1. Best free antivirus for Mac: Avast Free Mac Security Many antivirus suites provide a decent level of protection, but a few rise above all others by providing the very best in performance.
2. A product of Avast, Avast Free AntiVirus 2018 crack is an antivirus application that ensures system protection against new virus threats like Trojans, malware, etc. Operating through shields, detailed scans of local drives, and Web protection clients that directly integrate to the web browsers you use.
3. Avast almost seem to push the free version of their antivirus software more than the premium. The free version itself has some great traits. It has picked up awards consecutively such as the PC Mags editors choice, Virus Bulletin 100, and AV-Comparatives top performer award.

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Avast Free Antivirus for Mac is Avast's answer to concerns about how to browse safely. The application is packaged with a brand-new, easy-to-understand The application is packaged with a brand-new. Avast mac free download - Avast Free Mac Security, Avast Free Antivirus, Avast Premier, and many more programs.

Avast Free Mac Security doesn't break a lot of new ground. As is the case with most free software, it does an OK job and — like popular free-to-play games — aims to pull money from your pockets after it's installed.

The one major perk of Avast Free Mac Security is that it can identify attacks in your email inbox, a feature that we'd like to see in all Mac antivirus services. At the end of the day, though, Avast's Mac malware protection rate isn't quite as good as its competitors', which is the most important part of antivirus software.

Avast Free Mac Security costs and what's covered

Avast Free Mac Security is free. It supports Macs running any version of macOS, as long as they have 128MB of RAM and 750MB of available disk space.

Antivirus protection

Avast Free Mac Security keeps Macs free of malware using traditional signature-based detection by unpacking Mac-specific file formats and scanning them for malicious content. It also uses its artificial-intelligence system to apply lessons from its user base to train its software.

Avast also thwarts PC malware on Mac, to prevent it from spreading on networks, and scans unopened ZIP files. It performs system protection scanning in the background, permits both on-demand and scheduled scans, and can scan your router to protect you against DNS hijacking and other threats.

Antivirus detection

Avast Free Mac Security's on-demand malware-scanning engine has a mixed record in recent lab tests. It stopped 100% of malware in tests conducted by Austrian lab AV-Comparatives in July 2018 and June 2019.

Results from German lab AV-Test were less consistent: 100% of Mac malware was detected by Avast in June 2018 and June 2019, but Avast caught only 96.3% of malware in December 2018.

That means Avast tied with Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac and Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac on the AV-Comparatives test (both hit 100%). However, it failed to match Bitdefender, Kaspersky and Norton 360 Deluxe on the AV-Test study, in which all three earned 100% scores.

Of all the Mac antivirus programs we tested, Avast Free Mac Security was the only one that flagged items already on our system as threats. Specifically, it found three email messages in my old, inactive, Outlook database that contained links to phishing websites.

Security and privacy features

Avast Free Mac Security includes Avast's Online Security browser extension, which automatically installs itself in Chrome unless you opt out, while Firefox provides a confirmation prompt to make sure you approve the extension. The Avast extension appears as a button that is green when you're safe and red if a site is potentially harmful. Similar flags will appear next to search results.

If you're wary of sites that monitor your actions, the Avast browser extension also displays a counter badge that tallies the number of activity trackers found in a website and provides an additional option to block social network-based tracking.

Not only does Avast scan activity on your hard drive and web browsers, but it also monitors POP3 and IMAP email clients, including Apple Mail, Thunderbird, Postbox and Airmail, and scans email attachments as well as email messages.

Avast monitors your computer and its network connections in the background, scans new files upon installation and lets you schedule scans. However, Avast Free Mac Security doesn't have any of the extra features offered by paid competitors, such as parental controls, a VPN service, firewalls or webcam blockers.

Performance and system impact

Avast Free Mac Security had a moderate impact on system performance, which we assessed by running our custom Excel VLOOKUP benchmark test, which matches 60,000 names and addresses on a spreadsheet. Our test machine wasa 2017 MacBook Air with a 1.8-GHz Intel Core i5 CPU and approximately 54GB of data stored on a 128GB SSD.

With Avast Free Mac Security installed on our MacBook, but without any active scans running, the VLOOKUP test finished in an average of 3 minutes and 38 seconds, 1 second longer than without any antivirus software installed. That's a passive system hit of less than 1%, and not something you would likely perceive.

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Other antivirus products' passive system impacts ranged from 5% (Sophos Home Premium) to zero percent (Bitdefender). This is overall great news for Mac users: Most of the time, you'll never notice that you've got antivirus software running.

You would be more likely to notice the slowdowns created by Avast's active scans. During full-system scans, the VLOOKUP test finished in an average of 4 minutes and 59 seconds, resulting in a big performance dip of 37 percent. That's not as bad as McAfee AntiVirus Plus' 47% fall (the worst offender), although it wasn't as good as Sophos' 7% full-scan system hit.

