Safe Cleaner for Mac Unwanted Application (Mac)
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is Safe Cleaner for Mac?
Safe Cleaner for Mac is a dubious app that shares similarities with Mac Clean Pro, Secure Mac Tuneup, and many others. It claims to enhance system performance by optimization and removing infected viruses.
Safe Cleaner for Mac may seem legitimate and useful, however, it is categorized as a potentially unwanted application (PUA), since it often infiltrates systems without consent (developers proliferate Safe Cleaner for Mac using the "bundling" method).
A main Mac feature for Safe Cleaner is the full system scan. After scanning the system, users are presented with many potential threats/infections that must be eliminated immediately. Bear in mind, however, that the 'free version' of Safe Cleaner for Mac is not capable of resolving these 'issues'. Therefore, users are encouraged to purchase the 'full version'.
It is currently not confirmed whether Safe Cleaner for Mac can be trusted. There are hundreds of potentially unwanted applications that deliver fake scan results simply to trick users into purchasing so-called 'full' versions. There is a high probability that your computer is optimized and virus-free.
Therefore, we advise you to uninstall Safe Cleaner for Mac and certainly do not pay for the full version. If, however, you suspect that your computer might be infected, scan it with another reputable anti-virus suite, such as Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS. As mentioned, developers proliferate this app using the "bundling" method.
Therefore, in most cases, "bundling" is used to proliferate several potentially unwanted applications at once. Safe Cleaner for Mac might have infiltrated the system together with a number of other PUAs (adware or browser hijackers). These apps deliver intrusive advertisements, cause unwanted redirects, and gather sensitive information.
Users might be redirected to malicious websites. Therefore, the presence of adware/browser hijackers can lead to high-risk computer infections and serious privacy issues. As well as uninstalling Safe Cleaner for Mac, you should remove other dubious applications and browser plug-ins.
Name | Safe Cleaner for Mac potentially unwanted application |
Threat Type | Mac malware, Mac virus |
Symptoms | Your Mac became slower than normal, you see unwanted pop-up ads, you get redirected to shady websites. |
Distribution methods | Deceptive pop-up ads, free software installers (bundling), fake flash player installers, torrent file downloads. |
Damage | Internet browsing tracking (potential privacy issues), displaying of unwanted ads, redirects to shady websites, loss of private information. |
Malware Removal (Mac) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your Mac with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
The Internet is full of potentially unwanted applications, all of which are virtually identical. By offering many "useful features", these apps attempt to give the impression of legitimacy and trick users to install. In fact, potentially unwanted applications are designed only to generate revenue for the developers.
Most deliver no real value for regular users. PUAs cause unwanted redirects, deliver ads, gather information, and (sometimes) promote in-app purchases.
How did potentially unwanted applications install on my computer?
Safe Cleaner for Mac is free for anyone to download on its official website, however, as mentioned above, it is more commonly distributed using the "bundling" method - stealth installation of third party applications together with regular software/apps. Developers do not adequately disclose installation of "bundled" potentially unwanted applications.
Therefore, all are hidden within various sections (usually "Custom" or "Advanced" settings) of the download/installation processes. Furthermore, many users often rush download/installation processes and skip steps - behavior that often leads to inadvertent installation of PUAs.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
Select "Custom/Advanced" settings and carefully analyze each window of the download/installation dialogs. Opt-out of all additionally-included programs and decline offers to download/install them. We recommend that you download software from official sources only, using direct download links.
Third party downloaders/installers often include rogue apps, and thus these tools should never be used. Be aware that most potentially unwanted applications are proliferated using intrusive advertisements.
These ads often seem legitimate, since developers invest many resources into their design, however, they can redirect to untrustworthy sites, such as gambling, adult dating, pornography, and so on. If you experience these redirects, uninstall all potentially unwanted applications and browser plug-ins.
The main reasons for computer infections are lack of knowledge and careless behavior. The key to safety is caution. Therefore, pay close attention when browsing the Internet and downloading/installing software. If your computer is already infected with PUAs, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate them.
Appearance of "Safe Cleaner for Mac" scam (GIF):
Website promoting Safe Cleaner for Mac PUA:
Official Safe Cleaner for Mac PUA installation setup:
IMPORTANT NOTE! Safe Cleaner for Mac adds itself to the list of applications that automatically run upon each user log in. Therefore, before commencing, perform these steps:
- Go to System Preferences -> Users & Groups.
