This article has been created with the main purpose of explaining what is the MacSwift virus and how you can stop ads from it on your Mac.
SIDENOTE: This post was originally published in September 2018. But we gave it an update in August 2019.
MacSwift is one of the most notorious applications known for Mac devices that are characterized with the heavy displaying of advertisements on user computers. The MacSwift adware may display pop-ups, redirections and other forms of ads, the outcome of which is to slow down your Mac and make it very difficult to use it in multiple ways. This is why If your computer has been infected by the MacSwift adware, we suggest that you read the article underneath thoroughly.
MacSwift Summary
| Name | MacSwift |
| Type | Adware for Mac OS. |
| Short Description | Aims to get users to visit various forms of suspicious and third-party websites in order to generate profits for the adware program. |
| Symptoms | The Mac user may see pop-ups, redirects, taken over banner spaces, highlighted text, ad-supported search results and other ad content. The Mac in question may slow down in terms of performance. |
| Distribution Method | Suspicious websites |
| Detection Tool |
See If Your System Has Been Affected by malware
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Combo Cleaner
|
User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss MacSwift. |
MacSwift Adware – How Did I Get It
The primary method of distribution employed by programs’ like MacSwift is to enter your Mac via the setup of another free third-party app you are trying to install. This is also known as software bundling and is a form of aggressive advertising. Such apps are usually the common apps you download for free online. In their setups, an installation step may ask you to accept and install the free extr MacSwift which usually promises to be useful for your browsing experience in a way of some sort.
In addition to this, there is another method by which this unwanted program may infiltrate your computer and this is by installing itself from a website which prompts you to add it as a useful browser extension to your Mac.
MacSwift Adware – More Information
The MacSwift adware is the type of program which aims to display ads on your Mac. But the program may also perform much more than just display advertisemetns. It may also employ different types of tracking technologies on your Mac, such as:
- Cookies.
- Pixels.
- Tags.
- Geo-locators.
The program’s main idea is to obtain different data about your Mac and your online usage and they do not even hide this fact in their Pivacy Policies, where the “MacSwift” developers claim to obtain information and share it with third-parties under specific and usually shady circumstances. This may result in a lot of negative consequences for you, especially if you enter your credit card details and other personal data online.
But the main idea behind MacSwift is to get you to visit various different websites by showing you different forms of advertisements such as:
- Pop-ups.
- Banners.
- Online search results.
- Highlighted text ads.
But the slowing down of your PC due to advertisement should not bother you as much as the websites you visit via those ads. These sites are often pay-per-click domains that generate money to the developers of MacSwift by driving hoax traffic to third-party websites. And these sites often are not the most friendly ones as they can pose a lot of dangers for you and your Mac.
The main dangers to which you may be exposed as a result of visiting advertisements shown by MacSwift on your Mac could be:
- Getting your Mac infected with malware.
- Visiting a scamming site that may ask you to call a fake tech support number which is basically the scammers’ way to your data.
- Redirecting you to a site that may download various unwanted programs to your Mac which pretend to fix viruses but instead only want you to pay their licensed versions.
Remove MacSwift Adware from Your Mac
If you wish to remove the MacSwift adware from your Mac, you can try and follow the removal instructions underneath. If the manual removal does not help, then you can attempt to use what most security experts would advise using – an advanced anti-malware program. Such software aims to automatially scan for and detect intrusive programs on your Mac and remove them plus setup real-time shields, aimed at minimizing te chances of such infections occuring again in the future.
Ventsislav Krastev
Ventsislav is a cybersecurity expert at SensorsTechForum since 2015. He has been researching, covering, helping victims with the latest malware infections plus testing and reviewing software and the newest tech developments. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for learning new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management, Network Administration and Computer Administration of System Applications, he found his true calling within the cybersecrurity industry and is a strong believer in the education of every user towards online safety and security.
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Steps to Prepare Before Removal:
Before starting to follow the steps below, be advised that you should first do the following preparations:
- Backup your files in case the worst happens.
- Make sure to have a device with these instructions on standy.
- Arm yourself with patience.
- 1. Scan for Mac Malware
- 2. Uninstall Risky Apps
- 3. Clean Your Browsers
Step 1: Scan for and remove MacSwift files from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as MacSwift, the recommended way of eliminating the threat is by using an anti-malware program. SpyHunter for Mac offers advanced security features along with other modules that will improve your Mac’s security and protect it in the future.
Quick and Easy Mac Malware Video Removal Guide
Bonus Step: How to Make Your Mac Run Faster?
Mac machines maintain probably the fastest operating system out there. Still, Macs do become slow and sluggish sometimes. The video guide below examines all of the possible problems that may lead to your Mac being slower than usual as well as all of the steps that can help you to speed up your Mac.
