How do you get rid of a virus on a mac

How to Remove Viruses, Malware, and Other Threats from Mac (Guide)

Mac malware does exist even though it is very rare. Recently, there have been a few notable malware and virus reports although a huge difference compared to Microsoft Windows is that there has never been a Mac malware epidemic. However, this does not mean that Mac has not come under spotlight for virus and malware creators. There are indeed people who still see Macs, including their users, as key targets. Let’s see how to stay safe and get rid of the viruses and malware these people try to dump on your Mac.

How Do I Know If My Mac Has a Virus?

Here are some of the symptoms of viruses and malware that you could encounter in your Mac.

You don’t have to panic if you come across these symptoms as they do not always mean as if there is a malware or virus infection in your Mac. If your Mac has been infected, you should never Google a description of the problem and install the very first thing you spot that guarantees to be able to fix things. Unfortunately, a lot of software that in fact claims to be capable of fixing Macs is in fact malware itself, or is just fake and designed only to make you spend too much of your money. The bad people behind this software actually manipulate Google’s search results such that it appears at the top, enabling their apps to look unbelievably convincing and also professional.

How to Remove and Get Rid of a Virus on A Mac?

There was a time when Mac computers were considered to be almost ‘virus-proof’. Sadly, this is no longer the case. The quantity of Mac viruses is presently growing at an alarming rate and solid protection against these threats is thus becoming the need of the hour if you want to prevent file corruption, identity theft or interception of your credit card details. If you think your Mac is infected by a virus or malware, you will need to make use of the best Mac antivirus or try applying the key steps discussed below to clean up things:

How to get rid of a virus on an infected Mac computer, and protect your Mac from getting infected again

Twitter LinkedIn icon The word «in».

LinkedIn Fliboard icon A stylized letter F.

Flipboard Facebook Icon The letter F.

Email Link icon An image of a chain link. It symobilizes a website link url.

We all know the signs: Sudden reboots. Frozen screens. Pop-ups that just won’t stop. Mysterious extensions showing up in your browser.

Getting a virus on your Mac is never fun, especially when it starts interfering with your computer’s performance.

But there are ways to stop it in its tracks and get rid of it. And, perhaps best of all, those methods are free.

To help identify malicious programs, you should consider first using malware-detection software like Clean My Mac X or Malwearbytes to scan your computer.

Once you’ve identified likely sources of infection, there are a few ways you could go about manually removing programs or extensions to help get your Mac back up to speed.

Check out the products used in this article:

How to get rid of a virus on a Mac

Stop malicious programs from running on your Mac

1. Go to your Launchpad (the rocket ship icon in your bottom toolbar).

2. Search for the activity monitor and click to open it. It may be located by default in a folder labeled «Other.»

3. If you know which programs are malicious, find them in the CPU tab of your activity monitor and stop them from running by clicking the ‘x’ in the top-left area of the window.

Uninstall bad apps

1. Open your Finder.

2. Toggle over to «Applications.»

3. Look for any apps you don’t recognize, or any that have exhibited malicious behavior (e.g. opening unprompted and unexpectedly).

4. Drag any such apps to the Trash icon (located in the bottom toolbar of your screen).

5. Empty the trash by clicking on the icon and selecting «Empty» (located in the top-right corner of the window).

Get rid of any virus-related browser extensions

Safari

1. Launch the browser.

2. In the top toolbar, click «Safari» and then «Safari Extensions.»

3. Look for suspicious extensions and uninstall those.

Chrome

1. Launch the browser.

2. Click the three stacked dots in the top-right corner of the screen.

3. Hover over «More Tools» and then click «Extensions.»

4. Look through your extensions and «Remove» any you don’t recognize.

Firefox

1. Launch the browser.

2. In the top-right corner, click the three vertical lines and choose «Add Ons.»

3. Toggle over to the extensions tab and get rid of any that you aren’t familiar with.

You may also want to change your browser’s homepage and search engine preferences if the virus has impacted those areas.

