How to uninstall TechSearchService app/extension from Mac (Virus removal guide)

What is TechSearchService

TechSearchService is an adware application that targets Mac platform. Adware is a form of malware that is designed just to display constant pop-up windows and/or annoying advertisements using intrusive and at times dangerous methods. Adware can also include other forms of malicious software. It can steal confidential info from the MAC and pass it on to third parties. Adware has also been the basis for hacking to gain access to the machine.

Does adware steal your privacy information? Adware can analyze the location and which Internet web sites you visit, and then show ads to the types of content, goods or services featured there. Adware developers can collect and sell your surfing information and behavior to third parties.

So, if you happen to encounter the adware, then be quick and take effort to get rid of it sooner. Follow the few simple steps below to delete TechSearchService adware. Let us know how you managed by sending us your comments please.

How does TechSearchService get on your computer

Most of unwanted advertisements and pop ups come from web-browser toolbars and/or add-ons, BHOs (browser helper objects) and optional apps. Most often, these items claim itself as software which improve your experience on the Internet by providing a fast and interactive home page or a search engine that does not track you. Remember, how to avoid the unwanted programs. Be cautious, run only reputable applications which download from reputable sources. NEVER install any unknown and suspicious programs.

Threat Summary

Name	TechSearchService
Type	adware, potentially unwanted program (PUP), Mac virus, Mac malware
Detection Names	ApplicUnwnt, Adware/Adload!OSX, OSX.Trojan.Gen, Osx.Adware.Cimpli, Program:MacOS/Vigram.A, Adware.MAC.Generic, MacOS.Agent-MT and Trojan-Downloader.OSX.Adload
Distribution	Freeware installers, torrent downloads, fake updaters and misleading popup ads
Symptoms	You keep getting redirected to unfamiliar web-pages, advertising banners appear on web sites that you are visiting, unwanted program installed without your say-so, unexpected web-browser extensions or toolbars keep coming back, your Mac settings are being modified without your request, slow Internet or slow browsing.
Removal	TechSearchService removal guide

How to remove TechSearchService from Mac

There are a few ways that can be used to delete TechSearchService adware. But, not all malicious apps like this adware can be completely removed using only manual ways. Most often you are not able to uninstall any adware using standard Mac OS features. In order to get rid of TechSearchService you need complete a few manual steps and use reliable removal tools. Most IT security researchers states that MalwareBytes Anti-Malware (MBAM) utility is a right choice. This free malware removal tool is able to detect and remove the adware from your MAC and restore your web-browser settings to defaults.

To remove TechSearchService, perform the following steps:

1. Remove profiles created by TechSearchService
2. Uninstall TechSearchService associated software by using the Finder
3. Remove TechSearchService related files and folders
4. Scan your Mac with MalwareBytes
5. Remove TechSearchService from Safari, Chrome, Firefox
6. How to stay safe online

Remove profiles created by TechSearchService

TechSearchService can make changes to the Mac system such as malicious changes to browser settings, and the addition of malicious system profiles. You need to check the system preferences, find and remove malicious profiles and ensure your settings are as you expect.

Click Apple menu ( ) > System Preferences.

In System Preferences, select Profiles. if there is no Profiles in the list of preferences, that means there are no profiles installed on the Mac computer. If there is Profiles in the list, then click on it, then select a profile related to TechSearchService.

To delete a malicious profile, click on the minus button ( – ) located at the bottom-left of the Profiles screen.

Uninstall TechSearchService associated software by using the Finder

The next step in removing adware, browser hijackers and PUPs by yourself is to go into the Finder, then Applications. Take a look at the list of software on your Mac and see if there are any questionable and unknown programs. If you see any, you need to remove it. Of course, before doing so, you can do an Internet search to find details on the program. If it is a browser hijacker, PUP and adware software, you will likely find information that says so.

1. Open the Finder.
2. Click “Applications”.
3. It will open a list of all programs installed on the machine.
4. Scroll through the all list, and delete questionable and unknown software. Pay maximum attention to the application you installed last.
5. Drag the suspicious program from the Applications folder to the Trash.
6. Empty Trash.

Remove TechSearchService related files and folders

Now you need to try to find TechSearchService related files and folders, and then delete them manually. You need to look for these files in certain directories. To quickly open them, we recommend using the “Go to Folder…” command.

TechSearchService creates several files, these files must be found and removed. Below is a list of files associated with this unwanted application.

• /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.TechSearchService.system.plist
• ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.TechSearchService.service.plist
• /Library/Application Support/.(RANDOM)/System/com.TechSearchService.system
• ~/Library/Application Support/.(RANDOM)/Services/com.TechSearchService.service.app

Some files created by TechSearchService are hidden from the user. To find and delete them, you need to enable “show hidden files”. To do this, use the shortcut CMD + SHIFT + . Press once to show hidden files and again to hide them. There is another way. Click Finder -> Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal. In Terminal, paste the following text: defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES

Press Enter. Hold the ‘Option/alt’ key, then right click on the Finder icon in the dock and click Relaunch.

Click on the Finder icon. From the menu bar, select Go and click “Go to Folder…”. As a result, a small window opens that allows you to quickly open a specific directory.

