How To Clean Macbook Pro From Malware

You may have heard it's said that Macs don’t get viruses. That there’s no Apple virus. You may even have said it yourself. Sadly, it’s not true. The latest State of Malware Report by Malwarebytes describes a significant rise of Mac threats of over 400% in 2019. The report claims that cybercriminals now target Macs severely, due to increasing market share. So, do you still believe that Macs don’t get viruses? Continue reading to discover how to remove a virus from your Mac and protect your files from getting infected.

Can Macs get viruses?

Macs have been considered safer than Windows PC for a long time. Macs are indeed secure, thanks to various built-in features, such as GateKeeper, that doesn't allow installing anything not approved by Apple. But, as the Apple security features have improved, so is malware. According to the State of Malware report mentioned before, Macs are mostly attacked by adware and potentially unwanted programs (PUP), which macOS has no counteraction against. So, answering the question, yes, Macs do get viruses, and they may impact your sensitive file and data seriously.

Some MacBook models also have a couple of small clips that hold the cover in place from the center, but you can carefully just pry up the cover to unclip it. Now, beginning with the Touch Bar MacBook Pro in 2016 (including the non-Touch Bar models), Apple introduced a new step to the removal of the bottom cover. Cause of MacBook Pro Overheating: MacBook Pro got malware/virus. Runaway applications. Fan control software. Fake/Third-Party MacBook Pro charger. Keep tabs as less as you can. Keep your MacBook Pro updated. Test MacBook Pro fans. Don’t use MacBook Pro under the sun or on the lap. Avoid Google Chrome. There is no harm in cleaning the keyboard of MacBook. How to clean the keyboard of your MacBook, MacBook Pro. If you want to keep the keyboard of your MacBook and MacBook Pro clean, follow these steps.Shut the MacBook Air/Pro and unplug the charging cable or any other accessories.Hold your MacBook at a 75-degree angle, so it’s not quite.

Judging on appearance alone, Mac Clean Pro may seem legitimate and useful, however, this app is categorized as a potentially unwanted application (PUA), since developers proliferate it using a deceptive marketing method called 'bundling'. Virus removal is one of the main Mac Clean Pro features.

How do I know if my Mac has a virus?

Before you remove a virus from a Mac, you need to be sure it actually has one. We’ve covered that in more detail in this article but here are a few pointers.

  • Your Mac starts behaving erratically and doing things you don’t expect;
  • Your Mac starts running very slowly as if something is hogging the processor;
  • You start seeing adverts on your desktop;
  • You find software or applications you didn’t install.
  • An app asks for your administrator password

These symptoms may mean your Mac has a virus, although there could be other explanations.

How to remove a virus from a Mac manually

Thankfully, there are lots of ways to do it. And Mac virus removal doesn’t have to cost money.

1. Delete browser extensions

One of the most common types of malware comes in the form of browser extensions. Even extensions that aren’t particularly malicious can be annoying, and if you didn’t deliberately install them, they’re malware. Here’s how to get rid of unwanted browser extensions.

Safari

  1. Launch Safari.
  2. Click Safari in the top menu, then choose Safari Extensions.
  3. Look down the list and click on any extensions that look suspicious. Read the description of the extension. If you don’t remember installing it, click Uninstall.
  4. Repeat until you’ve removed all the extensions you don’t want.

Chrome

  1. Launch Chrome.
  2. Click on the 3-dot icon in the upper right corner.
  3. Select More Tools and choose Extensions from the menu that appears.
  4. Look over the extensions in the browser window and click Remove on any that you don’t recognize.

Firefox

  1. Launch Firefox.
  2. Click the 3-line (hamburger) icon at the top right corner.
  3. Choose Add-ons.
  4. Click the Extensions tab and remove any you don’t recognize.

2. Uninstall apps

Malware comes in lots of different forms. And it even comes disguised as security software to help you get rid of viruses! Devious, huh?

If you’ve inadvertently downloaded an app that turns out to be a virus, you need to uninstall it immediately. There are a couple of ways to do this. Here’s the hard way.

  1. Go to your Applications folder and drag the app to the Trash.
  2. Go to ~/Library folder and look in the Application Support folder for any files related to the app and drag those to the Trash.
  3. Look in the other folders in ~/Library, especially Launch Agents and Launch Daemons and remove any files related to the app from there. But be careful, if you remove files used by legitimate apps you could cause lots of problems.
  4. Repeat Step 3 for your Mac’s main Library folder.

The easy way: Uninstall apps in a few clicks

  1. Download and launch CleanMyMac X.
  2. Click Uninstaller.
  3. Check the box next to the application name.
  4. Click Uninstall.

