ExtraDevice Adware - How to remove

ExtraDevice is a malicious app that can infect macOS systems through malicious ads and infected app installers. ExtraDevice causes browser redirects and fills your screen with ads. And it’s not straightforward to remove it. Using an anti-malware tool is recommended.

About ExtraDevice:

Type of threat	Trojan, adware, browser hijacker.
Infection symptoms	ExtraDevice appearing in system pop-ups, ad injection, search redirects, and other browser problems, unstable internet connection, more malware being downloaded.
How ExtraDevice gets downloaded	Disguised by scammers as trustworthy software, bundled with other apps, downloaded and installed by malware.
How to remove ExtraDevice	With anti-malware programs (Combo Cleaner, others), delete the files related with the malware, remove the unwanted app and browser extensions.

Problems caused by ExtraDevice

ExtraDevice is a malicious app that may have unexpectedly appeared on your Mac. ExtraDevice comes in fake software updates, in free installers that are downloaded from shady websites, and it can be downloaded by other malicious apps and installed in the background.

ExtraDevice exists as adware. It hijacks searches, changes browser settings, and causes unwanted pop-up ads to appear. It is undoubtedly malware and, if it’s not removed quickly, it could result in even more infections.

Here are some effects you might experience thanks to ExtraDevice messing with your Mac:

• pop-ups asking you to allow ExtraDevice to access incoming traffic and other permissions,
• browsers and other online apps crashing, freezing, etc., requiring a reboot to be fixed,
• changed browser settings and search redirects to Anysearchmanager and other sites,
• ads injected into the browser,
• the ExtraDevice browser extension gets access to a lot of data, including browsing history and the text you type on any webpage.

ExtraDevice can behave as adware and a browser hijacker, but it’s even worse than that. People who try to delete ExtraDevice are usually unsuccessful because ExtraDevice gets reinstalled with every reboot. So, unless you never ever turn off your Mac, ExtraDevice can return. It might also bring some related malware, too, such as WebAssistSearch, AresLookup, and others.

How malware spreads

ExtraDevice infiltrates Macs through fake ads, scam websites, and freeware bundled with malicious optional software. You may have accidentally downloaded and installed it, but you couldn’t have known, especially if you didn’t have an anti-malware program to scan your downloads.

ExtraDevice may come with fake software updates. The internet is full of fake Flash Player and macOS update sites. These sites impersonate trusted companies and then try to convince visitors to download a file off of them. The file is full of malware, but people who were tricked believe it to be a genuine software update. That’s one way that ExtraDevice could have made its way onto your Mac.

Another is by being bundled with a free app. Some app installers are infected with malware, such as ExtraDevice, and install it in the background.

If there was any malware on your Mac before ExtraDevice, it could have downloaded more malicious files. Or adware could have injected malicious advertisements into your browser, which could have lead to ExtraDevice’s installation. So, while you’re removing ExtraDevice, make sure to check for other malicious apps and files, as well.

How to remove ExtraDevice

Start your Mac in safe mode, so that unnecessary apps and malware cannot interfere with the removal process. Safe mode can be entered by holding the “Shift” button on the keyboard while your Mac boots.

Use an anti-malware program, like Combo Cleaner, to scan your Mac and remove all the malware. Using an anti-malware app is faster than removing ExtraDevice manually.

If you wish to remove ExtraDevice manually, then you will need to find and delete the files that ExtraDevice uses. These files can be found in the folders Library/LaunchDaemons, /Library/LaunchAgents, ~/Library/LaunchAgents, and ~/Library/Application Support. These folders can be opened by typing their names in the Go to Folder dialog, which is found in Finder’s Go menu section.

Just be careful, because those folders also house files that are important for your other apps. An anti-malware scan could tell you which of those files needs to be removed.

Additionally, you could remove all the Profiles that were created by ExtraDevice and restore the network settings that it changed.

Finally, remove the ExtraDevice app from the Applications folder by dragging it to Trash. Remove the ExtraDevice browser extension as shown in the instructions below.

Once all the malware is removed, ExtraDevice won’t be able to interfere with your Mac any longer.

Automatic Malware removal tools

Remove the ExtraDevice browser extension

How to remove ExtraDevice Adware from Safari:Top

Remove malicious extensions

• Click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Preferences.
  
• Select Extensions and uninstall ExtraDevice Adware and other suspicious extensions.
  
• If your homepage was changed, click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Preferences and choose General tab. Enter preferable URL to the homepage field.
  

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings(older versions) If you are still experiencing any issues related to ExtraDevice Adware, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on Safari menu on the top left corner of the screen. Select Reset Safari…
  
• Select which options you want to reset (usually all of them come preselected) and click on the Reset button.
  

If you cannot reset your browser settings and the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program.

TopHow To remove ExtraDevice Adware from Google Chrome:

• Click on the 3 horizontal lines icon on a browser toolbar and Select More Tools→Extensions
  
• Select all malicious extensions and delete them.
  
• Click on the 3 horizontal lines icon on a browser toolbar and Select Settings
  
• Select Manage Search engines
  
• Remove unnecessary search engines from the list
  
• Go back to settings. On Startup choose Open blank page (you can remove undesired pages from the set pages link too).
• If your homepage was changed, click on Chrome menu on the top right corner, select Settings. Select Open a specific page or set of pages and click on Set pages.
  
• Delete malicious search websites at a new Startup pages window by clicking “X” next to them.
  

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings

If you are still experiencing any issues related to ExtraDevice Adware, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on a Chrome’s menu button (three horizontal lines) and select Settings.
• Scroll to the end of the page and click on theReset browser settings button.
  
• Click on the Reset button on the confirmation box.
  

If you cannot reset your browser settings and the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program.

How To remove ExtraDevice Adware from Firefox:Top

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Mozilla window and select the “Add-ons” icon (Or press Ctrl+Shift+A on your keyboard).
  
• Go through Extensions and Addons list, remove everything ExtraDevice Adware related and items you do not recognise. If you do not know the extension and it is not made by Mozilla, Google, Microsoft, Oracle or Adobe then you probably do not need it.
  
• If your homepage was changed, click on the Firefox menu in the top right corner, select Options → General. Enter a preferable URL to the homepage field and click Restore to Default.
  

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings If you are still experiencing any issues related to ExtraDevice Adware, reset the settings of your browser to its default settings.

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Mozilla Firefox window. Click on the Help button.
  
• ChooseTroubleshooting Information on the Help menu.
  
• Click on theReset Firefox button.
  
• Click on the Reset Firefox button on the confirmation box. Mozilla Firefox will close and change the settings to default.
  

If the problem persists, scan your system with an anti-malware program to identify malicious entries.