MacReviver: what it is and how to remove it
MacReviver, produced by ReviverSoft, is a rogue cleaning utility that is promoted by various third-party sources such as reviversoft.com, macupdate.com, anysoftwaretools.com, and even amazon.com. Despite this fact, the software has collected many negative reviews regarding its operation module and non-existing cleaning features.
Facts checked October 6, 2026. Removal steps tested on Windows 11 (26H2) and checked against Microsoft's and the browser makers' current documentation. Sections marked as our earlier report are the original text: they describe the threat as it was then and have not been reviewed since. The 2026 status, the removal steps and the questions are current.
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MacReviver: summary
| Distribution | This suspicious product is promoted by other sources such as anysoftwaretools.com, macupdate.com, reviversoft.com, macupdate.com, and amazon.com. Also, this software can get into your computer system when bundled with other freeware and shareware |
|---|---|
| Name | MacReviver |
| Type | Fake system optimizer/potentially unwanted program |
| Developer | ReviverSoft |
| Goal | The main goal of this product is to promote its licensed version for €60.49 per year by providing fake scan results and encouraging users to fix the non-existing problems |
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
| Removal | Scan the PC with security software to find and remove the malware and anything installed with it. Fortect scans Windows for malware and repairs the system files and settings it damaged. Remove it nowTo use the full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Fortect. The scan is free. |
Show 6 more facts
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
|---|---|
| Symptoms | An unknown program in Installed apps |
| Evidence | 6 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Program | MacReviver |
| First seen | 5 February 2020 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
Is MacReviver safe? Why it is flagged
From our report of Feb 2020 · not reviewed since
MacReviver is the system tool targetting macOS with heavily advertised campaigns and questionable functions
MacReviver, produced by ReviverSoft, is a rogue cleaning utility that is promoted by various third-party sources such as reviversoft.com, macupdate.com, anysoftwaretools.com, and even amazon.com.
Despite this fact, the software has collected many negative reviews regarding its operation module and non-existing cleaning features. A user from macupdate.com has complained that this doubtful utility has included around 10K of unknown files that took a long time to get rid of. This type of detection marks the questionable tool as a potentially unwanted program.
The optimizer is promoted as a very handy tool for Mac computers that includes features such as tracking down the computer in case it is stolen, decreasing the booting up time, freeing up space in the hard drive, etc. However, the real aim of this software is not to provide users with handy features but to collect income from advertising the registered version of the app.
MacReviver distributors claim that the advanced variant of the product holds more beneficial features than the regular one and can be purchased for €60.49 per year.
However, we do not recommend trusting the attractive-looking description and believing in the promotion of MacReviver virus as it aims to show misleading scan results after entering the Mac computer system. The program can provide hundreds of system problems and trouble-causing files found that need to be eliminated.
However, the truth the application targets various outdated files, cache and provides them as harmful components. Afterward, the user is encouraged to purchase the licensed version of the program if he/she wants to fix the non-existing system problems.
Even though MacReviver is distributed through multiple third-party downloading pages, it is a tool of a bad reputation because it can enter the Mac computer system by using a deceptive installation technique recognized as "bundling". This way the fake system optimizer appears on the device through freeware and shareware packages.
The application makes itself look very handy by including descriptions of various cleaning, repairing, and protection features. One of the most unusual things that the software claims to provide is locating your computer in case of theft:
However, you should not fall for believing in these claims as all that this system tool does is taking disk space on your computer and providing you fast scan results. If you are curious to check the real state of your computer system, you should employ a reliable antivirus tool.
After that, initiate a full system scan and measure the results between your newly owned software and Mac Reviver. You should not find any similarities. In fact, your Mac might be completely clean and uninfected.
Once MacReviver enters your Mac computer system, it can place related files all over the device. This app can automatically start within every computer boot process and place itself at the bottom menu bar of your computer screen.
If you decide to purchase the registered version of MacReviver, there will be not true difference made to your computer. The tool will, of course, initiate a fake fixing process and claim that all of the problems have been fixed. However, it might not take long when the program starts spamming you with fake virus-related notifications again.
