Avast Check For Mac

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AVAST’s full Mac scan runs a comprehensive scan of your entire Mac to source any hidden malware so you can confidently engage in any online activity without any hesitation or concern. Check out some of these great features that come with AVAST’s robust Malware feature. Check your computer for viruses, malware and Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUPs). Manage all of your protected devices from within the Avast Free Mac Security using the My Avast Account console. Here you can check the status of your devices and add new ones. You can also get points redeemable for badges, free products.

Avast Mac Security is a venerable antivirus that is appreciated by many Mac owners. Given that the utility is distributed free of charge and is fairly efficient in removing the majority of digital threats, numerous Internet surfers use it for the protection of their system.

Best Mac Antivirus

Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac

The Avast blog explains how to make sure you’re protected from all types of cybercrime. Can malware invade your Mac laptop or desktop? We use cookies and similar technologies to recognize your repeat visits and preferences, to measure the effectiveness of campaigns, and improve our websites. To that end, in 2017, Avast blocked more than 250 million malware threats for Mac users. According to Avast data, Mac users are encountering various malware-related threats, including but not limited to: Trojans, adware, blacklisted websites, potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) and ransomware. Avast Security Pro for Mac review: Everything a modern antivirus app needs and a little bit more An all-around champion has strong malware-fighting abilities packaged with worthwhile extras.

Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac's top-shelf malware detection and barely there system impact make it the best antivirus solution.

Best Free Mac Antivirus

Avast Free Mac Security

Avast Free Mac Security's malware-squashing proficiency, negligible performance impact and included password manager make it the best free option.

Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac

Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac offers top-shelf malware detection and protects files from ransomware.

After evaluating eight free and paid antivirus products, we've chosen Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac ($40 per year) as the best antivirus for Mac. It had a nearly invisible impact on system performance, and it caught all malware.

Avast Free Mac Security is our favorite free option, as it provided nearly perfect malware protection and an easy-to-use interface with an imperceptible performance hit.

You do need an antivirus program on your Mac. Recent years have seen more Mac malware and adware than ever before, from Trojans to targeted attacks, supply-chain attacks like the XcodeGhost attack and even encrypting ransomware.

MORE: Best Antivirus Software and Apps

Latest Security Alerts and Threats

— Google pushed out an emergency patch for its Chrome browser for Windows, macOS and Linux after a vulnerability was found that could let a malicious website take over a computer. ADVICE: Copy and paste 'chrome://settings/help' into your Chrome address bar to make sure your browser is updated to version 76.0.3809.132.

— Apple patched a security hole that let you -- or a malicious website -- jailbreak an iPhone and install any kind of app, including potential malware. (This is not among the flaws that let several websites infect any iPhone.) ADVICE: Make sure your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch is updated to iOS 12.4.1.

— Spammers have been sending emails to inject scam or malicious messages in regular people's Google Calendar pages. ADVICE: Follow our instructions to stop phony Google Calendar notifications from happening to you.

How We Tested

To find the best antivirus for Mac desktops and laptops, we evaluate ease of use, interface and performance impact, we installed each AV program on the same Late 2013 MacBook Pro with Retina Display running macOS 10.12 Sierra. It was powered by a 2.6-GHz Intel Core i7 processor and had 8GB of RAM and 70GB of data stored on a 512GB SSD.

We conducted our own tests in July and August 2017 based on how much each antivirus product affected our laptop's performance. To do this, we used our custom OpenOffice benchmark, which matches 20,000 names and addresses in a spreadsheet. We measured how long it took to run a quick scan and a full scan while the laptop crunched numbers in the background.

We assessed how easy each program was to use and the number of useful extra features it offered (including free add-on software). To gauge how effective each package was at stopping malware, we used the results of evaluations conducted in May 2017 by AV-TEST, a well-regarded independent product-testing lab in Germany, and results from other tests conducted in July 2017 by AV-Comparatives, a similarly well-respected firm in Austria.

Best Mac Antivirus

Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac

Reasons to Buy
Minimal system impact
Reasons to Avoid

Kaspersky Internet Security is the best antivirus for Macs because it offers both the lowest system impact and some of the best malware-detection rates recorded. It even provides extra security features, including parental controls and options to lock down your webcam and stop websites from tracking your browsing activity. If you're willing to pay to protect your Mac from malware, Kaspersky Internet Security is the best option available.

Best Free Mac Antivirus

Avast Free Mac Security

Reasons to Buy
Excellent malware protection

Avast For Mac Review

Password manager included
Reasons to Avoid

Avast Free Mac Security caught 99.9 percent of all malware, packs in a password manager, barely leaves a smudge on system impact and doesn't charge a dime. If only it caught 100 percent of malware, as Kaspersky did.

Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac

Reasons to Buy
Ransomware protection
Parental controls
Reasons to Avoid
Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac
$38.99

Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac is one of only a few solutions we tested that offers perfect malware detection. Further, its modern, streamlined interface places on-demand scans front and center. Bitdefender has dropped from first place, though, because its system-impact scores don't match the flawless marks posted by Kaspersky.

