Is Mac Cleanup Pro a Virus

The Mac Cleanup Pro virus is more of a potentially unwanted program (PUP). You often find the app on your computer without intentionally downloading it, and the software will try and convince you that you should pay for its premium features. For this reason, it’s vital that you remove it as soon as you notice the app.

Mac Cleanup Pro might seem like a friendly tool for removing needless files and folders on your computer at first glance, but it opens the door to more dangers than you might think. First, there’s the annoyance of potentially paying for a program that you didn’t actually want or need. But because it also displays adware, you could possibly hinder your device's performance and have more threats appear.

Luckily, you can get rid of the Mac Cleanup Pro virus in multiple ways. Keep reading our guide to learn how to remove this software and ensure that your Mac isn’t negatively affected by its presence.

Before we start

 

Getting rid of viruses on your Mac can be difficult if you need to do so manually, and you can also spend a lot of time trying to find the files you should remove. The easiest way to remove programs on your device is via third-party antivirus software. In this regard, MacKeeper’s Antivirus will protect your computer from various hacking attempts and malicious attacks. The app operates in real time, meaning that you don’t need to do any manual work after the initial setup.

 

Here’s how to use MacKeeper’s Antivirus tool to protect your Apple computer:

1. Download MacKeeper.
2. Go to Security > Antivirus.
3. Select Launch Antivirus at the bottom of your screen.
4. Once your antivirus has been enabled, select Next to allow real-time protection.
5. Hit Enable again and select Open Preferences.
6. Click on the padlock when it appears. Then, enter your computer’s password.
7. Select Allow when you see the MacKeeper options, before ticking all boxes associated with MacKeeper.
8. Quit and relaunch MacKeeper to bring the antivirus into full effect.

What is Mac Cleanup Pro

Mac Cleanup Pro is known as a potentially unwanted program, and it’s usually installed on your Apple device without you knowing. Once the software is installed, it might ask you to buy the full version. On top of that, it also has the capability to put adware on your Mac.

How Mac Cleanup Pro gets into your Mac

You probably downloaded Mac Cleanup Pro unknowingly; it often ends up on your device when you download another program. Unfortunately, Mac Cleanup Pro can find its way onto your Mac even when you get your software from legitimate sources. So, it can be tricky to know where the program originated from.

How to manually remove Mac Cleanup Pro

You can manually remove the Mac Cleanup Pro virus from your computer by following these steps:

1. Open System Settings by going to Apple logo > System Settings.
2. Select Login Items.
3. Under Open at Login, highlight Mac Cleanup Pro and tap the - icon.

Hint from our team: 

 

Did you also know that you can remove Login Items with MacKeeper? The tool lets you see which specific caches and other programs open upon login, allowing you to clear your device and optimize Mac performance more efficiently.

 

Follow these steps to remove Login Items via MacKeeper:

1. In MacKeeper, go to Performance > Login Items.
2. Select Start Scan.
3. When the scan has completed, tick the boxes next to the items you want to remove. You can view what each program does in the General information section.
4. Choose Remove Selected Items.
5. When the pop-up window appears, tap the Remove button to finalize the process.

After removing Mac Cleanup Pro as a login item, you’ll then need to delete the program from your Mac altogether. To help you with this task, we’ll discuss the following:

• Remove Mac Cleanup Pro from the Applications folder
• Get control of Mac Cleanup Pro through your browser

Let’s now stop on both methods to clean your Mac of malicious apps in more detail.

1. Remove Mac Cleanup Pro from the Applications folder

Manually removing most apps from your Mac is easiest when you do so from the Applications folder. Once you’ve deleted the program, you’ll then need to remove it from your Trash folder to permanently delete it.

Here’s how you can remove Mac Cleanup Pro from your Applications folder:

1. Open the Finder app and select Applications on the left-hand toolbar.
2. On the right-hand side, go through the list of applications until you see Mac Cleanup Pro. To make searching easier, press M on your keyboard until you find the program.
3. Drag and drop Mac Cleanup Pro into the Trash.
4. Go to your Trash folder and select Empty in the top right-hand corner.

Regularly going through your Applications folder is an excellent way to clean up Mac devices, and we recommend doing it around every six months.

2. Get control of Mac Cleanup Pro through your browser

Mac Cleanup Pro can appear as a browser extension, which will result in your computer running more slowly than it should. You can remove the program through Safari, Chrome, and Firefox—but the process is different depending on which browser you use.

