How to Remove Ransomware Without Paying the Ransom

Ransomware is one of the most terrifying malware attacks you can encounter. Seeing a screen lock up and demand cryptocurrency to restore your precious photos and documents is a nightmare. But don't panic—there are steps you can take to mitigate the damage and potentially recover your data.

Step 1: Isolate the Infected Device

The moment you suspect ransomware, disconnect everything. Ransomware is designed to spread across networks to infect other computers, shared drives, and even cloud storage.

• Unplug the Ethernet cable immediately.
• Turn off Wi-Fi on the device.
• Disconnect external hard drives and USB sticks.
• Disconnect from cloud accounts (Dropbox, OneDrive) if possible.

Step 2: Identify the Ransomware

Not all ransomware is invincible. Some older or less sophisticated variants have been "cracked" by security researchers. To find out what you're dealing with:

Take a screenshot or photo of the ransom note. Then, use a configured tool like ID Ransomware or No More Ransom. These free services analyze the ransom note and encrypted file extensions to tell you exactly which family of malware has infected you.

Step 3: Try to Remove the Malware

Removing the malware won't decrypt your files, but it will stop the encryption of *new* files and prevent the spread.

We recommend booting your computer into Safe Mode with Networking and running a full scan with a reputable antivirus. The top-rated tools for 2026 like Bitdefender and Norton are excellent at detecting and removing active ransomware payloads.

Step 4: Check for Decryption Tools

Once you know the ransomware name (from Step 2) and have cleaned the system (Step 3), visit the No More Ransom project website. They maintain a database of free decryption keys for hundreds of ransomware variants.

If a decryptor exists, download it and follow the instructions carefully to unlock your files.

Step 5: Restore from Backup

If no decryptor is available, your only safe option is to restore your files from a clean backup. This is why having an offline backup, or a cloud backup with version history (like Norton's Cloud Backup), is critical.

Warning: Ensure the malware is 100% gone before plugging in your backup drive, or the ransomware might encrypt your backup too!