WebSearchCity is a PUP (potentially unwanted program) that belongs to the Adware category. What is the purpose of Adware? Adware is ‘advertising supported’ software that tries to generate profit by redirecting you to annoying web-pages or online advertising. WebSearchCity has different methods of earning revenue including showing up advertising on the internet browser forcefully. Most of adware gets installed when you’re downloading free applications or browser plugins.
Unwanted ads
Another reason why you need to remove WebSearchCity adware is its online data-tracking activity. It can analyze the location and which Net websites you visit, and then present ads to the types of content, goods or services featured there. Adware authors can gather and sell your browsing information and behavior to third parties.
Threat Summary
| Name | WebSearchCity, Web Search City 1.0 app/extension |
| Type | adware, potentially unwanted application (PUA), pop-up virus, pop up advertisements, pop-ups |
| Symptoms |
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| Removal | WebSearchCity removal guide |
How does WebSearchCity adware get on your machine
Adware spreads as a part of some free software. So always read carefully the install screens, disclaimers, ‘Terms of Use’ and ‘Software license’ appearing during the install procedure. Additionally pay attention for third-party programs which are being installed along with the main program. Ensure that you unchecked all of them! Also, run an ad-blocking program that will allow to stop shady and untrustworthy web pages.
Thus, it’s clear that the presence of adware on your MAC system is not desirable, and you need to clean up your machine as soon as possible. Follow the few simple steps below in order to remove WebSearchCity adware software.
How to remove WebSearchCity
In many cases adware requires more than a simple uninstall with the help of the Finder in order to be fully deleted. For that reason, our team developed several removal solutions which we’ve summarized in a detailed instructions. Therefore, if you have the WebSearchCity ads on your MAC OS and are currently trying to have it deleted then feel free to follow the guide below in order to resolve your problem. Read this manual carefully, bookmark it or open this page on your smartphone, because you may need to close your browser or restart your Apple Mac.
To remove WebSearchCity, perform the steps below:
- How to manually get rid of WebSearchCity
- Automatic Removal of WebSearchCity adware software
- How to stay safe online
- To sum up
How to manually get rid of WebSearchCity
The step-by-step guidance created by our team will help you manually remove WebSearchCity from the web browser. If you are not good at computers, we advise that you use the free utilities listed below.
Uninstall WebSearchCity associated software by using the Finder
Some potentially unwanted programs, browser hijacking programs and adware can be removed by uninstalling the free programs they came with. If this way does not succeed, then looking them up in the list of installed apps in Finder. Use the “Move to Trash” command in order to delete them.
- Open the Finder.
- Click “Applications”.
- It will display a list of all programs installed on the MAC system.
- Scroll through the all list, and delete questionable and unknown apps. Pay maximum attention to the program you installed last.
- Drag the suspicious program from the Applications folder to the Trash.
- Empty Trash.
Remove WebSearchCity adware from Safari
If you find that Safari internet browser settings such as newtab page, startpage and search engine having been changed by WebSearchCity adware, then you may return your settings, via the reset browser procedure.
Click Safari menu and choose “Preferences”.
It will open the Safari Preferences window. Next, click the “Extensions” tab. Look for unknown and suspicious extensions on left panel, choose it, then press the “Uninstall” button. Most important to remove all unknown extensions from Safari.
Once complete, click “General” tab. Change the “Default Search Engine” to Google.
Find the “Homepage” and type into textfield “https://www.google.com”.
Remove WebSearchCity from Firefox by resetting browser settings
If your Mozilla Firefox internet browser is redirected to WebSearchCity without your permission or an unknown search engine shows results for your search, then it may be time to perform the web-browser reset. However, your saved bookmarks and passwords will not be lost. This will not affect your history, passwords, bookmarks, and other saved data.
Press the Menu button (looks like three horizontal lines), and click the blue Help icon located at the bottom of the drop down menu as shown below.
A small menu will appear, click the “Troubleshooting Information”. On this page, click “Refresh Firefox” button as displayed below.
Follow the onscreen procedure to revert back your Mozilla Firefox browser settings to their default state.
Remove WebSearchCity adware from Google Chrome
If you’re getting WebSearchCity ads, then you can try to delete it by resetting Google Chrome to its original state. It will also clear cookies, content and site data, temporary and cached data. However, your saved passwords and bookmarks will not be changed, deleted or cleared.
- First launch the Chrome and press Menu button (small button in the form of three dots).
- It will display the Google Chrome main menu. Select More Tools, then press Extensions.
- You will see the list of installed extensions. If the list has the add-on labeled with “Installed by enterprise policy” or “Installed by your administrator”, then complete the following instructions: Remove Chrome extensions installed by enterprise policy.
- Now open the Chrome menu once again, press the “Settings” menu.
- You will see the Google Chrome’s settings page. Scroll down and click “Advanced” link.
- Scroll down again and click the “Reset” button.
- The Chrome will open the reset profile settings page as shown on the screen above.
- Next click the “Reset” button.
- Once this process is done, your internet browser’s startpage, newtab page and search engine by default will be restored to their original defaults.
- To learn more, read the post How to reset Chrome settings to default.
Automatic Removal of WebSearchCity adware software
If you are not expert at computer technology, then we recommend to use free removal utilities listed below to remove WebSearchCity adware software for good. The automatic solution is highly recommended. It has less steps and easier to implement than the manual solution. Moreover, it lower risk of system damage. So, the automatic WebSearchCity removal is a better option.
Automatically remove WebSearchCity with MalwareBytes
Remove WebSearchCity manually is difficult and often the adware software is not completely removed. Therefore, we suggest you to run the MalwareBytes Anti-Malware which are fully clean your MAC system. Moreover, this free program will allow you to delete malware, PUPs, toolbars and browser hijacker that your MAC can be infected too.
Click the following link to download MalwareBytes Anti-Malware (MBAM).
20983 downloads
Author: Malwarebytes
Category: Security tools
Update: September 10, 2020
When the download is finished, close all windows on your Apple Mac. Further, run the saved file. Follow the prompts.
The MalwareBytes AntiMalware will automatically run and you can see its main window as shown below.
Next, click the “Scan Now” button to perform a system scan with this utility for the WebSearchCity adware. This process can take some time, so please be patient. When a threat is found, the number of the security threats will change accordingly. Wait until the the scanning is complete.
As the scanning ends, you can check all items found on your MAC system. In order to remove all threats, simply press “Remove Selected Items” button.
The MalwareBytes will remove WebSearchCity adware software.
How to stay safe online
Run an adblocker utility 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 webpages. Additionally, adblocker software will help you to avoid undesired ads and unverified links that also a good way to stay safe online.
Please go to the link below to download the latest version of AdGuard for Mac.
3771 downloads
Author: © Adguard
Category: Security tools
Update: January 17, 2018
After downloading is finished, launch the downloaded file. You will see the “Setup Wizard” screen. Follow the prompts.
Each time, when you start your machine, AdGuard will launch automatically and stop unwanted pop-up ads, block malicious or misleading websites.
To sum up
Now your MAC system should be clean of the WebSearchCity adware. We suggest that you keep AdGuard (to help you block unwanted pop-up ads and intrusive harmful webpages) and MalwareBytes (to periodically scan your machine for new malicious software, browser hijackers and adware). Make sure that you have all the Critical Updates recommended for Mac OS. Without regular updates you WILL NOT be protected when new hijacker infections, harmful applications and adware software are released.
If you are still having problems while trying to remove WebSearchCity ads from your internet browser, then ask for help here.
