How to remove OpticalUpdater (Mac)

What is OpticalUpdater

OpticalUpdater is an adware-type application with browser hijacker traits that infiltrates systems, runs intrusive advertisement campaigns, and promotes fake search engines by modifying browser settings. It is often unintentionally downloaded and installed by users, classifying it as a Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA). This piece of software is typically spread via fake Adobe Flash Player updates, freeware installers, dubious popup advertisements, torrent downloads, and fake update tools. OpticalUpdater can cause a wide range of harms to your device and your privacy. It can slow down your computer, cause your device to become sluggish, unresponsive, and even crash. It can also compromise the user’s online security and may indirectly expose their system to more dangerous forms of viruses and malware. OpticalUpdater is a notorious and cunning malware that is not easy to remove by any user through manual means. This virus can keep coming back on the infected computer through files and shortcuts or settings that it has already created on your machine.

OpticalUpdater (sample 1)

OpticalUpdater (sample 2)

How OpticalUpdater infects Mac computers

OpticalUpdater can make changes to the Mac system, such as malicious changes to browser settings, and the addition of malicious system profiles. It alters the user’s browsing experience by changing the default search engine and homepage, displays unwanted ads, and redirects the user to malicious websites. It can also slow down your computer as it constantly runs in the background, using up valuable system resources. OpticalUpdater is often bundled with other free software that users download from the internet. Users are most likely not aware that when they install software downloaded from the internet, the OpticalUpdater adware is also installed on their Mac. The data collected by OpticalUpdater is used for advertising purposes and is sold to advertising networks.

1. Download OpticalUpdater Removal Tool
2. Remove OpticalUpdater from Login Items
3. Remove/Uninstall OpticalUpdater from Applications
4. Remove OpticalUpdater from browsers
5. Reset browser settings
6. Remove OpticalUpdater files and folders
7. Block OpticalUpdater ads and pop-ups
8. How to protect from threats, like OpticalUpdater

Remove OpticalUpdater manually for free

Note: OpticalUpdater sets up to start on macOS startup. Therefore, before starting the removal, perform these steps:

1. Open System Preferences, choose Users & Groups.
2. Choose your account (set up as Current User).
3. Click Login Items tab.
4. Find “OpticalUpdater” entry. Select it, and click the “-“ (minus) button to remove it.

Note 2: OpticalUpdater won’t quit just by closing it, therefor use Force Quit to end the process.

1. Press 3 buttons at the same time: Option, Command, and Esc (Escape). This is similar to Control-Alt-Delete on a Windows PC.
2. Choose OpticalUpdater in the list.
3. Click Force Quit button.

Here is a manual step-by-step tutorial for full OpticalUpdater removal from your computer. This works 99% and was checked with the latest versions of OpticalUpdater installer on operating systems with the latest updates and browser versions.

Remove OpticalUpdater from Applications

Remove OpticalUpdater from Mac:

1. In the Finder sidebar, click Applications.
2. OpticalUpdater might have an Uninstaller. If you see Uninstall OpticalUpdater or OpticalUpdater Uninstaller, double-click it and follow the onscreen instructions.
3. Otherwise, drag OpticalUpdater from the Applications folder to the Trash (located at the end of the Dock).
4. Then choose Finder > Empty Trash.

Cannot uninstall OpticalUpdater

If you can’t uninstall OpticalUpdater using instructions above, or it keeps coming back, you can use free AppCleaner for Mac to remove all residual data and libraries of OpticalUpdater. Follow instructions below:

1. Download free AppCleaner.
2. Drag OpticalUpdater from Applications folder to AppCleaner window.
3. Choose files and folders you want to remove along with OpticalUpdater.
4. Click Delete button.

Remove OpticalUpdater add-on from your browsers

Removing OpticalUpdater from Applications often does not bring the desired effect. It is a browser extension, and it may still be active in Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. Here are instructions on how to remove the OpticalUpdater extension from your browsers manually.

Safari:

1. Start Safari on your Mac, click Safari to open drop-down menu and choose Preferences
2. Click Extensions tab.
3. Find OpticalUpdater extension.
4. Click Uninstall button to remove it.

Google Chrome:

1. Start Google Chrome browser
2. In address box type (or copy-paste) chrome://extensions.
3. Find OpticalUpdater extension.
4. Click the trash can icon to remove it.

Mozilla Firefox:

1. Start Mozilla Firefox browser.
2. In address box type (or copy-paste) about:addons.
3. Choose OpticalUpdater extension.
4. Click Disable or Remove button.

Reset browser settings

To finish OpticalUpdater removal, reset your browser settings to make sure, there are no leftover items in browser folders.

Reset Safari:

1. Start Safari on your Mac, click Safari to open drop-down menu and choose Preferences
2. Go to the Privacy section of Safari’s preferences.
3. Click Remove All Website Data button.
4. In opened window click Remove Now button to remove data stored by websites in Safari.
5. Go to the Advanced section of Safari’s preferences.
6. Click the Show Develop menu in menu bar option.
7. In the menu click Develop and select Empty Caches from this menu.
8. Again, go to Safari menu and choose Clear History….
9. Choose to clear all history and click Clear History button.

Reset Google Chrome:

1. Start Google Chrome browser
2. In address box type (or copy-paste) chrome://settings.
3. Scroll down and find Show advanced settings link.
4. Click on it and scroll down to the bottom again.
5. Click Reset settings button and click Reset to confirm.

Reset Mozilla Firefox:

1. Start Mozilla Firefox browser.
2. In address box type (or copy-paste) about:support.
3. Click Refresh Firefox… button.
4. Click Refresh Firefox to confirm.

Remove following files and folders of OpticalUpdater


~/Library/Application Support/.[random_string]/Services/com.OpticalUpdater.service.app
~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.OpticalUpdater.service.plist
/Library/Application Support/.[random_string]/System/com.OpticalUpdater.system
/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.OpticalUpdater.system.plist


Download AdGuard for Mac to block malicious pop-ups, that promote OpticalUpdater

AdGuard is the best ad-blocker, internet filtering, and internet security application for macOS. It can cut out unwanted banners from site pages, block pop-ups, stop redirects, and prevent users from visiting potentially dangerous resources. Use it to stop ads promoting OpticalUpdater in browsers.

How to protect Mac OSX from adware, like OpticalUpdater

Mac OSX is known to be one of the safest operating systems, and for a long time, there was no need for antivirus products for Mac. But with the growing popularity of Mac computers and notebooks and evolving technology, viruses, trojans, adware, toolbars, hijackers, and other malware paved the way for Mac users. We recommend you to use one of the best anti-malware for Mac available — Malwarebytes for Mac.