How To Get Rid Of SearchMine.net on Mac(April 2020 Update)

Why am I seeing Searchmine.net instead of my favorite homepage? All my searches is being redirected to unknown site. What should I do to bring back my default search settings?
This guide contains details about Searchmine.net and its removal from safari, Chrome and Mozilla browsers.

What is Searchmine.net

Searchmine.net is a persistent browser hijacker. It manipulates the searches to endorse third-party sposnored ads and contents to the search results page. This search redirect is caused by the “SearchMine” extension. Users may knowingly or unknowingly installs “SearchMine” extension on their safari, Chrome or Mozilla web browsers. This extension is actually an Adware that aims to modify default settings of the installed browsers on Mac OS. Thus, you see your homepage, search engine and new tab altered to hxxps://searchmine.net. While surfing, this site sends the search queries to third-party website and uses the Yahoo search service to finally present the results loaded with plenty of advertisements and paid links.

The Searchmine.net homepage appears as:

SearchMine.net Homepage

Searchmine.net is considered to be a browser hijacker like Io-search.com, my-search.site, Search.filecompressorpro.com, Trovi search, Search-operator.com and many more. While using its services, you may never get the desired results, in fact it forces users to visit third-party websites that in turn brings traffic for them. It helps the authors of Searchmine.net to earn revenue. What’s worse about such programs is that they never concern about user’s privacy and keeps on silently tracking the online activities. This helps them to harvest information related to user’s surfing habits. Visited site, keywords and many such.

How SearchMine Extension Got Installed On Mac?

When it comes to “SearchMine” extension, it is also considered as an Adware that aims to push numerous advertisements while the user is surfing. These extensions are usually promoted to be useful thus, users generally agree to install them. But soon after the program is installed, it changes surfing preferences of users without asking permission.

In most of the cases, users unknowingly install such fake extensions. The main distribution tactics is fake Flash Player update installers. While browsing third-party sites, users may notice new tab redirects or pop-ups asking to update their Flash player with latest version. Until then the bogus page restricts the loading the contents on the page. However, users downloading and updating Flash player from such scam sites may unknowingly install other adware programs.

SearchMine Install On Mac Via Fake Adobe Flash Player

Most often fake extensions comes bundled along with freeware downloads from unofficial sites. This leaves users confused why such strange actions are occurring on their browser. Not to forget that, being a harmful program, it is not easy to remove them by simply uninstalling the extensions or reverting the settings of the affected web browsers. Thus you need a proper removal tool to drive away Searchmine.net and its associated program files installed on the system.

How to Remove Searchmine.net From Mac (Guide)

This is a complete manual removal guide for Mac users. It consist of step-by-step removal of unwanted programs.  For instance, Adware, browser hijackers, redirects, Trojans and other malware. The manual removal may take several minutes, therefore you have to patience. Please follow the steps carefully. If you are in hurry, then we suggest you to go for automatic removal solution.

Combo Cleaner DOWNLOAD LINK
(The above link will open a new page from where the Combo Cleaner will download)

To Remove SearchMine Extension and Searchmine.net from Mac OS, follow the steps:

STEP 1: Remove Unknown Profiles Created by SearchMine.net Program From Mac OS

Profiles are utility that allows business or organizations to control the actions and behavior of the Mac system. Thus, any profile created by the admins will prevent the users to change them. However, adware distributes design their programs that may create new profile. As a result, it prevents user from uninstalling the adware or other malware program.

So, we first need to find out if there is any malicious profile created on the Mac. If yes, then you have to remove them.

Please follow the Steps here:

1. 1. Select System Preferences from the Apple menu;
      

      Open System Preferences

   2. Within the System Preferences window, find “Profiles” icon; (If you can’t find the profile icon, it means may not have any profiles created.)
      

      Choose Users & Groups Icon

   3. When the “Profile” Window opens, look for the unknown profiles. To remove SearchMine.net fake user profile, select it and click on the – (minus) button.
      

      Remove Unknown User Profile

   4. Repeat the steps to remove all unknown profiles.

STEP 2: Uninstall SearchMine/Malicious Apps From Mac OS

In this step, You need to locate for SearchMine application or unknown programs that you may not have installed yourself. Remove all such apps from your system.

