Don't install Avast on your mac because these free antivirus programs are designed to distrupt your mac.Ä° was installed Avast 2 months ago and last week my mac is malfunctioned but i was fixed my mac.Ä°'m not advise the free antiviruses for mac that is free. The lack of experience Avast has shown in dealing with the Mac platform was very clearly demonstrated by the Avast representative whom made several obvious errors in their attempts to discredit Thomas Reed, Who has always been a trusted source of good quality technical information on Mac security. ALL: I've been running Avast Security Pro on my Macbook Pro for some months, but this morning I received an email from a purported hacker who says he's breached my email & installed a Trojan onto the sysem. Learn about the built-in Mac security software you already have, as well as other helpful tips and tools to keep you safe online from viruses, ransomware, and other cyberthreats. Macs are beautiful machines, in both appearance and performance. The sleek designs, intuitive OS, trend-setting apps,. Avast forums indicated that there is a bug in this update, after three reboots my computer got completely stuck when trying to access the 'repair' function so I phoned Avast tech # given on bottom.
Since 2005 I have utilised Avast antivirus free version and later paid, and despite being free, it has protected my computer from virus, malware and recently stopped countless of ransomware attacks that have been going haywire on the Internet line in my area. Reading countless of the negative reviews of this program I can without a doubt say these people have no idea what they are doing, it surprises me they even know how to turn a computer on.
Avast unlike many other AV software I have tested, has successfully managed to isolate viruses and malware even in archived files surprisingly. Another astonishing feature with Avast subsequently missing from vast majority of other AV programs is customisation in the installer letting you decide exactly what you want included and what you want excluded.
Avast AV also gives you good control of settings, all the annoying features can be easily turned off, Avast has always had a good interface which really helps navigating through the various advanced features. Avast not only lets you quick scan but also do complete scans, Avast also includes a boot scan option which will scan your computer before Windows boots, extremely helpful in removing very dangerous threats.
Despite this, Avast will not compromise in safety even on the free version and will constantly give you offers on the paid variant, there no reason not to accept. Avast is also one of the extremely few that STILL supports Windows XP and Vista to this day letting you safely use older computers with Internet connection. As someone who still has to rely on old systems for crucial software support, this is a Godsent gift to not having to worry about ransomware attacking old systems thanks to Avast.
All my clients really like Avast except the annoying pop-up reminding them to buy the software but people having previously had their computers attacked by virus has never had issues after I installed Avast free Antivirus on their systems afterwards. It can without a doubt be said that Avast tops all charts in review sites for best protection, features, user friendliness, and excellent customer service willing to help. It is hard to understand why Avast themselves receive such harsh critique when they are just trying to help, but in reality there is no helping the helpless.
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Avast Antivirus response
Thanks for your feedback and for being an awesome Avast customer! We're thrilled to hear you've been pleased with our software!
-Avast Team
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Original review: Nov. 29, 2018
Avast For Mac Free Download
I've been using Avast FREE version for over 10 years, it help me block off harmful popups and ads, even a little suspicious connection they can handle it quickly and clean, virus scanning work really good and my computer is totally virus/malware/ransom free now. To those who rated 0.5, I'm pretty sure they are hired by other companies or are 'smart' people who get their laptop from Best Buy or Walmart.
Avast Antivirus response
Hi, Testa:
Thanks for being a loyal customer for more than a decade! We're thrilled to hear you've been pleased with our software's ability to keep you and your information safe!
-Avast Team
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PaweÅ of Poland Verified Reviewer
Original review: Feb. 1, 2019
I'm using free Avast Protection. Recently, Avast has interfered with my computer by replacing Adobe Reader with its Avast Browser for reading PDF files. It has made it impossible to use any other programmes for reading PDF files, preventing me for installing Adobe Reader again and actually making Adobe disappear as an option for reading PDF files. I wonder if it is the company's policy?
