Stop someone in your family installing junk apps on their Mac

Why it happens

Pop-ups and fake download buttons trick people into installing apps that show ads or ask for money. Allowing only App Store apps means anything downloaded from a website won't open without an extra step. A Standard account also can't install software for the whole Mac without an administrator's name and password.

How to fix it

1. On their Mac, open the Apple menu, choose System Settings, and click Privacy & Security.

2. Find Allow applications from and choose App Store. Enter an administrator password if asked.

   Privacy & Security›Allow applications from

3. If theirs is the only administrator account, make one for yourself first: open Users & Groups, click Add User…, and choose Administrator. Keep its password somewhere safe.

   Users & Groups›Add User…

4. In Users & Groups, click the info button next to their name and turn off Allow this user to administer this computer.

   Users & Groups›ⓘ›Allow this user to administer this computer

5. If macOS asks you to restart for the change to take effect, do so.

Still not fixed?

1. Clear out what's already there. Drag unwanted apps from the Applications folder to the Trash, and remove anything unfamiliar from Login Items & Extensions.

   General›Login Items & Extensions›Open at Login

2. Check Safari for add-ons. In Safari, open Settings…, click Extensions, and untick anything they didn't mean to install.

   Safari›Settings…›Extensions

3. Keep the Mac up to date. Updates include security fixes that block known junk.

   General›Software Update

4. If pop-ups or warnings keep coming back after this, or an app asks for money to fix problems it says it found, stop using it and contact Apple Support.