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browser extensions that redirect my internet have taken over and i cant get rid of them! help please

How do I get rid of these awful browser extensions that have taken over my internet? Help, please.

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 10.13

Posted on Jun 14, 2020 9:53 AM

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6 replies

Jun 14, 2020 9:56 AM in response to queenee3

You will find control over browser extensions by opening Safari's Preferences and clicking on the Extensions button in the toolbar. There you can disable extensions or uninstall them.


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Jun 14, 2020 11:39 AM in response to queenee3

Thank you. That is very helpful. I suggest you might start by using Malwarebytes to see if it will identify and remove them. If it cannot, then see the following:


The problem is not an extension but search hijacker. Try the following instructions I found: Search Marquis Virus Removal. Removing Search Baron is more complex, so here is a link to removal instructions: Remove Search Baron virus from Mac [Jun 2020] - MacSecurity. The instructions are after all the introductory material.


Step 1: Closing Safari (or any other browser that you may be using at the moment)


First, you will need to close your browser if it is still open. If you can’t do that normally, you will need to Force Quit it:

Open the Apple Menu and select Force Quit to do that. You can also use the  key + Option Key combination to open the Force Quit Applications dialog box. In this box, select the Safari browser (or whatever browser you are using) and then click on the Quit button. Confirm the action by selecting Force Quit again.


Step 2: Killing suspicious processes


Open Finder and go to Applications > Utilities and then open Activity Monitor. Now take a careful look at the processes there – look for any that seem suspicious, unknown and questionable. If you think that a given process may be the culprit behind the issue or may at least be related to it, highlight it with the mouse and select the option at its top.

In the box that opens, click on Sample.

Scan the sample files with the online scanner we have on this page and if any of them get flagged as malicious, delete them and then kill their processes.


Step 3: Safely launching the browser


Hold the Shift from your keyboard and then launch Safari – holding Shift will prevent any previously opened pages to load again, just in case any of them were related to the problem.

If any problematic pages still load after you safe-launch the browser, then do the following:

Force-Quit the browser (Safari) again and then turn off your Wi-Fi connection by clicking on the Wi-Fi off option from the Mac Menu. If you are using cable Internet, simply disconnect the cable from your Mac.


Step 4: Uninstalling suspicious extensions


After you safe-launch Safari and are sure none of the previously opened pages load now, go to Preferences > Extensions.

Select and uninstall (by clicking on the Uninstall button) all extensions there that are unfamiliar to you or that you think may be suspicious. If you are not sure about a certain extension, it’s better to uninstall it – no extension is required for the normal functioning of the browser.


Step 5: Cleaning Safari


If you have other browsers aside from Safari, do the following:

In Safari, open Preferences from the browser’s menu and go to Privacy.

Select Remove All Website Data and then Remove Now. Note that this will delete all stored site data including any saved passwords and usernames. In other words, you will have to manually log-in to every site where you have a registration so make sure you remember your usernames and passwords.

Back in Preferences, click on General and see what your Safari’s homepage is. If it has been changed without your permission, change it back to what it used to be or to whatever you like it to be now.

Now go to the History menu and select the Clear History option.

Jun 14, 2020 2:38 PM in response to Kappy

Thanks, Kappy. The recommendation by Apple to use ComboCleaner has not worked. I have installed ComboCleaner and run the scans several times. To no avail. I think I was able to remove the searchbaron/searchmarquis from Chrome, but not from Safari. I will try all of your suggestions and hope for the best.


Thanks again for being so helpful. I really feel lost.



browser extensions that redirect my internet have taken over and i cant get rid of them! help please

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