How to delete Wave browser from Mac

What is Wave browser?

Early versions of the Wave browser were just like Safari, Google Chrome, or any other internet browser. Then, over time it’s been updated and started acting more like a browser extension or plugin. But what makes Wave browser so dangerous is that it can actually start to make changes to system files without you even knowing, which is why it’s classified as a browser hijacker.

How did the Wave browser get on my computer?

The Wave browser and extension typically end up on computers through software bundling. That means that it’s bundled in the installation of another app — usually a free one. That’s why it’s so important to only install software from websites that you trust.

If you do have to install an app from a developer you’ve never heard of before, you should always do a custom install. Usually, when you’re going through the install wizard, there’s a button that will allow you to customize what’s installed. Go ahead and click on that button just to make sure there’s not something trying to sneak onto your computer.

How to remove Wave browser from your Mac

Whether you’ve only noticed the Wave browser or plugin, it’s still a smart idea to check for both. The last thing you’d want is to think your computer is safe but still leave it vulnerable to other malware.

Remove the Wave browser app

First, you’ll want to check for the Wave browser in your Applications folder. But don't worry. Even if you’ve never removed an app from your Mac before, I promise this Wave browser removal will be super easy. All you need to do is follow these steps:

1. In your Dock, click on the Finder icon to open a new window.
2. Click Go > Applications.
   
   Note: You can also use the keyboard shortcut Command-Shift-A instead.
   
3. Then, look for any suspicious apps and drag them to the Trash.

And just like that the app is deleted. That’s really all there is to it.

Delete the Wave browser plug-in

Now that you’ve removed or confirmed you don’t have the Wave browser app, you need to check for the browser plug-ins. You might only use one of these browsers occasionally, but it’s still a good idea to check each browser installed on your Mac. Just follow the instructions for the browsers below.

Safari

After you have Safari open, all you need to do is:

1. Click Safari > Preferences > Extensions.
2. Choose any strange or unwanted browser extensions.
3. Click Uninstall.
4. Now, quit and re-open Safari.

Firefox

You can search for suspicious plug-ins in Firefox, by opening the app and then:

1. Click the menu button in the top-right corner. It looks like three horizontal lines.
2. Then, click Settings > Extensions & Themes.
3. Select an extension > … > Remove.
4. Finally, quit and restart Firefox

Chrome

To get rid of any malicious plug-ins in Google Chrome, all you need to do is open a new Chrome window and do these steps:

1. In the top-right corner, click the three dots > Settings > Extensions.
2. Click Remove on the extension you want to delete.
3. Quit and relaunch Chrome.

Get rid of other malware on your computer

With the Wave browser out of the way, we’re still not done yet. Because Wave can make changes to your system without you knowing about it, Wave might have also let other malware in. Meaning you’ll need to scan your computer for anything malicious that might be lurking on your hard drive.

To help you out, you can download CleanMyMac X. It’s an app that comes notarized by Apple and will scan your hard drive to look for any malware.

Once you download CleanMyMac X, all you’ll need to do is follow these steps to quickly remove anything nefarious hanging out on your computer.

1. Open CleanMyMac X.
2. Go to Malware Removal.
   



3. Next, click Scan.

Check for support files left behind

Anytime you manually delete an app, like we did with the Wave browser, there’s always a chance you could leave behind support files. The app needs these files to run properly, but they’re usually stored somewhere in your Library.

So, how are you supposed to find them? Don’t worry. CleanMyMac X can help you out with that too. With CleanMyMac X open, just follow the instructions:

1. Click Uninstaller > Leftovers.
2. Select anything it finds.
3. Click Uninstall.

Turn on real-time monitoring

Now that you’ve gone through all of that work to get rid of the Wave browser, remove support files, and scan for other malware — you need to protect your Mac so that this sort of thing doesn’t happen again.

Thankfully, CleanMyMac X also has a real-time monitor to scan files as you download them and catch anything harmful. Open CleanMyMac X and check to see if this feature is enabled:

1. Click CleanMyMac X > Preferences.
2. Open the Protection tab.
3. Check all three boxes.

The Wave browser and plugin might seem harmless on the surface, but they are classified as browser hijackers. They can make changes to your system without you ever knowing about it. The good news is that now you know how to take care of it and protect your Mac from any other dangerous malware that might try to force its way onto your computer.