About Those Mac Cleaner Popup Ads You Keep Seeing

There is a reasonable explanation as to why you keep on getting those annoying pop-up ads while browsing the web. One of the most annoying examples is courtesy of MacKeeper, which causes a frustrating pop-up with the message “Consider cleaning your Mac from junk” every time you visit a torrent site. Though you might have also seen ads for MacPaw’s CleanMyMac, MacKeeper is the ruler in pop-up ad land while it also chases you with banner advertisements across the web.

The majority of Redditors are skeptical towards MacKeeper and its counterparts, but for MacKeeper the verdict is the most brutal: ‘a piece of trash you wouldn’t want to have on your Mac’. Some, however, recommend using Mac cleaning apps for regular maintenance purposes and MacPaw’s CleanMyMac is among the list of software used and recommended if you’re happy to pay. If not, you can still have the same basic functionalities for free with other software such as OnyX.

For Mac users’ eyes only

Keeping pop-ups out of sight

Make sure you’re using the web browser’s built-in pop-up blockers. In Safari you’ll find it under the Security tab. If you notice that pop-ups persist on your Mac, it is possible that you have downloaded and installed adware (advertising-supported software) with some third party app. Make sure your system is up-to-date and then restart your Mac, because macOS will remove adware only when you login.

You can always use one of the available ad blockers – such as Adblock – to skip annoying pop-up ads, but VPN services can also help protect your privacy. While there is a misconception surrounding VPNs due to the marketing buzz around them that suggests it is possible to remain completely anonymous while using VPN services, that isn’t exactly the case.What does make a difference, though, is that VPNs can protect your Mac thanks to a built-in ad blocking feature: no more annoying pop-up windows from Mac cleaning software. One of the more appealing features of VPN services is that they route your data stream through a distant server while protecting your computer’s DNS from harmful pages and annoying online ads. A VPN service applies encryption to these connections for extra security, ensuring your identity and data aren’t exposed to any of the advertising companies or involved third parties.