Avast Antivirus response
Hi, Pawel:
Thank you for reaching out! Our software would not have replaced your existing product with our browser without your permission. There would have been a option when installing our browser to include PDF documents. Please check your default programs list in Windows for the option to switch it back. If this does not resolve the issue, please contact us privately for further assistance and we'll be happy to help!
-Avast Team
6 people found this review helpful
Gloria of Coos Bay, OR Verified Reviewer Verified Buyer
Original review: April 15, 2019
I have Avast Premier, Cleanup and SecureLine. SecureLine is working normally. Premier and Cleanup have both been completely out of service for 2 days, starting April 3, 2019. Cleanup simply will not open. Trying to open Premier gets a black square on-screen that says, 'UI failed to load. This is embarrassing. Your protection is running, but the UI is having a really bad day.' Well, this is the 3rd day. What's happening with Avast? Can't find any news stories related to problems at Avast. Is it just me?
Avast Antivirus response
Hi, Gloria:
Thanks for reaching out! We'd recommend running a repair to try to resolve the issue. Instructions for this can be found in our website.
If this does not resolve the issue, please contact us privately with your name, Avast account information, and your preferred contact email address so we can work with you directly.
-Avast Team
3 people found this review helpful
Original review: April 21, 2019
I have installed Avast after malware got onto my computer, and I had to do a full restart of Windows 10. I already have Mcafee, which costs money just to protect you from a virus.>:( I shouldn't have to pay just to be protected. If the company believes in the customer and wants to actively be there for the customer, not just to get money, they would make this aspect free. I understand the other aspects, but you should be protected from malware on your computer. I was going to originally install Norton, because I've used that Anti-virus protection before, and, I like Norton, but I also know they make you pay, for literally everything, so I decided to try a new Anti-Virus. I found Avast upon my search. It looked good from the logo and the website.
I installed it and immediately was impressed with the user-interface. When I got re-directed somehow to another website, it protected me immediately, and even buzzed letting me know. Not only that, it told me what drivers to update, (although I only have free version so I cannot install this), but I can install the drivers manually myself, now that I know what drivers to install. I also swear my computer was speedier since this app install! This protects me from what I need to be protected, without money-costing me, because they care about me, not just my money.
I just love this product so much! Everything is perfect with this! I am going to stick with this Anti-virus forever! I love this Anti-virus so much, that I decided I am going to upgrade so It'll install drivers for me and do lots more! This program has so many features versus Mcafee, (which I also have but won't do anything because not paid!), and so much more than what other virus-protection services have. It also has good Anti-virus tests to prove it! Thank you so much Avast, you have changed my life for the better. Definitely will recommend!!
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Avast Antivirus response
Hi, Sophia:
Thanks for your feedback and for choosing Avast for your security needs!
-Avast Team
2 people found this review helpful
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Original review: Aug. 15, 2019
I signed up for a free trial and within an hour, they had upgraded me to a full subscription and charged my card $86. I called and cancelled subscription they added without authorization and got my money back. Took a while. Then on August 13th, I got two (2) $86.59 charges back to back that came out of nowhere. I called and talked with someone I couldn't understand well, but was told one of the charges would be refunded. It hasn't happened yet. Disputing with bank and Avast. It's a slow process. When this gets taken care, I will cancel my card. I was actually asked if I wanted to cancel my subscription!!?? Do not trust them.
Avast Antivirus response
Hi, Monica:
We apologize for the inconvenience and would like to investigate what happened and get this resolved for you! Please contact us privately with your full name, contact email address, the charges that were placed on your card, support ticket information (if you received an email), and the number you dialed so we can ensure you spoke with genuine Avast Support.
-Avast Team
3 people found this review helpful
Hunter of Rancho Cucamonga, CA Verified Reviewer
Original review: Aug. 26, 2019
Avast installed without permission from me and without knowing which is an automatic one star from me. They also force you to use their uninstall software instead of having control panel delete it. It constantly sent me notifications that I have a virus, I have done multiple full scans with Windows Defender and it said nothing. And I also got this in an Adobe Flash scam, so they paid people to put something I don't want on my computer and wasting my time.
Avast Antivirus response
Hi, Hunter:
Thanks for reaching out! What is the best dj app for mac. We can assure you we would never install our software without your permission. There would have been a box to opt-out during the installation of your other program. If you have any additional questions, we would be happy to help you directly.
-Avast Team
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V of Other, Other Verified Reviewer
Original review: Aug. 31, 2019
I subscribed to the Avast Antivirus software. I'm not sure how good the software is, but it occasionally tells me it's spotted or blocked something. The problem is that I am paying much more than I intended. I was led to believe it was an annual fee, yet I've been charged four times within 12 months - each time the amount increases ($49.99, $49.99, $59.99, $79.99). Back in March I asked PayPal to stop letting them withdraw funds from my account and PayPal agreed. Since then the company has used disposable account information to withdraw funds. I'm now clamping down on my PayPal account so the processing company (Digital River) can't take money from me anymore.
Avast Antivirus response
Hi, V:
Thanks for reaching out! We'd like to investigate further to see what's happening as we do charge annually for each product. Please contact us privately with your full name, email address, and the dates and amounts of the charges and we'll be happy to sort it out for you!
-Avast Team
2 people found this review helpful
Original review: Sept. 1, 2019
While it works ok as a free version, Avast has become Adware. It constantly harasses with ads asking for paid upgrade. Which should be ok if it wasn't for the following. It has an insidious and sneaky way of making you go for a free trial of the paid version in an advert that makes you think you are updating the virus database. This method is only seen in predatory tactics of Adware.
Another disgusting Adware characteristic is lying and scaring the user into thinking they are being watched and followed and they need protection. Which Avast does it plenty. Mum called me horrified to tell me she's being watched and needs protection. I thought she's gone mad, but no. It was an Avast ad. Finally it does the same scaremongering as fake registry cleaners. Avast will tell you you need to upgrade to its paid version in order to clean your computer of unused programs and free your drive space. Avast kindly go ** yourself, I'm finally going for a paid version of ESET. Go cry in a bucket.
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Avast Antivirus response
Hi, I:
Thanks for your feedback. While we do occasionally notify our customers of our other great products and features, they are not meant to cause any undue stress and we do offer the ability to add/remove features that may or may not fit our customers' specific needs by clicking Menu>Settings>General>Troubleshooting>Add/Remove Components. Additionally, Silent Mode is located under the Notifications tab.
-Avast Team Avast premier for mac. Virtual dj 4. 1 free download full version.
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Allison of Smithfield, VA Verified Reviewer
Original review: Sept. 3, 2019
I cancelled my service in 2017 with Avast because I was paying for 3 computers and I was down to one. They said they cancelled and refunded my money that year. The next year 2018, they charged me again (but changed the name of the service) and I missed it because I did not have the email that I had used anymore and I didn't check my Credit card statement. This year, 2019, I am charged again, but this time I see it and check with my CC company to find I was charged in 2018 also. Avast refunded my 2019 charge but keeps telling me that I never cancelled this new service (they changed the name and kept saying I had both, though I was never charged for both at one time and the new named service was also for 3 computers).
After they give me all the generic responses I try to reason with them that Why would I order a new service for 3 computers when I was down to 1. They changed the name, never cancelled me, charged me (stole from me) and refuse to refund my $60 from 2018 because it is beyond their refund time. I was able to get the order numbers so that I had proof of the charges but I have been given the runaround over and over with them trying to tell me that I ordered this and I never did. Be very careful.
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Avast Antivirus response
Hi, Allison:
Thanks for reaching out! We'd like to help find out what occurred and get this resolved for you. Please contact us privately with your full name and the subscribed email address (as well as your current email address if that one is no longer being used) so we can further assist you.
-Avast Team M4v player mac free download.