Norton 360 Deluxe

Reasons to Buy
Reasons to Avoid
Noticeable system impact

Norton 360 Deluxe may offer excellent protection, but it charges more (after the first year) than its competitors do, without offering as many perks. Norton AntiVirus Plus offers similar protection for a single Mac, but with fewer perks. Still, both have always-on-call customer support.

AVG Antivirus for Mac

Reasons to Buy
Free
Reasons to Avoid
Comparatively high background impact
AVG Antivirus for Mac

If you're looking for the best antivirus for Mac without having to pay, AVG AntiVirus for Mac is not too shabby, with its 99.9 percent detection rate and easy-to-use design. Unfortunately, other free competitors provide extras (Sophos with parental controls, Avast's password manager) that AVG does not.

Best for Families

Sophos Home

Reasons to Buy
Remote manageability
Low system impact
Reasons to Avoid

With Sophos Home for Mac's simple interface and low system-performance impact, you'll barely realize the program is shielding you until you need it. Anyone with young children at home will find Sophos' parental controls useful, as they allow for remote scans and checks, and let you block sites by category. Sophos even keeps a log of when users try to reach banned pages. This program's major drawback, though, is its lackluster malware-detection rate.

Avira Free Antivirus for Mac

Reasons to Buy
Solid malware protection
Reasons to Avoid

Once our favorite, Avira Free Antivirus for Mac is no longer the best antivirus for Mac. That's because it is a hair shy of perfection in its malware detection, and fell behind in system-performance testing, earning some of the higher performance impacts recorded.

McAfee Antivirus Plus

Reasons to Buy
Familiar user interface
Reasons to Avoid
Unproven detection rates
McAfee® AntiVirus Plus

While McAfee's unlimited licenses mean you can support a whole family of Macs (and PCs and Android devices, too), this program's lack of special features (for a paid version) make it hard to recommend. Further, we don't have malware-detection testing scores for McAfee, so its protection powers are unproven.

Download and installation

What are the system requirements for Avast Security?

The system requirements for Avast Security and Avast Premium Security are:

  • Apple macOS 10.14.x (Mojave), Apple macOS 10.13.x (High Sierra), Apple macOS 10.12.x (Sierra), Apple Mac OS X 10.11.x (El Capitan), Apple Mac OS X 10.10.x (Yosemite).
  • Intel based Mac computer with 64-bit processor.
  • 512 MB RAM or above (1 GB RAM or higher preferred).
  • 256 MB minimum hard disk free space.
  • Internet connection (to download and register the product, for automatic updates of the program and virus database).
  • Optimally standard screen resolution not less than 1024 x 768 pixels.
Avast Security does not run properly if you have any other antivirus software installed.

How do I download and install Avast Security?

To download and install Avast Security or Avast Premium Security:

  1. Click the link below to download the Avast Security setup file:
  2. Double-click the downloaded file avast_security_online.dmg.
  3. In the dialog that appears, double-click the Avast Security icon and follow the on-screen instructions.
  4. When installation is complete, click Close.

For detailed installation instructions, refer to the following article:

If you have purchased Avast Premium Security, activate your subscription by going to ☰ MenuActivate paid features and entering your activation code.

Do I need a subscription to use Avast Security?

No, a subscription is not necessary for the free version of Avast Security. After installation, Avast Security is ready to use. You can connect Avast Security to your Avast Account to benefit from the device management feature.

For additional features, upgrade to a paid subscription of Avast Premium Security. You must activate this product with a valid activation code.

How do I upgrade from Avast Security to Avast Premium Security?

To upgrade to Avast Premium Security:

  1. In your Applications folder, double-click the Avast icon to open the application.
  2. Click Upgrade on the main Avast Security screen.
  3. Follow the on-screen purchase instructions.

After purchase, Avast Premium Security automatically activates. If necessary, you can manually activate the product by going to ☰ MenuActivate paid features and entering your activation code.

How do I activate Avast Premium Security?

To manually activate Avast Premium Security:

  1. Open the order confirmation email you received after purchasing Avast Premium Security.
  2. Locate and copy the activation code from the confirmation email.
  3. In your Applications folder, double-click the Avast icon to open the application.
  4. Go to ☰ MenuActivate paid features.
  5. Type or paste your activation code into the text box, then click Activate.

To view the duration of your subscription, go to ☰ MenuMy subscriptions. For detailed activation instructions, refer to the following article:

How do I connect Avast Security to my Avast Account?

After you download and install Avast Security, you can connect the product to your Avast Account to benefit from the device management feature.

To connect Avast Security to your Avast Account:

  1. In your Applications folder, double-click the Avast icon to open the application.
  2. Go to ☰ MenuLog in to Avast account.
  3. Enter your Avast Account credentials, then click Log In.

For detailed instructions, refer to the following article:

What is the difference between Avast Security and Avast Premium Security?

Avast Security is a free product that does not require a paid subscription to use.

Avast Premium Security includes additional features and requires a paid subscription. The additional features include Ransomware Shield and Wi-Fi Inspector.

Features

What is File Shield?

File Shield is the main layer of active protection in Avast Security. It scans programs and files saved on your Mac for malicious threats in real-time before allowing them to be opened, run, modified, or saved. If malware is detected, File Shield prevents the program or file from infecting your Mac.

