McAfee Review | Features, Protection Performance and Pricing Plans

Looking for an honest McAfee Review? Learn more about its features, pricing, performance, pros/cons, and malware protection in this article.

I love McAfee’s antivirus. I have used it for over 5 years and am always impressed by its performance. It always detects and safely removes malware from my hard drives and that’s the main reason I have been with the software for this long.

This McAfee review is based upon my experience with this amazing antivirus - you can read reviews in this article that compares it against our top choices as well.

Check out how McAfee compares with other antivirus software.

McAfee Security Features

If you are planning on safeguarding your business or home against online threats, I would advise picking McAfee antivirus. You can protect as many devices as you want plus comes with great features and they include;

Virus Scan Feature

This is an extremely important feature of an antivirus. It scans devices for any threats or malware. Use this feature to scan all types of threats such as viruses, spyware, ransomware, Trojans, rootkits that change files of windows to escape detection, adware, dialers, and many more.

It comes with several options to scan your devices and they include;

Full scan: scans everything that is in your devices such as files, programs, images

Custom scan: gives you the freedom to choose what you want to be scanned

Quick scan: scans specific parts of your devices

Performing a scan with McAfee is not a long process. After installing the software, right-click its icon and select scan. You will have 3 options; quick scan, full scan, and custom scan.

Select the option that best suits your needs. When the scan has completed, make sure to view the results.  If your computer was infected with malware, you will be informed that it has been cleaned.

Custom scan options

When you want to scan specific areas of your PC like the desktop, critical system files or program files, choose this scan option. It allows you to check places where most viruses, tracking cookies, and spyware is detected.

Vulnerability Scanner — Keep Programs Updated 

I know you are wondering what a vulnerability scanner is. This is a tool in McAfee that manages your computer’s updates.  Vulnerability is a weakness that malicious people use to infect computers with malware.

Software developers always produce updates to fix these vulnerabilities as soon as possible. By installing the latest updates, you will have improved the security of your machine and attackers cannot find a way of attacking you.

Vulnerability scanner will play a big role in ensuring that you are always protected with the latest updates.

• This tool will show you the apps that have updates
• It will allow you to select the updates that you want to install

If you want to use this tool, go to McAfee antivirus and click open. Click PC, Home Network tools, and then vulnerability scanner. Click scan. You will see the list of apps or software with updates.

Choose the updates that you want to install. If you have any questions relating to this tool, contact their support on chat messenger, live chat, or send a direct message on twitter. There is always online support to answer any query pertaining to their products.

Quick Clean — Delete Unnecessary Files

This feature is great for people like us who are not savvy enough to clean the hard disk using sophisticated software. McAfee Quick will clean or delete all unnecessary or junk files in your hard disk.

This improves the performance of a machine by deleting files that slows down it.  Deleting emails, junk, or unnecessary files also creates space. Quick clean will give you the opportunity to specify areas of your computer that would like to be deleted. Examples are:

System files

• Lost file fragments
• Recycle bin files
• Temporary files
• Flash cookies
• ActiveX installers
• Old shortcuts
• Old registry keys and many more

Email

• Outlook express deleted items
• Outlook express sent items

Browser Files

• Browser cache files
• Browser history
• Cookies

How to run Quick Clean

Follow these steps to successfully run quick clean on McAfee internet security. You will be required to choose the files that you wanted to be deleted.

• Open your antivirus software
• Expand PC and home network tools
• Click settings and select the files or items that you would like to be erased. You can choose registry keys that are no longer used by programs, items in the recycle bin, shortcuts for programs that are no longer there, songs or documents that you no longer listen to or use, error reports, tracking cookies, and many more.
• After selecting all these, click apply and the list will be deleted.
• When the process is finished, click done.  By erasing all these junk files, you will have improved the performance of your machine thereby increasing its speed.

Please note that this feature allows you to schedule quick clean scans. You can be cleaning your computer every week, after 2 weeks, the last week of the month or every month.

App Boost and McAfee Web Boost- Keep Apps and Browsers Running Fast

One of the ways you can enhance the performance of your machine is by speeding up your web browsing and running of your apps.

Web Boost

Web boost is available as an extension for Google chrome. It is only available for Windows 10.x and 8.x.  Today, many people have no patience for sites that load poorly.

Use a web boost to force your web pages to load fast. It works by stopping videos from auto-playing when you visit sites and make sites load faster.

App Boost

This is a feature in your antivirus that will help your apps to run faster and efficiently. This will boost the performance of your mobile devices. More processing resources are given to browser apps, video editing apps, social media apps, etc. to open them faster.

