "download manager", a browser extension or an installer bundled with unwanted software. A few habits avoid almost all of them.
Warning signs
- Several big green Download buttons on the same page — only one is real.
- The button opens a different website than the one you were on.
- The file name doesn't match the program, or it's an .exe when you expected a .zip.
- The file is tiny (1–3 MB) while the real program is much larger — a sign of a downloader stub.
- The installer offers "recommended" extra software or wants to change your browser's homepage.
Safer habits
- Prefer the developer's official website — that's where every Download button here goes.
- Hover over a button and check the address shown at the bottom of the browser before clicking.
- During installation choose Custom or Advanced and untick anything you didn't ask for.
- Right-click the file and choose Scan with Microsoft Defender before opening it.