AdditionalChannelSearch is a potentially unwanted program (PUP) that belongs to the category of Adware. Adware is type of malware that shows unwanted advertising on a MAC, redirects search results to advertising web sites and gathers privacy data for marketing purposes. AdditionalChannelSearch can display banner advertisements, full-screen advertisements, popups, videos, or other varieties of online advertising. Adware can attack your MAC’s browsers like the Safari, Firefox and Chrome. Maybe you approve the idea that the ads or popups is just a small problem. But these intrusive advertisements eat MAC resources and slow down your MAC OS performance
Unwanted ads
Another reason why you need to remove AdditionalChannelSearch is its online data-tracking activity. It software can analyze the location and which Web websites you visit, and then present ads to the types of content, goods or services featured there. Adware developers can gather and sell your surfing information and behavior to third parties.
We recommend to uninstall AdditionalChannelSearch, as soon as you found this problem, as it can reroute your web browser to web-resources which may load other malicious software on your MAC.
How does AdditionalChannelSearch get on your Apple Mac
Adware most likely to occur during the install of free applications due the fact that PUPs like this are mostly hidden in the installer. Thus, if you’ve installed some free applications using Quick(Standard) mode, you may have let adware get inside your computer. Keep in mind that the Quick mode is unreliable because it do not warn about third-party applications. Thus, bundled apps will be installed automatically unless you select Advanced/Custom mode and uncheck its installation.
Threat Summary
| Name | AdditionalChannelSearch, Additional Channel Search 1.0 app |
| Type | adware, PUP (potentially unwanted program), pop ups, pop up advertisements, pop up virus |
| Symptoms |
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| Removal | AdditionalChannelSearch removal guide |
How to Remove AdditionalChannelSearch adware (removal guide)
In the guidance below, we will try to cover the Firefox, Google Chrome and Safari and provide general advice to remove AdditionalChannelSearch adware. You may find some minor differences in your Mac OS install. No matter, you should be okay if you follow the steps outlined below: remove all suspicious and unknown applications, reset internet browsers settings, run free malware removal tools. Some of the steps below will require you to exit this web page. So, please read the steps carefully, after that bookmark it or open it on your smartphone for later reference.
To remove AdditionalChannelSearch, perform the following steps:
- How to manually remove AdditionalChannelSearch
- Automatic Removal of AdditionalChannelSearch
- How to stay safe online
- To sum up
How to manually remove AdditionalChannelSearch
The step-by-step instructions designed by our team will help you manually remove AdditionalChannelSearch ads from the browser. If you have little experience in using computers, we recommend that you use the free utilities listed below.
Uninstall potentially unwanted software using the Finder
First method for manual adware removal is to go into the Finder, then Applications. Take a look at the list of software on your MAC OS and see if there are any dubious and unknown software. If you see any, you need to delete them. Of course, before doing so, you can do an Internet search to find details on the program. If it is a potentially unwanted program, adware or malware, you will likely find information that says so.
Open Finder and click “Applications”.
It will display a list of all applications installed on your MAC system. Scroll through the all list, and remove any suspicious and unknown applications. Right click to questionable program and choose “Move to Trash”. Another solution is drag the application from the Applications folder to the Trash.
Most important, scroll through the all list, and move to trash any unknown applications. Don’t forget, choose Finder -> Empty Trash.
Remove AdditionalChannelSearch adware software from Google Chrome
Reset Chrome settings can help you solve some problems caused by AdditionalChannelSearch and remove unwanted ads from web browser. This will also disable malicious add-ons as well as clear cookies and site data. Essential information such as bookmarks, browsing history, passwords, cookies, auto-fill data and personal dictionaries will not be removed.
- First, start the Google Chrome and press the Menu icon (icon in the form of three dots).
- It will open the Google Chrome main menu. Select More Tools, then press Extensions.
- You will see the list of installed extensions. If the list has the addon labeled with “Installed by enterprise policy” or “Installed by your administrator”, then complete the following guidance: Remove Chrome extensions installed by enterprise policy.
- Now open the Chrome menu once again, press the “Settings” menu.
- Next, press “Advanced” link, which located at the bottom of the Settings page.
- On the bottom of the “Advanced settings” page, click the “Reset settings to their original defaults” button.
- The Chrome will show the reset settings dialog box as on the image above.
- Confirm the web browser’s reset by clicking on the “Reset” button.
- To learn more, read the blog post How to reset Chrome settings to default.
