Desktop Goose Mac

Desktop Goose

Desktop Goose is an advertising tool changes the search engines of Mac browsers and injects them with ads. Desktop Goose will not cease trying to put ads on your screen or redriect you to sponsored sites until you get it uninstalled.

A new browser hijacker application called Desktop Goose, has recently been reported to our “How to remove” team due to its irritating activities inside the users’ browsers. The application spreads around the Internet promoted as a helpful extension to popular browsers such as Safari, Chrome and Firefox. However, some users who have had this application installed on their system have signalized about some unwanted activities related to Desktop Goose and its behavior. For instance, people have noticed changes to the homepage and/or the search engine of their default browser. It seems that the pesky application has the ability to replace their default browser components with new custom ones such as new homepage domains and third-party search engine tools, without asking for an approval. Also, many people have reported automatic page-redirects and aggressive generation of different pop-ups, ads and banners on their screen, that have started to occur immediately after the hijacker has gotten installed.

Desktop Goose for Mac

Desktop Goose for Mac is a browser-hijacking malware tool specifically designed to take over popular Mac browsers. Desktop Goose for Mac can install in the browser unnoticed, make changes in its settings, and begin to spam the screen with uncontrolled ads and site-redirects.

This behavior is typical for most ad-generating and page-redirecting pieces of software and is generally not meant to cause damage to the users and to their computers. Its primary goal is to advertise and promote certain tools, offers, products, services, apps and websites and to earn pay-per-click revenue by automatically redirecting the users to specific sponsored content. Still, the majority of the customers find this rather disturbing and usually look for methods that can help them remove the unwanted ads, search engines, toolbars and sponsored domains as well as to uninstall the hijacker from their systems. If you are facing the same disturbances and Desktop Goose is the cause of behind them, we suggest you use the instructions in the removal guide below or scan your PC with the professional removal tool included in there to quickly get rid of the unwanted application and its browser changes.

What is Desktop Goose ?

Desktop Goose is a site-advertising app that will scan your browser’s history and then put relevant ads on your screen (whether you want it or not). Desktop Goose is considered as a security threat because of its uncontrolled ad-generation and page-redirects so it must be uninstalled.

A piece of software such as Desktop Goose or Search Marquis cannot infect you the way that virus or some other malware program from the rank of a Trojan horse or a Ransomware could sneak inside your machine. However, you may unknowingly agree to install it on your PC if you don’t pay enough attention. Usually, the browser hijacker may be accidentally downloaded and installed from different freeware or shareware platforms, ad-supported sites, application bundles, spam online letters or torrents, as it often is presented as a cost-free helpful or bonus component included in the installation package for another program. In case that you have landed Desktop Goose after a carelessly performed installation, then the instructions in the removal above can help you to effectively remove the unwanted application and uninstall its changes from your default browser.

The Desktop Goose app

The Desktop Goose app is a representative of the widespread category of unwanted programs/apps known as browser hijackers. The Desktop Goose app aims to inject ads into your browser’s search results and thus promote the sites that sponsor it.

One major thing that may have made you question a piece of software such as Desktop Goose is its ability to get installed by default, without specifically notifying you about its installation. However, unlike stealthy threats like Trojans or Ransomware which usually hide in the system for a long time and try to remain unnoticed, you can easily spot the browser hijacker on your browser right away. It doesn’t hide like the typical viruses and immediately starts to bombard your screen with its sponsored ads, automatic page-redirects and with its browser changes. Apart from the new toolbars, homepage domains and search engine tools that you may face, your browser may actually start to behave a bit more sluggishly and to become unresponsive or to suddenly crash. Undoubtedly, this can be very annoying, however, to your relief, this behavior is typical for most of advertising-oriented tools out there and won’t normally harm your system and data in any way.

SUMMARY:

Remove Desktop Goose Virus from Mac

For a quick way to remove Desktop Goose try to do this inside your Mac browser:

1. Open your Mac browser.
2. Go to Preferences.
3. Now navigate to the extensions sub-menu.
4. Look for any unfamiliar entries, including Desktop Goose .
5. Remove Desktop Goose from your Mac as well as any other suspicious-looking items by clicking on the trash bin icon.

If this does not help then continue reading this article for more detailed instructions on how to get rid of Desktop Goose !

The first thing you need to do is to Quit Safari (if it is opened). If you have trouble closing it normally, you may need to Force Quit Safari:

You can choose the Apple menu and click on Force Quit.

Alternatively, you can simultaneously press ⌘ (the Command key situated next to the space bar), Option (the key right next to it) and Escape (the key located at the upper left corner of your keyboard).

If you have done it right a dialog box titled Force Quit Applications will open up.

In this new dialog window select Safari, then press the Force Quit button, then confirm with Force Quit again.

Close the dialog box/window.

WARNING! READ CAREFULLY BEFORE PROCEEDING!

Start Activity Monitor by opening up Finder, then proceed to

Once there, look at all the processes: if you believe any of them are hijacking your results, or are part of the problem, highlight the process with your mouse, then click the “i” button at the top. This will open up the following box:

Now click on Sample at the bottom:

Do this for all processes you believe are part of the threat, and run any suspicious files in our online virus scanner, then delete the malicious files:

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The next step is to safely launch Safari again. Press and hold the Shift key while relaunching Safari. This will prevent Safari’s previously opened pages from loading again. Once Safari is opened up, you can release the Shift key.

On the off chance that you are still having trouble with scripts interrupting the closing of unwanted pages in Safari, you may need to take some additional measures.

First, Force Quit Safari again.

Now if you are using a Wi-Fi connection turn it off by selecting Wi-Fi off in you Mac’s Menu. If you are using a cable internet (Ethernet connection), disconnect the Ethernet cable.

Re-Launch Safari but don’t forget to press and hold the Shift button while doing it, so no previous pages can be opened up. Now, Click on Preferences in the Safari menu,

and then again on the Extensions tab,

Select and Uninstall any extensions that you don’t recognize by clicking on the Uninstall button. If you are not sure and don’t want to take any risks you can safely uninstall all extensions, none are required for normal system operation.

The threat has likely infected all of your browsers. The instructions below need to be applied for all browsers you are using.

Again select Preferences in the Safari Menu, but this time click on the Privacy tab,

Now click on Remove All Website Data, confirm with Remove Now. Keep in mind that after you do this all stored website data will be deleted. You will need to sign-in again for all websites that require any form of authentication.

Still in the Preferences menu, hit the General tab

Check if your Homepage is the one you have selected, if not change it to whatever you prefer.

Select the History menu this time, and click on Clear History. This way you will prevent accidentally opening a problematic web page again.

 How to Remove Desktop Goose  From Firefox in OSX:

Open Firefox, click on  (top right) ——-> Add-ons. Hit Extensions next.

The problem should be lurking somewhere around here –  Remove it. Then Refresh Your Firefox Settings.

How to Remove Desktop Goose From Chrome in OSX:

 Start Chrome, click  —–>More Tools —–> Extensions. There,  find the malware and  select  .

 Click  again, and proceed to Settings —> Search, the fourth tab, select Manage Search Engines.  Delete everything but the search engines you normally use. After that Reset Your Chrome Settings.

If the guide doesn’t help, download the anti-virus program we recommended or try our free online virus scanner. Also, you can always ask us in the comments for help!