What Is LauncherSetup?
LauncherSetup is the name of an unwanted program, whose main purpose is to convince users that it is a legitimate and helpful program. In reality this is an ad-supported app that may enter your Mac and modify your web browsers. This may result in you starting to see tons of ads on your Mac, some of which may be dangerous for it.
Read the following material to learn how to remove LauncherSetup and stop its ads, trackers and any risks it may have brought on your Mac due to these advertisements leading to dangerous pages.
LauncherSetup Summary
| Name | LauncherSetup |
| Type | Browser Hijacker / PUP |
| Short Description | Aims to modify the settings on your web browser in order to get it to cause browser redirects and display different advertisements. |
| Symptoms | Your web browser begins to display various types of online advertisements, which results in slowing down of your computer. |
| Distribution Method | Bundled downloads. Web pages which may advertise it. |
| Detection Tool |
See If Your Mac Has Been Affected by LauncherSetup
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Malware Removal Tool
|
User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss LauncherSetup. |
LauncherSetup – More Information
LauncherSetup is an unwanted app. Applications like this one often enter your Mac by being bundled to the installers of other software that you have downloaded from websites outside of Apple store. This is the main reason why you may not remember installing this application on your Mac. LauncherSetup can be added to your Mac by being automatically included in the installations of other programs. There, LauncherSetup could exist as a potentially unwanted software, whose main idea could be to appear to be “added as a free extra”. This behavior is also seen with other types of programs that may all be made by the same developer. These include StandBoost, SkilledPanelSearch and DefaultExplorer.
Once it is added to your Mac, this nasty app may drop cookies and other trackers in it. These trackers are used with the main purpose to perform different types of information gathering from your web browser and they may remain years of time on your Mac if not deleted. The following information could be gathered.
- Browsing history.
- The visited sites..
- The Clicks you made.
- Bookmarks you set up.
LauncherSetup is the name of a software, whose main goal is to show ads. These ads often end up being of the following types:
- Banners.
- Push notifications.
- Pop-up ads.
- Browser redirections.
- Ad-supported search results.
- Highlighted text adverts.
LauncherSetup can be dangerous exactly because of the before mentioned ads. Since they make money to the developers via pay-per-click and other automated schemes, the developers do not care what it is they push on your Mac. This is how you often end up seeing the following dangerous sites:
- Virus URLs or malware pages.
- Phishing websites.
- Scam sites.
- Tech Support scams.
- Fake survey frauds.
Remove LauncherSetup from Your Mac
LauncherSetup is the type of software that may be a bit tricky to uninstall. This is the reason we have created the removal guide below. If the manual removal steps do not solve the issue, we recommended following the experts’ advise and downloading and running a scan of your Mac using an advanced anti-malware software. This software’s main purpose is to help you delete the virus files of LauncherSetup and make it so that you do not see such virus apps 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 LauncherSetup files from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as LauncherSetup, 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 LauncherSetup 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 LauncherSetup:
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 LauncherSetup. 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 LauncherSetup. 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 LauncherSetup 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 LauncherSetup. 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 LauncherSetup – related extensions from Safari / Chrome / Firefox
LauncherSetup-FAQ
What is LauncherSetup on your Mac?
The LauncherSetup 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 LauncherSetup?
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 LauncherSetup?
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 LauncherSetup Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this LauncherSetup 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 LauncherSetup?
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 LauncherSetup threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand the threat posed by Mac malware, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.