Imagine turning on your Mac only to discover that your browser has become irritatingly sluggish and throwing up unsolicited ads here and there. Or that the processing speed has slowed noticeably. This could be Adaware Web Companion at work.
Adaware Web Companion is a tool that claims to protect your computer against malicious sites. However, if it sneaks onto your Mac, it can mess up your user experience by slowing down overall performance. What makes it even more frustrating is that you may not have installed this program knowingly.
So how do you get rid of Adaware Web Companion and restore your Mac to normalcy? Let’s find out.
Is Adaware Web Companion malware?
No, Adaware Web Companion is not malware. It’s an app marketed as an internet security tool that shields your computer from malware and dangerous websites. However, if you’re not careful, this app can trick you into clicking malicious ads in your browser. In this way, the app is not safe for your Mac.
Apart from having a history of creating security and performance issues for users, Adaware has a suspicious installation pattern and was labeled as “bundled software” in 2013 by security consultant Dancho Danchev. As bundled software, Adaware Web Companion is mainly distributed as part of a bundled installation package with other apps, making its way into your computer, even without your approval.
In addition to these concerns, reports have shown that Adaware can drag some malicious files into your Mac, interrupting the processing speed and making unauthorized changes to your browser.
As a result, Adaware Web Companion is classified as a Potentially Unwanted Program (PUP).
How do you get rid of Adaware Web Companion, and should you?
If your Mac already has Adaware Web Companion running, you should get rid of it. However, it’s important to mention that getting rid of it can be tricky. This is because, sometimes, the app may be installed on your computer without retaining its original package name, “Adaware Web Companion.”
If you’re not careful, you might not even notice this app hidden within a folder of installation files. Check for “Web Companion” instead, and you may see the tool if it’s there.
Now, you may be wondering, “How did I end up having Adaware Web Companion on my computer when I didn’t install it?” Well, there are different ways the Adaware tool can get into your Mac. For instance, it could have come from an ad pop-up you clicked without paying attention to the details. It could have been installed along with other programs you Okayed to download on your computer without customizing what should and should not install.
Regardless of how Web Companion got into your Mac, here are the two ways you can get rid of it.
How to uninstall Adaware Web Companion manually
If this program somehow snuck into your Mac, you can follow the steps below to uninstall it manually:
- Open Finder
- Click Applications
- Look for Adaware Web Companion in the list of installed apps and right-click on the app
- Click Move to Trash
When you complete the steps above, go to your Trash and click on Empty Trash to remove the app from your trash folder.
Although this technically deletes the application from your Mac, it doesn’t necessarily remove all the program files it came with. Those remaining files can still cause you trouble.
How to remove Adaware Web Companion with CleanMyMac X
One of the easiest ways to uninstall Adaware Web Companion from your Mac is to use CleanMyMac X, which has an Uninstaller tool.
All you need to do is download and install CleanMyMac X and follow the steps below to uninstall the PUP:
- Open CleanMyMac X
- Head to Uninstaller in the sidebar
- Click View All X Applications.
- Locate the Adaware Web Companion and select the check box next to it.
- Click the Uninstall button
One huge advantage of this method is that it also ensures that all the extra program files that come with the Adaware are removed during the uninstallation process.
Adaware Web Companion may masquerade as an antivirus tool, but it’s not the only sketchy program presenting itself as a cybersecurity tool (Search Encrypt is another example). Experience has shown that PUPs like Adaware are largely unsafe due to how they can affect the performance of your computer. And worse still is the fact that this tool can sneak in without your knowledge. Uninstalling potentially unwanted programs with all of their leftover files will keep your Mac running smoothly.
