Get rid of Advanced Mac Cleaner (Removal Guide)

Advanced Mac Cleaner is an unacceptable computer tool or program that every user wishes get rid from the Mac OS X system. It is deemed as invasive type of software that may be installed on the computer without user’s approval. This kind of malware is spreading on thousand of computers worldwide through Internet connection. Software exploits and vulnerabilities in Internet browser programs are believed to be exploited by Advanced Mac Cleaner to gain access on target computer. Malicious links from social media sites and spam email messages also contributes to the delivery of Advanced Mac Cleaner onto victim’s computer.

When this potentially unwanted program is run on the system, it can perform various actions to take control or certain system functions. Furthermore, Advanced Mac Cleaner does not provide entries to instantly remove its code when user is not comfortable with it. In addition, this unknown security and optimization tool may block your Internet access to security web sites preventing you from downloading removal tools and proper guide to delete Advanced Mac Cleaner from the affected computer.

Once Advanced Mac Cleaner is running on the computer, it will begin to display fake warnings and pop-up alerts stating several infections detected on OS X operating system. Obviously, these alerts are just ploy to deceive computer users and force them to pay for the Advanced Mac Cleaner registration code.

Advanced Mac Cleaner

As you can see, Advanced Mac Cleaner program was made to steal money from you using various method of deception. Never pay for this worthless program and execute the removal steps to eliminate this threat from the computer right away.

Procedures to Remove Advanced Mac Cleaner

This section contains complete instructions to assist you in removing potentially unwanted program from Mac computer.

Procedures published on this page are written in method that can be easily understand and execute by Mac users.

Quick Fix - Scan the Mac Computer with Combo Cleaner

Combo Cleaner is a trusted Mac utility application with complete antivirus and optimization features. It is useful in dealing with adware and malware. Moreover, it can get rid of unwanted program like Advanced Mac Cleaner. You may need to purchase full version if you require to maximize its premium features.

1. Download the tool from the following page:

2. Double-click the downloaded file and proceed with the installation.

3. In the opened window, drag and drop the Combo Cleaner icon onto your Applications folder icon.

Install Combo Cleaner

4. Open your Launchpad and click on the Combo Cleaner icon.

5. Wait until antivirus downloads its latest virus definition updates and click on "Start Combo Scan" to start removing Advanced Mac Cleaner.

Combo Cleaner Scanner

6. As shown in the image below, Combo Cleaner accurately detects Advanced Mac Cleaner rogue program. Proceed with the removal of the virus by upgrading Combo Cleaner to full version.

Combo Cleaner Scan Result

Free features of Combo Cleaner include Disk Cleaner, Big Files finder, Duplicate files finder, and Uninstaller. To use antivirus and privacy scanner, users have to upgrade to a premium version.

Proceed with the rest of the removal steps if you are comfortable manually removing malicious objects associated with the threat.

Step 1 : Quit Advanced Mac Cleaner Process

Before proceeding with the steps below, please close Advanced Mac Cleaner window if in case it is open.

1. Go to Launchpad, Utilities folder, open Activity Monitor.

2. Choose All Processes from the upper right corner of the window.

3. Under Process Name column, look for Advanced Mac Cleaner. Click the name to select the malicious process.

4. Next, click the Quit Process button located in the upper left corner of the window.

Force Quit Apps

5. When prompted, click on Force Quit.

6. You may now delete or remove files that belongs to Advanced Mac Cleaner. Proceed to the next steps.

Step 2 : Delete Advanced Mac Cleaner Login Items

Some malware also installs login item into compromised account under System Preferences. This object automatically runs Advanced Mac Cleaner during user log in.

1. Go to Apple menu and choose System Preferences.

2. Select Users & Groups from the preferences window.

3. You may need to Unlock this area in order to make changes. Click on the Lock icon on lower left corner of the window.

4. Next, select user account that runs Advanced Mac Cleaner.

5. Click on Login Items tab.

6. Select Advanced Mac Cleaner from listed entries and click on the minus [-] button and confirm your actions. Please see image below for reference.

Screenshot of Login Items

As stated, the creation of Login Items or profile is case-to-case basis. Some unwanted application may add their entry on this section but others are not concern on making one. So, if Advanced Mac Cleaner Login item is not present, please continue with the succeeding steps.

