WebSearchStride is a PUP (potentially unwanted program) that belongs to the Adware family. What Is Adware? Adware is form of malware that presents unwanted advertising on a Apple Mac, redirects search requests to advertising webpages and gathers user info for marketing purposes. The WebSearchStride adware can show banner advertisements, full-screen advertisements, popups, videos, or other varieties of online advertising. Adware can attack your MAC’s browsers like the Safari, Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. Maybe you approve the idea that the advertisements or pop-ups is just a small problem. But these intrusive advertisements eat MAC system resources and slow down your machine performance.
Unwanted ads
Does adware steal your confidential data? The WebSearchStride adware has the ability to gather lots of your privacy info such as what webpages you are opening, what you are looking for the Internet and so on. This personal information, later, may be transferred to third parties.
Threat Summary
| Name | WebSearchStride |
| Type | adware, PUP (potentially unwanted program), pop-ups, pop up virus, pop-up advertisements |
| Symptoms |
|
| Removal | WebSearchStride removal guide |
How does the WebSearchStride adware get on your MAC system
Adware usually is bundled with free software and install themselves, with or without your knowledge, on your Apple Mac. This happens especially when you’re installing a free programs. The program setup file tricks you into accepting the installation of third-party applications, which you do not really want. Moreover, some paid software can also install additional applications that you don’t want! Therefore, always download freeware and paid programs from reputable download web sites. Use ONLY custom or manual installation type and never blindly press Next button.
The best option is to use the step-by-step tutorial posted below to clean your MAC of adware and thereby remove WebSearchStride ads.
How to Remove WebSearchStride (removal guidance)
The following steps will help you to get rid of WebSearchStride from the Safari, Chrome and Firefox. Moreover, the few simple steps below will help you to remove malicious software, browser hijackers, PUPs and toolbars that your MAC may be infected. Please do the guide step by step. If you need assist or have any questions, then ask for our assistance or type a comment below. Some of the steps below will require you to exit this webpage. So, please read the few simple steps carefully, after that bookmark it or open it on your smartphone for later reference.
To remove WebSearchStride, complete the following steps:
- Manual WebSearchStride adware removal
- Automatic Removal of WebSearchStride
- How to stop WebSearchStride
- Finish words
Manual WebSearchStride adware removal
The step-by-step guidance will allow you manually remove WebSearchStride adware software from a MAC. If you are not good at computers, we suggest that you use the free utilities listed below.
Uninstall potentially unwanted programs using the Finder
We suggest that you start the MAC cleaning procedure by checking the list of installed applications and remove all unknown or suspicious software. This is a very important step, as mentioned above, very often the malicious software such as adware and hijacker infections may be bundled with free programs. Delete the unwanted apps can get rid of the undesired advertisements or web-browser redirect.
Open Finder and click “Applications”.
Carefully browse through the list of installed software and get rid of all suspicious and unknown software.
Once you have found anything dubious that may be the WebSearchStride adware software or other PUP (potentially unwanted program), then right click this program and choose “Move to Trash”. Once complete, Empty Trash.
Remove WebSearchStride adware from Chrome
Another way to get rid of WebSearchStride ads from Chrome is Reset Chrome settings. This will disable malicious add-ons and reset Google Chrome settings to original settings. However, your saved bookmarks and passwords will not be lost. This will not affect your history, passwords, bookmarks, and other saved data.
- First, start the Google Chrome and click the Menu icon (icon in the form of three dots).
- It will display the Google Chrome main menu. Choose More Tools, then click Extensions.
- You’ll see the list of installed extensions. If the list has the extension 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 Google Chrome menu once again, press the “Settings” menu.
- Next, click “Advanced” link, that located at the bottom of the Settings page.
- On the bottom of the “Advanced settings” page, press the “Reset settings to their original defaults” button.
- The Google Chrome will show the reset settings prompt as shown on the screen above.
- Confirm the internet browser’s reset by clicking on the “Reset” button.
- To learn more, read the blog post How to reset Google Chrome settings to default.
Remove WebSearchStride adware from Mozilla Firefox
If the Firefox internet browser application is hijacked by WebSearchStride, then resetting its settings can help. The Reset feature is available on all modern version of Mozilla Firefox. A reset can fix many issues by restoring Mozilla Firefox settings like start page, search provider and newtab to their original state. However, your saved passwords and bookmarks will not be changed, deleted or cleared.
First, launch the Firefox. Next, press the button in the form of three horizontal stripes (
). It will display the drop-down menu. Next, click the Help button (
).
In the Help menu press the “Troubleshooting Information”. In the upper-right corner of the “Troubleshooting Information” page click on “Refresh Firefox” button as displayed on the screen below.
Confirm your action, click the “Refresh Firefox”.
Delete WebSearchStride adware from Safari
By resetting Safari browser you revert back your browser settings to its default state. This is basic when troubleshooting problems that might have been caused by WebSearchStride.
Run Safari web browser. Next, select Preferences from the Safari menu.
First, click the “Security” icon. Here, select “Block pop-up windows”. It will block some types of pop ups.
Now, click the “Extensions” tab. Look for dubious extensions on left panel, select it, then press the “Uninstall” button. Most important to remove all suspicious add-ons from Safari.
Once complete, check your startpage and search engine settings. Click “General” icon. 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 provider. In some versions of Safari, this setting is in the “Search” tab.
Automatic Removal of WebSearchStride
If you are unsure how to get rid of WebSearchStride adware easily, consider using automatic adware software removal applications which listed below. It will identify adware and remove it from your computer for free.
Remove WebSearchStride adware software with MalwareBytes Anti-Malware
You can delete WebSearchStride adware automatically with a help of MalwareBytes. We recommend this free malicious software removal utility because it may easily delete hijacker infection, adware software, potentially unwanted apps and toolbars with all their components such as files, folders and registry entries.
- Visit the following page to download the latest version of MalwareBytes Anti Malware for Apple Mac.
Malwarebytes Anti-malware (Mac)
20988 downloads
Author: Malwarebytes
Category: Security tools
Update: September 10, 2020
- After the downloading process is done, close all software and windows on your Apple Mac. Open a directory in which you saved it. Run the downloaded file and follow the prompts.
- Click the “Scan” button . MalwareBytes Free tool will start scanning the whole Apple Mac to find out the WebSearchStride adware. A scan can take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the number of files on your Apple Mac and the speed of your computer.
- Once the scan is complete, MalwareBytes Anti-Malware (MBAM) will show you the results. You may delete threats (move to Quarantine) by simply click “Remove Selected Items”.
How to stay safe online
Run adblocker program like AdGuard in order to block advertisements, malvertisements, pop-ups and online trackers, avoid having to install malicious and adware browser plug-ins and add-ons that affect your MAC system performance and impact your computer security. Browse the Internet anonymously and stay safe online!
AdGuard can be downloaded from the following link.
3772 downloads
Author: © Adguard
Category: Security tools
Update: January 17, 2018
When the download is done, run the downloaded file. The “Setup Wizard” window will show up on the computer screen.
Follow the prompts. AdGuard will then be installed. A window will show up asking you to confirm that you want to see a quick guide. Click “Skip” button to close the window and use the default settings, or press “Get Started” to see an quick instructions which will allow you get to know AdGuard better.
Each time, when you run your Apple Mac, AdGuard will start automatically and stop intrusive advertisements, block harmful and misleading web sites.
Finish words
Once you have done the steps shown above, your computer should be clean from the WebSearchStride adware and other malicious software. The Safari, Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox will no longer display the WebSearchStride ads. Unfortunately, if the steps does not help you, then you have caught a new adware, and then the best way – ask for help here.