- Click your account (also known as Current User).
- Click Login Items.
- Look for the "Safe Cleaner for Mac" entry. Select it, and click the "-" button to remove it.
Instant automatic Mac malware removal:
Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of Mac malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner for Mac
By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. Limited seven days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.
Quick menu:
- What is Safe Cleaner for Mac?
- STEP 1. Remove PUA related files and folders from OSX.
- STEP 2. Remove rogue extensions from Safari.
- STEP 3. Remove rogue add-ons from Google Chrome.
- STEP 4. Remove potentially unwanted plug-ins from Mozilla Firefox.
Video showing how to remove adware and browser hijackers from a Mac computer:
Potentially unwanted applications removal:
Remove potentially unwanted applications from your "Applications" folder:
Click the Finder icon. In the Finder window, select “Applications”. In the applications folder, look for “MPlayerX”,“NicePlayer”, or other suspicious applications and drag them to the Trash. After removing the potentially unwanted application(s) that cause online ads, scan your Mac for any remaining unwanted components.
Remove adware-related files and folders
Click the Finder icon, from the menu bar. Choose Go, and click Go to Folder...
Check for adware generated files in the /Library/LaunchAgents/ folder:
In the Go to Folder... bar, type: /Library/LaunchAgents/
In the "LaunchAgents" folder, look for any recently-added suspicious files and move them to the Trash. Examples of files generated by adware - "installmac.AppRemoval.plist", "myppes.download.plist", "mykotlerino.ltvbit.plist", "kuklorest.update.plist", etc. Adware commonly installs several files with the exact same string.
Check for adware generated files in the ~/Library/Application Support/ folder:
In the Go to Folder... bar, type: ~/Library/Application Support/
In the "Application Support" folder, look for any recently-added suspicious folders. For example, "MplayerX" or "NicePlayer", and move these folders to the Trash.
Check for adware generated files in the ~/Library/LaunchAgents/ folder:
In the Go to Folder... bar, type: ~/Library/LaunchAgents/
In the "LaunchAgents" folder, look for any recently-added suspicious files and move them to the Trash. Examples of files generated by adware - "installmac.AppRemoval.plist", "myppes.download.plist", "mykotlerino.ltvbit.plist", "kuklorest.update.plist", etc. Adware commonly installs several files with the exact same string.
Check for adware generated files in the /Library/LaunchDaemons/ folder:
In the "Go to Folder..." bar, type: /Library/LaunchDaemons/
In the "LaunchDaemons" folder, look for recently-added suspicious files. For example "com.aoudad.net-preferences.plist", "com.myppes.net-preferences.plist", "com.kuklorest.net-preferences.plist", "com.avickUpd.plist", etc., and move them to the Trash.
Scan your Mac with Combo Cleaner:
If you have followed all the steps correctly, your Mac should be clean of infections. To ensure your system is not infected, run a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus. Download it HERE. After downloading the file, double click combocleaner.dmg installer. In the opened window, drag and drop the Combo Cleaner icon on top of the Applications icon. Now open your launchpad and click on the Combo Cleaner icon. Wait until Combo Cleaner updates its virus definition database and click the "Start Combo Scan" button.
Combo Cleaner will scan your Mac for malware infections. If the antivirus scan displays "no threats found" - this means that you can continue with the removal guide; otherwise, it's recommended to remove any found infections before continuing.
After removing files and folders generated by the adware, continue to remove rogue extensions from your Internet browsers.
Remove malicious extensions from Internet browsers
Remove malicious Safari extensions:
Open the Safari browser, from the menu bar, select "Safari" and click "Preferences...".
In the preferences window, select "Extensions" and look for any recently-installed suspicious extensions. When located, click the "Uninstall" button next to it/them. Note that you can safely uninstall all extensions from your Safari browser - none are crucial for regular browser operation.
- If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Safari.
Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "More Tools" and click "Extensions". Locate all recently-installed suspicious extensions, select these entries and click "Remove".
- If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Google Chrome.
Remove malicious extensions from Mozilla Firefox:
Click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window) and select "Add-ons and themes". Click "Extensions", in the opened window locate all recently-installed suspicious extensions, click on the three dots and then click "Remove".
- If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Mozilla Firefox.
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