PDF King is a potentially unwanted application for Mac that is spread with the help of software bundling
PDF King is a file converter and a browser hijacker[1] offered for macOS users. Unfortunately, just as many other programs of this type, its adverse effects on the system outshines the positives, and users end up with cluttered computers and slow browsers that continually display pop-up ads, banners, deals, coupons, sponsored links, and similar content. PDF King is available as a standalone app from the official website, as well as a browser extension for Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, and other browsers. However, that is not the method that is mostly used for its propagation, as software bundling is the primary one. Created by Tabatoo Ltd., this app is something you would not want to keep on your macOS, especially when it gets installed with other software.
Summary:
| Name | PDF King |
| Type | PUP/browser hijacker |
| Developer | Tabatoo Ltd |
| Operating system | macOS |
| Web browsers | Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, etc. |
| Symptoms | Sponsored links ins search results, altered browser settings, redirects |
| Elimination | Use out instructions below this article |
| Optimization | Run a scan using FortectIntego – this computer repair software can repair the damage done by the PUP |
As soon as the PDF King app or the browser plugin is installed, it modifies web browser settings, setting new tab address and homepage to search.gilpierro.com, or a similar one. Upon using this search engine, users are redirected to search.yahoo.com – a trusted search engine by Yahoo. However, because users are redirected several times when searching, they can notice the sponsored links on the top of the search results, which would usually not be there if using Yahoo directly.
And that is precisely how PDF King authors earn money. They rely on users clicking on these links so that sponsored websites would get more traffic, increasing the search rank significantly within the search engine. Nevertheless, the sites that users could be led to might be dangerous, and malware infections or stolen personal data could become a reality. In order to void that in the future, users should take care of prompt PDF King removal.
The sites that users are redirected to by PDF King app might be injected with malicious JavaScript[2] or make users believe that their machine is infected with viruses and they need to buy bogus software in order to fix it (phishing, technical support scams).
For that reason, this app might be called PDF King virus. While it is not malware, deceptive apps that seek revenue often forget the safety and well-being of its end users, leaving them with overwhelmed computers and at risk of being infected with malicious software.
To remove PDF King from macOS, you should check out instructions below. After that, we suggest you reset your browsers and scan your device with FortectIntego – it will be able to restore your Mac to normal.
Software bundling is legitimate but unfair software distribution method that tricks many users
Potentially unwanted applications usually get installed together with other software that was downloaded from the internet. Unfortunately, many regular users are not aware that software is bundled, especially free one. While initial installers of some apps might be free of optional components, certain third-party sites might add additional programs in order to profit from installations made.
To avoid potentially unwanted programs like adware, browser hijackers, and other bloatware, experts[3] recommend the following:
- Avoid third-party installers and sites – pick official sources instead;
- Always read through ToS and Privacy Policy, or at least the most important parts of it;
- Never skip steps by clicking the “Next” button without looking;
- Select Advanced or Custom installation mode when prompted. Recommended or Quick settings are often the mode where all the additional programs are hidden;
- Uncheck all apps like PDF creators, media players, installation managers, and similar useless software
Remove PDF King and other useless apps from your Mac computer
Effective marketing campaigns are welcomed when done correctly. End users enjoy quality products they wanted, and the advertising companies manage to earn profits – everybody wins, right? Unfortunately, that is a scenario that happens rarely, as greed for money corrupts many individuals around the world, and user experience does not matter. Therefore, apps like PDF King should not be considered useful and eliminated as soon as possible.
To remove PDF King virus, users should check our guide below. While uninstallation of the app might seem simple, there still might be traces that are left even after PDF King removal. Therefore, we advise you to reset each of the installed browsers and then scan your computer with repair software that can get rid of the annoying PUP's leftovers.
Delete from macOS
Remove the unwanted application:
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for any suspicious entries, then drag them to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash).
Delete leftover files and folders:
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and remove any suspicious folders related to the unwanted program.
- Repeat the same check in the /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders, deleting any suspicious entries.
- Finally, empty the Trash to permanently remove the leftovers.
Reset Internet Explorer
Remove dangerous add-ons:
- Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top-right corner of the browser
- Pick Manage Add-ons.
- You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for suspicious plugins. Click on these entries and select Disable.
Change your homepage if it was altered:
- Open IE and click on the Gear icon.
- Select Internet Options.
- In the General tab, delete the Home page address and replace it by your preferred one (for example, Google.com).
- Click Apply and then select OK.
Delete temporary files:
- Press on the Gear icon and select Internet Options.
- Under Browsing history, click Delete...
- Select relevant fields and press Delete.
Reset Internet Explorer:
- Click on Gear icon > Internet options and select Advanced tab.
- Select Reset.
- In the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset.
Remove from Microsoft Edge
Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:
- Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
- From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
- Click Remove.
Clear cookies and other browser data:
- Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- 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.
Restore new tab and homepage settings:
- Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
- Then find On startup section.
- Click Remove next to any suspicious startup page.
Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:
- Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
- Select Details tab.
- 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.
Instructions for Chromium-based Edge
Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):
- Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
- Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and site data:
- Click on Menu and go to Settings.
- Select Privacy, search and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Under Time range, pick All time.
- Select Clear now.
Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- On the left side, pick Reset settings.
- Select Restore settings to their default values.
- Confirm with Reset.
- This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.
Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
Remove dangerous extensions:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
- Select Add-ons.
- In here, select the unwanted extension and click Remove.
Reset the homepage:
- Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
- Choose Settings.
- Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.
Clear cookies and site data:
- Click Menu and pick Settings.
- Go to Privacy & Security section.
- Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
- Click on Clear Data...
- Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.
Reset Mozilla Firefox
If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
- Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.
- Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
- Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.
Remove from Google Chrome
Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
- Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
- In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all suspicious extensions related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and web data from Chrome:
- Click on Menu and pick Settings.
- Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
- Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
- Click Clear data.
Change your homepage:
- Click menu and choose Settings.
- Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
- 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:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
- Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
- Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
- Confirm with Reset settings.
Delete from Safari
Remove dangerous extensions:
- Open Safari, click Safari in the menu at the top-left of the screen, and select Preferences.
- Go to the Extensions tab, look for any suspicious entries, and click Uninstall to remove them.
Clear history and website data:
- Click Safari in the menu and pick Clear History.
- Set Clear to all history and confirm with Clear History.
Reset Safari:
- Click Safari in the menu and select Preferences > Advanced.
- Enable Show Develop menu in menu bar.
- From the menu bar, click Develop and select Empty Caches.
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