How to Remove Browser Hijackers and Adware From a Mac

Clean up Safari, Chrome and Firefox, remove rogue extensions and LaunchAgents, and run a free Mac malware scan.

6 min read · Beginner friendly

Most Mac adware persists through three things: a rogue browser extension, a Configuration Profile, and a LaunchAgent or LaunchDaemon that re-installs the extension if you remove it. We will deal with all three.

Step 1: Uninstall the rogue app

1. Open Finder → Applications
2. Sort by Date Added and look for anything you did not install (MacKeeper, Advanced Mac Cleaner, SearchProtect, MyShopcoupon, etc.)
3. Drag the unwanted app to the Trash and empty it

Step 2: Remove rogue extensions and reset browsers

1. Safari → Settings → Extensions → uninstall anything unfamiliar
2. Chrome → chrome://extensions → Remove; then Settings → Reset settings → Restore settings to their original defaults
3. Firefox → about:addons → remove; then Help → More troubleshooting information → Refresh Firefox

Step 3: Remove malicious Configuration Profiles

1. System Settings → General → Device Management (or Profiles)
2. Select any profile you did not install and click −
3. If no profiles section appears at all, you are clean — that is the default for personal Macs

Step 4: Clean LaunchAgents and LaunchDaemons

Adware re-installs itself using small .plist files in these folders. Open Finder, press ⌘ ⇧ G and check each path:

• ~/Library/LaunchAgents
• /Library/LaunchAgents
• /Library/LaunchDaemons
• ~/Library/Application Support

Move anything with names like com.MyShopcoupon, com.searchmine, com.pcv.hlpramcn or any oddly-named recently-modified plist to a folder on your Desktop, then restart your Mac. If everything still works after a few days, delete it.

Step 5: Run a free Mac malware scan

1. Download Malwarebytes for Mac (Free) from malwarebytes.com/mac
2. Install and grant Full Disk Access when prompted (System Settings → Privacy & Security)
3. Run a full scan and quarantine everything it flags
4. Restart your Mac