Step 2: Uninstall MacSwift and remove related files and objects
1. Hit the ⇧+⌘+U keys to open Utilities. Another way is to click on “Go” and then click “Utilities”, like the image below shows:
2. Find Activity Monitor and double-click it:
3. In the Activity Monitor look for any suspicious processes, belonging or related to MacSwift:
4. Click on the "Go" button again, but this time select Applications. Another way is with the ⇧+⌘+A buttons.
5. In the Applications menu, look for any suspicious app or an app with a name, similar or identical to MacSwift. If you find it, right-click on the app and select “Move to Trash”.
6. Select Accounts, after which click on the Login Items preference. Your Mac will then show you a list of items that start automatically when you log in. Look for any suspicious apps identical or similar to MacSwift. Check the app you want to stop from running automatically and then select on the Minus (“-“) icon to hide it.
7. Remove any leftover files that might be related to this threat manually by following the sub-steps below:
- Go to Finder.
- In the search bar type the name of the app that you want to remove.
- Above the search bar change the two drop down menus to “System Files” and “Are Included” so that you can see all of the files associated with the application you want to remove. Bear in mind that some of the files may not be related to the app so be very careful which files you delete.
- If all of the files are related, hold the ⌘+A buttons to select them and then drive them to “Trash”.
In case you cannot remove MacSwift via Step 1 above:
In case you cannot find the virus files and objects in your Applications or other places we have shown above, you can manually look for them in the Libraries of your Mac. But before doing this, please read the disclaimer below:
1. Click on "Go" and Then "Go to Folder" as shown underneath:
2. Type in "/Library/LauchAgents/" and click Ok:
3. Delete all of the virus files that have similar or the same name as MacSwift. If you believe there is no such file, do not delete anything.
You can repeat the same procedure with the following other Library directories:
→ ~/Library/LaunchAgents
/Library/LaunchDaemons
Tip: ~ is there on purpose, because it leads to more LaunchAgents.
Step 3: Remove MacSwift – related extensions from Safari / Chrome / Firefox
MacSwift-FAQ
What is MacSwift on your Mac?
The MacSwift threat is probably a potentially unwanted app. There is also a chance it could be related to Mac malware. If so, such apps tend to slow your Mac down significantly and display advertisements. They could also use cookies and other trackers to obtain browsing information from the installed web browsers on your Mac.
Can Macs Get Viruses?
Yes. As much as any other device, Apple computers do get malware. Apple devices may not be a frequent target by malware authors, but rest assured that almost all of the Apple devices can become infected with a threat.
What Types of Mac Threats Are There?
According to most malware researchers and cyber-security experts, the types of threats that can currently infect your Mac can be rogue antivirus programs, adware or hijackers (PUPs), Trojan horses, ransomware and crypto-miner malware.
What To Do If I Have a Mac Virus, Like MacSwift?
Do not panic! You can easily get rid of most Mac threats by firstly isolating them and then removing them. One recommended way to do that is by using a reputable malware removal software that can take care of the removal automatically for you.
There are many Mac anti-malware apps out there that you can choose from. SpyHunter for Mac is one of the reccomended Mac anti-malware apps, that can scan for free and detect any viruses. This saves time for manual removal that you would otherwise have to do.
How to Secure My Data from MacSwift?
With few simple actions. First and foremost, it is imperative that you follow these steps:
Step 1: Find a safe computer and connect it to another network, not the one that your Mac was infected in.
Step 2: Change all of your passwords, starting from your e-mail passwords.
Step 3: Enable two-factor authentication for protection of your important accounts.
Step 4: Call your bank to change your credit card details (secret code, etc.) if you have saved your credit card for online shopping or have done online activiites with your card.
Step 5: Make sure to call your ISP (Internet provider or carrier) and ask them to change your IP address.
Step 6: Change your Wi-Fi password.
Step 7: (Optional): Make sure to scan all of the devices connected to your network for viruses and repeat these steps for them if they are affected.
Step 8: Install anti-malware software with real-time protection on every device you have.
Step 9: Try not to download software from sites you know nothing about and stay away from low-reputation websites in general.
If you follow these reccomendations, your network and Apple devices will become significantly more safe against any threats or information invasive software and be virus free and protected in the future too.
More tips you can find on our MacOS Virus section, where you can also ask any questions and comment about your Mac problems.
About the MacSwift Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this MacSwift how-to removal guide included, is the outcome of extensive research, hard work and our team’s devotion to help you remove the specific macOS issue.
How did we conduct the research on MacSwift?
Please note that our research is based on an independent investigation. We are in contact with independent security researchers, thanks to which we receive daily updates on the latest malware definitions, including the various types of Mac threats, especially adware and potentially unwanted apps (PUAs).
Furthermore, the research behind the MacSwift threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand the threat posed by Mac malware, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.