AVG AntiVirus for Mac User Manual Document revision 2015.02 (30.6.2015) C opyright AVG Technologies C Z, s.r.o. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Contents 1. Introduction 2 1.1 What is the AVG AntiVirus for Mac? 2 1.2 Installation Requirements 2 2. Installation Process 3 2.1 Introduction 3 2.2 License 4 2.3 Destination Select 5 2.4 Standard Install 5 2.5 Installation 6 2.6 Summary 7 3. Welcome Wizard 8 3.1 Opening dialog 9 3.2 Zen network login 9 3.3 Activation completed 11 4. Finding your way around the AVG AntiVirus 13 4.1 Main user interface 13 4.2 Icon in the task bar 16 4.3 Menu in the task bar 17 5.
1. Introduction This user manual offers a general overview of the tasks and detection technologies provided by AVG AntiVirus for Mac. We will briefly talk about the program installation, initial startup, configuration and use. AVG AntiVirus is provided free-of-charge. It is up and running immediately from the moment of installation.
2. Installation Process To download the installation file of AVG AntiVirus for Mac visit the AVG AntiVirus for Mac site. Scroll to its very bottom and click the green Get it FREE button. You will be redirected to the download page; your download should start after just a few seconds. Once you have downloaded and saved the installation file on your hard drive, you can launch the installation process. Double-click your package (the avg_avc_mac_all_2015_????_???.
2.2. License The next dialog provides information on AVG AntiVirus for Mac terms of use. Please read it carefully. Right now, this license agreement (and the application as whole) is only available in English language. Once you have finished reading, click the Continue button to trigger a little pop-up dialog: In this dialog confirm that you have read, understood and accept the agreement by pressing the Agree button.
2.3. Destination Select This dialog is informative only since the AVG AntiVirus will always be installed for all users of this computer and into the preset location (/Application/AVG Antivirus.app/). Therefore you can only proceed by clicking the Continue button. 2.4. Standard Install This dialog informs you that your AVG AntiVirus for Mac will be installed on your local hard drive. You can either click the Change Install Location...
select a different destination for your installation, or click the Install button. Right after that you will be prompted to type an administrator's name and password (otherwise the Installer won't be allowed to make changes and the installation process won't be able to continue). If you do not know the login name and password, you will need to contact the person who administers your computer.
2.6. Summary This dialog is the last step of the AVG AntiVirus for Mac installation process. AVG AntiVirus for Mac is now installed on your computer. Simply click the Close button to the product activation wizard.
3. Welcome Wizard Right after the installation AVG AntiVirus for Mac of is finished, the Welcome Wizard will appear. This little set of dialog allows you to add your software to some AVG Zen network, thus adding extra security and protection for your Mac. What is a Zen Network? AVG Zen is a central platform for managing AVG protection on multiple devices.
3.1. Opening dialog The first dialog of the wizard is purely informative, containing some info about the application and its features. Click Continue button in order to proceed. 3.2. Zen network login This dialog allows you to connect your AVG AntiVirus for Mac to a Zen network or to create a new one. Please note that Zen Network connection is not mandatory. You can always click the Skip for Now button to proceed directly to the AVG AntiVirus for Mac user interface.
Joining an existing Zen Network: Simply enter appropriate AVG MyAccount credentials, i.e. your user name (MyAccount email) and password, then click the Log In button below.
characters), then click the Create Account button. Accepting Zen Network invitation: Enter the invitation code that was previously sent you by required network's administrator (the best way is to copy and paste it from the invitation email). After you insert the code, click the Connect button. 3.3.
This dialog only appears if you have successfully entered a Zen Network (no matter which of the three available options you have chosen the previous dialog). Congratulations! You are a part of Zen Network now. However, if you ever change your mind, you can easily disconnect at any time.
4. Finding your way around the AVG AntiVirus In the AVG AntiVirus for Mac you can choose between three ways of accessing various settings, overviews, and functions: clicking the AVG AntiVirus for Mac icon in the Dock opens the main user interface, providing you access to various AVG security features. Click to learn more about the AVG AntiVirus for Mac main user interface.
Overview the lower section of the main user interface displays the security features of your AVG protection, often with some additional info (like scanning progress or scan results). There is always a special action button (or switch), allowing you to use the selected security feature (or to turn it off or on). The security features of your AVG AntiVirus for Mac are as follows: o Mac Scanner – enables you to scan the whole Mac. o File Scanner – enables you to scan a specific part of your Mac.
This is how the button looks like when you are not connected to any Zen network. In order to connect to a Zen Network (or to create a new one), click the Connect option. A new dialog will be opened, allowing you to choose from three available connection options. There are also two browser links – Tell Me More and Visit AVG MyAccount. These two will open the AVG Zen web page and the AVG MyAccount web page (respectively). Click here to learn more about AVG Zen and AVG MyAccount.
of the product is being downloaded and installed. Click here here to learn more about update process in AVG AntiVirus for Mac. two navigation buttons ( – back and forward) are located in the upper-left corner of the main user interface. In the newly-opened main screen, both these buttons are disabled. However, in other dialogs (like scanning progress), these two buttons allow you to quickly access the main screen, or to navigate back to any previously displayed dialog. 4.2.
4.3. Menu in the task bar Whenever the Main User Interface is opened, the AVG AntiVirus for Mac menu appears in the right part of the task bar: This menu provides you access to a few basic options: About AVG AntiVirus – displays a small dialog with copyright and version number information. Preferences... – displays a new dialog allowing you to adjust several additional settings. Check for Updates... – performs an update check and installs new updates (if available). Uninstall AVG AntiVirus...
