What is ExpandedSkill
According to security specialists, ExpandedSkill is a potentially unwanted application (PUA) that falls under the category of Adware . Adware is a term that originates from ‘ad supported’ software. Most often, ‘adware software’ is considered by many to be synonymous with ‘malicious software’. Its purpose is to make money for its owner by showing unwanted advertisements to a user while the user is browsing the Web.
Unwanted ads
Another reason why you need to remove adware software is its online data-tracking activity. Adware software can gather confidential data that can be later transferred to third parties. You don’t know if your home address, account names and passwords are safe.
If your web-browser has been affected with the adware, you must have complete any of the steps below. Once you’ve removed ExpandedSkill from your Apple Mac by following our suggestions below, make sure not to commit the same mistakes again in the future.
How does ExpandedSkill get on your Apple Mac
Adware is bundled within various free applications. This means that you need to be very careful when installing apps downloaded from the Web. Be sure to read the Terms of Use and the Software license, choose only the Manual, Advanced or Custom installation method, switch off all third-party modules and programs are offered to install.
Threat Summary
| Name | ExpandedSkill |
| Type | adware software, potentially unwanted application (PUA), popups, pop up virus, popup advertisements |
| Symptoms |
|
| Removal | ExpandedSkill removal guide |
How to Remove ExpandedSkill
In the steps below, we will try to cover the Safari, Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox and provide general help to remove ExpandedSkill adware. You may find some minor differences in your Mac install. No matter, you should be okay if you follow the steps outlined below: delete all suspicious and unknown software, reset web-browsers settings, use free malware removal utilities. Read this manual carefully, bookmark it or open this page on your smartphone, because you may need to close your browser or reboot your MAC system.
To remove ExpandedSkill, execute the following steps:
Manual ExpandedSkill removal
This part of the blog post is a step-by-step guidance that will help you to remove ExpandedSkill adware manually. You just need to carefully complete each step. In this case, you do not need to download any additional utilities.
Uninstall ExpandedSkill related apps through the Finder
Some potentially unwanted programs, browser hijacking software and adware software can be deleted by uninstalling the free applications 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 remove them.
Open Finder and click “Applications”.
Very carefully look around the entire list of programs installed on your MAC OS. Most likely, one of them is the ExpandedSkill adware. If you’ve many software installed, you can help simplify the search of malicious software by sort the list by date of installation.
Once you’ve found a questionable, unwanted or unused application, right click to it and choose “Move to Trash”. Another solution is drag the application from the Applications folder to the Trash.
Don’t forget, choose Finder -> “Empty Trash”.
Remove ExpandedSkill adware software from Safari
By resetting Safari web browser you restore your web browser settings to its default state. This is good initial when troubleshooting problems that might have been caused by the ExpandedSkill adware.
Click Safari menu and choose “Preferences”.
It will open the Safari Preferences window. Next, click the “Extensions” tab. Look for unknown and suspicious add-ons on left panel, select it, then press the “Uninstall” button. Most important to delete all unknown add-ons 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”.
Delete ExpandedSkill adware from Mozilla Firefox
Resetting your Firefox is basic troubleshooting step for any issues with your browser application, including the redirect to unwanted web pages and online ads. However, your saved bookmarks and passwords will not be lost. This will not affect your history, passwords, bookmarks, and other saved data.
Click the Menu button (looks like three horizontal lines), and press the blue Help icon located at the bottom of the drop down menu as shown in the following example.
A small menu will appear, press the “Troubleshooting Information”. On this page, click “Refresh Firefox” button such as the one below.
Follow the onscreen procedure to restore your Mozilla Firefox web-browser settings to their original settings.
Remove ExpandedSkill from Chrome
The adware can change your Chrome settings without your knowledge. You may see an unrequested web-site as your search provider or home page, additional extensions and toolbars. Reset Google Chrome browser will allow you to get rid of ExpandedSkill ads and reset the unwanted changes caused by adware. It will save your personal information like saved passwords, bookmarks, auto-fill data and open tabs.
