How to uninstall ProductiveRotator app/extension from Mac

What is ProductiveRotator

ProductiveRotator is supposed to be an application that will improve the browsing experience, but according to security experts, it is an adware program. Adware is form of software designed to inject ads into your Internet browsing or even desktop experience. Adware can be designed to modify your start page, search provider, search results, or even add toolbars to your internet browser. ProductiveRotator run in the background when you’re online, and it can slow down your Apple Mac and affect its performance.

The worst is, the ProductiveRotator adware can analyze the location and which Net web-sites you visit, and then present advertisements to the types of content, goods or services featured there. The adware creators can gather and sell your surfing information and behavior to third parties.

If you are unfortunate have adware, you can follow the step-by-step tutorial below that will help you to uninstall ProductiveRotator and thus get rid of undesired advertisements from your internet browser.

How does ProductiveRotator get on your MAC OS

Usually, adware gets into your MAC as part of a bundle with free software, sharing files and other unsafe programs which you downloaded from the Internet. The creators of adware pays software makers for distributing adware software within their apps. So, additional software is often included as part of the installer. In order to avoid the installation of any adware: select only Manual, Custom or Advanced setup mode and disable all bundled apps in which you are unsure.

Threat Summary

Name	ProductiveRotator, Productive Rotator 1.0 app
Type	adware, PUP (potentially unwanted program), popups, pop-up virus, pop-up advertisements
Symptoms	browser popups appear and recommend fake security software when you go to a web page, you are often redirected to another web site that you do not intend to visit unexpected web-browser extensions or toolbars keep coming back your internet browser home page or search provider keeps changing or is not set to Google anymor speed test good but internet slow your computer is no stable leading to crashes
Removal	ProductiveRotator removal guide

How to remove ProductiveRotator

When the adware gets installed on your MAC system without your knowledge, it is not easy to delete. In most cases, there is no Uninstall program that simply remove the ProductiveRotator adware software from your MAC OS. So, we advise using well-proven free specialized tool such as MalwareBytes Free. But the best way to get rid of ProductiveRotator adware will be to perform several manual steps, after that additionally use antimalware utilities.

To remove ProductiveRotator, perform the steps below:

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

Remove unwanted profiles on Mac device

ProductiveRotator 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 ProductiveRotator.

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

Remove ProductiveRotator associated software by using the Finder

Some adware, browser hijackers and PUPs may be uninstalled by uninstalling the free software they came with. If this way does not succeed, then looking them up in the list of installed programs in the Finder. Use the “Move to Trash” command in order to remove them.

Open Finder and click “Applications”.

Carefully browse through the list of installed applications and delete all dubious and unknown apps.

When you’ve found anything suspicious that may be the ProductiveRotator or other potentially unwanted program, then right click this program and choose “Move to Trash”. Once complete, Empty Trash.

Remove ProductiveRotator related files and folders

Now you need to try to find ProductiveRotator 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.

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 ProductiveRotator 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: search.plist, com.machelper.plist, ProductiveRotator.plist, macsearch.plist and installapp.plist. Most often, potentially unwanted programs, browser hijackers and adware software create several files with similar names.

Check for ProductiveRotator 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 folder. Move all suspicious folders to the Trash.

Check for ProductiveRotator 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 ProductiveRotator 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.search.plist, com.ProductiveRotator.plist, com.installapp.plist, com.macsearch.plist and com.machelper.plist. In most cases, adware, browser hijackers and PUPs create several files with similar names.

Scan your Mac with MalwareBytes

We suggest using MalwareBytes. You can download and install MalwareBytes to scan for and remove ProductiveRotator related software from your Mac device. When installed and updated, the malware remover automatically scans for and deletes all security threats present on the computer.

Visit the page linked below to download MalwareBytes Anti-Malware.

Once the download is complete, run it and follow the prompts. Click the “Scan” button to perform a system scan with this tool for the ProductiveRotator adware. A scan can take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the number of files on your machine and the speed of your MAC system. While the MalwareBytes Free utility is scanning, you can see how many objects it has identified as being infected by malicious software. Make sure all items have ‘checkmark’ and click 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 ProductiveRotator from Safari, Chrome, Firefox

If you are still getting ProductiveRotator adware, then you can try to remove it by deleting harmful addons.

Google Chrome	Mozilla Firefox
In the top right corner, click on Chrome’s main menu button, represented by three vertical dots. Select ‘More tools’, then ‘Extensions’. Click ‘Remove’ to uninstall an extension. Click ‘Remove’ in the dialog box. You can also try to remove ProductiveRotator adware 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 problems with ProductiveRotator adware removal, you need to reset Firefox browser.
Internet Explorer	Safari
Click ‘Tools’ button in the top-right corner. Select ‘Manage add-ons’. In the drop-down menu under ‘Show’, select ‘All add-ons’. To delete an add-on, double-click it; in the new window click ‘Remove’. Another solution to delete ProductiveRotator adware from Internet Explorer is reset IE settings.	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

Run ad-blocking application such as 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 MAC system security. Browse the Internet anonymously and stay safe online!

Visit the page linked below to download the latest version of AdGuard for Mac.

When the download is complete, launch the downloaded file. You will see the “Setup Wizard” screen. Follow the prompts.

Each time, when you launch your machine, AdGuard will run automatically and stop undesired pop-up advertisements, block harmful and misleading webpages.

To sum up

After completing the few simple steps above, your MAC should be clean from this adware and other malicious software. The Safari, Mozilla Firefox and Chrome will no longer open the ProductiveRotator ads when you surf the Web. Unfortunately, if the steps 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 ProductiveRotator adware.