How to Turn Off McAfee Without Deleting It
By Andrew Meer
While your McAfee installation provides adequate protection against most forms of malware, it may also interrupt the installation of certain programs or detect false positives against applications that you already trust. You can manually turn off both McAfee’s Real-Time Scanning and Firewall features rather than deleting the entire McAfee application from your computer. When turning off McAfee, either configure the Real-Time Scanning and Firewall features to reactivate after a set amount of time or have them turned off indefinitely.
Step 1
Press “Windows-Q” to open the Search charm. Enter “McAfee” (without quotes) into the search box, and then press “Enter” to open your McAfee AntiVirus Plus, McAfee Internet Security or McAfee Total Protection installation.
Step 2
Click “Virus and Spyware Protection” on the McAfee main window. Next, click the option labeled “Real-Time Scanning,” then click “Turn Off.”
Step 3
Use the pull-down menu on the Turn Off pop-up box to select a time frame -- 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes or 60 minutes -- after which you want McAfee to resume Real-Time Scanning. If you want to turn off Real-Time Scanning indefinitely, select “Never” instead. Next, click “Turn Off" again, and then click “Done.”
Step 4
Click “Web and Email Protection” on the McAfee main window. Click the option labeled “Firewall,” then click “Turn Off.”
Step 5
Select a time frame after which you want the McAfee Firewall to resume, or select “Never” to turn it off indefinitely. Click “Turn Off" again, and finally click “Done.”
References
Tips
- To manually turn on the Real-Time Scanning or Firewall features at a later time, click “Virus and Spyware Protection” or “Web and Email Protection,” then select “Turn On.”
Warnings
- Since turning off McAfee leaves your computer vulnerable against both online and offline-based malware attacks, only visit websites or access files and programs that you trust.
- Information in this article applies to McAfee AntiVirus Plus 2014, McAfee Internet Security 2014 and McAfee Total Protection 2014. It may vary slightly or significantly with other versions of the aforementioned products.
Writer Bio
As an ardent tech fan, Andrew Meer loves writing about the latest in computer hardware and software. Since 2006, he has worked as a level designer and programmer for various video game companies. Meer holds a Bachelor of Science in game and simulation programming from DeVry University, California.