What is WeDownload?

Security experts are often debating whether adware is a virus or classed as a potentially unwanted application (PUA). It is safe to say that if the software that you didn't want and didn't ask for gets onto your Mac, it should be removed for your safety, security, and peace of mind.

Therefore, we will have to class WeDownload — also known as Xamloader and Adware-WeDownload — as an adware virus that is best removed to maintain smoother Mac operations. Even at the fairly harmless end of the spectrum, WeDownload displays adverts within a browser and other web-connected programs, many of which create a gateway that other viruses could use to cause real damage to your Mac.

Adware, such as WeDownload, often shows ads more often than regular advertising networks everyone encounters online. Adware can also create hyperlinks to infected websites on web pages, generate pop-ups whenever you click on bookmarked websites, fill in web forms and passwords, or send you to the wrong search engine. It can get more than annoying by reducing your web browsing experience quality after a while. 

How to remove WeDownload: A manual step-by-step instruction

If you don't want to waste time looking for the threat manually, jump to the next section. We'll show you how to get rid of WeDownload safely and easily with CleanMyMac X.

To start with, go to the browsers installed on your Mac. Be on the safe side and remove it from all of them, which is why we've outlined how to do this in Safari, Chrome, and Firefox. After that, you also need to remove WeDownload from your system files and delete any trace of it to prevent further infection and ongoing problems.

#1: Delete the WeDownload extension from Safari

  1. Go to Safari > Settings.
  2. Click on Extensions.
     
  3. Pick the extension that you don't recognize to delete.
  4. Click Uninstall.
  5. Confirm that you want to Uninstall the extension.

#2: Remove the WeDownload extension from Chrome

  1. Open Chrome.
  2. Go to the Menu in your browser.
  3. Click on More Tools > Extensions.
  4. Pick the extension that you don't recognize to delete.
  5. Click Remove.
  6. Confirm that you want to remove the extension.

#3: Delete the WeDownload Add-on from Firefox

  1. Open Firefox.
  2. Go to the Menu in your browser.
  3. Click on the Add-ons and themes tab and navigate to the Extensions pane.
  4. Select the extension you want to remove. 
  5. Click the ellipsis next to it and select Remove.
  6. Confirm that you want to delete it.

#4: Remove system files

Unfortunately, no browser extension — even an illegal one — can survive without system files to make it operational. To safely remove this virus, you need to search through the following files and folders to identify anything that could be the source of this infection. Open them one at a time from the Finder's Go > Go to Folder tab:

  • /Library/Application Support/
  • /Library/LaunchAgents/
  • /Library/LaunchDaemons/
  • /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/
  • /System/Library/Frameworks/

It could be hiding under any of these alias names:

  • Adware.Generic.955140
  • Adware.Generic.900635
  • Trojan.Generic.11397619

Important: Whenever removing viruses manually is necessary, always take care to avoid putting anything in the Trash that you need to run legitimate software programs. Not everything is labeled in a way that obviously connects it to programs you know and use. And within Library and System files, there are numerous files connected to other programs that run in the background. Be careful what you delete.

Another safer way to remove unwanted adware is by using a powerful Mac performance improvement tool, such as CleanMyMac X.

How to delete WeDownload easily with CleanMyMac X

CleanMyMac X is an invaluable tool for improving the overall performance of your Mac. On average, Mac users find they get back 62GB of space, ensuring that their devices run faster and smoother and their operational performance is improved.

Smart Care

CleanMyMac X has a Malware Removal tool that easily detects and neutralizes thousands of threats, including adware, malware, spyware, ransomware, worms, and more.

To clear WeDownload out of your system this way, you need to do the following:

  1. Download CleanMyMac X.
  2. Open the app.
  3. Click on the Malware Removal tab.
  4. Click Scan.
  5. Click Remove to delete the threat.
Malware scan in process

After that, your Mac will be operating at peak performance again. WeDownload is an annoyance, but an annoyance can soon become a full-blown crisis when it comes to malware and adware. Solve small problems as early as possible to avoid them continuing to cause problems or letting other viruses in that will wreak havoc.