If you don’t know the name of the application, it’s more difficult. But if you use CleanMyMac X, all you have to do is scroll through the list of applications and look for any you don’t recognize or don’t need and remove them. CleanMyMac X removes every trace of an app, including files that you may overlook when you remove applications manually. This is particularly important for viruses, so it’s much better to use CleanMyMac X.
What makes this method even better, is that CleanMyMac X also shows you app leftovers that remained after the main app is gone.

3. Escape the virus: Create a new user profile

Usually, viruses are attached to a particular user profile on your computer. In this way, they are able to seize control of your admin profile. But you can start if from scratch and create a new user on your Mac. Don't worry, you will be able to transfer all your important data from one user to another.

Go to Apple menu > System Preferences, click Users & Groups.

  1. Click the lock icon , then type in your admin password.
  2. Use the plus sign to add a new user profile.

To move your important information from one user to another, you will need to access the Shared folder.

  1. Click on the Finder > Go to Folder...
  2. Paste in this: /Users

Can you see the Shared folder? Here you can copy the needed files from your old user account. Hurray, you've started a clean, virus-free life!

Bonus tip: Clean up your login items

Login items are apps that launch automatically upon startup. Malware programs would often sneak into your login items without you knowing. How to prevent them from launching?

  1. Go to Apple Menu > System Preferences.
  2. Click Users & Groups.
  3. Click on the Login Items tab


From here you can manage them using the [+] and [—] buttons.

How to remove a virus from Mac automatically

While the above steps work very well in lots of cases, sometimes the Mac virus removal means using a dedicated application to scan and remove malware from your Mac.

Scan your Mac for viruses

There are lots of these applications available, and many of them are either free or allow you to at the very least scan your Mac for free to find out whether you need to take action. Be careful, however. It’s important to choose a tool from a reputable vendor. If you just google ‘Mac antivirus tool’ some of the results may well be for tools that are themselves malicious and instead of removing viruses from your Mac will infect it. We recommend using CleanMyMac X.

It can identify thousands of malware threats, including adware, spyware, ransomware, worms, cryptocurrency miners. And if CleanMyMac finds something suspicious, it will offer immediate removal. Besides, it ensures real-time Mac virus protection, informing you when you’re about to install something harmful. Here’s how to perform a full system scan:

  1. Download CleanMyMac X (free download) and launch the app.
  2. Click on the Malware Removal tab.
  3. Click Scan.
  4. Click Remove.

Disable the invisible agents

How

Some small supporting applications never show up in the Login items. They are called the Launch agents and may as well be hacked by viruses. You can find them with the universal Mac cleaner, CleanMyMac. This app is notarized by Apple, so you are safe using it.

  1. Launch the app and go to the Optimization tab.
  2. Click Launch agents

How many apps do you see there? Remove any flash players, automatic updaters, or everything else that you find suspicious. Even if you deleted the main app itself, its launch agents may still occupy your drive. Here is what I have:

How to get rid of a virus on a MacBook Pro (or any other Mac) if all else fails

If you’ve run through all the steps above and are still having problems trying to remove a virus from a Mac, the next step is to restore from a Time Machine backup. The benefit of restoring from Time Machine is that you can do it quickly and easily by booting into the recovery partition and you can choose to backup to a state just before your Mac started behaving erratically.

The downside of this option is that any work you’ve done since the backup you restore from will be lost. You could manually copy files from your Mac to another drive or cloud storage service before you restore and then copy them back afterward. However, if one of those files is infected, you risk contaminating your Mac all over again. If there are documents you really need and that aren’t backed up elsewhere, use one of the antivirus tools above to run a scan on them before you copy them to another disk. That way you’ll know they’re safe.

Macbook Pro Virus Fix

Here’s how to restore from a Time Machine backup

  1. Make sure you’re connected to your Time Machine backup drive.
  2. Restart your Mac, holding down the Command and R keys until you see the Apple logo. When the macOS Utilities screen appears, choose Restore from a Time Machine Backup. Click Continue.
  3. Choose the last backup before your Mac started misbehaving or you suspect you were infected with a virus.

Your Mac will now return to the state it was in when you made that backup.

If you don’t have a Time Machine backup to restore from, the last resort is to reinstall macOS. This is a ground-zero approach. You’ll need to wipe your startup drive completely clean and start again. That means reinstalling all your applications and copying all your data back to your Mac afterward. If you have a recent backup of your data, from before your Mac became infected, you can use that to copy data from after you re-install. If not, you’ll need to back up important files now — but scan them with an antivirus tool first to make sure they’re not infected.