Get rid of login items you didn’t opt for

This is another area where viruses can hide within your Mac. Here’s how to find yours and get rid of any extra ones:

1. Click the Apple icon in the top-left corner of the screen and then select «System Preferences.»

2. Tap «Users & Groups» and toggle over to «Login Items.»

3. Untick the box next to any login items that you don’t recognize.

Other steps you can take to get rid of a virus on a Mac

How to avoid getting another virus on your Mac

Be sure to look out for virus-friendly websites and files, and avoid them by doing things like leaving spam emails unopened and only downloading from trusted, known sources

And, as always, be sure to back up your Mac so that, even in the event of a virus, your data and media are protected.

How to Get Rid of a Virus on a Mac

Understand the signs of malware infection and clean up your system

In This Article

Jump to a Section

Although Macs are less vulnerable to viruses than PCs, they’re not immune to malware, adware, and other scourges. If you suspect some kind of malicious program has infected your system, here’s how to identify the issue and clean up any OS X or macOS computer.

How to Know If Your System Is Infected

Your Mac’s behavior offers clues that it’s been infected. For example, the machine runs slower than usual, its fans run constantly, it stops responding, or it suddenly reboots.

If you find browser extensions, toolbars, or plug-ins you didn’t install, notice third-party applications you never asked for, or your browser’s settings have mysteriously changed, malware is probably the culprit.

An adware infection reveals itself with unexpected ads and pop-ups on your desktop, browser home page, or other websites you visit.

In general, consistently odd, unexplained behavior, especially in relation to internet activity, points to a malware infection.

Types of Infections

A variety of bugs and malicious software can infect your Mac, but the removal process is generally the same. Understanding the terms can be helpful.

Malware

Malware, short for malicious software, is any software that intentionally harms a computer or performs user-hostile actions. It’s a catch-all term that includes:

Potentially Unwanted Software (PUPs)

A potentially unwanted program might perform some valuable function, but it comes bundled with unwanted side effects. A PUP might change your home page and search engine, add malware to your computer, or steal your credit card information when you pay for the application’s dubious «service.»

Often, people install PUPs because they were tricked by dishonest ads or clicked through installer steps without reading them. PUPs are the most common type of malware found on Macs.

Viruses

A virus spreads from computer to computer like a disease, attaching to other files to infect more and more devices. Viruses use the internet, local network connections, or USB drives to propagate. There are a few steps to take to clean up your system and remove unwanted malware for good.

Mac viruses are virtually unheard of, but the term has become a generic word for describing any type of malware infection.

Kill Running Processes

The first step in tracking down and eliminating a bad actor in your system is closing apps and processes. Here’s how:

Look for unfamiliar applications.

If you’re not sure what you’re looking for, consult Malwarebytes’ list of current viruses and malware for the Mac, or check out a list of older bugs.

If you find malware listed in the Activity Monitor, select the application, and select the Quit Process icon on the left side of the top menu (it looks like a stop sign with an X).

When asked if you’re sure you want to quit this process, select Quit.

Find and Uninstall the Malicious Program

Next, it’s time to find and uninstall the unwanted program. Even if you didn’t see any malware in the Activity Monitor, still go through this process.

Open the Applications folder.

If you know the name of the malware, find the application in the list. If you aren’t sure of its name, look for any suspicious program you don’t remember installing.

Pay attention to new folders and recently installed applications.

Find the malware’s application folder. Right-click the folder and select Move to Trash, or drag it to the trash can.

Empty the trash can.

Remove Login Items

Login items are programs that launch automatically when your computer boots. If you see an application’s window as soon as you log in to your Mac, that’s a login item. Malware often sets itself up as a login item so it can relaunch every time your computer boots. Here’s how to find and delete them:

From the Apple menu, select System Preferences.

Select Users and Groups.

Select the Login Items tab.

If you see something on this list you don’t recognize, or you see known malware, select the item and choose the Remove (minus sign) icon on the bottom.