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$0.00
For years, Mac users basked in the mystique of virus-free computing. It wasn't true, alas, and as time goes on we see more and more Mac-specific malware attacks. The situation may not be nearly as bad as for Window or Android, but prudence still dictates that you install antivirus protection on your Macs as well. Avast Security offers Macs protection against malware along with advanced features including a password manager and a network security scanner, all for a cost of exactly nothing.
Installation went quickly, though I did find I had to separately activate the password manager and the Online Security browser extension from the Tools page. You'll also find Avast's SecureLine VPN on that page, but it's not free like the others. When you click to activate, you get a choice of signing up for $2.99 per month or starting a 30-day trial.
The product's spacious main window features a large status indicator centered in an otherwise-empty white region, with a menu down the left side. It's a very different appearance from Avast Free Antivirus on Windows, which uses pops of purple and green on a dark gray background.
Pricing and OS Support
Like Bitdefender and Kaspersky, Avast supports macOS versions back to 10.9 Mavericks. If you have an antique Mac that for some reason can't even run Mavericks, consider ESET Cyber Security (for Mac), ProtectWorks, or ClamXAV (for Mac) all of which support versions from 10.6 (Snow Leopard) on. At the other end of the spectrum, Avira, Trend Micro, and Symantec require macOS 10.11 (El Capitan) or better.
Best all in one printer for mac 2018. Like Sophos and Avira, Avast offers full antivirus protection for free. Avast Security Pro (for Mac) costs $59.99 per year for one license or $69.99 for three. The Pro edition adds ransomware protection and real-time notification when new devices connect to your network. The free edition is strictly for non-commercial use; in a business setting, you must pay up.
Good Malware Protection Scores
When reviewing a Windows antivirus utility, I report how it scored with four independent antivirus testing labs. The very best products earn top scores from all four labs. But even if no test results exist, I can run my own hands-on tests using real-world malware and malware-hosting URLs.
It took years to develop my hands-on tools and tests for Windows. Most of them don't carry over to the macOS platform. Hence lab results become extremely important for my Mac antivirus reviews. Two of the labs I follow, AV-Test Institute and AV-Comparatives, test Mac antivirus, and Avast participates with one of them.
Experts at AV-Comparatives test Mac antivirus products using the latest macOS malware. They also evaluate each product's ability to detect Windows malware. Why? While a Trojan written for Windows wouldn't run on a Mac, the Mac could serve as a carrier.
Avast managed 99.9 percent protection against Mac malware. That's very goodâbetter than most. However, Bitdefender and Kaspersky exhibited 100 percent protection. In the Windows malware test, Avast detected 100 percent of the samples. Most competing products also took 100 percent. However, Webroot only caught 75 percent, and Intego Mac Internet Security X9 got just 18 percent. Like most tested products, Avast received certification from AV-Comparatives for Mac antivirus protection.
Having one certification is good; having two is better. Bitdefender, Kaspersky, and Sophos are among the products that received certifications from both labs for Mac malware protection.
Scan Choices
Avast offers several scans to improve your Mac's security. A full scan on the Apple MacBook Air 13-Inch that I use for testing took 14.5 minutes, just a hair over Intego's 14 minutes, and quicker than the 18 minutes required by Avira. The average for recent products is 24 minutes, so Avast proved quite speedy. Norton is the current speed champ, completing a full scan in 10 minutes.
There's a separate scan for removable volumes, though you can configure the full scan to include them. I scanned a thumb drive containing my Windows malware collection and found that it quarantined 85 percent of them. For comparison, Avira detected 82 percent of these, while Sophos Home (for Mac) wiped out every single one.
There's no predefined quick scan, which makes sense given the speed of the full scan. The custom scan settings confused me, though. As with the full scan, you can add file locations to exclude from scanning, and configure it to scan Time Machine backups. But the full scan's settings include those options, and also let you include removable volumes and network volumes, while the custom scan's settings do not. Puzzling.