Avast's full-scan completion time, which took an hour and 11 minutes on average, was on the longer end of scores but was not the longest we found — Sophos' 2-hour-and-56-minute time was the longest. Malwarebytes for Mac Premium's full scan took a miraculous 16 seconds, while Bitdefender closed its full scan in 4:25. Kaspersky (41:20) and Norton (25:49) fell in the middle of the pack.

Interface

Avast Free Mac Security may not be the prettiest antivirus app, but it provides a number of functions and options. Its main window shows users a Protected status, as scans are enabled by default. All other features, including on-demand scans, are located in a menu bar on the left.

Avast's main window presents users with their status — Protected or otherwise — and a 'Run scan' button that pushes you to Avast Cleanup Pro. You'll be confused by this abrupt switch of apps if you weren't paying attention to the fine print, and you'll soon realize that Cleanup Pro is a paid product that looks to tidy up your hard drive and costs between $2.99 or $3.99 per month.

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After you click that Run scan button once, it changes to an Upgrade button for Avast Security Pro, which features anti-ransomware protections and Wi-Fi and network scanning. To avoid further confusion, click on Scans in the left-hand menu, which opens that section as well as other sections of the app, such as Reports, Virus Chest, Shields and Preferences.

In Scan, you can select from a number of different types, such as scans of custom directories, scans of removable volumes and scans of your home network. Avast also includes scheduled scans, an increasingly rare option these days.

Clicking on New Scan presents a Start button for activating a Quick Scan and a Change Scan Type button to switch to a full-computer scan.

You'll find database updates and analyses of scans performed on your system in Avast's Reports. Avast places files it flags as malicious into the Virus Chest quarantine section, where you can delete or restore them (if you think Avast is mistaken).

Open the Shields section to see real-time analysis of scanned files. Annoyingly, if the file directory is especially long, Avast won't give you the full directory, so you can't go look up the offending file for yourself. You may not need to, but we'd prefer to have the option.

In the Preferences tab, you'll find options to change the frequency of notifications, system updates and scans. Here, you can also disable hard-drive, email and web protection, although Avast wisely makes you enter your system password first. Additionally, you can disable Avast's menu-bar icon from this window (it's under Miscellaneous).

If you create an account with Avast, you can check the status of any systems you've logged into in the Account tab as well as at my.avast.com. Avast's menu-bar button provides links to open the main interface window, see current activity and application information, and review previous notifications.

Installation and support

To install Avast Free Mac Security, you open Avast.com and click Download, which will place the installer DMG on your Mac. (Thankfully, you won't have to go through download.com anymore, an annoying part of the previous model.) After you click through the end-user-license agreements, the installer will download more files and install Avast.

No restart is required, and the whole process took about 2 minutes for me, which felt about normal. In the middle of the installation, you get the option to not install Avast's unlimited Password Manager and the company'sSecureLine VPN client. The Avast Online Security browser plug-in is free, but you get only a seven-day trial of SecureLine VPN service, which otherwise starts at $60 per year.

To get technical support, click Help in the menu bar, select Avast Technical Support and then select Contact Help to open Avast's Support site. Here, you can find a FAQ, ask for help in the forums and call a customer-support line that will provide free advice for installing, configuring, updating and removing Avast.

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If you need more help than that, Avast offers paid support starting at $79 for any call that isn't related to removing a virus or malware, or at $119 per call for virus-related calls. For more support, you can spend $199 for a year of unlimited service, or $10 per month plus a $99 setup fee.

Bottom line

Avast's email scanning gives it an edge over competing Mac antivirus products. It needs such an advantage when the rest of its package is such a mixed bag.

Not only does Avast's software continually push you to spend money on additional services (unlikely if you've already chosen to use free antivirus software), but its malware detection rates aren't great overall.

If you're going to pay, you should instead choose Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac, which gives you excellent protection and a low system impact for $40 a year. If

you'd rather not pay, then Avast is the best free option, but only because Sophos Home, which has a more full-featured free tier, has undetermined malware-protection abilities on Macs.

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.

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 ☰ Menu ▸ Activate 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 ☰ Menu ▸ Activate 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 ☰ Menu ▸ Activate 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 ☰ Menu ▸ My 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:

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1. In your Applications folder, double-click the Avast icon to open the application.
2. Go to ☰ Menu ▸ Log 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.

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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. 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.

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.

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 ☰ Menu ▸ Settings 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 ☰ Menu ▸ Settings 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:

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1. In your Applications folder, double-click the Avast icon to open the application.
2. Go to ☰ Menu ▸ Settings 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:

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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:

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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.

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:

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)