This will only be of interest if you have the problem!
What is the problem?
I use several Corel products on my system. They are associated with graphics and video production and manipulation. I have used them for years, but much less so now. However they are still on my system, which is part of the problem.
Corel have decided to tell me exciting news about Particle Shop, Paint Shop Pro, Video Studio et al with a pop up which appears in the bottom right of my screen. Nothing particularly wrong with that except that despite many hours of research and trying; you cannot get rid of it. It pops up randomly. That can be very annoying if you are recording your screen for someone and are 30 minutes into the recording!
I am not alone
Search around forums and you will find lots of people are annoyed with this problem and the lack of guidance on how to get rid of it. The general solution is to go into each application and search for messaging and turn it off. Which I have done, and they still pop up.
I don’t mind an app telling me that there is an update, or a special offer when I choose to run it. However Corel in their infinite wisdom it turns out has set up a scheduled task which runs every day. Even if I do not run the application. That is too intrusive for my liking. If removes my ability to control my computer. I guess that is why lots of other people are complaining.
The Solution
If you have been around the various forums and worked your way through the solutions and are still scratching your head, please review the text below which is recorded from an online chat with Shamili of Corel Support. It would appear that in some cases you can end up with a command in the scheduler, and that is the reason why the adverts pop up independent of the settings in the applications.
I do not think this practice is a very smart one, it has put me off acquiring any more Corel Products.
Nov 16, 2020, 4:57 EST
Chat started: 2020-11-16 09:40 AM UTC
(09:40:31 AM) Mark Wingrove: I have an annoying pop up originating from Corel which I want to get rid of. It is popping up on my screen almost daily now. I have been through all of the corel apps on my system and cannot find the culprit. I have read about the problem and the Corel response. I have tried those, but I am still getting them.
(09:40:33 AM) Corel Customer Support: This chat will be recorded for quality purposes. Terms of Use http://www.corel.com/en/terms-of-use/ | Privacy Policy http://www.corel.com/en/corel-privacy-policy/
(09:41:26 AM) *** Shamili joined the chat ***
(09:41:29 AM) Shamili: Welcome to Corel, My name is Shamili.
(09:41:31 AM) Shamili: Hi Mark
(09:41:38 AM) Shamili: How May I help you?
(09:41:38 AM) Mark WIngrove: Hello
(09:42:02 AM) Mark WIngrove: I want to get rid of the source of a pop up which keeps occurring on my system.
(09:42:20 AM) Mark WIngrove: Currently it says Black Friday Savings.
(09:42:32 AM) Mark WIngrove: I am seeing them daily.
(09:43:24 AM) Shamili: May I know what specific product are you referring to?
(09:43:49 AM) Mark WIngrove: I wish I knew. I cannot tell which product is generating them. I have several corel products
(09:44:34 AM) Mark WIngrove: I have the following, any of them could be the source. However I have checked them all.
(09:45:28 AM) Shamili: May I know for which product You have got the pop up message
(09:46:00 AM) Mark WIngrove: Aftershot, video studio 2019, video studio 2020, painter essentials and corel photoshop pro 2020
(09:46:26 AM) Mark WIngrove: Currently it is promoting Paint Shop Pro 2021. I also keep seeing ads about special brushes as well.
(09:47:17 AM) Shamili: Please hold while I check on that for you.
(09:47:21 AM) Mark WIngrove: I have two version of PSP 32 bit and 64 bit
(09:48:57 AM) Mark WIngrove: PSP Ultimate 2020 has options under Help | Message preferences. Nothing is checked, and it also says do not show me tray messages for this application.
(09:49:39 AM) Shamili: Please try the following steps, to attempt to prevent the messaging pop ups from appearing:
1. Open up a run prompt by holding down the windows key on your keyboard + the letter “r”
2. Type Taskschd.msc and press ok.
3. Once the Task Scheduler app appears highlight the Task Scheduler Library Folder towards the top left.
4. The box on the right will show you what programs have scheduled tasks.
5. Locate the Corel tasks, there should be two of them and right click on it.
6. Choose delete
7. Close the window.
8. Restart the computer
(09:49:57 AM) Shamili: Kindly follow the above steps to get rid of popup
(09:52:01 AM) Mark WIngrove: Ok, I have the scheduler open and can see at least one task in there. How do they get there if I have turned them all off in the apps?
(09:52:16 AM) Shamili: Okay
(09:52:38 AM) Shamili: Here after You will not get any offers from the corel
(09:53:24 AM) Mark WIngrove: Yes but you have not answered the question? These pop ups are very intrusive and annoying. They are not doing Corel any favours here.
(09:55:18 AM) Shamili: Sorry for the inconvenince, I apologize for that If You use any software from the corel If there any offers going on You will get the offers messages If You disable it You won’t get it
(09:56:34 AM) Mark WIngrove: You still have not answered the question Shamili. I should be able to do this within the apps. If Corel is nagging me all of the time I am less likely to use it. Even take it off of my system completely.
(09:57:13 AM) *** Shamili left the chat ***