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How to remove PreviewInteractive adware

Also Known As: Ads by PreviewInteractive
Type: Mac Virus
Damage level: Medium

What kind of application is PreviewInteractive?

PreviewInteractive is the name of adware that we have discovered on a deceptive website that displayed a fake notification suggesting that Adobe Flash Player is out of date. Once we executed a fake installer, it installed PreviewInteractive - an application that started displaying unwanted ads and hijacked a web browser.

PreviewInteractive adware

PreviewInteractive adware in detail

PreviewInteractive displayed banners, coupons, pop-ups promoting various scams, shady websites, and applications. Also, it changed the browser's default search engine, homepage, and new tab to a fake search engine. It is worth mentioning that ads generated by adware may be designed to run certain scripts and download/install unwanted apps.

Fake search engines cannot be trusted: they generate misleading results, promote questionable pages, and (or) generate results generated by other similar (or legitimate) search engines. Usually, the elimination of fake search engines is not possible until they are no longer present/installed.

Threat Summary:
Name Ads by PreviewInteractive
Threat Type Adware, Mac malware, Mac virus
Symptoms Your Mac becomes slower than normal, you see unwanted pop-up ads, you are redirected to dubious websites.
Distribution methods Deceptive pop-up ads, free software installers (bundling), fake Flash Player installers, torrent file downloads.
Damage Internet browser tracking (potential privacy issues), display of unwanted ads, redirects to dubious websites, loss of private information.
Malware Removal (Mac)

To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your Mac with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner.
▼ Download Combo Cleaner for Mac
To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. Limited seven days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

More about adware

We have analyzed PreviewInteractive and learned that this application has the qualities of adware and a browser hijacker. There is a possibility that this application is capable of accessing and collecting browsing-related and (or) personal information. More examples of similar apps are InfinityHardware, ExpressDefault, DigitalProgram.

How did PreviewInteractive install on my computer?

Adware is often promoted on deceptive websites (for example, on pages claiming that installed software is out of date). It gets installed after executing a fake installer or clicking on misleading advertisements. In other cases, adware is distributed using downloaders and installers for other programs - it is bundled with other software.

Downloaders and installers used to distribute adware have "Custom", "Advanced", or other settings. Unwanted downloads and installations occur when programs bundled with adware are downloaded or installed without changing those settings.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

Use official websites and direct links to download applications and files. Do not use other sources for downloading them. Check downloaders and installers for "Custom", "Advanced" and other settings and deselect unwanted apps before downloading and installing programs. Also, avoid clicking on advertisements that questionable pages have on them.

If your computer is already infected with PreviewInteractive, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate this adware.

A pop-up that appeared after the installation of PreviewInteractive adware:

previewinteractive adware pop-up displayed once installation is finished

PreviewInteractive's Contents folder:

previewinteractive adware contents folder

Instant automatic Mac malware removal: Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of Mac malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner for Mac By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. Limited seven days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Quick menu:

Video showing how to remove PreviewInteractive adware using Combo Cleaner:

PreviewInteractive adware removal:

Remove PreviewInteractive-related potentially unwanted applications from your "Applications" folder:

mac browser hijacker removal from applications folder

Click the Finder icon. In the Finder window, select "Applications". In the applications folder, look for "MPlayerX", "NicePlayer", or other suspicious applications and drag them to the Trash. After removing the potentially unwanted application(s) that cause online ads, scan your Mac for any remaining unwanted components.

Remove adware-related files and folders

Mac Go To Folder step

Click the Finder icon, from the menu bar. Choose Go, and click Go to Folder...

Mac removing related files and folders - step 1Check for adware generated files in the /Library/LaunchAgents/ folder:

Mac go to /Library/LaunchAgents - step 1

In the Go to Folder... bar, type: /Library/LaunchAgents/

Mac go to /Library/LaunchAgents - step 2

In the "LaunchAgents" folder, look for any recently-added suspicious files and move them to the Trash. Examples of files generated by adware - "installmac.AppRemoval.plist", "myppes.download.plist", "mykotlerino.ltvbit.plist", "kuklorest.update.plist", etc. Adware commonly installs several files with the exact same string.

Mac removing related files and folders - step 2Check for adware generated files in the ~/Library/Application Support/ folder:

Mac go to /Library/Application Support - step 1

In the Go to Folder... bar, type: ~/Library/Application Support/

Mac go to /Library/Application Support - step 2

In the "Application Support" folder, look for any recently-added suspicious folders. For example, "MplayerX" or "NicePlayer", and move these folders to the Trash.