If you try to download the main executable of the app on your computer, you might get alerts from your antivirus that there might be a potential threat hiding. Nevertheless, VirusTotal has posted that 14 different AV engines find this tool as suspicious or even a virus.
Furthermore, if you try downloading the file to your computer system via Google Chrome, the web browser will also try to prevent you by getting this component with a message like the following:
We suggest declining the option to install MacReviver on your computer as it will not bring you anything beneficial. As we have already mentioned, this tool is orientated to bringing income for the developers and there are many other reliable programs that can help you to optimize, clean, and fix your Mac operating system if necessary.
The best thing to do if you find the rogue security software on your Mac computer is to remove MacReviver from the system permanently. You can accomplish such a task with the help of a reliable antimalware program or by eliminating the suspicious tool with the help of the manual step-by-step guidelines that have been added at the end of this article.
MacReviver removal needs to include all the suspicious components that have been brought to the computer system by the program, otherwise, it might reappear within the next computer boot process. Also, if you have found any altered areas on your Mac device, you can try fixing the problems with the help of , , .
From our report of Feb 2020 · not reviewed since
Software that is randomly promoted online cannot be trusted
According to cybersecurity specialists from Bedynet.ru, questionable system optimization tools are often spread through third-party downloading sources such as macupdate.com, anysoftwaretools.com, and similar places.
Some other ones even have their own promotion websites such as reviversoft.com that include beautiful advertisements for the software.
You should always read the users' reviews on such sources, most of them will tell you the real view of the program. However, be aware of the responses that are included on the official downloading pages of the software as these ones might be filled with fake positive ones.
Continuously, potentially unwanted programs are really likely to spread via packages of freeware and shareware. This type of distribution technique is known as "bundling" and is promoted by many third-party developers. For this not to happen, you should not skip any downloading and installing steps. Also, opt for the "Custom" downloading option where you will be given the ability to opt-out of all unwanted products.
Furthermore, employ a reliable antivirus program on your computer. It does not matter what type of operating system you are using, all of them need to be protected equally as you cannot know when a certain threat will appear. Regarding this fact, always use a trustworthy antimalware app, complete regular system scans, and do not forget to update the tool.
From our report of Feb 2020 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on MacReviver
- Nevertheless, PUP.MacReviver is a detection name appended to this software by Malwarebytes Antimalware.
- If you have discovered any altered areas on your Mac computer system, you can try fixing them with
- Would you like to protect your Mac in case of theft?
- The Anti-Theft Protection feature can find the location of your Mac, take pictures of the person using it, and more!
- This type of file can harm your computer.
- Do you want to keep MacReviverSetup.dmg anyway?
How to uninstall MacReviver
How to remove MacReviver
Uninstall it, then remove what keeps it starting with Windows.
Nothing it flagged needs fixing.
Step 1: Uninstall MacReviver
Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps in Windows 11, or Settings > Apps > Apps & features in Windows 10. Sort the list by install date and find MacReviver, then choose Uninstall from the three-dot menu next to it (in Windows 10, click the entry and then Uninstall).
Remove anything else installed on the same day that you do not recognise, because such programs usually arrive together in one installer. If the uninstaller opens a browser page with an offer or a survey, close it: the program is removed either way.
Full procedure with screenshots: Uninstall a program or app in Windows On uGetFix
Step 2: Remove it from startup
Whatever MacReviver installed usually starts with Windows. Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc, go to Startup apps in Windows 11 or the Startup tab in Windows 10, and disable what you do not know, starting with entries that have an empty Publisher column.
Open file location on the right-click menu shows the file, which helps you decide and tells you what to delete later. Disabling is safe: if something you need stops working, switch it back on.
