Safari opens with preferences / extensions on every startup?

Question

Level 1

76 points

Safari opens with preferences / extensions on every startup?

Everytime I start up my Mac, Safari opens and loads the Preferences pane for extensions in the middle of the screen. I close the pane and after surfing, close Safari, but next startup, Safari opens and the same preferences pane appears. I only have one extension - McAfee Webadvisor which comes with my British Telecom / BT broadband package and to be honest I think it's causing a lot of the problems I get with Safari. If I uninstall it I'm pestered by BT telling me to install security software and the way their product works is that if I uninstall it on my Apple it also uninstalls from all of my other devices, Windows laptops, PCs and all.

However back to the problem in hand - how do I prevent Safari from starting up everytime I start the iMac, and keep this preference pane closed?

iMac 21.5″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Dec 15, 2020 3:39 AM

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Answer 1

Dec 19, 2020 7:14 AM in response to PaudmanUK

PaudmanUK wrote:

Hi - thanks to you both for your help. Sorry if I appeared vague in my initial post - what happens is that everytime my Mac starts up, Safari starts up, and when Safari opens it has the extensions window open in the middle of the screen. This is every time on startup. Safari is not a startup item and has only started this recently. Once closed, it reopens as normal. I think the problem lies with BT and McAfee - it is NOT compatible with Catalina and later. I've uninstalled it from my Mac and since then Safari has no longer opened until I want it to. I'll update if the problem reappears but in the meantime, thanks, and here's hoping.

Uninstall all third party apps that are Cleaners/Optimizers/Anti-Virus

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Answer 2

PaudmanUK Author

Level 1

76 points

Dec 19, 2020 4:52 AM in response to jdo_apple

Hi - thanks to you both for your help. Sorry if I appeared vague in my initial post - what happens is that everytime my Mac starts up, Safari starts up, and when Safari opens it has the extensions window open in the middle of the screen. This is every time on startup. Safari is not a startup item and has only started this recently. Once closed, it reopens as normal. I think the problem lies with BT and McAfee - it is NOT compatible with Catalina and later. I've uninstalled it from my Mac and since then Safari has no longer opened until I want it to. I'll update if the problem reappears but in the meantime, thanks, and here's hoping.

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Answer 3

steve626

Level 6

13,845 points

Dec 20, 2020 10:26 AM in response to PaudmanUK

Try booting into Safe Mode.

https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/mac-help/mh21245/mac

That should disable all extensions (like McAfee). Then hopefully you can remove those files.

You could also see if McAfee has an uninstaller.

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Answer 4

Dec 25, 2020 7:47 AM in response to PaudmanUK

PaudmanUK wrote:

McAfee Webadvisor which comes with my British Telecom / BT broadband package and to be honest I think it's causing a lot of the problems I get with Safari. If I uninstall it I'm pestered by BT telling me to install security software and the way their product works is that if I uninstall it on my Apple it also uninstalls from all of my other devices, Windows laptops, PCs and all.

I'm paying BT for McAfee as part of my broadband package, it seems unfair to have to uninstall it then get bombarded with messages from BT that I have no Internet security and have them requesting that I reinstall it again.

Can anyone suggest where these elements might be that I can remove only them?

There are other freeware security for your Windows machine if that is the issue, uninstalling across the board seems a bit like being held hostage...part of the package is no kind of plus.

How to install or uninstall McAfee software on macOS

https://community.mcafee.com/t5/Mac-Products/How-to-Uninstall-McAfee-Internet-Security-from-a-Mac/m-p/365435#M122

third party AV does nothing but add issues and compete directly with Apple's own built in Security—

macOS - Security - Apple https://www.apple.com/macos/security/

Apple Platform Security - Apple https://support.apple.com/guide/security/welcome/web

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Answer 5

PaudmanUK Author

Level 1

76 points

Dec 20, 2020 9:49 AM in response to leroydouglas

I thought I had uninstalled it, but it's back... the Apple starts up, Safari immediately opens, and the extensions window comes up showing McAfee WebAdvisor 1.0.

To uninstall it I must remove the 'McAfee Safari Host' application and it gives me the option to show in finder. The finder opens another window. there are two McAfee icons, but I cannot drag either to the trash as they are open. What's the best / easiest way to uninstall this?

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Answer 6

PaudmanUK Author

Level 1

76 points

Dec 25, 2020 3:48 AM in response to steve626

It does, but it makes no sense!!

If I click the uninstall button - see my first photo - it brings up THIS pane:

.. which appears to be in Applications. If I try to drag those three to the trash, I can't, as they're allegedly in use. If I close that pane, I can't find them anywhere on my Mac. All that's in the applications folder is the full package so I must uninstall everything, not just these elements which are messing up Safari.

As I'm paying BT for McAfee as part of my broadband package, it seems unfair to have to uninstall it then get bombarded with messages from BT that I have no Internet security and have them requesting that I reinstall it again.

Can anyone suggest where these elements might be that I can remove only them?

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Answer 7

jdo_apple

Community Specialist

Dec 18, 2020 7:53 AM in response to PaudmanUK

Hello PaudmanUK,

Thanks for that info and for choosing the Apple Support Communities. If we understand correctly, you are having an issue with the Extensions window open anytime you open Safari on your iMac. First, try running First Aid on your hard drive with the built in Disk Utility tool, as this can correct simple issues like you're experiencing.

How to repair a Mac disk with Disk Utility

Next, use safe mode to start up your Mac as it does the following things: