What is PhaseSearch?

PhaseSearch is a rogue application that affects only macOS devices. The one of signs of its infiltration is a pop-up stating that Apple wants to make changes and requests your password. If you click “Cancel” button, you will see a new pop-up: “installation complete” with the only choice is to click “OK”.

PhaseSearch is used for advertising purposes and link promotion. As a result, countless annoying pop-up ads that will appear from time to time while browsing the Internet. In addition to this, it can change homepage, new tab page or default search engine of a browser and take measures to prevent users from changing those settings back. Therefore, if you find PhaseSearch installed on your Mac, you need to remove it immediately.

How PhaseSearch gets on your Mac?

Usually, PhaseSearch appears on users’ Macbooks after users get redirected to rogue sites claiming that an Adobe Flash Player update needs to be installed, and end up installing it. As a result, several pieces of adware, malware and potentially unwanted software, including Document Converter, get installed on their Macs. Other ways for PhaseSearch and other browser hijackers to end up on users’ machines are users installing free software and not opting out of extra programs that are also offered for installation, or users opening files downloaded from shady websites. If that had happened and PhaseSearch took over your browser, you may follow our tutorial to remove PhaseSearch from your Mac.

Recommended Anti-malware tools:

The easiest and most modern way of removing hijackers, pop-ups, Trojans, ransomware or other viruses is to use automatic removal tools. See our Anti-malware tools below for further instructions.

Also, you can try to remove PhaseSearch manually.

Alternative solution. Step 1: Remove PhaseSearch from Mac

PhaseSearch may not have the app associated with it in Applications. However, we recommend you to inspect the list of installed applications and remove unknown or suspicious ones. Look for PhaseSearch or PhaseSearch.app.

Mac OSX:

1. Open Finder
2. In the Finder sidebar, click Applications
3. If you see Uninstall PhaseSearch or PhaseSearch Uninstaller, double-click it and follow instructions
4. Drag unwanted application PhaseSearch from the Applications folder to the Trash (located on the right side of the Dock)

Learn more about uninstallation of programs in Mac OSX

Step 2: Remove Admin Preferences from Mac

1. Open System Preferences.
2. Click on Profiles.
3. Click on AdminPrefs on the left panel.
4. Click the minus button below to delete rogue settings.

Step 3: Remove PhaseSearch from browsers

Safari:

1. Open Safari
2. Click Safari menu.
3. Choose Extensions.
4. Find PhaseSearch or other suspicious extensions.
5. Click Uninstall button to remove it.

Learn more about removing extensions from Safari.

Google Chrome:

1. Open Google Chrome
2. Push Alt + F.
3. Click Tools.
4. Choose Extensions.
5. Find PhaseSearch or other suspicious extensions.
6. Click the trash can icon to remove it.

Learn more about removing extensions from Chrome.

Mozilla Firefox:

1. Open Firefox.
2. Push Shift + Ctrl + A.
3. Choose PhaseSearch or other suspicious extensions.
4. Click Disable or Remove button.

Learn more about removing extensions from Firefox.

Step 4: Resetting your browser search and homepage settings

Reset browser setting in Safari:

1. Open Safari.
2. Click on the Safari menu.
3. Choose Reset Safari….
4. Click Reset button.

Learn more about resetting browser settings in Safari.

Reset browser setting in Google Chrome:

1. Click the Chrome menu (3 bar button) in the top right corner.
2. Choose Settings.
3. Click Show advanced settings.
4. Go to Reset browser settings section.
5. Click Reset browser settings.
6. In the dialog that appears, click Reset.

Learn more about resetting browser settings in Google Chrome.

Reset browser setting in Mozilla Firefox:

1. Open Mozilla Firefox.
2. Go to Help.
3. Go to Troubleshooting information.
4. Click Reset Firefox… button.

Learn more about resetting browser settings in Mozilla Firefox.