You can schedule a daily, weekly, or monthly scan if desired. Settings for a scheduled scan include two additional choices. You can set it to skip scanning if your device is running on batteries, and you can have it wake from sleep if necessary, to perform its scheduled scan. Avira Free Antivirus for Mac not only offers scheduled scanning, it defaults to a weekly scan with no effort on your part. Sophos skips scheduled scanning, relying instead on real-time protection.
Network Security Scan
The final scan choice doesn't look for malware. Rather, it collects information about all the devices on your network and flags any security problems. On my own network, the scan finished in just under three minutes.
The scanner correctly reported that my main router has an open port that could theoretically become a point of attack. It's true that the port is open, as my ISP uses it to run remote diagnostics when necessary. But that function requires a key that only the ISP has.
More interestingly, it found serious problems with a network storage device (fortunately, one that I'm not currently using). Not only does this device have numerous open ports, it's vulnerable to a buffer overrun attack. Avast advised updating the firmware; I just unplugged it.
The report also serves as a list of everything that's connected to your network, identifying each by name and type. It's similar to the output of Bitdefender Home Scanner. With both products, I found devices with names like unknown6542990b6483ânot much help! Bitdefender includes an option to edit the name and type, and it remembers your edits in subsequent scans. I'd like to see that ability in Avast.
Excellent Phishing Protection in Chrome and Firefox
In the Windows realm, one thing that differentiates Avast's premium product is better protection against phishing sites, those fraudulent sites that imitate secure sites and try to steal your login credentials. The free Windows edition scored very poorly, while the premium edition did an extremely good job. Based on initial round of testing, the Mac product's phishing protection, both free and Pro, seemed to match that of the free Windows product, meaning it's not very good.
I learned later that Avast's phishing protection is not fully functional in Safari. The developers are working on making it completely browser-independent. In the meantime, they advise using Chrome or Firefox. Norton was also having problems during my original test, so I tossed those results and started fresh.
My phishing protection test uses URLs reported as fraudulent, but not yet verified. Typically, these are only a few hours old. That's important, because phishing sites are ephemeral. Once they've been identified and blacklisted, the fraudsters just create new ones.
I simultaneously launch each URL in Safari on the Mac and in a browser protected by long-time antiphishing champ Symantec Norton Security Premium. I also launch each in Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer, relying on the browser's built-in protection. If any of the five browsers throw an error message, I discard the URL. A true phishing fraud masquerades as a secure site and tries to capture your login credentials. Any URL that doesn't match that profile also gets junked.
I've written a Windows-based tool that handles launching URLs and capturing results. On the Mac, I copy and paste each URL into Safari and manually record the result. When I have enough data, I dump the five reports into Excel for comparison.
The malefactors that perpetrate these phishing frauds are clever. They're always devising new techniques to get past security software. That being the case, I report results not as hard figures but as the difference between the product under test and the others.
Tested using Safari's incomplete phishing protection, Avast's detection rate lagged Norton's by 32 percent, and Norton itself was having a bad day. All three browsers soundly drubbed Avast. When I retested using Chrome, Avast tied with Norton and beat the detection rates of the three browsers. That's impressive. Adobe flash player for mac powerpc g5. Of the Mac security products I've tested, only Bitdefender did better, beating Norton by 5 percentage points.
While phishing is browser-agnostic, phishing protection is not. Bitdefender beat Norton by 5 percentage points, but its Windows cousin more than doubled that gap. Even Symantec Norton Security Deluxe (for Mac) didn't detect many frauds that its Windows edition caught.
Site Rating and Do Not Track
Like McAfee AntiVirus Plus (for Mac), Avira, Trend Micro, and several others, Avast marks up results in popular search engines with green for safe, red for dangerous, and gray for unknown. You can click to vote a page up or down. Simple!
Clicking the Online Safety toolbar button displays the status for the current page. It also lists all the elements on the site that can track your online activity, including analytics, social media, ad trackers, and more. By default, it doesn't do anything, but you're free to block any tracker or category. Websites are free to ignore the official Do Not Track header sent by your browser, but Avast's active Do Not Track feature has teeth. Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac offers a similar active Do Not Track feature.