First start the Chrome. Next, press the button in the form of three horizontal dots (
).
It will display the Google Chrome menu. Choose More Tools, then click Extensions. Carefully browse through the list of installed extensions. If the list has the extension signed with “Installed by enterprise policy” or “Installed by your administrator”, then complete the following guide: Remove Chrome extensions installed by enterprise policy.
Open the Chrome menu once again. Further, press the option named “Settings”.
The web browser will show the settings screen. Another solution to show the Chrome’s settings – type chrome://settings in the browser adress bar and press Enter
Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the “Advanced” link. Now scroll down until the “Reset” section is visible, as shown on the screen below and click the “Reset settings to their original defaults” button.
The Google Chrome will show the confirmation dialog box like the one below.
You need to confirm your action, click the “Reset” button. The web browser will start the procedure of cleaning. Once it is done, the browser’s settings including search provider, newtab page and homepage back to the values which have been when the Chrome was first installed on your computer.
Automatic Removal of ExpandedSkill
Run malicious software removal tools to remove ExpandedSkill adware software automatically. The free programs utilities specially designed for browser hijacker infections, adware software and other potentially unwanted applications removal. These utilities can remove most of adware software from Safari, Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. Moreover, it can remove all components of adware from Windows registry and system drives.
How to remove ExpandedSkill with MalwareBytes Anti-Malware (MBAM)
You can remove ExpandedSkill adware automatically through the use of MalwareBytes Free. We recommend this free malware removal utility because it can easily delete hijacker, adware, PUPs and toolbars with all their components such as files, folders and registry entries.
Installing the MalwareBytes Free is simple. First you’ll need to download MalwareBytes Free on your MAC system by clicking on the link below.
20851 downloads
Author: Malwarebytes
Category: Security tools
Update: September 10, 2020
Once the download is done, close all software and windows on your computer. Run the saved file. Follow the prompts.
The MalwareBytes will automatically start and you can see its main screen as on the image below.
Now click the “Scan” button for checking your machine for the ExpandedSkill adware. A scan can take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the count of files on your Apple Mac and the speed of your MAC OS. While the MalwareBytes Free program is scanning, you can see number of objects it has identified as threat.
When MalwareBytes has finished scanning, you’ll be shown the list of all detected threats on your MAC. Review the report and then press “Remove Selected Items” button. The MalwareBytes Anti Malware (MBAM) will remove ExpandedSkill adware and move the selected items to the Quarantine.
How to stay safe online
Run an ad blocker tool like AdGuard will protect you from harmful ads and content. Moreover, you can find that the AdGuard have an option to protect your privacy and stop phishing and spam web-sites. Additionally, ad blocker apps will help you to avoid undesired popups and unverified links that also a good way to stay safe online.
- Download AdGuard from the link below.
AdGuard for Mac download
3687 downloads
Author: © Adguard
Category: Security tools
Update: January 17, 2018
- After downloading is finished, start the downloaded file. You will see the “Setup Wizard” program window. Follow the prompts.
- After the setup is complete, click “Skip” to close the installation program and use the default settings, or click “Get Started” to see an quick tutorial which will allow you get to know AdGuard better.
- In most cases, the default settings are enough and you do not need to change anything. Each time, when you launch your MAC, AdGuard will launch automatically and stop intrusive advertisements, block harmful and misleading web sites.
To sum up
After completing the guidance outlined above, your MAC should be clean from this adware software and other malicious software. The Mozilla Firefox, Chrome and Safari will no longer show the ExpandedSkill ads when you surf the Internet. Unfortunately, if the guidance does not help you, then you have caught a new adware, and then the best way – ask for help.
Please create a new question by using the “Ask Question” button in the Questions and Answers. Try to give us some details about your problems, so we can try to help you more accurately. Wait for one of our trained “Security Team” or Site Administrator to provide you with knowledgeable assistance tailored to your problem with the ExpandedSkill adware.