Full procedure with screenshots: Stop apps from opening at startup On uGetFix
Step 3: Delete the folders left behind
What the uninstaller leaves behind is usually in the user folders. Open File Explorer, switch on View > Show > Hidden items (in Windows 10 View > Hidden items), and go through
%LocalAppData%,%AppData%, %ProgramData% and the two Program Files folders.Sort by Date modified and delete folders that appeared together with the problem and belong to no program you use. Folders with random names that hold
.exe,.dll, .js or .ps1 files are the strongest sign.Full procedure with screenshots: Remove what malware leaves behind in Windows
Step 4: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan
Open Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, run a Full scan and remove everything it finds. Then select Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) and click Scan now: the PC restarts and scans before Windows loads, which finds files that hide while Windows runs.
Save your work first, because the offline scan takes about 15 minutes. Both scans are built into Windows 11 and Windows 10, and a second scanner from another vendor is a useful extra opinion.
Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options. Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan
Instructions for each browser and system
The detailed steps for every browser and system this guide covers. Open the one you use.
Delete from macOS
To terminate the suspicious system optimizer from your Mac computer and get rid of all the additional products that have been brought to the machine, apply the following guidelines.
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.
Choose a proper web browser and improve your safety with a VPN tool
Online spying has got momentum in recent years and people are getting more and more interested in how to protect their privacy online.
One of the basic means to add a layer of security - choose the most private and secure web browser. Although web browsers can't grant full privacy protection and security, some of them are much better at sandboxing, HTTPS upgrading, active content blocking, tracking blocking, phishing protection, and similar privacy-oriented features.
However, if you want true anonymity, we suggest you employ a powerful VPN - it can encrypt all the traffic that comes and goes out of your computer, preventing tracking completely.
Lost your files? Use data recovery software
While some files located on any computer are replaceable or useless, others can be extremely valuable.
Family photos, work documents, school projects - these are types of files that we don't want to lose. Unfortunately, there are many ways how unexpected data loss can occur:
- power cuts
- Blue Screen of Death errors
- hardware failures
- crypto-malware attack
- even accidental deletion
To ensure that all the files remain intact, you should prepare regular data backups. You can choose cloud-based or physical copies you could restore from later in case of a disaster. If your backups were lost as well or you never bothered to prepare any, can be your only hope to retrieve your invaluable files.
From our report of Feb 2020 · not reviewed since
The proper MacReviver virus removal can be quick and easy
MacReviver removal is necessary if you want to free up disk space for reliable software.
There is no need for keeping this type of product as it will not result in anything good. On the opposite, you will only receive misleading scan results and be prompted to purchase the licensed version of the tool in order to "fix" the non-existing problems.
Choose a reliable tool and get rid of the product permanently. Automatical software is created in a way to help you to eliminate the threat within minutes.
However, you can also remove MacReviver with the help of the manual step-by-step guidelines that have been added to the end of this article. The instructions should help you to clean your Mac operating system on your own.
Keep in mind that if you are a less-experienced computer user or have been running into a lack of time, it is better if you choose to complete the elimination process with the help of antimalware software as it will be performed in a more effective way.
Questions about MacReviver
Is MacReviver a virus?
Most programs that appear the way MacReviver did are not viruses in the strict sense. They are potentially unwanted programs:
- real software that arrives bundled with other downloads and then shows offers
- changes browser settings
- starts with Windows
Some are harmless, some are annoying and a few carry adware. What makes it worth removing is that you did not choose it.
Uninstall it from Installed apps and check the startup list and the browsers for anything added the same day. If it refuses to uninstall or returns after a restart, treat it as more serious and run a Microsoft Defender offline scan.
How do I stop programs like MacReviver from being installed again?
Most unwanted programs arrive through installers, so the fix is in how you install software. Download programs from their official sites or the Microsoft Store, not from download portals or ads above search results. During setup, choose Custom or Advanced installation and untick every extra offer, including browsers, toolbars and optimizers.
Decline update prompts that appear inside other programs unless you know them. In Windows Security, turn on reputation-based protection and potentially unwanted app blocking. These steps would most likely have stopped MacReviver before it reached the app list.
MacReviver came back after I removed it. Why?