Remove AdditionalChannelSearch from Safari
If you find that Safari web-browser settings like search engine, start page and new tab having been changed by AdditionalChannelSearch adware software, then you may revert back your settings, via the reset web-browser procedure.
Run Safari internet browser. Next, choose Preferences from the Safari menu.
First, click the “Security” tab. Here, choose “Block pop-up windows”. It will stop some types of popups.
Now, click the “Extensions” tab. Look for suspicious extensions on left panel, select it, then click the “Uninstall” button. Most important to get rid of all suspicious extensions from Safari.
Once complete, check your start page and search provider settings. Click “General” tab. Make sure that the “Homepage” field contains the website you want or is empty.
Make sure that the “Search engine” setting shows your preferred search engine. In some versions of Safari, this setting is in the “Search” tab.
Remove AdditionalChannelSearch from Firefox
If your Mozilla Firefox web browser is hijacked by AdditionalChannelSearch or an unknown search engine shows results for your search, then it may be time to perform the internet browser reset. However, your saved passwords and bookmarks will not be changed, deleted or cleared.
First, launch the Firefox and click 
button. It will show the drop-down menu on the right-part of the browser. Further, click the Help button (
) as shown in the figure below.
In the Help menu, select the “Troubleshooting Information” option. Another way to open the “Troubleshooting Information” screen – type “about:support” in the internet browser adress bar and press Enter. It will open the “Troubleshooting Information” page like the one below. In the upper-right corner of this screen, click the “Refresh Firefox” button.
It will display the confirmation dialog box. Further, click the “Refresh Firefox” button. The Firefox will start a process to fix your problems that caused by the AdditionalChannelSearch adware. Once, it’s complete, click the “Finish” button.
Automatic Removal of AdditionalChannelSearch
The easiest way to delete AdditionalChannelSearch adware is to use an anti malware application capable of detecting adware. We advise try MalwareBytes or another free malware remover which listed below. It has excellent detection rate when it comes to adware, browser hijackers and other PUPs.
Remove AdditionalChannelSearch adware with MalwareBytes Free
We suggest using the MalwareBytes AntiMalware (MBAM) that are completely clean your computer of the adware software. This free tool is an advanced malware removal program developed by (c) Malwarebytes lab. This program uses the world’s most popular antimalware technology. It is able to help you delete the AdditionalChannelSearch ads from your web-browsers, PUPs, malware, hijacker, toolbars, ransomware and other security threats from your MAC OS for free.
MalwareBytes Free can be downloaded from the following link.
20842 downloads
Author: Malwarebytes
Category: Security tools
Update: September 10, 2020
After the download is complete, close all apps and windows on your MAC. Open a directory in which you saved it. Run the saved file and follow the prompts.
Once installation is done, you’ll see window as displayed in the following example.
Now click the “Scan” button to begin scanning your MAC for the AdditionalChannelSearch adware. This process can take quite a while, so please be patient. When a malicious software, adware or potentially unwanted software are found, the number of the security threats will change accordingly. Wait until the the scanning is complete.
After MalwareBytes Anti Malware (MBAM) has finished scanning your MAC system, you can check all items detected on your MAC system. Make sure all threats have ‘checkmark’ and click “Remove Selected Items” button.
The Malwarebytes will now remove AdditionalChannelSearch and move the selected items to the Quarantine.
How to stay safe online
Run an ad blocker tool such as AdGuard will protect you from harmful advertisements and content. Moreover, you may find that the AdGuard have an option to protect your privacy and stop phishing and spam web-sites. Additionally, ad blocker apps will allow you to avoid annoying popups and unverified links that also a good way to stay safe online.
Please go to the following link to download the latest version of AdGuard for Mac.
3677 downloads
Author: © Adguard
Category: Security tools
Update: January 17, 2018
After the downloading process is complete, start the downloaded file. You will see the “Setup Wizard” screen. Follow the prompts.
Each time, when you launch your MAC, AdGuard will start automatically and stop unwanted pop-ups, block malicious and misleading web pages.
To sum up
Now your MAC system should be free of the AdditionalChannelSearch adware. We suggest that you keep AdGuard (to help you stop unwanted ads and annoying harmful websites) and MalwareBytes Free (to periodically scan your Apple Mac for new adwares and other malware).
If you are still having problems while trying to remove AdditionalChannelSearch ads from the Firefox, Chrome and Safari, then ask for help here here.
