QuickLookPI Adware - How to remove

QuickLookPI is possibly an adware infection – a mildly malicious app. If the QuickLookPI process on your Mac is consuming a lot of resources, it could mean an adware infection. But the name “QuickLookPI” is close to a genuine macOS process, so it’s important to be careful there.

If you notice adware symptoms on your Mac (new browser tabs, redirects to strange websites, unstable browser, slow computer) and traces of adware in your System Preferences, it might be that QuickLookPI adware has infected your Mac. You can get rid of it by deleting associated files and settings.

About QuickLookPI adware:

Type of threat	Adware.
How QuickLookPI adware affects Macs	It causes instability and lag, it makes web browsers show ad spam, it may hijack browser search settings.
How adware infects Macs	Infected installers and files may be downloaded from unreliable websites, malicious apps are spread by malicious ads, such as fake update alerts, trojans might download and install malicious apps.
How to delete QuickLookPI adware	Find and delete files associated with it manually and with anti-malware tools (Combo Cleaner, Malwarebytes, Spyhunter for Mac, others), check your settings and remove traces of adware.

QuickLookPI adware symptoms

QuickLookPI adware causes browser ad spam

People whose computers have the QuickLookPI adware on them often repeat the same complaints about the behavior of their Mac:

• They say that their browsers constantly open unwanted new tabs. These new tabs show malicious ads, such as fake Flash Player update prompts.
• People also say that their Macs run slower, with QuickLookPI adware hogging the computer’s memory and processing power.
• Slow Mac startup.
• Some mention that a newtab virus got into Safari or another browser. For instance, Qsearch.pw or Gsearch.live.

These are the main symptoms, but there may be others. For instance, your Mac might warn you about QuickLookPI adware or other suspicious apps, like SearchUP, asking to take control over Safari.

The consequences of QuickLookPI adware include lost productivity, compromised privacy (since QuickLookPI adware might spy on your browsing activities or it might install other adware that does it), and more malware infections.

It might appear with other malware

Needless to say, users don’t intentionally install QuickLookPI adware. There are a few ways that it might infect computers:

• It can be injected into the installers of other apps. This applies especially to apps downloaded from iffy websites, such as sites filled with deceptive ads.
• Malicious pop-up ads, such as fake Flash Player update prompts, might download installers filled with adware apps.
• If there are bad apps already on your computer, they might be able to download more malware in the background.

And then, QuickLookPI adware shows the type of malicious ads that can cause more malware infections. Indeed, Macs are vulnerable to malware (malicious software). The users of Apple devices are being targeted by scammers and other malicious actors and QuickLookPI adware is far from the only threat (Apple’s malware problem is getting worse).

How to get rid of QuickLookPI adware

Below are the instructions for finding and deleting files related to QuickLookPI adware. These might be files in your hidden folders, such as these:

• ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.QuicklookPI.plist
• ~/Library/FileFinder/QuicklookPI/QuicklookPI

In addition, below are instructions for checking your configuration profiles and other system preferences.

In case that QuickLookPI adware or another malicious app was able to take control over Safari, you might also want to check your Privacy settings in System Preferences -> Security & Privacy -> Privacy -> Automation. Select unwanted apps and remove them (you might need to click the padlock in the lower-left corner).

Although you’ll need to check Mac and browser settings yourself, it’s helpful to employ anti-malware apps, such as Combo Cleaner, Malwarebytes, Spyhunter for Mac, and others, to find malicious and potentially unwanted apps, files, and browser extensions.

Be careful out there and check out Apple’s advice on how to protect your Mac from malware. If your computer starts behaving strangely, check the settings listed below to see if any unwanted apps are messing with them.

Automatic Malware removal tools

How to remove QuickLookPI Adware from macOS

Delete QuickLookPI Adware from your applications.

1. Open Finder.
2. In the menu bar, click Go.
3. Select Applications from the dropdown.
4. Find the QuickLookPI Adware app.
5. Select it and right-click it (or hold the Ctrl and click the left mouse button).
6. In the dropdown, click Move to Bin/Trash. You might be asked to provide your login password.

(Optional) Delete related settings

Some malicious apps make themselves difficult to delete by changing various settings and leaving behind malicious files. Remove settings related to QuickLookPI Adware.

• Click the Apple logo in the menu bar. Open System Preferences.
• Some malicious applications set profiles to enforce unwanted settings. Remove unwanted configuration profiles.

1. 1. In System Preferences, click the Profiles icon. This icon is only visible if there are profiles on your Mac.
   2. Select unwanted profiles and remove them by pressing the minus '-'  button at the bottom.

• Some adware applications set SOCKS proxy to manipulate your internet traffic. Remove unwanted proxies:

1. 1. In System Preferences, click Network, Advanced, Proxies.
   2. If a proxy is set without your permission, uncheck it and click OK.

(Optional) Delete malicious files

Some malicious apps leave behind dangerous files in your Library folders. Delete files related to QuickLookPI Adware.

1. Open Finder.
2. In the menu bar, click Go -> Computer.
3. In the search box, type in QuickLookPI Adware and variations of it.
4. Delete the files that are found and that seem to be related to QuickLookPI Adware.

How to remove QuickLookPI 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 QuickLookPI 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 QuickLookPI 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 QuickLookPI Adware from Google Chrome on Mac:

• Open Chrome browser.
• Enter in the url field “chrome://extensions” address and hit Enter.
• Find QuickLookPI Adware on the extensions list and click on the recycle bin icon next to it.
• Click on 'Chrome' button at the top left corner. Select 'Preferences' on a drop-down menu box.
• Find 'Search' options on Settings tab. If your search engine is changed, click 'Manage Search Engines' and set your preferred search engine.
• On the same page find 'Show home button' checkbox and change your homepage.

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

• On the 'Preferences' menu window, scroll down to the bottom and find 'Reset settings' button. Click it.
• Confirm your selection and click 'Reset' on the following window.

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

How To remove QuickLookPI Adware from Firefox on Mac OS:

• Click on the menu button on the top right corner of a Mozilla window and select the “Add-ons” icon (Or press cmd+Shift+A on your keyboard).
• Go through Extensions list, remove everything QuickLookPI 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.
• Enter “about:preferences” in URL bar and hit enter.
• Open Search settings tab.
• If your search engine is changed, click 'Default Search Engines' and set your preferred search engine.
• If your homepage was changed, click on the Firefox menu in the top right corner, select Preferences-> General. Enter a preferable URL to the home page field.

(Optional) Reset your browser’s settings If you are still experiencing any issues related to QuickLookPI 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.
• Choose Troubleshooting Information on the Help menu.
• Click on the Refresh Firefox button.
• Click on the Refresh 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.