Password Manager (True Key)

Say goodbye to the hassle of passwords with a password manager. It is designed for those people who have a problem remembering their passwords plus would like to securely store their sensitive data such as bank cards, documents, etc.

This security company has a true key password manager and it works across Android, Windows, macOS, and iOS. Its features include the following;

• Multi-device sync
• Multiple sign-ins
• Password auto-save
• 2 factor authentication (2FA)
• A password generator

Different ways that you can sign in

True key from McAfee provides various ways that you can sign in your password manager account. You can use a master password, face recognition, trusted device, fingerprint, Windows Hello, or email.

Password auto-save

The primary use of a password manager is to store your login information for all the sites that you use, generate stronger passwords, and protect passwords with encryption.

Anytime you login to a site, a true key password manager from this security company will save this info so you can use it later. There will always be a pop up asking if you want to save login information on a site or not.

Password generator

If you are not good at creating strong passwords for your accounts, the true key will generate strong passwords for you.  It will let you customize passwords and can have a length of up to 30 characters and even more.

McAfee Web Advisor

This is a great feature for the people who spend most of their time browsing online, shopping, or banking online. McAfee’s web advisor lets you search confidently and browse safely without the worry of online threats.

This is a free tool that will warn you if you happen to visit risky websites or download malicious files.  This tool will also learn about your search behavior plus sites that you browse.

It will use this information to improve their services to you.

It comes with the following features:

Misclick protection

If you happen to click on malicious links, this tool will block the sites for you before they open. This is a great companion that will help you stay away from sites that contain online threats.

Typo Protection

Did you know that a typing mistake can cost your internet security? Typing the URL of a website wrong can take you to a malicious website. Attackers take advantage of this and build websites that could be mistakenly be typed by people.

They make sure that the phishing sites have the same design and feel in order to dupe users.  If you will not be able to identify the difference, your sensitive information such as credit card, emails will be stolen.

McAfee already protects its users against phishers. It will inform if you have typed an URL wrongly plus block a malicious site from opening.

Safer Downloads

People love free downloads. Downloading things from the internet is a great way for people to enjoy new music, movies, games, the information in the form of PDF, word documents, and even get periodical updates for software or apps in your devices.

The problem is, some of these free downloads come with malware that will either enable annoying popup advertisements or viruses that will enable attackers to steal your sensitive information. There are other solid anti-malware options, like Hitman Pro.

For safe downloading, ensure you have an effective antivirus like McAfee internet security that will alert you if you are downloading a dangerous file.

McAfee antivirus free

This security company also gives a 30 days trial so you can test its products and decide if they are worth your money.

No credit card information will be required and during this time, you will get total protection against malware, enjoy the services of a password manager, VPN, and get encrypted storage, and many more. 

McAfee Ease of Use and Setup

Whether you are planning on protecting your home or as an antivirus for business, the McAfee antivirus is your best pick. McAfee is certainly one of the user-friendliest antiviruses today, and for a good reason. This antivirus is easy to install, configure, and use.

The main window shows all the important information, keeping the user up to date on current computer status. McAfee antivirus protects every device you own for a price that’s far more affordable.

McAfee Mobile App

In the past, hackers focused mostly on hacking desktop computers and laptops. With the increased usage of mobile operations for banking, social media, and online shopping, it’s not a surprise that cyber-criminals have shifted their interest onto mobile phones and tablets.

Android devices are widely used on a global scale. Due to their popularity, cybercriminals have gained interest in android devices to figure out its vulnerabilities, making android users more likely to become a victim of malware and viruses.

McAfee is the best mobile security app out there that offers remarkable security that includes features like Wi-Fi security and anti-theft that provide impressive protection.

McAfee Customer Support

Get help for your product from McAfee’s customer support. Every package comes with online consumer support that is ready to answer any question plus show how to use their products.

If you need help with download and install, renewal, request a refund, product installation, or billing, you can contact McAfee customer service or visit their contact us page on McAfee.com.

McAfee customer service can help with non-technical questions such as product activations, licensing, grant numbers, entitlements, and service portal password resets. Their technical support provides a 24-hour service to customers who require product assistance and troubleshooting.

If your organization has subscribed to enterprise support, you will receive personalized technical management to assist you with your immediate and long-term security needs. No matter which product you have selected, you don’t have to miss any important information about your product.

To get automatic product news, changes, and critical security alerts by email, subscribe to the support notification service (SNS). Find the SNS subscription link on the service portal’s main page.

