Apple - How to remove Malwarebytes from Mac?

I recently accidentally installed this app. Then, I carelessly deleted the app without thinking about its associated Library files and menu bar icon.

It is likely your friend did the same thing and is now stuck with this useless menu bar quick access icon. In that situation, the uninstall directions won't work because the app is deleted.

The easiest way (and only way I know of) to remove this is to re-install MalwareBytes, open the app, and then go to Help > Uninstall MalwareBytes.

This will remove the app and all its associated files ... and that menu bar icon.


I think the simple answer is to reboot. It sounds like you manually deleted it from the Applications directory and the other locations you checked instead of using the uninstaller. I did the same thing in the past. To run the uninstaller, you would have to install it again. However, if you just reboot it is almost certainly not going to start the toolbar thing again because you already checked a bunch of startup locations.

Then there would be no need to purge the remaining files but if you really wanted to you could just search for them

$ sudo find / -name '*malwarebytes*'
/usr/local/Homebrew/Library/Taps/.../malwarebytes.rb
/Library/Application Support/Malwarebytes/.../com.malwarebytes.mbam.telemetry 
...
/private/var/folders/8m/.../C/com.malwarebytes.mbam.frontend.agent

and/or directly delete them

$ sudo find / -name '*malwarebytes*' -delete

MalwareBytes is a fully legit malware removal tool. In fact I would avoid CleanMyMac entirely! MalwareBytes is really good. And it doesn't have any sneaky installers like MacKeeper does. What I'm saying is someone definitely installed it on your friends computer.

When fully installed, it has an 'uninstall' option to completely remove it. You can also have it installed but hide the MenuBar item if you so choose. I regularly install and run MacKeeper on my client's computers. People install all sorts of junk on their computers these days.