The modern age of technology provides so many conveniences and there are all kinds of different devices and tools that make our lives easier. Computers are one of these current day necessities that we all use in many areas of life. I’m sure you or someone you know has experienced the problem of a computer becoming infected by a virus. Some of these viruses are small and barely noticeable while others can shut down your machine.

• Download Bytefence Anti Malware Pro
• Macbook Pro Malware Cleaner

Your MacBook Pro is engineered against many different types of common computer viruses but that does not mean that it is immune to the issue. A MacBook Pro is not likely to become infected by a virus very often but if it does, you need to know how to get rid of it quickly and effectively. Here’s a look at some of the methods to keep your computer safe and secure while protecting it against unwanted viruses.

Best antivirus for Mac: Get the best protection from viruses and malware Macs may be attacked less often than other platforms, but they're not invincible. PC Matic is an American-made antivirus that provides overall security protection using superior whitelisting technology to help prevent ransomware. PC Matic Pro’s commitment to the security and privacy of your data is of vital importance, and we are committed to protecting you and your business from any attempts to compromise it.

Does My MacBook Have a Virus?

There is a common misconception that Apple computers will not get a virus. While it’s true that Apple computers like your MacBook Pro are less susceptible to viruses, that doesn’t mean that they won’t ever get one. In fact, according to a recent report by Apple Insider, malware viruses specific to Macs, in particular, have grown 60% in 2019. So really, it seems as though viruses on your MacBook might become more of an issue as time goes on.

Although not all viruses are easy to detect, there are some tell-tale signs that your computer may be infected. Some types of viruses may not cause much of a problem on your computer and you might not even now that they are present but others can have a big effect on the overall performance and operation of your computer.

We will look into the steps to get rid of the virus below. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you could have a virus:

• You see random advertisements on your computer.
• Your computer starts to act weird, i.e. erratic behavior, unexpected program closures, glitches, etc.
• You notice apps or software present on the hard drive that you did not install.
• Your computer starts to operate really slowly for no apparent reason.
• An app randomly asks for your password.

How to Remove a Virus on MacBook Pro

If you think you might have a virus on your computer, don’t worry. It can be unexpected and alarming but there is usually a way to get rid of it safely and quickly. It’s good to know the signs and symptoms of a virus so you can remove it as soon as possible once on your computer. There are different ways to remove a virus and here is a look at several of them.

Uninstall Suspect Apps

If you just downloaded an app and your computer started to act as if it had a virus, the problem could lie within that app. You might have even downloaded an app that claims to help remove viruses only to find out that it is the source of a virus! This seems shady but it happens all of the time. Also if an app or program has appeared on your computer without you downloading it, that could be your problem. Either way, you need to uninstall the suspect apps.

1. Open your Finder.
2. Click on Applications.
3. Drag the suspect app to the trash or Control Click and select Move to Trash.
4. Go to the Library folder in your Finder.
5. Open both the Launch Agents and Launch Daemons folders.
6. Check for any files associated with the suspect app in these folders and send to trash.
7. Empty your trash.

Delete Browser extensions

Many different types of malware viruses exist in the form of extensions off of your internet browser. If you have one of these viruses, you need to delete these browser extensions to get rid of the virus. Here is how to remove these extensions from the most common browsers.

In Safari:

1. Open Safari.
2. Click Safari from the menu on the top of the computer screen.
3. Look at the list of installed extensions and delete any that you did not install or seem suspicious.

In Firefox:

1. Open Firefox.
2. Click the 3 line icon in the top-right corner of the browser.
3. Click Add-ons.
4. Choose Extensions.
5. Find any extensions that look suspicious and delete them.

In Chrome:

1. Open Chrome.
2. Click on the 3 dot icon in the top-right of the browser.
3. Select More Tools.
4. Choose Extensions.
5. Look over the extensions list and click Remove for any that seem suspect.

Use A Virus Removal Program

There are a few good virus removal tools designed specifically for Macs that can help you get rid of any unwanted viruses easily. Most of these programs cost a little bit of money upfront but the service they provide is well worth it for the peace of mind to easily remove any virus or other issues your computer might come down with. All of these programs are easy to operate and will walk you through the process of virus removal.

Some good virus removal software for your MacBook Pro:

Final Thoughts

Computer viruses are simply part of having a computer. There is a really good chance that you will experience an issue with some sort of virus over the course of owning your MacBook Pro. Even though these computers aren’t as susceptible to viruses as other laptops and PCs, it still happens so you need to know what to do in case it does.

A computer virus doesn’t mean that the computer is going to stop working, you just need to get rid of it following any of the steps above to ensure that your machine works as it should. If you still have issues after following the above steps, purchasing antivirus software may be the best option.

Have you ever had a computer virus? How did you get rid of it?

There is a popular opinion that Mac systems are inherently more secure than Windows. In fact, most Mac users don’t even bother to use an antivirus or anti-malware software. Objectively speaking, that opinion may or may not be true. Mainly because that depends on a variety of factors like the number of Mac users, how they use their system, how computer literate they are, etc. However, over the past few years, the threats to Mac users have been increasing, thanks to quickly spearing malware, ransomware, and adware.

Read: Best Malware Removal Tools For Windows

Avoid MacKeeper

I bet you might have seen ads on websites (mostly porn sites), telling you to clean your Mac with MacKeeper. And while it’s legitimate software (as in not a virus), but it’s nonetheless useless and a waste of resources. Also, uninstalling MacKeeper isn’t easy as well. So, no matter what you do, avoid MacKeeper at any cost.

Instead, it is essential that you use a good anti-malware software so that not only you can be safe but also avoid spreading malware, ransomware, and viruses to other users. Here are some of the best anti-malware software for mac.

