How to Scan for Viruses on Mac? Follow Tips to Keep Mac Safe! - MiniTool

Mac virus scanning guide: How to detect and remove malware?

Many people believe that Apple products will not be infected with viruses and malware and do not require Mac virus protection. But that's not the case. Your Mac may also suffer from virus or malware attacks, although the chances are lower than your Windows PC.

Signs of Mac virus infection

If your Mac has the following conditions, you may have been infected with viruses or malware:

1. Performance degradation: running slower than usual, insufficient memory, excessive resource utilization of applications, etc.
2. Browser exception: The home page or extension is added inexplicably.
3. Pop-up ads: Annoying pop-ups and ads keep appearing.
4. File Inaccessible: Ransom/fine/warning prompt appears.
5. Fake safety warning.

Once malware or viruses are found, you need to scan the virus immediately and remove the threat.

How to scan for Mac viruses

Automatic scanning method: Use CleanMyMac X

It is recommended to use reputable tools such as CleanMyMac X to automatically scan for malware and viruses on your Mac. It can easily detect malware, adware, ransomware, worms, and more and clear them immediately.

Step 1: Download the tool from the official CleanMyMac website.

Step 2: Launch the tool and click "Smart Scan > Scan".

Step 3: After the scan is complete, check the "Malware Removal" results. If a suspicious item is detected, click "Remove" to delete it.

Manual scanning method

No antivirus software is required, you can also manually check for Mac viruses and malware: check activity monitors, check unwanted applications, check browser settings, find and clear suspicious applications and login entries.

1. Run the Activity Monitor

Activity Monitor is a built-in tool for Mac to track problematic applications or processes and detect malware.

Step 1: Go to "Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor".

Step 2: Click "%CPU" to view applications with high CPU usage. Click the "X" button in the upper left corner to close these applications.

Step 3: Find the suspicious process and search in the browser to see if it is malware.

2. Check for unwanted applications

Malware can be hidden in seemingly harmless applications. If you don't remember installing an app or not using it for a long time, check the app.

Step 1: Go to "Applications".

Step 2: Check for applications you don't recognize. Then, search them on Google to see if they are malware.

Step 3: If not, right-click each application and select Move to Trash.

3. Check the download folder

Sometimes malware is installed by downloading folders. You can check this folder to see if there are any files you don't recognize. If so, delete it.

4. Check the login item

The malware may run automatically when you start your Mac, you can check the login item and remove it.

Step 1: Go to System Preferences > Users and Groups.

Step 2: Click on "Login Items", select the suspicious item, and then click the minus button to remove it.

Conclusion

Now you've learned how to scan for Mac viruses and malware—using antivirus software like CleanMyMac X or manually. Please follow the given prompts to scan for Mac viruses. To ensure your Mac is safe, it is best to use backup tools such as Time Machine to create backups, update macOS and applications, enable firewalls, etc.

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