Several browser hijackers constitute a nuisance on several smart devices like Mac. One such hijacker is the Yahoo Search redirect virus that affects majorly Mac and Safari users. In this article, you will learn how to get Yahoo off my Mac.
Don’t confuse the authorized Yahoo Search engine with this browser hijacker, they only share similar names. Although this Yahoo Search virus may not look harmful it’s very annoying and it can cause spam and phishing sites, as well as websites that spread malware and pop-up ad infections.
In this article, we will walk you through how to get Yahoo off my Mac and also preventive tips on how to protect your device from malware, browser hijackers, and unwanted applications in the future. Read on!
Why does my Mac keep using Yahoo?
In case you have noticed over time that your search engine keeps changing to Yahoo, it may be due to several reasons such as the presence of a browser hijacker virus.
The Yahoo search redirect virus is used by hackers usually to gain revenue generated by clicks on Yahoo. The reason why Mac keeps using Yahoo is quite mundane. People earn money by involving themselves in such fraudulent activities.
In most cases, the aim of changing your search results is to make you click on paid links. Once they can convince you to download some malicious software by tapping on those links, then you have succeeded in giving them access to manipulate your browser and privacy settings which means the more clicks, the more money they get.
However, the Yahoo search redirect virus has nothing to do with the legit Yahoo search engine. Hijackers only use it because they feel Yahoo will look similar and “real” to you, and thus there are chances that you may likely click on something. To get the Yahoo virus off your Mac, you can reset your browser settings for Chrome, Safari, or Firefox. This is how to get Yahoo off my Mac.
What is the Yahoo Search Redirect Virus?
The Yahoo Search redirect virus is a browser hijacker that redirects all your questions to fake search engines. These search engines consist of results that are affiliate advertising links or links to scam sites. The latter option uses phishing and other social engineering techniques to extract personal and financial information from unsuspecting users.
This virus redirects to affiliate pages are not harmful by themselves, however, they are very annoying and stop the user from seeing original organic search results. On the other hand, redirects to phishing sites can end in identity theft, unauthorized access to your bank accounts, and malware. Some redirects lead to websites that spread malware such as Key Loggers, Trojan horses, Worms, etc.
Signs of Yahoo Redirect Virus on Mac
In case you are wondering how you are going to know if your Mac has been infected with the Yahoo Redirect virus or not, you can look out for the following symptoms of the Yahoo redirect virus on Mac:
- Pop-up ads: Ads on browsers are very normal (especially if you don’t use an ad-blocker), however more frequent ads in very random places can be a sign of a Yahoo redirect virus on Mac.
- Strange browser behavior: For instance, once you tap on a link in your search results, it redirects you immediately to more search results. Tapping on a link again will redirect you to another page of the exact search results.
- Suggestions to download something tempting: You will receive pop-ups with messages that say “Your device is not updated – download OS update here” or “Download this free app to watch Netflix for free” this could be a symptom of both a malicious website and a hijacked browser.
- Yahoo search results in other browsers: You may see search results in browsers such as Chrome, Safari, Edge, etc. For instance,
- if your default search engine is Google, but all search results are from Yahoo or something identical, it means that your browser has been hijacked.
How do I delete Yahoo app from my Mac?
In case you want to delete the Yahoo app from your Mac, here’s how you can go about it below:
- Open the Activity Monitor (locate it in Launchpad which is a standard Apple utility).
- Go to the CPU section.
- Locate the Yahoo! Messenger process and tap on the “X” icon in the window’s left top corner.
- Now, click on “Quit” and drag and drop the Yahoo! Messenger icon into the Trash.
This is all about how to delete the Yahoo app from your Mac.
How to remove Yahoo Search from Mac
The longer Yahoo malware continues to cause a nuisance on your computer, the more complex it becomes to get rid of it. It goes ahead to install a fraudulent config profile on Mac, which may deal with many components of your macOS. Therefore, you have to be 100% sure that you remove all traces of the malware from your Mac. Although, it’s almost impossible to do it manually there are great malware removal tools such as CleanMyMac X that can perform this job perfectly. This is one way how to get Yahoo off my Mac.
