What Are Unwanted Ads on Mac and 3 Easy Ways to Fix Them

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What Are Unwanted Ads on Mac and 3 Easy Ways to Fix Them

Every PC user can relate to certain things that can ruin their browsing experience, and unwanted ads are one of them. It can be frustrating to have such advertisements popping up or getting redirected to other sites at frequent intervals, and nothing you do seems to be working.

Fortunately, there’s something you can do to remove pop-up ads on Mac, and such solutions aren’t even as complicated as you think. To know how to solve a problem, you must first be able to identify it. For example, if you want to know more about ways to fix Bing redirects on Mac, you first need to understand the issue. Let’s learn about the unwanted ad.

What are Unwanted Ads?

What are Unwanted Ads

They are malicious browser advertisements that are displayed as browser infections. They include malicious extensions, adware, and browser hijackers. Unwanted pop-up ads come in the form of redirects to malicious websites, spinning wheels/jackpots, or surveys. Though all these various types share something in common, they operate differently.

Browser Hijackers

This is a common way used by malware developers to direct traffic to their website, compile keywords commonly searched for, and redirect PC users to sites promising to reward some compensation or earn money. A common example of a browser hijacker is the Bing redirect virus.

These programs are designed to redirect you against your will to websites to change your browsing history and make advertising revenue by using any of the popular browsers’ search for its search results.

Adware

This parasitic program functions by displaying ads on your web browser when you’re surfing the net. Most times, these advertisements, when clicked, take you to another one. The annoying thing about adware is that it overlays the relevant content on your webpage. Many PC users tend to click on them accidentally because they frequently display them unexpectedly.

They don’t assume one form. They can come in videos, moving or banner ads on websites you visit. Frequent clicks on them can lead to noticeable problems on your Mac, like a change of homepage or a search history containing some entries that you didn’t browse or search for.

Malicious Extensions or Plug-Ins

These programs tend to redirect PC users to phishing websites. They’re usually embedded in affiliate IDs on e-commerce sites. Their work is to monitor your browsing activity and report back to whoever programmed them. They affect millions of PC users.

How to Remove Mac Adware and other Forms of Unwanted Ads?

This section will contain step-by-step instructions that will show you how to remove pop-ups on the various browsers compatible with Mac PCs.

How to Remove Pop-Ups on Mac-based Google Chrome?

How to Remove Pop-Ups on Mac-based Google Chrome

Chrome is the most popular web browser among PC users. It comes with an in-built feature that you can use to manage or regulate pop-ups and ads. Here’s how to use it.

  • Go to your settings.
  • Select “Privacy and Security” from the menu.
  • Click “site settings.”
  • Go to “pop-ups and redirects.”
  • Deactivate them.

Please always ensure that your Google tools are updated to its latest version. This makes it less vulnerable to malware threats.

Do the following to check for malicious extensions or adware on your browser:

  • Open your browser.
  • Type “chrome://extensions” on the search bar and click enter. Alternatively, you can go to your browser settings and select “extensions.”
  • If you see any extension you didn’t add, hit the “remove” button.

After doing this, refresh your browser settings by doing the following:

  • Go back to the main menu and select “Preferences.”
  • Select “Advanced.”
  • Click on “Reset settings.”

How to Remove Pop-Ups on Safari?

How to Remove Pop-Ups on Safari

Safari is Mac PC’s default browser, and it’s designed to give users huge control over pop-up ads and redirects. Follow the below steps to get rid of them:

  • Open the settings menu and go to “Preferences.”
  • Block pop-up ads on the websites that you’re currently surfing.

For the extensions, check the following:

  • Go back to the main menu and click “Extensions.”
  • Delete or remove any unwanted extensions and those you didn’t install.

How to Remove Pop-up Ads on Mac-based Firefox?

  • Open the browser settings.
  • Select “Preferences.”
  • Click on “Privacy and Security.”
  • You’ll see “Block pop-up windows,” tick the box before it.

Do the following to get rid of unwanted extensions on your Firefox browser

  • Open your browser.
  • Search “about add-ons” into the search bar and click enter. It will direct you to the Add-ons Manager Page.
  • Go to the left side menu and locate “Extensions.”
  • Tap on the three-dot icon beside it and select “Remove” among the display options.
  • Then head to the Help section, and click on “Troubleshooting Information.”
  • Then click on “Refresh Firefox.”

How to Remove Pop up on Mac Completely?

While the previous instructions entailed how to use the browser’s internal features to get rid of pop-up ads, this section is all about using external software to eliminate these annoying displays once and for all. For recommendations, you can try CleanMyMac X.

Steps to Use CleanMyMac X

  • Install the application and launch it.
  • Go to the sidebar, and select “Malware Removal.”

We also recommend using good ad-blocking software such as:

  • AdBlocker Ultimate: It’s available for Safari, Firefox, and Chrome.
  • AdBlock: Available for Safari and Chrome.
  • AdBlock Plus: It’s available for Safari and Chrome.

In summary, we’ve discussed three common ways to get rid of pop-up ads on Mac; via your browser’s internal features, ad-cleaning software, and ad-blocking software.

Conclusion

Ultimately, unwanted ads on Mac can be frustrating for users, but there are methods to reduce their frequency or stop them altogether. It’s as easy as scanning for malware regularly, enabling Safe Browsing in Safari, and clearing your browsing history for a cookie-free future. These simple adjustments will improve the user experience and allow you to navigate the web worry-free from intrusive advertisements.