Clean Your Browsers

Many forms of adware and malware install some sort of browser extension or change your browser settings in some way. Most commonly, they change your home page, search engine, or new tab page. Here’s how to make sure your browsers are clean.

In Chrome, select the More icon (three vertical dots).

Select Settings.

Click Extensions.

Examine your extensions and make sure you know what each one does.

If you find an extension that shouldn’t be there, select Remove.

Next, look at your browser and internet preferences. In Chrome, go to Settings > Search Engine and make sure the search engine and browser settings are what you want. If not, select Manage Search Engines and remove any unwanted search engines.

In Chrome, also go to Settings > Default browser and make sure your preferred browser is selected.

Repeat this process for every web browser installed on your computer.

Run a Malware Scan

To make sure you’ve removed every piece of malicious software, run a trusted malware scanner such as Malwarebytes. Malwarebytes scans your system for known malware. If any dangerous files are found, they’re transferred to the Quarantine section, where they can be successfully deleted.

Visit the Malwarebytes website, and select Free Download.

In the Malwarebytes free version, you must run the software manually to remove adware and malware. The paid version automatically blocks malware that tries to access your device.

From the Downloads folder, select the PKG file.

An Install Malwarebytes for Mac window opens. Select Continue a few times to advance.

Select Agree to agree to the license terms.

Select Install, enter the local administrator credentials, and select Install again.

Select Close when the installation is complete.

Select Get Started.

Select Personal Computer and then choose Use Malwarebytes Free.

Enter your email address if you want to receive updates, and then select Open Malwarebytes Free.

Select Scan to begin scanning for malware.

When the scan completes, you’ll see a list of found malware or a message stating your Mac is free of malware.

Select Quarantine.

Malwarebytes removes the problematic files. You might need to restart your computer.

Extra: Tips for Staying Malware-Free

Although macOS comes with some built-in security features, changing your browsing habits is an important component of staying malware-free. Here are a few tips:

How to know if your Mac has a virus?

Find out how to tell if your Mac has a virus, what to do in case of infection, and how to prevent different forms of malware from contaminating a Mac.

There is no operating system immune to viruses, and a magic vaccine to fend them all off has yet to be invented. Macs aren’t in the risky red area in this context, but nevertheless, malware outbreaks are constantly occurring in this ecosystem. Some people might think Macintosh computers are only susceptible to security issues over out-of-the-common things like the deleterious Meltdown and Spectre microprocessor flaws, but that’s a big misconception.

A slew of garden-variety PUAs (potentially unwanted apps), adware, browser redirect viruses, rogue system utilities, ransomware, and cryptojackers are out there targeting Mac machines on a massive scale. The strains that show up the most on the Mac virus heat map are ad-injecting culprits and scareware programs. The former display sponsored content on most web pages the victim is visiting, and the latter trigger fake problem reports to try and fool the users into purchasing their licenses.

Importantly, a Mac that’s acting up isn’t necessarily a virus-stricken one. For instance, a slowdown can be caused by low available memory or heaps of junk files inundating the system. Browser crashes can stem from Flash Player being out of date. Non-malware predicaments of that sort do happen, although they are generally marginal when it comes to Mac OS X and the newer macOS editions. A virus may call forth similar symptoms, but there are telltale signs of malicious activity that allow users to distinguish it from a regular performance quirk. Here is a roundup of the most common symptoms giving you clues that your Mac has a virus.

1. You’re seeing recurrent popups and scan reports that appear at random

If your Mac experience is being interrupted by popup alerts from an application you didn’t install – or so you think – then you have likely fallen victim to scareware. This category of malicious code spans fake optimization utilities and phony malware cleaners that infiltrate computers without permission and deliberately report inexistent problems to trick the victims into registering the licensed version.

There’s a series of widespread rogue programs zeroing in on Macs in 2019. One of them is a pest called Mac Cleanup Pro, which is a clone of the infamous Advanced Mac Cleaner malware. As you can tell from the screenshot below, its GUI looks quite competently tailored and the numerous system issues purportedly found during the scan yield high improvement potential. This, however, is part of the intense brainwashing fired at the user.