McAfee Community

Is “Total Protection” Worth the Price?

McAfee total protection provides a complete security solution for all your devices. It protects against ransomware and other malware attacks, keeping you and your family safe from phishing websites.

McAfee antivirus plus and McAfee total protection earned perfect scores for scanning, detecting, and blocking malicious content when I tested these pricing packages. I was also pleased because they didn't slow down my machine after running some computer scans.

Total protection provides a wide range of features such as:

• McAfee safe browsing VPN. Use a VPN to keep your data safe.  All network data is encrypted plus will keep your browsing safe. 
•  Password managers save you from the hassle of having to remember every password for your accounts. True key securely auto-saves and enters your passwords when logging in your online accounts.
• File encryption storage prevents unauthorized persons from accessing files that are stored on your machine. Endpoint encryption for files and folders allows only authorized users to access data.
• Home Network Security provides security for your home wireless network by scanning all traffic passing in and out of your home network, blocks hacking attempts, and web threats as well as protecting your family's privacy.
• PC performance optimization we all know how frustrating it can get when our PC runs slow and takes very long to complete simple tasks. A slow computer ends up wasting your time, effort, and money in the long run. You can optimize the speed at which your computer runs by changing the startup settings in your McAfee product.
• Multi-device compatibility allows you to install the product on more than one computer or device. Total protection is available in 4 packages; single device, individual or couples, family, and the ultimate package. McAfee will run on any device including Mac OS, Windows, iOS, and android.

Frequently Asked Questions about McAfee Total Protection

Is it ok to disable McAfee?

When installing a program, sometimes the McAfee antivirus may block a clean file thinking it has a virus. Turn it off until you are done downloading your file. To temporarily disable the antivirus, open its control panel.

Go to its navigation center, and click real-time scanning to view various options of the antivirus.  Click Turn off the window. You will be asked the time that you want to resume it. There are options for 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes.  A warning that your device or PC is at risk will be displayed.

 This will indicate that you have successfully disabled your antivirus temporarily. You can now install your program.

 Do not turn it off for a long time because your system will be completely unprotected and vulnerable to virus attacks when it is not on.

Is McAfee good?

MacAfee is one of the best antivirus programs in the market right now. It is designed with excellent security features and customizable settings.  When I tested McAfee Total protection, it blocked all the malware samples that I used to test it.

It provides an in-browser report that gives detailed information about the threats found. These reports include the type of threat, the risk it possesses, and the IP address connected with the threat. With this information, users are aware of which sites to avoid and can flag these suspicious addresses.

Do I need McAfee if I have Windows Defender?

Windows Defender provides basic protection for windows 8 and 10. However, it will not safeguard from today’s malware because today’s cybercriminals are producing sophisticated malware that window defenders cannot handle.

If you spend most of your time shopping, banking online, or even surfing the web, you need extra security or the best antivirus to protect you against cybercriminals. An antivirus will provide another line of defense from online threats.

Will McAfee remove malware? 

Malicious computer software is a general term for intrusive software that is designed to cause damage or steal data. It’s a collective name for viruses, Trojans, spyware, ransomware, just to name a few.

If your computer is running slower than usual, freeze or crash frequently, chances are, it is infected with malware.  Remove this malware with the best antivirus on the market, McAfee security scan plus.

It has powerful tools to fight against malware.

Run a full scan to remove malware if you suspect your devices are infected

To remove malware, run a full scan. It will check your entire PC for threats. There are also scheduled scans that will regularly check your PC for viruses and other threats. All these scans are important for the safety and health of your computer.

McAfee also performs automatic scans at least once a week, but you can customize it to fit your requirements. The time it will take to scan will depend on your computer memory size plus its processor.

Like I mentioned before, this antivirus is great at detecting and blocking malware before it infects your PC. Using a custom scan, you can run specific scans on files and folders that you suspect to have been infected.

The antivirus software has a personal firewall, a password manager, and parental controls, plus it scans your social media pages for threats.

Will McAfee protect my iPhone or Android device?

As threats to mobile devices sharply increase, investing in a good security app can make a huge difference. There’re a lot of security apps out there that can help protect your mobile devices from hackers but none do it like McAfee mobile security.

Another step you can take is to lock it and remotely wipe data so that your personal information does not fall in the wrong hands.

Finally, McAfee gives a free 7-day trial so you can enjoy their premium mobile security features. It is worth noting that they have different subscription plans; starter which is free, standard that costs $42.99 for 1 year, and McAfee mobile security plus that costs $114.99 for 1 year.