How to uninstall TotalProjectSearch app/extension from Mac

What is TotalProjectSearch

TotalProjectSearch is supposed to be a program that will improve the browsing experience, but it is adware. Adware is type of malware that can cause issues for your machine. It can generate numerous additional pop up, banner, pop-under and in-text link ads flooding on your browser; gather your confidential data such as login details, online searches, etc; run in the background and drag down your machine running speed; give more chances for other adware, PUPs even malware to get on your MAC OS.

Does adware software steal your data? Adware can collect a wide variety of personal data about you to get profit. Adware can analyze your browsing, and gain access to your user data and, later, can use it for marketing purposes. Thus, there are more than enough reasons to remove adware from your MAC OS.

In the few simple steps below, we will explain best possible methods on how to get rid of TotalProjectSearch adware from your machine and free your browser of unwanted advertisements.

How does TotalProjectSearch get on your Apple Mac

Adware software usually spreads together with freeware . So, when you installing free programs, carefully read the disclaimers, choose the Custom or Advanced installation option to watch for optional apps that are being installed, because some of the applications are potentially unwanted software and adware software.

Threat Summary

Name	TotalProjectSearch, TotalProjectSearch 1.0 app
Type	adware, potentially unwanted program (PUP), popups, popup virus, pop-up ads
Symptoms	web-browser pop-ups appear and recommend fake security software every time you perform an Internet search, your browser is rerouted to another web site your Apple Mac starts automatically installing unexpected apps annoying toolbars unwanted changes in your web browser such as using a new default search provider you are unable to update your antivirus software low ping but slow Internet your computer crashes
Removal	TotalProjectSearch removal guide

How to remove TotalProjectSearch from Mac device

According to cyber security professionals, adware software removal can be finished manually and/or automatically. These utilities which are listed below will allow you delete adware software, harmful browser extensions, malware and PUPs . However, if you’re not willing to install other software to remove TotalProjectSearch adware, then use tutorial listed below to revert back your machine settings to their previous states.

To remove TotalProjectSearch, complete the steps below:

1. Remove unwanted profiles on Mac device
2. Remove TotalProjectSearch related apps through the Finder
3. Remove TotalProjectSearch related files and folders
4. Scan your Mac with MalwareBytes
5. Remove TotalProjectSearch from Safari, Chrome, Firefox
6. How to stay safe online
7. Finish words

Remove unwanted profiles on Mac device

TotalProjectSearch 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 TotalProjectSearch.

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

Remove TotalProjectSearch related apps through the Finder

Go to the Finder and delete questionable apps, all programs you do not remember installing. It’s important to pay the most attention to software you have recently installed. If you don’t know what a program does, look for the answer on the Net.

Make sure you have closed all web-browsers and other apps. Next, delete any unwanted and suspicious programs from machine using the Finder.

Open Finder and click “Applications”.

Look around the entire list of applications installed on your Apple Mac. Most probably, one of them is the TotalProjectSearch adware. Select the questionable program or the program that name is not familiar to you and delete it.

Drag the suspicious program from the Applications folder to the Trash.

Most important, don’t forget, select Finder -> Empty Trash.

Remove TotalProjectSearch related files and folders

Now you need to try to find TotalProjectSearch 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 TotalProjectSearch 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: TotalProjectSearch.plist, search.plist, macsearch.plist, com.machelper.plist and installapp.plist. Most often, potentially unwanted programs, adware and browser hijackers create several files with similar names.

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

Scan your Mac with MalwareBytes

You can remove TotalProjectSearch related files automatically with a help of MalwareBytes Free. We recommend this free malware removal tool because it can easily delete PUPs, toolbars, browser hijackers and adware with all their components such as files, folders and system entries.

MalwareBytes Anti-Malware can be downloaded from the following link.

After the downloading process is done, close all programs and windows on your machine. Run the saved file. Follow the prompts.

The MalwareBytes Anti-Malware (MBAM) will automatically start and you can see its main screen as displayed below.

Now click the “Scan” button to search for TotalProjectSearch adware software. This process can take some time, so please be patient. When a threat is detected, the count of the security threats will change accordingly. Wait until the the scanning is done.

After the scan is done, MalwareBytes AntiMalware will open you the results. Make sure to check mark the items which are unsafe and then click the “Quarantine” button. The MalwareBytes AntiMalware will get rid of TotalProjectSearch and move the selected threats to the program’s quarantine.

Remove TotalProjectSearch from Safari, Chrome, Firefox

If you are still seeing TotalProjectSearch adware software that won’t go away, you might have harmful extensions installed on your browser. Check your web-browser for unwanted extensions using the steps below.

Google Chrome	Mozilla Firefox
Click on ‘three dots menu’ button at the top right corner of the Google Chrome window. When the drop-down menu appears, choose ‘More tools’ and click on ‘Extensions’. Click ‘Remove’ to uninstall an extension. Click ‘Remove’ in the dialog box. You can also try to remove TotalProjectSearch 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 TotalProjectSearch removal, you need to reset Mozilla 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 program for the Firefox, Google Chrome and Safari, with active user support. It does a great job by removing certain types of annoying ads, popunders, pop-ups, unwanted new tabs, and even full page ads and website overlay layers. Of course, the AdGuard can stop malicious web-pages automatically or by using a custom filter rule.

1. Download AdGuard from the following link.
   
   

   AdGuard for Mac download
   3687 downloads
   Author: © Adguard
   Category: Security tools
   Update: January 17, 2018
   
2. Once downloading is done, start the downloaded file. You will see the “Setup Wizard” program window. Follow the prompts.
3. Once the install is done, press “Skip” to close the setup application and use the default settings, or click “Get Started” to see an quick tutorial that will assist 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 start automatically and stop annoying ads, block malicious and misleading web-sites.

Finish words

Now your computer should be clean of the TotalProjectSearch adware. We suggest that you keep AdGuard (to help you stop unwanted pop-up ads and unwanted malicious web sites) and MalwareBytes Anti Malware (MBAM) (to periodically scan your machine for new adwares and other malicious software).

If you are still having problems while trying to remove TotalProjectSearch from the Google Chrome, Firefox and Safari, then ask for help here here.