The cybercriminals behind such scareware campaigns have gotten proficient in mimicking genuine Mac cleaning features over time, so it may be hard to separate the wheat from the chaff. The biggest giveaway in this case is that the victims are sure they never installed the app, but that’s not quite so. These counterfeit programs arrive as part of freeware bundles, where the user opts for one app but ends up getting a few. This technique isn’t malicious per se but it can be foul play if the extra items aren’t mentioned anywhere on the default setup screens.

2. Your browser is being redirected to unwanted sites

This is a red flag indicating that your Mac has been infected with a browser hijacker. Harmful code of this type bypasses authorization when getting privileges sufficient to modify system settings and tweak the way your default web browser is functioning. Most of the time, a hijacker is an aggressive plugin that replaces the custom Internet surfing configuration with rogue values without the admin’s approval. In the aftermath of these changes, the preferred browser – be it Safari, Chrome or Firefox – starts forwarding the traffic to junk sites haphazardly or every time you launch it, open a new tab or perform Internet search. Such perpetrating entities currently doing the rounds on a large scale include TapuFind, Chill Tab, and the Bing redirect virus.

The vast majority of the landing pages are copycats of regular search engines that don’t have a built-in information lookup feature and instead return results hosted at a third-party provider. The goal of most browser hijacking viruses is to intercept one’s traffic and take advantage of it to show advertisements on the resulting pages. Essentially, this a monetization tactic done in a malign way. Sometimes you may end up on fake warning pages that say your Mac is infected with viruses – this is another way to promote scareware. Redirect viruses tend to propagate through bundling as well, where the user is unaware of additional items being installed alongside what appears to be some nifty free application.

3. You’re seeing redundant ads while surfing the web

The influx of ads on all websites you visit is attributed to the activity of Mac adware. This cluster of infections outstrips many other forms of malware in terms of their prevalence. As is the case with hijackers, adware apps do their dirty job by skewing browser settings so that a virtual layer is displayed on top of regular web page content. Again, it’s harmful browser extensions or plugins to blame for this misdemeanor. In the upshot, the plagued user’s Internet navigation experience is going to be crammed up with a host of advertisements that otherwise wouldn’t be there.

The annoying advertisements can be manifested as in-text links, banners with coupons and freebies, comparison shopping boxes, and interstitial ads that open in a separate browser tab or window. They may be labeled “Ads by Lyrics”, “Brought to you by MacShop” or similar. The fundamental difference between malware-borne ads and ones routinely displayed on sites with the webmasters’ consent is that the former are isolated to Macs infested with adware and won’t show up on the exact same web page if it’s visited from a healthy computer. The entry points for this surreptitious code include the “good old” software bundling stratagem and drive-by downloads.

4. Your personal files have been encrypted and cannot be accessed

Browser lockers are a peculiar category of Mac ransomware, with the adverse influence being much milder. Unlike their crypto counterparts, they only affect Safari and make it display a ransom alert pretending to be from the FBI or other law enforcement agency. The lock screen usually says some prohibited material has been found on the computer and demands that the victim pay a fine so that the case doesn’t go to court. Fortunately, the fix is easy – all it takes is clearing browser cache.

5. Your Mac is slower than usual

There are Mac viruses that turn a contaminated host into a part of a botnet. In other words, the compromised machine will be receiving random commands from a remote C2 server, such as to participate in a DDoS attack or mine cryptocurrency for the criminals. Either way, the consequences involve continuous network communication and high CPU or GPU usage, hence a considerable slowdown of the plagued computer.

In response to interference like that, macOS will typically utilize a special service called kernel_task to cool down the processing unit by limiting CPU consumption for resource-heavy processes. The flip side of this routine is that the built-in mechanism may fail to reallocate the available memory right, eating up most or all of it by itself. At the end of the day, this predicament turns into a loop that won’t break until the malware is wiped from the system.