To perform a clean install of macOS, you’ll need a bootable installer disk. Creating one is beyond the scope of this article, but there is a comprehensive guide here.

Once you’ve made your bootable installer, plug it into your Mac, go to System Preferences, choose Startup Disk and select the disk you just plugged in. Restart your Mac, holding down Command-R and do the following:

  1. When the macOS Utilities screen appears, select Reinstall a new copy of macOS. Click Continue and then Continue again when the next window appears.
  2. Agree to the terms and conditions and select your Mac’s internal disk.
  3. Click Install. Wait for your Mac to restart.
  4. Your Mac will start up as if it’s a new Mac and you’ll need to go through the process of setting it up from scratch.
  5. Once you’ve set it up, copy back the files you need from the backup and that you know aren’t infected.

As you can see, there are many different ways to remove a virus from a Mac, depending on how badly infected it is and what kind of virus it is. The main thing to remember is if you suspect your Mac is infected, don’t worry. It can be fixed! Move on to our little Q&A section to find answers to questions many users ask.

FAQ

Do you need an antivirus for Mac?

Most of the antiviruses protect your Mac in real-time, making it apparent for you when an intruder appears. So, with antivirus software, you can be sure no PUP or adware can infect your computer. Antivirus is not a must-have software, but it indeed adds up a layer of protection if you use it.

Can you get a virus from opening an email?

Email viruses do exist, but you can’t catch one just by opening an email. What you need to be cautious with are email attachments. If you don’t know who that email comes from, avoid opening the attachment. It can contain PUP and other things you don’t need on your computer.

Macbook

How to do a virus scan on Mac?

To do a quick virus scan, inspect your Mac for the software you didn’t intentionally install. Some apps can come in bundles hiding malicious programs that end up appearing on your Mac. For a more thorough virus scan, get CleanMyMac X. All you need to do, is to install the app, go to Malware Removal, and hit the Scan button.

How to remove fake “Update Adobe Flash Player” pop-ups on Mac?

Macbook Pro Malware Check

Try to find and delete the last app you installed before you started seeing such fake alerts. Also, remove browser extensions from the web-browser where you see such pop-up ads. Some malicious extensions can be responsible for this. If nothing helps, scan your Mac for viruses using the antivirus of your choice.

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Apple products are made with a variety of materials, and each material might have specific cleaning requirements. To get started, here are some tips that apply to all products:

  • Use only a soft, lint-free cloth. Avoid abrasive cloths, towels, paper towels, or similar items.
  • Avoid excessive wiping, which might cause damage.
  • Unplug all external power sources, devices, and cables.
  • Keep liquids away from the product, unless otherwise noted for specific products.
  • Don't get moisture into any openings.
  • Don't use aerosol sprays, bleaches, or abrasives.
  • Don't spray cleaners directly onto the item.

Is it OK to use a disinfectant on my Apple product?
Using a 70 percent isopropyl alcohol wipe or Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, you may gently wipe the hard, nonporous surfaces of your Apple product, such as the display, keyboard, or other exterior surfaces. Don't use bleach. Avoid getting moisture in any opening, and don't submerge your Apple product in any cleaning agents. Don't use on fabric or leather surfaces.

If liquid makes its way inside your Apple product, get help from an Apple Authorized Service Provider or Apple Retail Store as soon as possible. Liquid damage isn't covered under the Apple product warranty or AppleCare Protection Plans, but you may have rights under consumer law. If you plan to visit an Apple Retail store, make a reservation at the Genius Bar (available only in some countries and regions).

For more detailed instructions, select your Apple product:

Notebook computers

Learn how to clean your Mac notebook computer.

MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air

When cleaning the outside of your MacBook, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air, first shut down your computer and unplug the power adapter. Then use a damp, soft, lint-free cloth to clean the computer's exterior. Avoid getting moisture in any openings. Do not spray liquid directly on the computer. Don't use aerosol sprays, solvents, abrasives, or cleaners containing hydrogen peroxide that might damage the finish.

To clean the screen on your MacBook, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air, first shut down the computer and unplug the power adapter. Dampen a soft, lint-free cloth with water only, then use it to clean the computer's screen.

MacBook Pro models from 2016 and later with Touch Bar and Touch ID: Clean the Touch Bar and Touch ID (power button) on these computers the same way you would clean the display. Shut down your Mac and unplug the power adapter. Dampen a soft, lint-free cloth with water only, then use it to clean the Touch Bar and Touch ID.

MacBook (13-inch, Late 2009) and MacBook (13-inch, Mid 2010): The bottom case of these computers uses a soft nonslip material. Use a 3M Gray Microfiber or soft dye-free, lint-free cloth to clean the bottom case.