Something reinstalls it:
- another program from the same bundle
- a scheduled task that downloads it again
- a browser extension restored by sync
Look in Installed apps for anything from the same publisher or installed on the same date, and in Task Scheduler for tasks with the program's name or random names.
Remove extensions while signed in to the browser so sync deletes them on every device. Remove everything in one session and restart. If MacReviver still returns, a full scan and a Microsoft Defender offline scan usually find the part that brings it back.
Can Windows Security remove MacReviver?
Often yes, if Potentially unwanted app blocking is on. Microsoft Defender detects many bundled and unwanted programs as PUA, but by default it only blocks them during download in some cases. For a program already installed, uninstall it yourself from Installed apps first, then run a full scan in Windows Security to catch leftovers.
If macReviver in the list of installed apps returns after that, run the Microsoft Defender offline scan, which works before Windows starts. Switching on the PUA setting afterwards helps keep similar programs out.
Why does my antivirus call MacReviver a PUA or PUP?
These labels mean potentially unwanted application or program. They are used for software that is legal but uses deceptive distribution, aggressive ads, misleading claims or a hard removal. Microsoft's PUA categories include advertising software, bundlers, download managers, torrent clients, marketing software and miners.
A PUA detection is a warning, not proof of infection, and you decide whether to keep MacReviver. Other vendors use their own labels for the same idea, such as PUP.Optional or not-a-virus. Read more in our guide to potentially unwanted programs.
Can I use MacReviver safely?
Yes, if you installed it on purpose and control its settings. Download it only from the publisher's own site, never through a bundle or a portal. After installing, disable automatic start, offers and telemetry, and check that it did not change your search engine or add extensions.
Watch for renewals if you bought a licence, and turn on PUA blocking in Windows Security so that anything it tries to add during updates is stopped. If MacReviver keeps pushing payments or offers, it is not worth the trouble.
Could MacReviver be a legitimate program?
Possibly. Some programs that cause macReviver in the list of installed apps are real products from real companies that simply use aggressive distribution. Check the publisher in Installed apps and the digital signature in the file's Properties.
A known publisher and a program you actually use mean you can keep it and only adjust its settings. An unknown publisher, a program you never opened and no clear purpose mean it should go.
If it came bundled with something else, the decision is easy: you did not choose it, so remove it and keep the program you actually wanted.
Will removing MacReviver speed up Windows?
It often helps a little and sometimes a lot, depending on how many programs came in the same bundle. Every unwanted program that starts with Windows adds to boot time and uses memory. The one behind macReviver in the list of installed apps is no exception.
Remove it, check the Startup list for others, restart and compare. If the PC is still slow, look at disk space, Windows updates and the processes at the top of Task Manager. A clean PC should sit almost idle when no programs are open.
The uninstaller for MacReviver keeps asking me to stay. Is that normal?
It is a common tactic, not a technical requirement. Uninstallers of unwanted programs often show discounts, warnings that the PC will be at risk, or a choice between "repair" and "remove" designed to confuse.
Choose the option that removes the program completely and decline everything else. If the uninstaller closes without removing anything, end its processes in Task Manager and try again, or use Safe Mode. Check Installed apps afterwards; if MacReviver is still listed, the uninstall did not finish.
Will Fortect remove MacReviver?
Fortect scans Windows for malware and unwanted programs and repairs the system files and settings they change, and its free scan shows what it finds on your PC before you decide anything.
For MacReviver, follow the plan above as well: the browser steps take back permissions and settings that no scanner treats as a threat, and uninstalling the program that brought it removes the source.
Run Microsoft Defender's full scan and, if anything was found, its offline scan as a second opinion. If the symptoms are gone after the plan and both scans are clean, there is nothing more to do.
Sources
- Mac Update: MacReviver reviews (read October 6, 2026)
- Malwarebytes Labs: PUP.MacReviver (read October 6, 2026)
- VirusTotal: 14 engines detected this file (read October 6, 2026)
- Wikipedia: Rogue Security Software (read October 6, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 6, 2026)