How to remove malware from a Mac

If you’ve noticed you might have a virus on your Mac, rest assured it's not too late to fix this issue. Malware on your Mac can lead to serious consequences – identity theft, financial losses, corrupted files, and a straight-up unusable device, not to mention data loss. It can enter your device in many ways, including via fake websites, malicious links, fraudulent downloads, etc.

To remove malware from a Mac, you need reliable antivirus software, like TotalAV. It will not only remove existing threats but also protect your device from malware in the future.

In this article, I explain how to tell if your device is infected, provide steps to get rid of a virus from your Mac, give alternative methods, and offer some tips and tricks on how to protect it from malware in the future.

How to know if my Mac has a virus?

Before jumping to conclusions, first, verify that your Mac device is actually affected by malware. Here are the main signs of malicious software on your Macbook:

• Your Mac's speed has decreased. This could indicate that malware is stealing your device's resources to achieve its malicious job.
• Your browser starts up with a new homepage. A homepage that you didn't choose as the main one might inform you that your browser has been hacked.
• Random ads get in your sight, redirecting you to fake phishing websites. This is one of the most common signs that your device has been infected. In this way malicious websites earn money.
• You are blocked from accessing your personal files. The reason behind this might be a trojan horse or ransomware that threatens to expose your personal information.
• Spam messages are generated from your accounts. Within this type of malware, spam messages reach your contacts on various online platforms.
• You find extensions that you didn’t add. Unfamiliar extensions are strong indicators that you have unknowingly installed malware on your Mac.
• Your device and apps randomly reboot. If your gadgets restart for no reason, it’s possible that a malicious program has been installed into your system.
• Unfamiliar applications running in the background. If you notice apps you never installer running in the background, there’s a high chance your Mac is infected.

How to remove malware from a Mac

The safest and most efficient way to remove malware from your Mac is to use an antivirus, such as TotalAV. However, you might also want to go through some steps manually. Here is how to get rid of malware on Mac manually:

Step 1. Disconnect from the internet

This first step is crucial if you don’t want malware spreading through your home or work network to other devices. Simply turn off the Wi-Fi, disconnect your Mac from any internet cables, or put it in flight mode.

Step 2. Run a virus scan

If you’re not very tech-savvy, removing viruses manually can be rather difficult. By using a robust Mac antivirus, like TotalAV, you can attempt a virus scan effortlessly. Here’s how:

1. Subscribe to a reputable antivirus service. I recommend TotalAV for the best protection
2. Download and install the antivirus app and then sign in
3. In the left-side menu, find the Malware Scan feature
4. Choose to run the System Scan
5. When the scan ends, if there are any threats found, select whether you want to quarantine or delete them

Remove malware with TotalAV

Step 3. Turn on the Safe Mode

Sometimes malware infections can make your device too slow to efficiently remove anything. Booting your Mac into Safe Mode will ensure that malware stops spreading from file to file and location to location.

Here’s how to turn on Safe Mode on Mac:

1. Figure out what type of Mac you have. Choose Apple Menu and navigate to About This Mac
2. If you see an item called Chip, your Mac is with Apple silicon. If you see an item called Processor, your Mac is Intel-based

Safe Mode for Mac with Apple silicon:

1. Choose Apple Menu, and select Shut Down. Wait for your Mac to shut down completely
2. Press and hold the Power button until the Loading startup options appear
3. Select a volume
4. Press and hold the Shift key, and choose Continue in Safe Mode

Safe Mode for Intel-based Mac:

1. Restart your Mac and immediately press and hold the Shift key until the login window appears
2. Log in to your Mac
3. You might need to log in again. On either the first or second login window, “Safe Boot” should be visible in the menu bar

Step 4. Stop malicious programs from running on your Mac

Programs are not caught as easily as applications, thus we rarely think of them running in the background. They are getting activated with every action we make, so malicious programs are able to quickly sneak in on your device.

Thankfully, it is very easy to stop those programs on a Mac. Let me show you how:

1. Go to Applications -> Utilities
   
2. Look for the "Activity monitor" and open it
3. Look for the malicious app and click the [x] button to quit and stop it

Step 5. Remove suspicious applications

Malware can take many different forms, even appearing as security software, so it is easy to get tricked here.

If you have downloaded an app that turns out to be a virus or any other type of malware, you must uninstall it as soon as possible.