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Desktop computers

Learn how to clean your Mac desktop computer.

Mac Pro, Mac mini, and iMac

If your iMac has nano-texture glass, learn how to clean the nano-texture glass on your Apple display.

First, shut down your Mac and unplug the power cord along with other connected devices. Then use a damp, soft, lint-free cloth to clean the computer's exterior. Avoid getting moisture in any openings. Don't spray liquid directly on the computer. Don't use aerosol sprays, solvents, abrasives, or cleaners containing hydrogen peroxide that might damage the finish.

To clean the display on your iMac, dampen the cloth that came with your iMac—or another clean, soft, lint-free cloth—with water only, and then wipe the screen.

Don't clean the screen of your iMac with a cleaner containing acetone. Use a cleaner intended for use with a screen or display. Never spray cleaner directly on the screen. It might drip inside the display and cause damage.

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Displays

If your Apple Pro Display XDR has nano-texture glass, learn how to clean the nano-texture glass on your Apple display. The following guidelines are for cleaning the Apple Thunderbolt Display and previous Apple displays.

First, disconnect the display from power, from its connection to a computer, and from any external devices. Then use the cloth that came with your display or another soft, dry cloth to wipe dust from the screen.

If additional cleaning of the display panel or case is required, use a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth. Avoid getting moisture in openings. Don't use window cleaners, household cleaners, aerosol sprays, solvents, ammonia, abrasives, or cleaners containing hydrogen peroxide to clean the display.

Don't clean the screen of your display with a cleaner containing acetone. Use a cleaner intended for use with a screen or display. Never spray cleaner directly on the screen. It might drip inside the display and cause damage.

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Peripherals

Apple wireless or USB keyboards, mice, and trackpads

First, power off the device. If your device uses removable batteries, remove the batteries. (If your device is wired, simply unplug it from your computer.)

Next, clean the outside of your device with a lint-free cloth lightly moistened with water. Don't get moisture in any openings or use aerosol sprays, solvents, abrasives, or cleaners containing hydrogen peroxide.

If your Magic Mouse or Magic Mouse 2 isn’t tracking properly, there might be a hair or other debris on the sensor lens. Turn the mouse over and inspect the sensor window using a bright light. If you see debris, use compressed air to gently clean the sensor window.

iPhone cases

iPhone case—silicone

To clean your silicone iPhone case, remove your iPhone from the case. Use a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth to wipe the outside and the inside of the iPhone case. Don't use window cleaners, household cleaners, aerosol sprays, solvents, ammonia, abrasives, or cleaners containing hydrogen peroxide to clean the iPhone case.

iPhone case—leather

The leather iPhone case is made from natural leather. Its appearance will change as you use it. It might acquire a patina and might change color due to the oils from your skin and direct sunlight, further enhancing the natural look.

Cleaning the leather iPhone case might affect its color. If you choose to clean this case, first remove it from your iPhone. Use a clean cloth with warm water and mild hand soap to gently clean the iPhone case. You can also use a mild cleaner along with a dry clean cloth. Leather cleaners and conditioners can change the color of leather.

Keep your iPhone case away from prolonged intense sunlight, heat, and humidity. Exposure to water, oil, makeup, and dyed materials (such as denim) can stain tanned leathers.

iPhone case—clear

To clean your clear iPhone case, remove your iPhone from the case. Use a soft, dry, lint-free cloth to wipe the outside and inside of the case. Don't use window cleaners, household cleaners, aerosol sprays, solvents, ammonia, abrasives, or cleaners containing hydrogen peroxide to clean the case.

iPhone Smart Battery Case

To clean your Smart Battery Case, remove your iPhone from the case. Use a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth to wipe the outside of the case. Don't use window cleaners, household cleaners, aerosol sprays, solvents, ammonia, abrasives, or cleaners containing hydrogen peroxide to clean the case.

When cleaning the internal Lightning connector, use a soft, dry, lint-free cloth, and don’t use liquids or cleaning products.

Learn how to clean your iPhone.

iPhone MagSafe accessories

MagSafe Charger contains magnets that might attract debris during everyday use. Brush off any debris from the metal ring before cleaning this accessory.

Unplug your MagSafe Charger from power. Then use a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth to wipe the silicone middle of the charging area. Don't use window cleaners, household cleaners, aerosol sprays, solvents, ammonia, abrasives, or cleaners containing hydrogen peroxide to clean MagSafe Charger.