How to get Yahoo off my Mac
Before you can remove the Yahoo Search virus from Safari, you need to follow a couple of steps, however, they are not too complicated. Follow the steps below on how to get Yahoo off my Mac and get rid of the browser hijacker on my Mac:
Download an Antivirus for Mac and run some scans
Scan your entire device with a quality antivirus for Mac. This should help find and deal with whatever malware is found on your device:
- Get an antivirus like TotalAV for your Mac.
- Now, install the antivirus and run a complete scan.
- Follow the recommendations suggested by the antivirus to clean up and secure your Mac.
Once the antivirus software finds harmful apps or vulnerabilities on your device, you can go ahead to follow the instructions on how to remove those apps and secure your device from future infections.
Change your Default Search Engine
Browser hijackers operate usually by changing the browser settings and also setting the default search engine to appear as Yahoo or some other. You can always change it back to the initial search engine on Safari by following the steps below:
- Open Safari and go to Preferences.
- Go to Search and check which search engine is set at the moment.
- Set your preferred search engine as the default option.
- That’s it!
Remove Suspicious or Unused browser extensions
Yahoo Search virus is also capable of installing harmful extensions on Safari, therefore you need to ensure all extensions you don’t recognize are removed by following the steps below:
- Open Safari and go to Preferences.
- Locate the Extensions tab.
- Uninstall all suspicious or unused extensions.
- That’s it!
Reset Browser Settings and Data
To ascertain that there is nothing left of the Yahoo virus, clear all your browser settings and restore them to default by following the steps below:
- Open Safari and go to Preferences.
- Go to the Privacy tab.
- Tap on Manage Website Data.
- Finally, clear all data.
Uninstall Suspicious Apps
In case none of the steps above has worked as you try on how to get Yahoo off my Mac and Safari still uses Yahoo Search, then an unwanted app on your Mac may be the reason why you are experiencing this. Go through your device and delete all apps that you don’t recognize.
To locate and remove suspicious apps, follow the steps below:
- Tap on the Finder icon at the bottom of your screen.
- Click on Applications in the sidebar.
- Search for the unwanted app (In case it’s in a folder, check if there is an uninstaller in there. If yes, tap on it and follow the on-screen instructions.
- If there is no uninstaller, just drag the app to Trash.
- Empty the Trash folder to delete the unwanted app permanently.
Reset your Mac
Peradventure everything else fails and none of these options has helped you how to get Yahoo off my Mac, you can try to reset your Mac is the final option and the most extreme step you can take.
Resetting will set your Mac to the default factory settings and remove anything and everything you may have installed yourself.
To completely reset your Mac, follow the steps below:
- Go to System Preferences.
- Tap on Time Machine.
- If you have an external hard drive, connect it and click on “Select Backup Disk” in the Time Machine.
- Select what you want to back up, and continue.
- Ensure you are careful not to choose any suspicious programs.
- Once you have successfully backed up your files, tap on the Apple logo and select Restart.
- Once the Apple logo appears again, press the Command and R keys.
- After the macOS recovery window appears, select your account and input your password.
- Select if you want to Restore from Time Machine or Reinstall macOS.
- Now, your Mac should be reset!
Having the Yahoo Search virus on your Mac is very annoying and harmful, as this not only gives you fake search results but also redirects you to phishing websites or malware distribution points.
However, you don’t have to launch your Mac through the window. You can remove the Yahoo Search browser hijacker from Safari by resetting the default search engine, removing suspicious extensions, and clearing your browser data.
In situations whereby the problem persists, you can use a more reliable method which is getting an Antivirus such as TotalAV, and with its help, you can remove any viruses from your Mac.
How to Prevent Browser Hijackers on Mac?
In case of future purposes, you may want to prevent Browser hijackers (Yahoo Search) on Mac. You can follow the precautions stated below:
- Always keep your MacOS and browser updated
- Always resist the temptation to click on suspicious links and ads.
- Ensure you only download files from official sources.
- Ensure to always keep your device protected with antivirus software
We hope our guide on how to get Yahoo off my Mac has greatly helped you. If yes, feel free to share your comments and opinions in the section below.