It is a myth that viruses only affect Windows machines. According to various sources attacks on Mac users in both the business and home are increasing all the time. Some threats are Mac specific meaning that should they get on to your machine, they’ll be better able to target and disrupt.
As such, making yourself aware of how to detect and remove viruses and malware is a necessity and not a choice. So read on to discover how to find and eradicate viruses.
Choosing a Virus Removal Tool
There are plenty of good virus removal tools on the market. If you scan the list of tools it is easy to get overwhelmed so here are some checkpoints to make it easier:
- Real-time protection – Any virus removal tool needs to offer real-time protection. Prevention is better than download when it comes to virus protection, so having a tool that can stop that malware from getting on your computer in the first place is essential.
- Easy of use – Some virus protection tools are very good at what they do but are quite hard to use. The menus don’t flow logically and the terminology and explanations are not written for the everyday user. You want one that is going to be intuitive to use and have a great easy to understand user interface.
- Optimization tools included – Many virus protection tools offer optimization tools to keep your Mac running as if it had just come out of the box. Many more, however, offer no optimization tools. Keeping your Mac maintained and virus free is key to a happy computing experience.
- Free trial – Trying before you buy is a good idea so try and find one that lets you do this.
Premium tools are the way to go as they offer far better protection. Check reviews, and try a few to see how well they work and how easy they are to operate. Apple Support sheds more light on viruses.
Manual Removal of Viruses
It is possible to remove viruses manually, so here are some tips to do just that:
- Apps – Often apps are the source of a virus and so scan your apps and remove any you didn’t put there. The quickest way to do this is open Finder, then Applications from the sidebar. You’ll see a list of apps. Scan through and delete. Empty Trash after you’re done.
Pro tip: Apps often use several folders so even when the main app is deleted there may be remnants still on your device. Scan other folders and purge them too.
- Purge Downloads – Viruses are crafty and might be hiding in your Downloads folder. Most Download folders are full of installers and other nonsense, so go through and delete anything worthless. There might be something important so scan with a critical eye.
- Browser extensions – Again, browser extensions are easily installed by accident and this can be the source of bad things. Go through your extensions and delete ones you don’t remember putting there. Different browsers have different ways of doing this, but the principle is the same and quite easy to do.
Hopefully, your Mac will now be virus free and you can get on with your life.