What is Web Shield?

Web Shield is an additional layer of active protection in Avast Security. It scans data that is transferred when you browse the internet in real-time to prevent malware, such as malicious scripts, from being downloaded and run on your Mac.

What is Email Shield?

Email Shield is an additional layer of active protection in Avast Security. It scans your incoming and outgoing email messages in real-time for malicious content such as viruses. Scanning applies only to messages sent or received using a mail management software (email clients, such as Mail, Microsoft Outlook or Mozilla Thunderbird). If you access your web based email account via an internet browser, your Mac is protected by other Avast Security shields.

What is Ransomware Shield?

Ransomware Shield, available in Avast Premium Security, secures your personal photos, documents, and files from being modified, deleted, or encrypted by ransomware attacks. This feature automatically secures your Pictures and Documents folders and allows you to specify which other folders you want to protect from untrusted applications. How allow avast for mac in google chrome. Additionally, you can specify which applications are allowed to modify the files in your protected folders.

What is Wi-Fi Inspector?

Wi-Fi Inspector, available in Avast Premium Security, is an active protection component which continuously monitors your network and connected devices for threats.

Avast

What is the Virus Chest?

The Virus Chest is a safe place for storing potentially harmful files, completely isolated from the rest of the operating system. Files inside the Virus Chest are not accessible to any outside process, software application, or virus.

For more information about the Virus Chest including how to send files to the Avast Threat Labs, refer to the following article:

How do I run a scan?

To run an Avast Security scan:

  1. In your Applications folder, double-click the Avast icon to open the application.
  2. Click (three dots) next to Run Mac Scan.
  3. Click Run Mac Scan or Scan Now on the tile of the scan you want to run.

Avast Security Pro For Mac

You can run a quick scan of the most vulnerable areas of your Mac, or a thorough scan of the whole system, or quickly scan a particular folder or removable drive, or create and schedule your own scans.

For more information about each type of scan as well as scan settings, refer to the following article:

General settings

How do I check which version of Avast Security is installed?

To check which version of Avast Security is installed on your Mac, go to ☰ MenuSettings and select the General tab. The version number is displayed at the top of the screen.

How do I exclude files or websites from scanning by the Core Shields?

To set an exclusion for a Core Shield:

  1. In your Applications folder, double-click the Avast icon to open the application.
  2. Go to ☰ MenuSettings and select the Core Shields tab.
  3. Click Add Exceptions under the shield you want to set an exclusion for.
  4. If you are adding an exclusion for File Shield, select the file and click Open. For Web Shield and Email Shield, specify the server and service, then click Add.

For detailed instructions on how to set exclusions for Core Shields, refer to the following article:

How do I exclude files or folders from the pre-defined scans?

To set an exclusion for one of the pre-defined scans:

  1. In your Applications folder, double-click the Avast icon to open the application.
  2. Go to ☰ MenuSettings and select the Scans tab.
  3. Click Add Exceptions under the scan you want to set an exclusion for.
  4. Select a file or folder, then click Open.

For detailed instructions on how to set exclusions for the pre-defined scans, refer to the following article:

Troubleshooting

What does the status message 'Unable to scan' mean in scan results?

The status message 'Unable to scan' means that the file could not be scanned, possibly due to an encrypted ZIP archive or because the files are currently in use. The status does not mean that there is anything wrong with the file, only that it is not available for scanning.

What does the status message 'You are in passive mode' mean?

If you see the status You are in passive mode, you need to manually allow Avast Software extensions on your Mac. For detailed instructions, refer to the following article:

What should I do if I'm unable to browse the web or use other software on my Mac?

Avast Security shields detect and block suspicious files, dangerous websites, and unauthorized connections. In some cases, a Core Shield may cause connectivity issues. If you are unable to use online software or browse certain sites, use the troubleshooting steps below to determine if a shield is causing the issue:

  1. In your Applications folder, double-click the Avast icon to open the application.
  2. Click Core Shields.
  3. Click the ON (green) slider above File Shield and perform your original action (for example, if you were unable to access a certain site, try to access the site again).
  4. If the connectivity issue persists, click the OFF (red) slider to turn the shield on again, then repeat the above steps for each shield.

Avast Download For Mac

When you determine which shield is causing the connectivity issue, you can set an exclusion for a certain file, site, or mail server by using the steps in the following article:

Avast For Mac

How do I uninstall Avast Security?

Avast Security cannot be fully uninstalled by dragging the application to the Trash. To uninstall Avast Security:

  1. In your Applications folder, double-click the Avast icon to open the application.
  2. Click Avast in the menu bar, then select Uninstall Avast Security from the context menu.
  3. Click Uninstall.

For detailed uninstallation instructions, refer to the following article:

  • Avast Security 14.x for Mac
  • Avast Premium Security 14.x for Mac
  • Apple macOS 10.14.x (Mojave)
  • Apple macOS 10.13.x (High Sierra)
  • Apple macOS 10.12.x (Sierra)
  • Apple Mac OS X 10.11.x (El Capitan)
  • Apple Mac OS X 10.10.x (Yosemite)