Check for TechSearchService generated files in the /Library/LaunchAgents folder

In the “Go to Folder…” window, type the following text and press Go:
/Library/LaunchAgents

This will open the contents of the “/Library/LaunchAgents” folder. Look carefully at it and pay special attention to recently created files, as well as files that have a suspicious name. Move all suspicious files to the Trash. A few examples of files: com.google.defaultsearch.plist, , search.plist, com.TechSearchService.service.plist, macsearch.plist, com.machelper.plist, installapp.plist and com.net-preferences.plist. Most often, potentially unwanted programs, adware software and browser hijackers create several files with similar names.

Check for TechSearchService generated files in the /Library/Application Support folder

In the “Go to Folder…” window, type the following text and press Go:
/Library/Application Support

This will open the contents of the “Application Support” folder. Look carefully at its contents, pay special attention to recently added/changed folders and files. Check the contents of suspicious folders, if there is a file with a name similar to com.TechSearchService.system, then this folder must be deleted. Move all suspicious folders and files to the Trash.

Check for TechSearchService generated files in the “~/Library/LaunchAgents” folder

In the “Go to Folder…” window, type the following text and press Go:
~/Library/LaunchAgents

Proceed in the same way as with the “/Library/LaunchAgents” and “/Library/Application Support” folders. Look for suspicious and recently added files. Move all suspicious files to the Trash.

Check for TechSearchService generated files in the /Library/LaunchDaemons folder

In the “Go to Folder…” window, type the following text and press Go:
/Library/LaunchDaemons

Carefully browse the entire list of files and pay special attention to recently created files, as well as files that have a suspicious name. Move all suspicious files to the Trash. A few examples of files to be deleted: com.installapp.system.plist, com.machelper.system.plist, com.macsearch.system.plist, com.search.system.plist and com.TechSearchService.system.plist. In most cases, browser hijackers, adware and potentially unwanted programs create several files with similar names.

Scan your Mac with MalwareBytes

If you carefully followed the previous steps, then you should be able to get rid of TechSearchService. Of course, very often PUPs, browser hijackers and adware software hides on a Mac computer, disguising itself as legitimate apps and files. Therefore, in some cases, it is difficult for an inexperienced user to decide whether a particular file is part of adware, browser hijackers and PUPs. Therefore, we suggest you to run MalwareBytes Anti Malware (MBAM) to scan the Mac device.

Download MalwareBytes Free on your MAC from the following link.

When the downloading process is done, run it and follow the prompts. Click the “Scan” button to perform a system scan for the TechSearchService adware. When a threat is detected, the number of the security threats will change accordingly. In order to remove all threats, simply press the “Quarantine” button.

The MalwareBytes AntiMalware is a free program that you can use to get rid of all detected folders, files, malicious services and so on.

Remove TechSearchService from Safari, Chrome, Firefox

Remove unwanted plugins is a easy solution to remove TechSearchService and restore internet browser’s settings that have been changed by adware.

Google Chrome	Mozilla Firefox
In the top right corner, click on Chrome’s main menu button, represented by three vertical dots. In the menu go to ‘More tools’, then ‘Extensions’. Click ‘Remove’ to uninstall an extension. Click ‘Remove’ in the dialog box. You can also try to delete TechSearchService by reset Chrome settings.	Click on ‘menu’ button and select ‘Add-ons’. Go to ‘Extensions’ tab. To uninstall an add-on, click on ‘Remove’ button next to it. If you are still experiencing issues with TechSearchService adware removal, you need to reset Firefox browser.
Safari
On the top menu select ‘Safari’, then ‘Preferences’. Select ‘Extensions’ tab. Select an extension you want to delete and click ‘Uninstall’ button next to it.

How to stay safe online

The AdGuard is a very good ad blocking application for the Firefox, Safari and Google Chrome, with active user support. It does a great job by removing certain types of intrusive advertisements, popunders, popups, unwanted new tabs, and even full page ads and web page overlay layers. Of course, the AdGuard can stop harmful webpages automatically or by using a custom filter rule.

1. Please go to the link below to download the latest version of AdGuard for Mac.
   
   

   AdGuard for Mac download
   3677 downloads
   Author: © Adguard
   Category: Security tools
   Update: January 17, 2018
   
2. Once the download is complete, launch the downloaded file. You will see the “Setup Wizard” program window. Follow the prompts.
3. After the installation is finished, click “Skip” to close the install application and use the default settings, or click “Get Started” to see an quick tutorial that will allow you get to know AdGuard better.
4. In most cases, the default settings are enough and you do not need to change anything. Each time, when you run your MAC OS, AdGuard will launch automatically and stop intrusive advertisements, block malicious and misleading webpages.

To sum up

We suggest that you keep AdGuard (to help you stop unwanted popup ads and intrusive malicious web-sites) and MalwareBytes Anti Malware (to periodically scan your machine for new malware, hijackers and adware). Make sure that you have all the Critical Updates recommended for Mac operating system. Without regular updates you WILL NOT be protected when new hijackers, harmful applications and adware are released.

If you are still having problems while trying to get rid of TechSearchService from your web browser, then ask for help here.