Avoiding Mac infections is a matter of proper online hygiene for the most part. Here are a few best practice tips to stay safe:

If you have noticed any of the above symptoms, focus on the countermeasures right away. First, identify the type of the infection based on the descriptions provided in this article. Then, move on to the cleanup that’s relevant to the specific virus. Finally, remediate system changes made by the culprit if necessary. This brings us to the applicable walkthroughs to handle a Mac malware quandary.

Mac virus manual removal

The steps listed below will walk you through the removal of the unwanted application that hit your Mac. Be sure to follow the instructions in the order specified.

Get rid of malicious browser add-ons on Mac

To begin with, settings for the web browser that got hit by a hijacker or adware should be restored to their default values. The overview of steps for this procedure is as follows:

Use automatic tool to remove a virus from your Mac

The Mac maintenance and security app called Combo Cleaner is a one-stop tool to detect and remove virus. This technique has substantial benefits over manual cleanup, because the utility gets hourly virus definition updates and can accurately spot even the newest Mac infections.

Furthermore, the automatic solution will find the core files of the malware deep down the system structure, which might otherwise be a challenge to locate. Here’s a walkthrough to sort out the issue using Combo Cleaner:

By downloading any applications recommended on this website you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. The free scanner checks whether your Mac is infected. To get rid of malware, you need to purchase the Premium version of Combo Cleaner.

Was this article helpful? Please, rate this.

How to Remove a Virus and Other Malware from your PC

By Mary Atamaniuk

If a computer virus is ruining your day (or life), and you feel like you’ve lost control, we’re here to help you get back on track. Here is what you’re going to learn from this article.

Table of contents

How can I tell if my computer is infected

Here is a list of tells that your system has been infected with malware.

You can’t start or update your antivirus software

This is a very serious sign that something is wrong with your system. Unless you’ve just installed an antivirus solution from a new vendor, and it’s fighting over world dominance with the old one, it’s probably a virus blocking its adversary.

You’ve lost access to admin privileges or other system settings

Many viruses like to tie the users’ hands by locking them out of administrative tools or restricting access to things like Task Manager. Untamed and on the loose, the virus roams freely, causing more damage to your system every minute.

Apps crash, or your computer freezes unexpectedly

A classic sign of an acute viral infection, this one is a little tricky, as the root cause might be related to other software or hardware issues. Still, if this symptom appears out of the blue, and you haven’t installed new hardware or software recently, it’s likely the doing of a virus.

Your computer uses a lot of resources when it shouldn’t

This happens with many types of viruses and other malware that run their evil processes in the background. If you notice unusually high CPU, memory, or disk usage when your computer should be idle — that’s a red flag. Fans whirring at higher speeds would be one of the clues to look for.

Multiple windows start popping up

If your PC starts spewing out new windows or weird-looking pop-ups uncontrollably (especially with offers of freebies and prizes), it clearly needs your help.

You notice software that you did not download or install

One of the classic modus operandi of hackers is injecting legitimate installation packages with malicious code and distributing them through free software websites. Download from reputable sources only, for you might be inviting a wolf in sheep’s clothing into your home.

Other valid concerns may include:

In general, look out for irregular behavior of your computer and remember: it’s better to be safe than sorry. If there’s no virus on your machine, a prophylactic scan/cleanup will do no harm. But since you’re likely in a critical situation already, it’s time to show you how to get rid of a virus.

Computer virus removal: 8 essential steps

Yes, your computer is probably infected by a virus, but don’t give in to panic or despair. Instead, follow these steps to remove the virus:

1. Get in touch with a service professional

This is our go-to recommendation, especially if you don’t feel comfortable dealing with a computer virus by yourself. You can search for a local service company or contact Clario’s 24/7 free helpline and receive assistance from a trained security specialist.