Here’s how to manually remove unwanted apps from a Mac:

1. Open “Finder” and go to the “Applications” folder
2. Scroll through the list of apps
3. Detect and delete any suspicious applications
4. Empty the trash. Any remains left from a program can restore the program itself and continue spreading malware

Step 6. Remove browser hijackers

Browser hijackers overtake your device by transforming browser settings without your permission. Its purpose is to increase the income of malicious websites.

To remove browser hijackers on different browsers, you can check out our in-depth guide on removing browser hijackers on macOS.

Step 7. Delete browser extensions

It is common for a virus to come through a browser extension. Even extensions that are not malicious and you haven’t installed them knowingly can be bothering and they are also a threat called a PUP (potentially unwanted program).

Here is how to remove unwanted browser extensions from your Mac browsers:

Safari

1. Launch Safari
2. Navigate to Extensions in the browser settings tab
3. Check the extensions and find any that look suspicious or were installed without your knowledge
4. Uninstall the suspicious extensions.

Google Chrome

1. Open Chrome.
2. Click the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner and go to More Tools > Extensions.
3. Browse through the list of installed extensions. Look for any that you don’t recognize or that seem unnecessary.
4. Click Remove next to the extension you want to uninstall and confirm the action.

Mozilla Firefox

1. Open Firefox.
2. Click the three-line menu in the upper-right corner and select Add-ons and themes.
3. Go to the Extensions tab.
4. Review the installed extensions and look for anything unusual or unrecognized.
5. Click the three-dot icon next to the extension you want to remove and select Remove.

Step 8. Update the macOS

With all the provided steps I would also like to recommend you always keep your Mac device up to date. Each released update from a developer assures that security features are improved as well. Here’s how to update your Mac:

1. In the Apple Menu, choose System Settings or System Preferences
2. Navigate to General > Software Update. The feature will check if there are new updates
3. If a new update is found, click the Update Now (Upgrade Now, Install Now, or Restart Now) button
4. Enter your admin password
5. Your Mac will update. If Software Update says that your device is up to date, you don’t need to update it

Step 9. Reset factory settings

Sometimes, nothing goes as planned, and the only way to save your Mac is to erase it and then reset the settings completely. To be on the safe side, you could first contact Apple support to see if they can assist you in any other way, as resetting your device will erase all of your data.

If there’s no other option. here’s how to reset your Mac to factory settings:

1. Go to Apple Menu and select System Settings
2. In the sidebar, click on General
3. On the right, choose Transfer or Reset
4. Click Erase all Content and Settings
5. Sign in with your admin credentials
6. If you need to back up your Mac before resetting, you can do so with the Time Machine. However, I don’t recommend making backups, as the virus could also transfer
7. Click Continue to erase all your data
8. Enter your Apple ID password and click continue
9. Choose Erase All Content & Settings for confirmation
10. Your Mac will restart. You’ll be prompted to connect to any accessories and Wi-Fi networks
11. After connecting to the internet, your Mac will activate. Click Restart and set up your Mac anew

What to do if I still can’t remove a virus?

Unfortunately, sometimes none of the troubleshooting solutions will work. Thus, you need to take cardinal action – reinstall your macOS. Here's how to do that:

1. Start your computer in macOS Recovery
2. Click Continue and follow the instructions
3. If you get asked to unlock your disk, type in your Mac login password
4. If the installer is unable to see the disk or notifies you that macOS can’t be installed, then you need to erase your disk first
5. Choose Macintosh HD
6. During the installation process keep your Mac device active

How to prevent malware from infecting your Mac

A virus is a program that is designed to damage your device by gaining access to it. Therefore, you should apply several security measures to prevent malware attacks.

First and foremost, use a trusted antivirus, like TotalAV.

Don’t download random stuff from the internet. No matter how tempting some options can be, remember, that malicious actors take advantage of gullible users.

I also advise you to avoid sketchy websites and links, even if they claim you are going to win a new iPhone. This most likely is a scam.

Knowing a rule of thumb is also a helpful tool: don’t run a program if you don’t know where it came from or you haven’t installed it yourself.

Truthfully, macOS provides great security tools: Apple M series chips and FileVault 2, which encrypts your data; antimalware technologies like XD, ASLR, and SIP.

You may also improve your personal data security by using other tools, such as a password manager, file encryption app, VPN, and an ad blocker.

Video guide

If you would like to learn how to remove malware from Mac with the help of a reliable antivirus, watch our team's video guide:

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