Read: How I Removed Malware From my WordPress Site

Best Anti Malware for Mac

1. Malwarebytes

When it comes to dealing with malware and other nasty stuff like rootkits, there is no other software that more popular than Malwarebytes. Other than it being able to remove malware from Mac effectively, the best thing about Malwarebytes is that it plays nice with your other antivirus software if you’ve already installed any. In fact, most users including me use Malwarebytes as a backup and perform weekly scans just to make sure that the system hasn’t been infected or has infected files.

To scan your system all you have to do is install the application, launch it and hit the scan button. As soon as you hit the button, it can do a quick scan for malware, PUPs (potentially unwanted programs), rootkits, adware, spyware, virus, etc., both in your system memory and hard disk. If it finds any threats, it will automatically quarantine those threats.

For in-depth scanning, select the custom scan option. Do keep in mind that the custom scan can take a couple of hours depending on the amount of data you have on your hard disk.

Download Malwarebytes (free, $40 for pro version)

2. Systweak Anti-Malware

Systweak Anti-Malware is a dedicated malware scanning and removal software for MacOS. Just like Malwarebytes, Systweak Anti-Malware scans for malware, rootkits, viruses, and adware in your hard disk and system memory. Once it finds a threat, it automatically quarantines it. If you know that Systweak Anti-Malware quarantined a false positive, you can restore the file or app with just a single click. For regular, deep, or custom scans, you can create custom schedules.

If you know a file or folder to be safe, you can exclude them from scanning avoiding any possible false positives by adding them to the exclude list. Of course, Systweak Anti-Malware always runs in the background and protects your Mac system from malware and PUPs in real-time. Other features of the software include start-up scan, memory scan, and beginner friendly user interface.

So, if you unsatisfied or looking for a good alternative for Malwarebytes you should try Systweak Anti-Malware.

Download Systweak Anti-Malware ($40)

3. Bitdefender

Bitdefender is another popular software to protect your mac from various threats like malware, virus, trojans, adware, spyware, unwanted software, and much more. The best thing about Bitdefender is that apart from protecting you from regular threats, it can actively scan in multiple layers and protect your system from ransomware. Other than that, Bitdefender can also keep an eye on cross-platform threats so that you don’t unintentionally spread malware, virus, or other infected files to your friends, colleagues or family.

Since Bitdefender always runs in the background, it can block any and all threats in real-time. Of course, Bitdefender also scans your system occasionally. If needed, you can create custom schedules with various configurations and scan settings. Bitdefender also has other features like backup protection, safe files, parental controls, secure shopping protection, etc.

Simply put, if you need a full-fledged software that can do much more than blocking and removing malware then give Bitdefender a try.

Download Bitdefender ($50 – $70 according to the version you choose)

4. Avast

Just like Bitdefender, Avast is not just an anti-malware software, it is a anti-virus software that can scan and protect your system from a wide range of threats. In fact, if you’ve ever searched for a anti-virus software, you should have definitely heard about Avast.

Using Avast you can regularly scan your system and create your own schedules to better protect your system. Along with anti-malware security, Avast can also protect your system from infected emails, unprotect WiFi network, and ransomware. Other features of the software include real-time protection, detailed security reports, browser protection, ability to shield you from dangerous downloads and PUPs, etc.

As good as the software is, while using Avast, you should be ready for a little bit of performance dip, at least, that is my experience while using Avast. Other than that, Avast is a pretty good and reputed software to protect Mac system from online and offline threats.

Download Avast (free, $70 for pro version)

5. AVG

AVG is yet another popular software that can protect you from malware, viruses, trojans, adware, and other threats. The good thing about AVG is that you can scan your system for threats related to Mac, Windows, and Android so that you don’t spread viruses or malware to other systems. Also, thanks to the simple and minimal design, using AVG to scan or create scanning schedules is pretty easy and straightforward. Moreover, unlike Avast, AVG always runs in the background and provides real-time protection for free.

As good as it is, when you try to download AVG from the official site, you will be redirected to the CNET website. So, be careful while installing it on your system as CNET has a habit of bundling adware and other toolbars along with the software you are trying to install.

If you are looking for all-around protection with real-time threat analysis and blocking then you should go with AVG.

Download AVG (free)

6. Sophos Home

Another popular opinion amongst Mac users which is more than just an Anti-Malware. Sophos Home comes with a bunch of extra features including a live chat support.

Sophos offers features like Anti-virus and ransomware security along with anti-malware protection. The programme also lets you remotely manage your devices. Yes ‘Device(s)’, Sophos home can be used in up to 10 devices for the paid version and 3 devices for the free version. Doesn’t end here, Sophos Home also lets you put on parental controls so that none of your devices reach the unprotected side of Web.

Download Sophos Home (30 day trial, $27 yearly for premium)

Wrapping Up: Best Anti Malware for Mac

If you are looking for a dedicated anti-malware software that plays well with other antivirus and firewall software then go with Malwarebytes. As a premium option, you can also try Systweak Anti-Malware. If you are looking for a full-fledged anti-virus software that can extend the protection to viruses, adware, ransomware, and other threats then go with AVG as it provides real-time protection for free. You can also try Bitdefender.

In general, if you know what you are doing on the Internet and don’t download the cracked software or porn, you’ll probably don’t need an anti-virus and/or anti-malware software. That said, if you don’t consider yourself tech savvy or if you are buying a computer for your parents, it’s a good idea to have an anti-malware installed.

Download Bytefence Anti Malware Pro

That’s for now. If you think I missed any of your favorite anti-malware software then command below and share it with me. It will also help other Mac users.

Macbook Pro Malware Cleaner

Read: Top 10 Free Portable Anti-Malware Software to Have on Your Pen Drive