Uninstalling or removing MacKeeper completely from your Mac is not an easy task. This is genuine software and not malware (read our review), but ZeoBit made it difficult in the past for the average user to remove the software from their Mac. I have written a guide about how to remove MacKeeper from your Mac.
MacKeeper 2012 Uninstaller (Automatic)
If you have used MacKeeper to encrypt any of your data, you must decrypt it now before uninstalling. If you don’t do this, you won’t be able to access your data later. This only applies to data encrypted using MacKeeper.
First, move the MacKeeper application to the Trash. According to its developer ZeoBit, this should trigger the Uninstall window which promises to remove all related files. This is the easiest way of removing the software.
Uninstalling MacKeeper 2011 and earlier (Manual Removal)
If you want to be sure MacKeeper is completely uninstalled, I would recommend steps below.
If you are using Time Machine, you will also need to remove MacKeeper files from your Time Machine backups. This is described in #3 and needs to be repeated for all files that need removing.
1) If MacKeeper is running, quit the application.
2) Navigate to the Library folder in your Macintosh HD. Look for the Application Support folder and then for the ‘MacKeeper’ folder.
/Library/Application Support/MacKeeper
3) If you are using Time Machine, do this step. Enter Time Machine, and in the Time Machine interface, within a Finder folder, use the gear/cog icon menu and choose ‘Delete all backups of – file’. You will be requested to enter your Administrator password to confirm the deletion. You can then exit Time Machine and continue the steps below.
4) In Library, look for and trash any of the following files. Do the same method as above for Time Machine if you need to, carrying out the Time Machine step before sending files to the Trash.
/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.zeobit.MacKeeper.AntiVirus /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.zeobit.MacKeeper.plugin.AntiTheft.daemon
5) You will also need to remove the following files.
Note: On Mac OS X Lion 10.7 and Mountain Lion 10.8, Apple decided to hide the Home folder’s Library. It can still be accessed, you just have to know how. Hold ‘Option’ (alt) key while using the Go menu in the Finder, and the Library menu item will appear. You can also access it using the Go -> Go To Folder menu command, or shortcut CMD+Shift+G.
Remember to remove these files from your Time Machine backup using the tip above before moving to Trash.
Home/Library/Caches/com.zeobit.MacKeeper Home/Library/Caches/com.zeobit.MacKeeper.Helper Home/Library/LaunchAgents/com.zeobit.MacKeeper.Helper Home/Library/LaunchAgents/com.zeobit.MacKeeper.plugin.Backup.agent Home/Library/Preferences/com.zeobit.MacKeeper.plist Home/Library/Preferences/com.zeobit.MacKeeper.Helper.plist
Warning: Only files containing the words ‘zeobit’, ‘MacKeeper’, ’911′, or ’911bundle’ should be deleted.
6) Go to Applications -> Utilities -> Keychain Access and open it. Unlock the Keychain and enter your Administrator password. You need to remove any items in the Keychains that contain ‘MacKeeper’ or ‘zeobit’.
7) Open Activity Monitor, and choose to view ‘All processes’. Check to see if any processes called ‘MacKeeper’, ‘zeobit’ or ’911 bundle’ are still running. Older versions of MacKeeper might have a ‘WINE’ process. If you see any of these, click on the process and hit ‘Quit Process’.
8) Finally, go to your Applications folder and remove MacKeeper.app by moving it to the Trash. You should also unpin it from your Dock by dragging it off.
9) Empty the Trash by clicking on Finder -> Empty Trash.
10) In System Preferences -> Users & Groups (or ‘Accounts’ if you’re using OS X Snow Leopard 10.6) -> Login Items. If MacKeeper or anything related to it is listed there, highlight it and click the ‘-’ button to remove it.
11) Restart your Mac.
12) After you Restart your Mac, be sure to Repair Disk Permissions and you may also need to repair the User Level permissions (ACLs).
All done, you have uninstalled MacKeeper!
[...] Uninstalling or removing MacKeeper completely from your Mac is not an easy task. To say this is genuine software and not malware, ZeoBit has made it very difficult and awkward for the average user to remove the software from their Mac. I have written a guide about how to remove MacKeeper from your Mac. [...]
I get the mac keeper pop up on my new laptop after i used a hard disk to transfer files from my old laptop (time machine). I had effectively eradicated mac keeper from my old laptop, however, am unable to even find any mac keeper files on my new laptop to delete.
I started to install MacKeeper (didn’t know it was bad) I never installed it but backed out. After that I our screen freezes with the small MacKeeper circle appearing. How can I get rid of it. I’ve looked on Applications, under Utilities but don’t see it listed.
Excellent instructions.
I followed them after running the Mackeeper uninstaller.
It seemed to have done the job completely.