Delete unauthorized extensions from your browser

Here’s how to delete unauthorized extensions from your browser, starting with Safari:

1. Go to Safari in the top toolbar menu and select Settings.
2. Select Extensions.
3. Untick the extensions you don’t want on your device. Then, select Uninstall.

If your main aim is to keep your Mac running at an effective speed, you should learn how to clear system data from Mac. This way, you’ll be able to remove temporary files and many other programs that don’t need to be on your device.

To delete unauthorized extensions in Google Chrome, you’ll need to follow these steps instead.

1. Open Chrome and select the puzzle icon on the right-hand side.
2. Select Manage Extensions.
3. Toggle off the extension you want to remove. Then, select Remove before confirming your choice.

Below are the steps to delete an unwanted extension in Firefox:

1. Go to Firefox > Settings.
2. Select Extensions & Themes.
3. Toggle the extension off. Then, tap the three dots icon.
4. Select Remove and confirm your decision.

Reset your browser to default settings

Once you’ve deleted unwanted extensions from your browser, resetting your browser to default settings will ensure that any possible remnants of Mac Cleanup Pro and other programs are gone.

Safari no longer has a setting that lets you revert everything in one go. The best option is to reset and remove your website data:

1. Go to Safari > Settings > Privacy.
2. Select Manage Website Data. You’ll find this button next to the Website data option.
3. Tap Remove All once your website data has appeared on your screen.

While you can’t reset all of your Safari settings, you can do this within Google Chrome. Follow these instructions to reset your browser settings in Chrome:

1. Go to Chrome > Settings.
2. In the search bar, type “reset.”
3. Scroll until you see the Reset settings section. Here, select Restore settings to their original defaults.
4. When the pop-up window appears, tap Reset Settings.

These are the steps you should follow to reset your browser settings if you’re a Firefox user:

1. Select the hamburger icon on the right-hand side.
2. Tap Help.
3. Choose More troubleshooting information.
4. Under Give Firefox a tune-up, select Refresh Firefox.
5. Confirm your choice by selecting Refresh Firefox again when the pop-up window appears.

Note from our experts: 

 

Besides manually deleting your extensions from each browser, you can also use MacKeeper’s Smart Uninstaller. Doing so will ensure that you’re able to remove everything in one place, rather than needing to open each browser manually.

 

Here’s how to remove browser extensions via MacKeeper’s Smart Uninstaller solution:

1. In MacKeeper, go to Cleaning > Smart Uninstaller.
2. Select Browser Extensions and tick the boxes next to each extension you want to delete.
3. Tap Remove Selected once you’ve chosen the specific extensions you’d like to uninstall.
4. When the pop-up window appears, choose Remove.

How to automatically remove Mac Cleanup Pro with MacKeeper

You can save a lot of time by using a third-party application when deleting Mac Cleanup Pro, and MacKeeper’s Smart Uninstaller is the easiest way to delete the unnecessary program on your computer. It’ll automatically find the files and folders you need to delete, along with removing them in a safe and efficient manner—subsequently keeping your Mac in tip-top condition.

To use MacKeeper’s Smart Uninstaller tool for deleting unnecessary apps, follow these instructions.

1. Open MacKeeper and go to Cleaning > Smart Uninstaller.
2. Select Start Scan.
3. Go to Applications, select Mac Cleanup Pro, and tap Remove Selected.
4. When the pop-up window appears, tap Remove again.

Before deleting malicious software, it’s a good idea to check for malware on your Mac. You can look for suspicious programs in your Applications folder, along with using tools to identify viruses and quarantine them—plus much more.

How to avoid downloading Mac Cleanup Pro on your Mac

While Mac Cleanup Pro might appear after downloading from an official site, it’s extremely rare. The best way to avoid downloading Mac Cleanup Pro is to not download from websites that you don’t know or trust. Download managers are a big red flag in particular.

Delete Mac Cleanup Pro and stop it from appearing on your device again

Mac Cleanup Pro might not seem like a harmful piece of software, but it can cause significant damage to your Mac if you don’t delete it. The program is capable of putting adware on your device, which can result in your computer not running at the most optimal level. On top of that, you may also find that the program conflicts with legitimate Mac maintenance programs.

Deleting Mac Cleanup Pro isn’t just about removing the app. You also need to delete any associated browser extensions, and it’s also wise to empty your Trash to ensure that the program is well and truly off your device. If you want to remove viruses, monitor your Mac in real time, and protect yourself from this and similar viruses, MacKeeper’s Antivirus solution is the best way to go.