Step 3 : Delete Advanced Mac Cleaner Application

1. Go to Finder.

2. On the menu, click Go and then, select Applications from the list to open Applications Folder.

3. Find Advanced Mac Cleaner or any unwanted program.

Delete Unwanted App

4. Drag the Advanced Mac Cleaner to Trash Bin to delete the application from Mac.

5. Right-click on Trash icon and click on Empty Trash.

Step 4 : Delete Malicious Files that have installed Advanced Mac Cleaner

1. Select and copy the string below to your Clipboard by pressing Command + C on your keyboard.

~/Library/LaunchAgents

2. Go to your Finder. From the menu bar please select Go > Go to Folder...

3. Press Command + V on your keyboard to paste the copied string. Press Return to go to the said folder.

Command + V

4. You will now see a folder named LaunchAgents. Take note of the following files inside the folder:

  • com.pcv.hlpramc.plist
  • amc.plist

If you cannot find the specified file, please look for any unfamiliar or suspicious entries. It may be the one causing Advanced Mac Cleaner to be present on your Mac. Arranging all items to see the most latest ones may also help you identify recently installed unfamiliar files. Please press Option + Command + 4 on your keyboard to arrange the application list in chronological order.

Option+Command+4

5. Drag all suspicious files that you may find to Trash.

6. Repeat Step 2, numbers 1-5 procedures on the following folder (without ~):

/Library/LaunchAgents

7. Please restart the computer.

8. Open another folder using the same method as above. Copy and Paste the following string to easily locate the folder.

~/Library/Application Support

9. Look for suspicious objects or folders with the following names and drag them to the Trash.

  • AdvancedMacCleaner
  • AMC

10. Repeat procedures 8 and 9 on the following folders if necessary.

~/Library/Caches

11. Go to your Finder and open the Applications Folder. Look for subfolders with names similar above and drag them to Trash.

12. Lastly, please Empty your Mac's Trash bin.

Step 5 : Run another Scan using MBAM Tool for Mac

1. Download Malwarebytes Anti-malware for Mac from the link below.

2. Run Malwarebytes Anti-malware for Mac. It will check for updates and download if most recent version is available. This is necessary in finding recent malware threats including Advanced Mac Cleaner.

3. If it prompts to close all running web browser, please do so. Thus, we advise you to PRINT this guide for your reference before going offline.

4. Once it opens the user interface, please click on Scan button to start scanning your Mac computer.

MBAM for Mac

5. After the scan, Malwarebytes Anti-malware for Mac will display a list of identified threats, Advanced Mac Cleaner is surely part of it. Be sure to select all items in the list. Then, click Remove button to clean the computer.

6. You may now restart the computer.

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8 thoughts on “Get rid of Advanced Mac Cleaner (Removal Guide)”

  1. This isn’t on any of my browsers. It pops up every time I switch on my computer. I can’t do the usual thing, as I have to force quit before I can use the toolbar, and then it doesn’t show up, therefore, escaping the delete. Help!

  2. If you have done all the instructions above and you are still seeing its presence, maybe there are background applications that you need to remove manually.

    1. Open the Go menu in the Finder and choose “Go to folder…”
    2. Input this string on the field:
    ~/Library/Application Support
    3. You will see a bunch of files and folders.
    4. Look for the “amc” folder and drag it to the Trash bin (Delete).
    5. Again, look for the Advanced Mac Cleaner folder and drag it to the Trash.
    6. Reboot your Mac.
    7. Once the computer restarted, Empty your Trash bin.

  3. Nothing works to reveal where either the bogus Flash updates or Mac Cleaner is hiding. It’s there, however. It just opens as new pages in Safari out of the blue.

  4. Jean-Jacques Chattot

    I installed Malwarebytes anti-Malware and found 1 folder and 2 files in quarantine. What do I do next? If I delete the files from quarantine does it send them to the trash or just remove the names from quarantine? Do I need to drag the files to the trash?
    Thanks for your help.
    JJ

  5. (Advanced Mac Cleaner) AMC or short. AMC infested your applications file. If you can figure out how to open your applications file, then just move AMC to trash. Other wise every time you turn on your computer AMC comes up and you have to click NO Thanks to get rid of it. I don’t want to click NO Thanks. I want to click get the hell off of my computer and never come back. But AMC doesn’t have a button for that.

  6. The applications file is inside OS X . Once you find OS X you can just click on it to find the applications file.

    I leave OS X on the ” desk top” so I can easily check the applications file for AMC.

    Then just click on OS X and open Applications. If AMC is there just dump it in the trash.

    It only takes a few seconds, once you are set up to do it. I did spend a long time getting rid of AMC

    the first time. I hope this helps. AMC is very annoying. Where they located any way? Russia?

  7. Warner, I can locate it in the OS X application file but I am unable to dump it in the trash. How did you do that?

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