1. Open “Finder” application from your dock;
   

   Finder

2. In the left pane of the Finder, click on “Applications“;
   

   Choose Applications

3. The Applications window will display the list of all apps installed on your Mac OS. Next, you need to locate the SearchMine.net/suspicious apps by scrolling.
4. To remove SearchMine.net, right-click on it, and then click “Move to Trash”. (Repeat this step until you remove all such apps).
   

   Remove Application

5. Now you need to empty the trash as sometimes program can restore themselves from the trash. On your dock, right-click on the trash icon and then select “Empty Trash”.

STEP 3: Remove SearchMine Daemons And Agents From Mac’s Startup

1. From top menu On Desktop → Choose Go→Go to Folder;
   

   Go To Folder

2. Within the “Go To Folder” pop-up window, enter the following paths along with Searchmine.net.plist one by one. This will locate the malicious files created by the apps.
   • /Library/LaunchAgents
     

     Launch Agents

   • ~/Library/LaunchAgents
   • /Library/Application Support
   • /Library/LaunchDaemons

For instance, If a malicious program named SearchMine, then you may see ~/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.SearchMine.plist”, within this location.  You will see lots of files with “.plist” extension. Scroll through it and find the ones which appear to be suspicious.

• • To Remove launch agents by Searchmine.net, right click on it and “More To Trash”.
    

    Delete Malicious Agents

Similarly, do this for launching agents locations: /Library/LaunchAgents/com.SearchMine.plist.

NOTE: Do not forget to empty the trash. 

STEP 4: Use ComboCleaner Scan To Remove SearchMine.net

Combo Cleaner DOWNLOAD LINK
(The above link will open a new page from where the Combo Cleaner will download)

Combo Cleaner is a complete security suite for Mac OS that is developed by “RCS LT” company. This program is featured with anti-virus scanner and system optimization tools like disk cleaner, duplicate files finder, application uninstaller, privacy scanner, and 24*7 customer support service.

How to Install and Scan with Combo Cleaner

• 1. Click the above button to Download the “Combo Cleaner”;

• 2. Once the download completes, double-click on the downloaded file;

• 3. After the window opens, drag the Combo Cleaner program icon and drop it into your “Applications folder” icon.

  

  Combo Cleaner Install Step 2

• 4. Now, open your “Launchpad” and click on the “Combo Cleaner” icon.

  

  Combo Cleaner Install Step 3

• 5. This will start the combo cleaner installation and updates its latest virus definition. Once done, Combo cleaner will launch;

  

  Combo Cleaner Dashboard

• 6. Click on “Antivirus” tab and choose the scan options like Quick, Full, and custom. (Full is recommended for the first time)

  

  Combo Cleaner Antivirus Scan

• 7. Let the scan be completed and it will list all the threats found. Now, click on “Remove All Threats”;

  

  Combo Cleaner Scan Results

• 8. after removing the threats, click on the “uninstaller” to find and remove any unwanted programs. Select the program from the list and its related files and then click on “Remove Selected Items“

  

  Remove Searchmine.net And Other Threats

STEP 5: Remove SearchMine/Searchmine.net From Safari, Chrome, And Firefox Web Browsers

Safari Browser

To Remove SearchMine Extensions, homepage redirects From Safari Browser, follow steps:

1. • On the Safari browser, click the “Safari” menu then select “Preferences”.
     

     Safari Preferences

   • On the “General” tab of the Safari preferences, check for Searchmine.net URL added as the default homepage. Within the “Homepage” field enter your preferred URL as your default start-page of the browser.
     

     Reset Safari Homepage

   • Next, you need to check for malicious extensions, click on the “Extensions” tab on the same window.
   • The “Extensions” screen will list all the extensions installed on your safari browser. You need to browse through the list and uninstall SearchMine extension or Adware. Select it and then click on “Uninstall”. Repeat the steps to remove all unwanted extensions.
     

     Uninstall SearchMine Extension From Safari

2. Delete Safari’s preferences file to reset the default settings

Even after performing the above steps, some malicious program may reappear again. This happens because adware and browser hijackers creates new files within the preferences. Thus, they are able to replace the homepage and search engine URLs each time when user launches the Safari.

To do this, follow the below steps:

• • Close the Safari browser;
  • Come to normal desktop mode, now choose “Go” from the top menu then click on “Go to Folder“.
  • Within the “Go to Folder: pop-up window, enter the ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Safari.plist path and click on GO;
    

    Safari Reset

  • Delete the file, if found;
  • Launch the Safari Again.

