7 Ways to Disable Virus Protection on Your Computer

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Multiple ways to turn off Windows Security, Avast, AVG, and Norton on Windows and Mac computers
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Since your antivirus program protects your computer from dangerous viruses and malware, you really shouldn't disable it without a good reason. If it's causing you trouble or affecting how an app you need installs or runs, you can usually disable it—however, you should reenable it as soon as you can. This wikiHow teaches you how to temporarily disable some of the most popular antivirus apps for Windows and macOS.

Things You Should Know

  • Virus protection software makes sure that your computer is safe, so turning it off exposes your machine to dangerous malware and viruses.
  • You can usually turn off the computer's default anti-virus software in Settings.
  • If you have a third-party anti-virus program, like AVG or Avast, open that program and you can disable the virus protection features in the app's settings.
Method 1
Method 1 of 7:

Windows Security

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  1. You can do this by clicking the gear icon in the Windows menu or by pressing the Windows key and the i key at the same time.
    • Use this method to disable Windows 10's built-in antivirus protection.
    • There is no way to disable the Windows built-in antivirus protection permanently. It will automatically turn back on after an undisclosed amount of time.
  2. It's the icon of two curved arrows.
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  3. It's in the left panel.
  4. It's in the right panel. This opens your antivirus settings.
  5. It's the link just below "Virus & threat protection settings" in the right panel.
  6. A warning message will appear.
  7. This disables antivirus protection on Windows.
    • If you had any scheduled scans, they will still run as scheduled.
    • If you want to turn antivirus protection back on sooner, return to this screen and click the switch to enable it.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 7:

Avast for Windows

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  1. The system tray is the area near the clock, which is usually at the bottom-right corner of the screen. The Avast icon is an orange splat with a small "a" at its center. A menu will expand.
    • If you don't see this icon, click the up-arrow to the left of the icons beside the clock to expand more.
  2. This opens another menu.
  3. You can choose to disable antivirus protection for 10 minutes, 1 hour, until you restart the computer, or permanently. Once you select an option, a confirmation message will appear.
  4. Antivirus protection is now disabled.
    • You can reactivate Avast early by returning to this menu and choosing the option to turn it back on.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 7:

Avast for Mac

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  1. You'll find it in your Applications folder and on the Launchpad.
  2. It's the tile with a shield icon. [1]
  3. It's in the upper-right corner of the window.
  4. Avast's "shields" are the things protecting you from viruses and malware in real time. To disable this protection, you'll need to disable each shield's features. [2]
    • Depending on your version of Avast, you may see switches below the shield names instead. If you do, click the switch below the shield to disable it.
    • You can re-enable these features at any time by replacing the checkmark.
  5. It's at the top of Avast.
  6. To prevent Avast from scanning for viruses, remove the checkmarks from each option under "Smart Scan." Once you've finished this, Avast will be effectively disabled on your Mac.
    • You can re-enable Avast at any time by replacing the checkmarks.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 7:

AVG for Windows

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  1. The system tray is the area near the clock, and that's typically at the bottom-right corner of the screen. The icon is a yellow, blue, red, and green patchwork square. [3]
    • If you don't see this icon, click the up-pointing arrow left of the other icons near the clock to expand more.
    • Disabling AVG is temporary, as it will automatically reactivate next time you restart your computer. If you want to permanently disable the software you must uninstall it.
  2. If AVG is active right now, this will pop-up a warning asking if you really want to disable Avast.
  3. This disables AVG until you reboot your PC.
    • You can turn AVG back on early by toggling the switches back on.
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Method 5
Method 5 of 7:

AVG for Mac

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  1. You'll find it in your Applications folder and on the Launchpad.
    • There is no way to temporarily disable AVG on your Mac. The only way to stop AVG is to uninstall it. This method will cover uninstalling AVG properly.
  2. It's at the top of the screen. [4]
  3. A confirmation message will appear.
  4. This will start the process of removing AVG from your Mac.
    • Depending on your settings, you may have to enter your password to continue.
  5. AVG is no longer installed on your Mac.
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Method 6
Method 6 of 7:

Norton for Windows

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  1. The system tray is the area near the clock, and that's typically at the bottom-right corner of the screen. The icon is a yellow, black, and white checkmark. A menu will expand.
  2. This opens the "Security Request" window. [5]
  3. You can disable antivirus protection for any of the specified amounts of time. After that time elapses, virus protection will start again automatically.
  4. This turns of Norton antivirus protection.
    • Return to this menu to reactivate Norton at any time.
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Method 7
Method 7 of 7:

Norton for Mac

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  1. You'll find it in the Applications folder and on the launchpad.
    • If opening Norton first displays the "My Norton" window, click Open next to "Device Security" to open the app.
  2. The option you see depends on your version of Norton.
  3. It's in the left panel.
  4. This prevents Norton from running scans for viruses.
  5. It's in the left panel.
  6. This prevents Norton from blocking incoming threats in real-time.
  7. This turns of vulnerability protection. Now that all options are disabled, Norton is turned off.
    • To re-enable Norton, re-open the application and click Fix Now .
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    Does a third-party anti-virus application offer more protection than built-in ones?
    Michael Thompson-Brown
    Cybersecurity Expert
    Michael Thompson-Brown is a Cybersecurity Expert based in Portland, Maine. He is the owner and founder of PCRescue!, a company that provides cybersecurity and data management solutions to small businesses and individuals. Michael has over 25 years of experience in the IT industry and is a certified ethical hacker. He is passionate about helping clients protect their data and systems from malicious attacks and helping them optimize their online presence and reach. He received a Master’s degree in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance from Western Governors University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.
    Michael Thompson-Brown
    Cybersecurity Expert
    Expert Answer
    Built-in antivirus software surpasses third-party alternatives because it operates faster and consumes fewer system resources. Its integration with the operating system enables efficient utilization of resources, ensuring minimal impact on system performance. Additionally, being directly developed by the OS vendor, built-in antivirus solutions are optimized for speed, providing swift protection without compromising system responsiveness.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://support.avast.com/en-gb/article/Mac-Security-scan-exclusions/
      2. ↑ https://fixablestuff.com/disable-avast-mac/
      3. ↑ https://support.avg.com/SupportArticleView?l=en&urlName=Disable-AVG-Antivirus&supportType=home
      4. ↑ https://support.avg.com/SupportArticleView?l=en&urlname=Uninstall-AVG-Antivirus
      5. ↑ https://support.norton.com/sp/en/us/home/current/solutions/v116457581

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