How to remove a virus from a Mac
There’s an old belief that Macs don’t get viruses. They get fewer than Windows PCs, but “fewer” isn’t “none”. What we see most on Macs is adware, browser hijackers, and fake “your Mac is infected” pop-ups. True viruses are rare; the annoying stuff is common.
Signs something’s wrong
- Pop-ups and ads, including outside the browser.
- Safari or Chrome opening on a search page you didn’t set.
- A new toolbar or extension you don’t remember adding.
- The Mac running hot or the fan spinning with nothing open.
How to clear it
1. Quit the browser properly. If a scary pop-up is stuck on screen, press Command + Q, or force quit with Command + Option + Esc. Don’t click anything inside the pop-up.
2. Remove dodgy extensions. In Safari, go to Settings > Extensions and remove anything unfamiliar. In Chrome, use Manage extensions.
3. Check Login Items. Go to System Settings > General > Login Items and remove anything you don’t recognise that’s set to launch on startup.
4. Look through Applications. Open the Applications folder and drag anything unfamiliar to the Trash, then empty it. Adware often installs itself as an app you never opened.
5. Reset the browser home page and search. Set them back to what you actually want, since hijackers change these.
About those “infected” alerts
If a website tells you your Mac has 5 viruses and to call a number or download a cleaner, ignore it. A web page can’t scan your Mac. It’s a scam designed to frighten you into calling or installing something. Close the tab and move on.
If the pop-ups keep coming back after all this, something is holding on that a quick clean-up won’t reach. We work on Macs remotely and can go through it with you. Call 0477 319 160.