How to remove webhelper

Webhelper has been designated by several anti-malware tools as a potentially unwanted program (PUP). That means that while webhelper isn’t a virus, it can still cause serious inconvenience and disruption. In this article, we’ll tell you more about what it is and explain how to get rid of it.

What is webhelper?

It’s a PUP that displays adverts on your computer and also may steal data related to your browsing activity. There have also been reports that it may steal more sensitive information like financial data. It does that by monitoring keystrokes and mouse input as well as taking control of other programs. 

Other reports, however, claim that webhelper poses little threat to security and is more of an annoyance than anything dangerous. These reports say that its activity is limited to displaying adverts and playing audio on your computer without your permission. Whichever of these reports is closer to the truth, it’s clear that it’s an undesirable presence on your computer, and if you spot it, you should get rid of it as soon as possible.

How did it get on my computer?

Like many PUPs, webhelper uses a technique known as bundling. That means that it finds its way onto your Mac by ‘hiding’ in download packages alongside seemingly legitimate applications. This often happens when you download applications from free software download sites that use their own proprietary download managers. In this case, it seems that webhelper is associated with some downloads of a Bit Torrent client called Utorrent, and so, if you have downloaded that recently, it could be the source of the adware. 

How can I avoid PUPs?

There are a number of steps you can take to avoid downloading webhelper or other PUPs:

1. Don’t download software from download sites that use their own download manager. These tools are designed for one purpose — to trick you into downloading the software you don’t want.
2. Beware of malicious websites: don’t ignore warnings from your web browser when they tell you a site you are trying to visit could be harmful.
3. Don’t click on any link unless you are 100% certain where it leads.
4. Don’t respond to pop-ups that claim some of your systems are out of date or need to be repaired.

How to remove webhelper

The simplest way is to use anti-malware software. We recommend CleanMyMac X. Not only is it intuitive and fast, but it also has numerous other tools. They can help clear out junk, uninstall applications, prevent auto-launch of apps and services, and manage privacy by removing browser files that collect personal data.

Also, CleanMyMac X has a real-time malware monitor — a tool that checks all newly installed software. By enabling it, you will receive notifications should any of the new apps act weirdly or contain any nasty elements.

To enable the tool and protect your Mac in real-time, follow these steps:

1. Install CleanMyMac X — download it for free here.
2. Open the CleanMyMac X menu in the menu bar.
   
3. Go to Preferences > Protection.
4. Tick the box labeled “Enable Malware monitor.”

Now as you have enabled real-time malware monitoring, CleanMyMac X will regularly scan your Mac and give you the opportunity to remove anything that may be dangerous. 

Here’s how easy it is to scan your Mac for malware manually using CleanMyMac X:

1. Double-click on CleanMyMac X in your Applications folder.
2. Choose Malware Removal on the left of the window.
3. Push the Scan button.
4. We hope that CleanMyMac X won’t find any malware and will give your Mac a clean bill of health. If not, press Remove to get rid of the malware it finds.

How to get rid of webhelper manually

If you’d rather remove this PUP manually, here’s how to do it. Make sure to follow all the steps in the process to get rid of it completely.

Remove the application

Go to your Applications folder and locate the application you downloaded just before you noticed the adware. Drag it to the Trash. If you see any apps you didn’t intend to download, drag those to the Trash, too. Empty the Trash. 

Trash any files installed by the PUP

1. In the Finder, go to the menu bar and choose Go, then Go to Folder.
2. Navigate to each of the locations below, one at a time, by pasting their location in the box in the Go to Folder window and look for files that contain the name of the app you just trashed or anything that looks like webhelper:

~/Library/LaunchAgents

/Library/LaunchDaemons

/Library/Application Support

~/Library/Application Support

That should remove all traces of the PUP from your Mac’s system folders. Now, you need to remove it from the web browsers you use. The easiest way to do that is to use the Extensions and Privacy tools in CleanMyMac X. To do it manually, go to Preferences in your browser and then use the privacy and extensions features to remove files. Here’s where to find them in Safari, Chrome, and Firefox.

Safari

Click on the Safari menu and choose Preferences/Settings. Use the Extensions tab to find installed extensions and uninstall them. Once you’ve done that, go to Preferences/Settings > Privacy > Manage website data > Remove all to get rid of other files.

Chrome

Paste this address into the URL bar in Chrome to get to its settings: chrome://extensions. Find the extension you want to get rid of and hit Remove. Now, paste chrome://settings/clearBrowserData and press Clear data. 

Firefox

Click on the three bars to the right of the address bar and choose Add-ons and themes. To view installed extensions, select Extensions. You can remove them from there. Go back to Add-ons to manage website data like cache and history files.

Webhelper is a PUP that displays adverts, plays audio, and may steal data. If you spot it on your Mac, you should get rid of it as soon as possible. The easiest way to do that is to use my favorite app — CleanMyMac X. However, by following the steps above, you can also remove it manually.