Unlike Windows, macOS is usually less vulnerable to viruses and malware attacks. However, this doesn’t mean that it is safe from adware, ads, cookies, and pop-ups that deliver targeted ads to you. In most cases, these intruders are technically harmless and usually limited to tracking and advertising ads on your Mac. One of them is a popular ad program called AdChoices, which usually tracks your user activity and then displays relevant ads based on your browsing behavior.
So, are you struggling with many annoying pop-up ads while browsing? Probably AdChoices has settled on your Mac. In fact, a lot of users have complained of receiving several AdChoices ads, thus depreciating their online surfing experience.
What Is AdChoices?
AdChoices is a self-regulatory advertising service that brings together several organizations in the United States, Canada, and some sections of Europe. This program displays a reasonable amount of ads, not too much to bother you. Usually, AdChoices display ads based on your browsing information and search history, and in most cases, it tries to be honest with Internet users.
Complaints will only arise when these ads interfere with your regular browsing activity. True, these ads can annoy you, but you shouldn’t fret. AdChoices is not a virus per se, only that it can bother you every time you are browsing the Internet. Besides, AdChoices is a heavily regulated program that has several participants, including Google, Bloomberg, AT&T, Microsoft, and over 200 other genuine companies.
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The good thing is that AdChoices gives you the option to opt out of it, though a bit unclear. So your next logical question should be how to remove AdChoices from Mojave.
If AdChoices is not a virus, then why do you receive many annoying ads?
In most cases, users will only receive numerous ads when they unintentionally install ill-disposed adware applications, which are usually bundled with free software. Such programs usually install browser extensions, which will take charge of your browsing activity.
If you are not attentive, you may install a malicious program on your Mac that will flood your browser, including Google Chrome, Safari, Mozilla Firefox, and Internet Explorer, with AdChoices ads, such as:
- Pop-unders
- Pop-ups
- Video-ads
- Audio-ads
- Textual-ads
Fortunately, this guide on how to get rid of AdChoices in Mojave will help you delete AdChoices from your Mac. Blocking ads will not only enhance your browsing experience, but it will also prevent viruses from gaining a foothold on your computer.
How to Remove AdChoices from Mojave?
If you feel that the online advertising program has crossed a line in terms of intrusiveness, please follow our step-by-step instructions to get rid of this issue once and for all. After doing so, we recommend that you scan your system with a reputable Mac repair tool, to remove other junk that may also affect your user experience. On top of this, avoid sharing critical information, such as your credit card details, Apple ID, and email password, among other details.
Below is an overview of steps to delete AdChoices from Mac:
Method 1: Remove AdChoices from Mac
1. Removing AdChoices Virus on Safari
In most cases, resetting Safari to its initial status can easily resolve the issue. Follow this process to reset Safari:
- Open Safari and click on the Safari menu to give you more options.
- Choose Reset Safari from the dropdown list of options.
- Ensure that all the boxes are ticked before pressing the Reset button.
- You may also want to remove unwanted browser extensions on your Safari.
Another way to disable undesired ads and pop-ups is to modify security settings on your Safari. Here is how to do it:
- Run Safari, then go to Safari Preferences and click on the Security tab.
- Now, tick on all the relevant boxes to ensure annoying ads don’t pop up in Safari.
2. Removing AdChoices Virus on Google Chrome
- If Google Chrome is affected, open the browser, then click on the Customize and Control Google Chrome menu icon.
- Now, choose Options and wait for a new window to appear.
- Navigate to the Under the Hood tab, then hit the Reset to defaults button.
- After resetting Chrome, remove unfamiliar extensions. Go to Chrome > Preferences.
- Select Settings in the left-side pane, then look for suspicious extensions and click the Trash icon beside each unwanted extension.
3. Removing AdChoices Virus on Mozilla Firefox
- If you are experiencing the issue on Mozilla Firefox, run this browser and go to Tools > Add-ons.
- On the Add-ons manager page, look for unfamiliar extensions in the left-side pane. Click the remove button to get rid of these extensions.
- Now, go to Help > Troubleshooting Information.
- After that, click on the Reset Firefox button to return to its initial settings.
Method 2: Use Ad Blocking Software
If the above steps don’t remove AdChoices from Mojave, consider using ad blocking software. Fortunately, there are many quality third-party ad blockers, but you should tread carefully. AdBlock and AdGuard are two popular options that can help you block AdChoices ads on Mac.
Method 3: Scan Your System for Infection and Repair It
If you are still having AdChoices issue – or just want to ensure there is no adware that has gotten into your Mac – download the Mac repair app tool to help you remove the AdChoices virus automatically. This tool will scan and remove unwanted elements on your Mac that could degrade its performance or attack your system. You should also keep your macOS, browsers, and Mac applications up to date. Some software updates come with improvements that may help to control unwanted ads.
Final Thoughts
If you have tried the above suggestions and carried out all the precautions, your Mac should run normally again, free of cookies, extensions, and adware that could drive annoying ads your way. To avoid this issue in the future, pay more attention when installing freeware.
That’s it. We hope this guide helped you to remove AdChoices from Mojave. If it did, please share this post to help other people in your situation.