MainSearchSignal is a PUA and an Adware, which exploits your browser settings, to show you pushy ads, and it’s a high chance that such Adwares collects your personal information. In this article, you’ll know how to remove MainSearchSignal.
There are two ways to remove MainSearchSignal adware:
- Use Third Party Anti Virus Software to automatical clean MainSearchSignal adware.
- Find and manually delete MainSearchSignal adware from the computer system.
MainSearchSignal Threat Summary
| Name | Ads by MainSearchSignal, Main Search Signal, MainSearchSignal |
| Threat Type | Malware, Adware, PUA, Mac Virus |
| Damage to System & Symptoms |
|
| How to Remove MainSearchSignal | Uninstall the MainSearchSignal app or file from the system. |
| Third-Party Cleaner to delete MainSearchSignal adware | PC Risk Combo Cleaner Software or MalwareBytes |
Table of Contents
What is MainSearchSignal?
MainSearchSignal works as a browser hijacker, it shows ads on your browser by changing specific browser settings. It came from a family of Adwares – AdLoad.
MainSearchSignal is a PUA – Potentially Unwanted App, and it is very much possible that this PUA is collecting your personal information.
So this Adware is damaging your browsing experience and collecting your data, which is a severe problem with this type of malware.
How Does MainSearchSignal Install on your Computer?
You might be asking, how this adware, is installed on your system because you haven’t downloaded it by yourself.
Research shows that MainSearchSignal adware is spread using fake Adobe Flash Player installers. If you have downloaded any pirated file, this adware was installed on your system unintentionally.
This method of software distribution is called ‘Bundling‘.
In Bundling, a user surfing on a browser, downloads or install apps or files from any unsecured sites. The developers of the software, add a PUA (Potential Unwanted App) with the main file.
So, once a user downloads the file, PUAs get into their systems. This software then changes your browser setting, collects your data, or shows you intrusive ads.
This all is done to earn money, they collect and sell your data and show you fake ads, which aren’t shown by a website or browser, but by a PUA.
Note: Making such type of software is illegal, and it falls into cybercrime
Related- How to clear and reset browser history, bookmarks and cookies(Opens in a new browser tab)
To Learn How to Remove MainSearchSignal
The only way to remove MainSearchSignal is to delete the adware. Of course, here there are two methods involved to remove MainSearchSignal adware, the first one is the manual method, and another one is automatic.
In a manual method, you need to manually find and delete MainSearchSignal adware from your system. And in the second method, you can download an antivirus app, which will detect and delete MainSearchSignal automatically.
To get rid of MainSearchSignal adware, you have to follow the following steps-
1) Remove MainSearchSignal or suspicious files from the Application folder.
2) Stop Dubious processes in the Activity monitor.
3) Check files, and delete them if related to MainSearchSignal adware.
4) Remove MainSearchSignal from your browsers – Chrome, Safari, Firefox, etc.
5) Last, Use third-party software to automatically remove MainSearchSignal
#1. Remove MainSearchSignal from Application Folder
Removing MainSearchSignal from Application Folder is easy, as these types of adware get downloaded on your system as a file, just uninstalling them can resolve the issue.
1) So, the first step is to open Finder, on your Mac.
2) Then, Tap on the Application.
3) From next, You’ll see apps and files installed on your program
4) Find MainSearchSignal or any suspicious file, you have downloaded recently.
5) Simply uninstall any useless files. (check your recent downloads)
#2. Check and Stop Dibious Programs
Computers run various programs at a time, that could be easily tracked from the Activity monitor. Sometimes, the computer runs dubious programs, which harms the computer.
You can look out at such programs and stop them (even, though MainSearchSignal is a dubious program)
1) Firstly, Go to Finder, on your Mac.
2) Then, tap on Applications > Utilities.
3) In Utilities, launch Activity Monitor.
4) In Activity Monitor, go to the Memory tab.
5) From next, you just look out for high memory consumption programs.
6) Look out for any suspicious programs and tap on the cross icon to quit them.
7) In the end, you can tap on Force Stop.
#3. Uninstall MainSearchSignal File
Often, you can find malicious files on your system, uninstalling them from your system can resolve the PC problem.
1) First of all, Open Finder, and go to Search bar (Go) from the top menu bar.
2) Write these addresses given below and check for suspicious files like MainSearchSignal, and simply uninstall them.
3) Then, Type these addresses in Finder’s search bar.
/Library/Application Support/com.MainSignalSearch/MainSignalSearch
/Library/LaunchAgents/com.MainSignalSearch.plist
/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.MainSignalSearch.plist
/Library/Application Support/com.MainSignalSearchDaemon/MainSignalSearch
#4. Remove MainSearchSignal from Browsers (Safari, Chrome, Firefox, etc)
Adwares like MainSearchSignal changes your browser settings, and even sometimes add unwanted extensions to your browser. It is the best advice, to check them and remove them if found.
Mainly people use three popular browsers – Chrome, Safari, and Firefox. Hence, below you’ll see steps to identify and delete such malicious files from your browser.
Uninstall MainSearchSignal from Chrome
As we said such adware, changes your browser setting to show you fake results. Therefore here are steps to reset your Chrome browser settings to default.
This will improve your browser speed.
1) Firstly, You can open the appropriate google chrome browser first > And then click on the 3 dots (horizontal bar) That belong to the top right corner of the screen)
2) Then, you can click on your appropriate browser “Settings” option that belongs on the top right-hand side. (First, you can click the three-dot icon on the top left, and after a click on the settings option)
3) From this settings page, you can just scroll down the right side of the screen to find and click on the Reset and Clean up option here.
4) Then, select – Restore settings to default.
5) Now, from the Settings page only tap on Extensions.
6) You’ll get a list of extensions installed on your computer.
7) Uninstall the suspicious one.
Related – How to delete files from Google Drive permanently | On Android and Desktop
Uninstall MainSearchSignal from Safari
1) At first, you can open the safari browser on your Mac.
2) Then, just Tap on Safari from the top menu > click on Preferences.
3) You’ll be redirected to the General tab.
4) Make sure your Homepage address in the general tab is https://www.apple.com/startpage/ (If it isn’t then change it to this)
5) Then, you can go to the Extension tab and uninstall suspicious ones.
Uninstall MainSearchSignal from Firefox
1) Firstly, you can open the Firefox browser on your Mac
2) Similar to chrome, here also you can click on the three-dot Horizontal Lines icon that belongs to the top right corner of your firefox screen browser.
3) Then, you can select Help > Click on More TroubleShoot Information.
4) Next, Tap on Refresh Firefox Twice.
5) Done, From the Menu option select ‘Ad-on and theme’.
6) Click on Extensions.
7) Find and delete suspicious extensions.
Use Automatic Cleaner Software
Automatic cleaner software is a type of software, which works like an anti-virus. Once you install them, they will automatically detect any malicious files, and delete them.
Although Mac OS has pre-installed anti-virus software, and it’s reliable but there is some paid third-party software also. Which helps you clean such types of malware.
Some third-party cleaner software:
Final Words
MainSearchSignal like adware harm your computer, therefore it’s a safe habit to check the source before installing. Because if you are using your computer for financial transactions, then it is a big concern for you.
Moreover, keeping a health check on your computer is a good thing.
I hope you find this blog helpful, thanks for reading…
See Also…
How to fix system DLL errors(Opens in a new browser tab)
How to stop getting emails from Reddit?(Opens in a new browser tab)