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iPad accessories

Apple Pencil

To clean your Apple Pencil, use a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth. With the damp cloth, wipe your Apple Pencil from the tip end—but not the tip itself—toward the other end of your Apple Pencil. Don’t allow moisture to get inside the seam between the tip and the body of your Apple Pencil.

iPad Smart Keyboard, Smart Keyboard Folio, Smart Cover, and Smart Case—polyurethane

To clean your polyurethane Smart Keyboard, Smart Keyboard Folio, Smart Cover, or Smart Case, first remove it from the iPad. Use a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth. Wipe the front and the inside with a soft, lint-free cloth.

Don't use window cleaners, household cleaners, aerosol sprays, solvents, ammonia, abrasives, or cleaners containing hydrogen peroxide to clean this product.

iPad Smart Cover and Smart Case—leather

The iPad leather cover/case is made from natural leather. Its appearance will change as you use it. It might acquire a patina and might change color due to the oils from your skin and direct sunlight, further enhancing the natural look.

Cleaning the leather might affect its color. If you choose to clean the leather, first remove the cover/case from your iPad. Use a clean cloth with warm water and mild hand soap to gently clean the leather. Wipe the outside and the inside with a soft, lint-free cloth to remove any dirt. You can also use a mild cleaner along with a dry clean cloth. Mild cleaners or conditioners might help remove some stains but might also change the color of the leather.

Keep your iPad leather cover/case away from prolonged intense sunlight, heat, and humidity. Exposure to water, oil, makeup, and dyed materials (such as denim) can stain tanned leathers.

iPad Silicone Case

To clean your iPad Silicone Case, remove your iPad from the case. Use a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth to wipe the outside and the inside of the case. Don't use window cleaners, household cleaners, aerosol sprays, solvents, ammonia, abrasives, or cleaners containing hydrogen peroxide to clean the iPad case.

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iPad

Handle your iPad with care to maintain its appearance. If you're concerned about scratching or abrasion, you can use one of the many cases sold separately. To clean iPad, unplug all cables and turn off iPad (press and hold the Sleep/Wake button, and then slide the onscreen slider). Use a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth. Avoid getting moisture in openings. Don't use window cleaners, household cleaners, compressed air, aerosol sprays, solvents, ammonia, abrasives, or cleaners containing hydrogen peroxide to clean iPad. iPad has an oleophobic coating on the screen; simply wipe iPad's screen with a soft, lint-free cloth to remove oil left by your hands. The ability of this coating to repel oil will diminish over time with normal usage, and rubbing the screen with an abrasive material will further diminish its effect and might scratch your screen.

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iPod

iPod touch

To clean iPod touch, unplug all cables and turn off iPod touch (press and hold the Sleep/Wake button, and then slide the onscreen slider). Then use a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth. Avoid getting moisture in openings. Don't use window cleaners, household cleaners, compressed air, aerosol sprays, solvents, ammonia, abrasives, or cleaners containing hydrogen peroxide to clean iPod touch.

iPod classic

To clean iPod classic, unplug all cables, turn iPod classic off, and slide the Hold switch to HOLD. Then use a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth. Avoid getting moisture in openings. Don't use window cleaners, household cleaners, compressed air, aerosol sprays, solvents, ammonia, abrasives, or cleaners containing hydrogen peroxide to clean iPod classic.

iPod nano

To clean iPod nano, unplug all cables, turn iPod nano off, and slide the Hold switch to HOLD. Then use a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth. Avoid getting moisture in openings. Don't use window cleaners, household cleaners, compressed air, aerosol sprays, solvents, ammonia, abrasives, or cleaners containing hydrogen peroxide to clean iPod nano.

On iPod nano 6th generation, which has no hold switch, you need to press only the Sleep/Wake button to turn the device off before cleaning.

iPod shuffle

How To Clean Malware From Macbook Pro

To clean iPod shuffle, unplug all cables, turn it off (slide the switch to OFF), and use a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth. Avoid getting moisture in openings. Don't use window cleaners, household cleaners, compressed air, aerosol sprays, solvents, ammonia, abrasives, or cleaners containing hydrogen peroxide to clean iPod shuffle.

iPod mini

To clean iPod mini, unplug all cables, turn iPod mini off, and slide the Hold switch to HOLD. Then use a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth. Avoid getting moisture in openings. Don't use window cleaners, household cleaners, compressed air, aerosol sprays, solvents, ammonia, abrasives, or cleaners containing hydrogen peroxide to clean iPod mini.

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Learn more

  • Learn how to disinfect the Apple internal or external keyboard, trackpad, and mouse.
  • For more information on cleaning, handling, and working with your Apple Product, please refer to the User Guide that came with your product or download a copy.