Digging into the settings for Online Safety reveals a hidden gem: SiteCorrect. If you mistype a site name, this feature offers to change to the correct name. You can even set it to automatically make the fix, with no prompt. However, in testing, I couldn't tease it into action. I tried pyapal.com, pcmga.com, whitehous.gov, wallmart.com, and many others, with no reaction from SiteCorrect.
Basic Password Manager
Like Avast's Windows antivirus, this product includes a password manager. Where the Windows product invites you to install on Android, the Mac one suggests adding password management to your iPhone. On Windows, the password manager is integrated with the antivirus; under macOS, it's a separate app.
There's no limit on the number of devices, and you can sync your passwords between them all, macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android. Avast doesn't keep your passwords in the cloud. Rather, it uses your Avast account to authorize syncing data that's stored locally on your devices.
Once you've enabled syncing on a device, that device becomes an authenticator for adding more devices. The new device displays a numeric code, and the existing device gets a notification with the same code. If the numbers match, just click to approve. What if you lose all your devices? On installation, Avast sends an email with a recovery link; don't lose that email!
On each of your devices, you create a master password to protect the local password stash. The master passwords need not be the same, but who'd want the confusion of making them different? Avast offers advice on creating a strong password, with a color-coded line representing the strength of what you've typed. It's not easy to get all the way to green, but Avast doesn't require it. In fact, it accepted 'Password' as a master password.
Avast offers browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. When you log in to a site, the extension offers to save your credentials. If you come back to the site, it fills your saved credentials. Clicking the key icon in one of the fields brings up a menu showing all the credentials you've saved. And it handles two-page logins like what Google uses.
Avast doesn't use the typical menu of logins attached to its toolbar button. Rather, you click the button and launch the main application. Unlike the Windows edition, this is a separate app, not integrated with the main antivirus. Its main window is seriously tall and skinny, like something you'd find on a smartphone, and you have only limited control over its size. Clicking an item opens its details, with a link to open the site itself.
You can also use the password manager to sync and share secure notes between your devices. These are simple, unformatted text snippets, suitable for saving such things as locker combinations and non-digital passwords.
The left-rail menu offers simple icons to manage passwords and secure notes, and one to bring up the password generator. By default, it generates 18-character passwords using all character types. You can set the length anywhere from four to 30 characters using a slider.
Avast analyzes the strength of your master password when you first create it, but not when you update it. Avast Pro Antivirus on Windows can analyze your passwords, flagging any weak or duplicate ones. The free Windows edition used to include this feature, but it was recently enhanced and redefined as a Pro-only feature.
This password manager handles all the basic tasks and no more. Fancy features like secure sharing, two-factor authentication, and password inheritance aren't here. But you do get it along with the antivirus, at no charge, so if it does enough for you, go ahead and use it.
Worth a Look
AV-Comparatives certified Avast Security as an effective Mac antivirus. Impressively, it offers a network scanner and password manager, features often reserved for full security suites. On the other hand, the password manager handles basic functions onlyânothing advanced. And while Avast earned great stores in my hands-on antiphishing test, that function currently works well in Chrome and Firefox, but not Safari. But the pros outweigh the cons. If you're looking for free Mac antivirus protection, give it a try, along with Sophos and Avira, and see which you like best.
For truly top-notch Mac security, you'll need to lay out some cash. Our Editors' Choice products in this realm are Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac and Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac. Both received certification from two labs. Both scored well in our hands-on antiphishing test. Bitdefender's AutoPilot mode means you can set it and forget it. And Kaspersky goes above and beyond feature-wise, with full-scale parental control, protection against webcam peeping, a network attack blocker, and more.
Bottom Line: Antivirus for mac - avast compared to other antivirus. Avast Security (for Mac) delivers effective malware protection along with unusual bonus features. Phishing protection only works well in Chrome and Firefox, but this free utility is still worth a look.
Avast Free Mac Security Reviews
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