2. Download and install antivirus software

Windows Defender or Microsoft Security Essentials are pre-installed on modern Windows systems, but you might want to opt for a different solution. Choose a reputable vendor, download and install the package. Read instructions carefully and make sure there’s no conflict of interest: in some cases, you may have to disable the OS’s built-in software (if the new product doesn’t take care of it automatically).

3. Disconnect from the internet

Now that you have your weapon, it’s time to cut the connection, so the malware can’t use it to share your data or send itself to all of your contacts. Turn on Airplane Mode, switch off Wi-Fi connectivity, or unplug the internet cable, and you’re done. If the virus is blocking control of those functions, and your connection is wireless, turn off your cable modem or router.

4. Reboot into safe mode

Warning: this step is for more advanced users. If you’re unsure, proceed to the next step.

In Safe Mode, your system runs with the bare minimum of services needed for operation. This prevents most malware from starting up at all or seriously limits the damage it can inflict. Below are links to the official Microsoft guides on entering Safe Mode on different versions of Windows:

5. Run a full scan, delete the virus or put it in quarantine

Now, it’s time to fire up the antivirus software (if you skipped the previous step, no worries, you’re still on your fastest route to safety). Choose the most complete scan option available and make sure to include all of your hard drive letters. If you suspect the virus could have come from an external disk or a pen drive, keep them connected too.

When your software detects the threat, select the appropriate action: to delete or quarantine it. Use the latter option if that’s what the program suggests or if you know that the file in question is critical or valuable to you.

6. Delete temporary files and clear browser cache

There’s a chance the virus is lurking in the Windows temporary folders or the cache of your browser. We advise you to go the extra mile and take no prisoners.

Follow these simple steps to clear temporary files for your version of the Windows OS:

In Windows 7 and Windows Vista:

Don’t forget to clear the cache in your browser. Choose your options carefully to keep your stored passwords and forms. To save you some time, we’ve included links to the corresponding FAQs for Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer, Opera, and Mozilla Firefox.

7. Update your browser and OS

To finalize this computer virus removal, we highly recommend updating your operating system and web browser to their latest versions. Windows updates often contain fixes for vulnerabilities and exploits, and so do the newest versions of browsers.

8. Update your passwords

Bonus: while you’re at it, check if your saved passwords were leaked in a data breach using Chrome’s handy feature:

At this point, you and your PC should both be out of the woods. Unless you’ve contracted a very resilient strain, and you’ll need your bare hands to get rid of it.

How to manually remove a virus

Here is the deal: we’d really like to discourage you from engaging in close-quarters combat with any kind of malware. Removing viruses manually requires comprehensive knowledge of your operating system’s darkest corners and depends heavily on the type of malware you’ve encountered. Any mistake might result in unwanted casualties.

However, if you are comfortable using tools like Registry Editor, can identify malicious processes, and do not object to losing some data, we can recommend this help topic from Microsoft.

If it were our decision, we’d leave it to the pros. With Clario’s cybersecurity software, you get a reliable all-in-one solution that protects you from any kind of malware or ID theft, as well as secures your Wi-Fi connection. Over 600 on-demand security experts are available to assist you 24/7.

To show you how serious we are about digital security, we’ve included a short section on preventing viruses from infecting your system.

Guidelines for preventing a future infection

You’ll be surprised by how little it takes to keep your personal or work computer out of trouble. All you have to do is:

Exercise caution and don’t rush into things. No operating system is impervious to virus threats. Not even MacOS. Let’s talk about that for a minute.

How to get rid of a virus on a Mac

There’s this notion that hackers don’t care about Mac users. They do, and there’s a bouquet of diseases your Mac can contract. In a nutshell, Mac computers do suffer from adware, trojan horses, spyware, and exploits.

But have no fear, dear Mac users, we’ve studied this topic thoroughly and have all the answers for you in another piece on our blog.

To all of our readers, regardless of their operating system preference, we’re wishing you a virus-free 2021! Stay safe out there, and we’ll keep doing our best to protect you in the digital world.