Mac removing related files and folders - step 3Check for adware generated files in the ~/Library/LaunchAgents/ folder:

Mac go to ~/Library/LaunchAgents - step 1

In the Go to Folder... bar, type: ~/Library/LaunchAgents/

Mac go to ~/Library/LaunchAgents - step 2

In the "LaunchAgents" folder, look for any recently-added suspicious files and move them to the Trash. Examples of files generated by adware - "installmac.AppRemoval.plist", "myppes.download.plist", "mykotlerino.ltvbit.plist", "kuklorest.update.plist", etc. Adware commonly installs several files with the exact same string.

Mac removing related files and folders - step 4Check for adware generated files in the /Library/LaunchDaemons/ folder:

Mac go to /Library/LaunchDaemons - step 1

In the "Go to Folder..." bar, type: /Library/LaunchDaemons/

Mac go to /Library/LaunchDaemons - step 2

In the "LaunchDaemons" folder, look for recently-added suspicious files. For example "com.aoudad.net-preferences.plist", "com.myppes.net-preferences.plist", "com.kuklorest.net-preferences.plist", "com.avickUpd.plist", etc., and move them to the Trash.

Mac removing malware related files and folders - step 5Scan your Mac with Combo Cleaner:

If you have followed all the steps correctly, your Mac should be clean of infections. To ensure your system is not infected, run a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus. Download it HERE. After downloading the file, double click combocleaner.dmg installer. In the opened window, drag and drop the Combo Cleaner icon on top of the Applications icon. Now open your launchpad and click on the Combo Cleaner icon. Wait until Combo Cleaner updates its virus definition database and click the "Start Combo Scan" button.

Mac remove malware with Combo Cleaner - step 1

Combo Cleaner will scan your Mac for malware infections. If the antivirus scan displays "no threats found" - this means that you can continue with the removal guide; otherwise, it's recommended to remove any found infections before continuing.

Mac remove malware with Combo Cleaner - step 2

After removing files and folders generated by the adware, continue to remove rogue extensions from your Internet browsers.

Remove malicious extensions from Internet browsers

Safari iconRemove malicious Safari extensions:

Removal of malicious extensions in Safari - step 1

Open the Safari browser, from the menu bar, select "Safari" and click "Preferences...".

Removal of malicious extensions in Safari - step 2

In the preferences window, select "Extensions" and look for any recently-installed suspicious extensions. When located, click the "Uninstall" button next to it/them. Note that you can safely uninstall all extensions from your Safari browser - none are crucial for regular browser operation.

  • If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Safari.

Google Chrome logoRemove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

Removal of malicious extensions in Google Chrome - step 1

Click the Chrome menu icon Google Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "More Tools" and click "Extensions". Locate all recently-installed suspicious extensions, select these entries and click "Remove".

Removal of malicious extensions in Google Chrome - step 2

  • If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Google Chrome.

Mozilla Firefox logoRemove malicious extensions from Mozilla Firefox:

Removal of malicious extensions in Mozilla Firefox - step 1

Click the Firefox menu firefox menu icon (at the top right corner of the main window) and select "Add-ons and themes". Click "Extensions", in the opened window locate all recently-installed suspicious extensions, click on the three dots and then click "Remove".

Removal of malicious extensions in Mozilla Firefox - step 2

  • If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Mozilla Firefox.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What harm can adware cause?

Adware can be the reason behind diminished web browsing experience, poor computer performance, invaded privacy, and other problems.

What does adware do?

Adware displays unwanted advertisements (such as pop-ups, banners, coupons, or other ads). Also, it can be used as a tool to promote fake search engines and collect information about its users.

How do adware developers generate revenue?

Most adware is used to promote various products, websites, services. Its developers generate revenue mainly through affiliate programs.

Will Combo Cleaner remove PreviewInteractive adware?

Yes, Combo Cleaner will scan the operating system and remove PreviewInteractive (and other detected adware-type applications). In order to remove adware fully (without leaving any of its components), it is recommended to achieve it using specialized software.

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About the author:

Tomas Meskauskas

Tomas Meskauskas - expert security researcher, professional malware analyst.

I am passionate about computer security and technology. I have an experience of over 10 years working in various companies related to computer technical issue solving and Internet security. I have been working as an author and editor for pcrisk.com since 2010. Follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn to stay informed about the latest online security threats. Contact Tomas Meskauskas.

PCrisk security portal is brought by a company RCS LT. Joined forces of security researchers help educate computer users about the latest online security threats. More information about the company RCS LT.

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Malware activity

Global malware activity level today:

Medium threat activity

Increased attack rate of infections detected within the last 24 hours.

QR Code
Ads by PreviewInteractive QR code
Scan this QR code to have an easy access removal guide of Ads by PreviewInteractive on your mobile device.
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