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  • Active
  • Severity: Medium
  • Adware
  • Windows, Mac
  • Verified · Aug 2015

How to remove Ads by SaveOnMac

A step-by-step removal guide for affected devices. Follow the verified procedure below — most readers complete it in under 10 minutes.

Lucia Danes · Virus researcher

What is SaveOnMac?

SaveOnMac is an adware-type program, which is also known as a potentially unwanted program (PUP) due to stealthy distribution method that its developers apply. From a first glimpse you may assume that it may only affect Macs OS; however, it seems that Windows OS is the target number one. In most of the cases, SaveOnMac spreads as a browser add-on for Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Internet Explorer that is supposed to display relevant deals, discounts, coupons, price comparisons and similar commercials. This way, it claims being able to save user’s time and money. However, you should never believe in such bogus claims because we haven’t yet found a tool that would have been saved a dollar this way. Apparently, SaveOnMac is NOT an exception. In reality, it works as a typical adware and may seriously disrupt your web browsing activities.

Once installed, it may hijack each of your web browser (Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, IE) and start causing a serious havoc on them. First of all, it may install tracking cookies on each of them and continuously gather your search terms, visited websites, data entered in them, clicks, IP address, PC’s location, etc. It would be OK if this adware would use such information for improving the service only. However, in most of the cases, it transmits it to other third parties who may use it for really suspicious purposes, such as email spamming. Besides, SaveOnMac adware may flood you with commercial ads as soon as you open your web browser. You may receive pop-ups, pop-unders, banners, in-text links and other forms of ads notifying about available deals, and discounts.If you have already received ‘Ads by SaveOnMac’, ‘SaveOnMac Ads’, ‘Powered by SaveOnMac’ and similarly marked ads, then please be careful and DO NOT click on them. The vast majority of them are predetermined, i.e. filled with links to affiliate websites. Therefore, clicking on them may result in SaveOnMac redirects to doubtful or even insecure websites that spread other unreliable software. All in all, the best that you can do with this add-on is to remove it using a reputable anti-spyware, such as FortectIntego.

SaveOnMac ads

How can SaveOnMac hijack my computer?

SaveOnMac ads may show up once you reboot web browser after downloading a freeware. That may be a download manager, media player, PDF creator or another popular free software. That’s because SaveOnMac add-on is typically spread by ‘bundling’. In other words, it is distributed as an attachment of other freewares and sharewares. Other potentially unwanted programs, including SkyEmoji, FunMoods, Blazer Deals, among many others may spread in this way as well. If you want to prevent installation of software packages, the most important thing that you have to do is to check an appropriate installation mode (Advanced or Custom) and carefully check the entire installation process. Finally, if you spot a notification saying that you agree to install a browser add-on, plug-in, toolbar or extension, such as SaveOnMac adware, unmark tick that is marked alongside it.

How to remove SaveOnMac virus?

SaveOnMac removal can be initiated both manually and automatically. For more details, see this guide:

Uninstall from Windows

Uninstall from Windows 10/8:

  1. Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
  2. Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 10/8

Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:

  1. Click on Windows Start > Control Panel (Windows XP users should click on Add/Remove Programs).
  2. In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 7/XP

Remove the unwanted program:

  1. In the Programs and Features window, look for any recently installed suspicious entries, select them, and click Uninstall.
  2. If User Account Control appears, click Yes to confirm, then complete the removal.Uninstall the unwanted program from Windows

Delete from macOS

Remove the unwanted application:

  1. From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
  2. In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).Uninstall from Mac

Delete leftover files and folders:

  1. Select Go > Go to Folder.
  2. Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
  3. Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.Delete leftover files from Mac
  4. Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.

Remove from Microsoft Edge

Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:

  1. Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
  2. From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
  3. Click Remove.Remove extensions from Edge

Clear cookies and other browser data:

  1. Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
  2. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  3. Select Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear.Clear Edge browsing data

Restore new tab and homepage settings:

  1. Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
  2. Then find On startup section.
  3. Click Remove next to any suspicious startup page.

Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:

  1. Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
  2. Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
  3. Select Details tab.
  4. Now scroll down and locate every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right-click on each of them and select End Task to stop MS Edge from running.Reset MS Edge

Instructions for Chromium-based Edge

Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):

  1. Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
  2. Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chromium Edge

Clear cache and site data:

  1. Click on Menu and go to Settings.
  2. Select Privacy, search and services.
  3. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  4. Under Time range, pick All time.
  5. Select Clear now.Clear browser data from Chroum Edge

Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. On the left side, pick Reset settings.
  3. Select Restore settings to their default values.
  4. Confirm with Reset.
  5. This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.Reset Chromium Edge

Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
  2. Select Add-ons.
  3. In here, select the unwanted extension and click Remove.Remove extensions from Firefox

Reset the homepage:

  1. Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
  2. Choose Settings.
  3. Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.

Clear cookies and site data:

  1. Click Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Go to Privacy & Security section.
  3. Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
  4. Click on Clear Data...
  5. Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.Clear cookies and site data from Firefox

Reset Mozilla Firefox

If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
  2. Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.Reset Firefox 1
  3. Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
  4. Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.Reset Firefox 2

Remove from Google Chrome

Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

  1. Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
  2. In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all suspicious extensions related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chrome

Clear cache and web data from Chrome:

  1. Click on Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
  3. Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
  4. Click Clear data.Clear cache and web data from Chrome

Change your homepage:

  1. Click menu and choose Settings.
  2. Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
  3. Click on Open a specific or set of pages and click on three dots to find the Remove option.

Reset Google Chrome:

If the previous methods did not help you, reset Google Chrome to eliminate all the unwanted components:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
  3. Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
  4. Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
  5. Confirm with Reset settings.Reset Chrome 2

Delete from Safari

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Safari, click Safari in the menu at the top-left of the screen, and select Preferences.
  2. Go to the Extensions tab, look for any suspicious entries, and click Uninstall to remove them.Remove extensions from Safari

Clear history and website data:

  1. Click Safari in the menu and pick Clear History.
  2. Set Clear to all history and confirm with Clear History.Clear history from Safari

Reset Safari:

  1. Click Safari in the menu and select Preferences > Advanced.
  2. Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
  3. From the menu bar, click Develop and select Empty Caches.Reset Safari

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