5. Scanning These days, the vast online world has become quite a dangerous place; unfortunately, not having to be careful about which emails you open and which files you download on your computer is a thing of the past. Sophisticated computer viruses roam the internet just waiting for the chance to infiltrate your system and cause some serious damage. A virus scan is a tool that notifies you when something unsavory manages to access your Mac.
When the scan is finished, you will be informed whether any threats have been found; if so, click View Results button to access the result overview and deal with the infection. If the scan was not completed, you will get information what had been scanned (in %). Please consider running the scan again to complete it, especially if threats have been found.
To reset the scanner back to stand-by mode, click OK (if no threats were found) or Ignore Results (if some threats were found). 5.2. File Scanner This security feature enables you to scan a specific part of your Mac. To scan a specific file or folder, drag it from the Finder and drop onto the File Scanner where labelled "Drop here". You can also drag & drop multiple selected files (adding files one by one is not supported).
A running scan indicates its progress visually, and you can stop it any time by clicking Cancel. Please note that it will stop the scan completely, not pause it (it will not be possible to simply continue scanning from that point later on). When the scan is finished, you will be informed whether any threats have been found; if so, click View Results to access the result overview and deal with the infection. If the scan was not completed, you will get information what had been scanned (in %).
The safest and simplest way to proceed now is to click Protect All Files. All files will be treated automatically, one by one, and AVG AntiVirus for Mac will choose the best action for each. First, it will try to heal the file (that is, remove the infection and restore the file to its original state), and if not possible, move it to Quarantine. To handle each detection separately, click Protect Me on each respective line.
To return from the scan result back to the main screen of AVG AntiVirus for Mac, click Go to Dashboard. The scan result will be kept until you resolve all threats, click Ignore Results on the component in Dashboard, or close AVG AntiVirus for Mac.
6. Realtime Protection This proactive security feature is a resident shield for your Mac. You do not have to do anything to be protected; it works continuously in the background, automatically scanning all files that are being opened, modified or saved. If malicious code is detected, the file will be blocked for your safety and you will get a detailed alert message (see below). The only available setting option enables you to turn the protection on and off by sliding the On/Off switch.
If there are multiple threats detected, you can tick the box Do this for all threats and then click either button to treat all infected files at one time. If you are not sure what to do, it is always best option to select Protect Me. Even if the file is safe, and gets removed, it can be restored from the Quarantine for up to 30 days afterwards, so you needn't take risks by leaving a suspicious file out of control.
7. Quarantine The Quarantine is a safe storage for virus infected or suspicious files that have been removed by AVG AntiVirus. All files are locked, encrypted and cannot do your Mac any harm. The main purpose of this special storage is to keep any deleted file for a certain period of time, so that you can make sure you do not need the file any more. Each line represents one quarantined item and information about it (threat name, full path to the original location of the file, date of detection).
Please note that both actions require administrator's password. Preferences By default, all files in Quarantine are kept for either 30 days, or until the total number of files in Quarantine exceeds 1000. You can change these settings in Quarantine preferences.
8. AVG AntiVirus for Mac Preferences This dialog allows you to modify all adjustable settings of your AVG AntiVirus for Mac. To access it, open the AVG AntiVirus for Mac menu in the task bar and select Preferences. Preferences contain the following pages: General Scanning Quarantine Exceptions 8.1. General The adjustable options are as follows: Move all threats to quarantine – when this box is checked, all threats found during scanning will be automatically moved to Quarantine, which is the safest option.
8.2. Scanning The adjustable options are as follows: Scan archives (such as ZIP, RAR, 7z, etc.) – by default, this option is switched on for maximum protection, however, you can switch it off to boost the scanning speed; archives are often quite large so if skipped, the scan takes less time. Also, archives generally pose low risk, and if an infected archive should occur in your system, it will be detected and blocked by the Realtime Protection as soon as you try to unpack it.
8.3. Quarantine On this page, you can specify how to handle items stored in Quarantine. Please note that if you want to mak e changes on this page, you will need to unlock it with administrator's name and password. Automatic file deletion from Quarantine – this option activates automatic deletion of files in Quarantine under the conditions specified below.
8.4. Exceptions The page contains a list of items (files or folders) that should be ignored, i.e. never scanned by AVG AntiVirus for Mac. Exceptions are useful if you have some positively harmless files that AVG AntiVirus keeps blocking and reporting as threats. Typically, this applies to PUA (Potentially Unwanted Applications), which is borderline category of malware. Please note that in order to mak e changes on the page, you will need to unlock it with administrator's password first.
9. Updates The main purpose of an update is to add definitions of new threats to the internal database stored locally on your Mac. This is very important because new threats emerge every day, and fully updated antivirus program is the most reliable protection from them. Keeping your AVG AntiVirus up-to-date is therefore essential for its correct functioning. The definition files and other improvements are delivered to your Mac silently from our dedicated update servers, via your regular Internet connection.
10. Contact & Support To get further help and support, there are the following options: for FAQ, Technical Support and Sales Support, go to the dedicated AVG AntiVirus for Mac Support of our website. to discuss your issue with other Mac users and AVG technical support staff, use the AVG forums. Our staff read and respond to the forums on a regular basis. to send a specific file (infected, suspicious or falsely detected) to our malware experts for analysis, use the Sample Submit Form.