Google Chrome

To Remove SearchMine From Chrome (Extensions, homepage redirects), follow steps:

Similarly,  you need to reset the default settings of Chrome browser. In order to remove unknown extensions, search engines, startup, and new tabs.

It is better to use the default reset feature of the Google Chrome. This will reset all the unwanted modifications done by third-party programs. It should be noted that you will not lose your saved passwords and bookmarks. (Sync your Google with Account to secure them first). However, it will delete cookies, extensions, startups, URLs, homepage and new tabs preferences.

1. • Click on Chrome’s main menu then choose “Settings“. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on “Advanced”;
     

     Google Chrome Advanced Settings

   • Under the Advanced page, go for “Reset and clean up” section.  Then click on “Reset settings to their original defaults”;
     

     Chrome Restore Settings

   • Next, click on “Reset”, when you will be prompted for a confirmation “This will reset your startup page, a new tab page, search engine, and pinned tabs. It will also disable all extensions and clear temporary data like cookies. Your bookmarks, history, and saved passwords will not be cleared”;
   • Click on the “Reset Settings” button to confirm the procedure. After that, it may ask to restart your browser, click “Yes”.

2. Remove Chrome’s policies created by SearchMine Program

If the above reset solution does not work for you, then it may possible that the malicious programs has created policies within the chrome browser. This certainly restricts the unwanted apps, homepage and search engine settings to reset again.  The Chrome polices are listed within chrome://policy URL. You can check the unwanted policies created by malicious apps. If this is the case then you need to remove them.

To reset such policies from chrome browser, follow the steps below:

• • Open a Terminal window. Go to Finder → Go → Utilities → Terminal;
    

    Open Terminal Window

  • Within the Terminal window, execute the following commands one by one. And press enter after each command.
    

    Delete Chrome Policies

defaults write com.google.Chrome HomepageIsNewTabPage -bool false
defaults write com.google.Chrome NewTabPageLocation -string “https://www.google.com/”
defaults write com.google.Chrome HomepageLocation -string “https://www.google.com/”
defaults delete com.google.Chrome DefaultSearchProviderSearchURL
defaults delete com.google.Chrome DefaultSearchProviderNewTabURL
defaults delete com.google.Chrome DefaultSearchProviderName
defaults delete com.google.Chrome ExtensionInstallSources

• • After executing the above commands, launch the Chrome browser again. To check the unknown policies to be removed successfully. Type  “chrome://policy” within the address bar and click on  “Reload policies”.
    

    Reload Chrome Policy

  • Now, the malicious policies should be gone. After that,  you can modify your homepage, new tab and search engine as per your preferences.

NOTE: Last but not the least, if the above solution also does not work for you. Then the malicious programs may have install “Managed by your organization” policy. As a consequence it restricts to remove the unknown extension or homepage even after resetting the browser.

Please follow our guide Remove “Managed by your organization” Chrome Hijack From Mac

Mozilla Firefox Browser

To Remove SearchMine Extension, Searchmine.net homepage redirects From Mozilla Firefox Browser, follow steps:

Finally, if you have facing same issues with Firefox browser, then follow the steps to refresh it.

• • Open Firefox’s Main Menu button by clicking on three horizontal lines. After that, from the drop-down menu select “Help“;
  • Click on the “Troubleshooting Information,“ from the Help menu;
    

    Troubleshooting Information Firefox

  • From the upper-right corner of the “Troubleshooting Information” page, click on the “Refresh Firefox”.
    

    Reset Firfox

  • To confirm, click on the “Refresh Firefox” button, within the confirmation pop-up window.
  • Click on the “Finish“ button.

By the time now, your Mac should free from adware and other malicious programs. Most importantly, you should always have a reliable anti-malware with real-time protection features. So, that it can trace the behaviors of unwanted program at its earliest. And quarantine it from being making serious damages.

Double Check for Malicious Files and Enable Safe Browsing Using Intego Internet Security X9

After removing persistent threat Searchmine.net, it is important to safe guard the browser. So that such browser hijackers may not enter to your browser like Safari, Chrome , Mozilla.

The Intego Internet security X9 not only provides real-time antivirus protection for Macs. But also scans files whenever they’re accessed to keep your Mac free of malware.

It it integrated with “Safe Browsing” feature that configures advanced browser settings that will prevent redirects to malicious or fraudulent sites, fake downloads and warn you if you visit any harmful site.

Intego Safe Browsing